complete newb here with some questions

footballdude2k3 · 12-26-2007, 10:16 PM

hi all, my names paul, i have always really liked salt water aquariums, i want a reef tank with clownfish and some other things that would get along with them, what would you guys suggest?
how much sand?
what kind of sand?
do i need an anemone for the clown fish?
what kind of filter system should i use?
cant think of anything else right now, but thanks in advance for any and all help.

Bruce · 12-26-2007, 10:20 PM

Welcome To 3reef!

Well the first question I have is, "how big are you willing to go?"

As a beginner, the best tank is as big as you can afford...without going too crazy. 55+ is best. (I have a 55...and it does get small...fast)

As for sand and filters etc. For corals, you are going to want to get some semi-fine live sand. I love super fine sand but some other prefer coarse...its all preference. Depending on how you want your filtration to be set up, you can go the sump route and put all your filter stuff in one unit (I wish I had done that).

For anemone...now this wont be in the tank for some time mind you, I would suggest a bubble tipped anemone, most clowns host this guy and its one of the nice looking ones.

Though, you need to realize that it will be quite time before you can add an anemone or coral. I would wait a few months after adding fish. Though you can add clowns before the anemone

...

Im sure many more people will be able to fill in the many subjects I forgot to cover.

PS: Clownfish do not need anemones. If you going to be keeping coral I am sure that the would end up hosting a branching coral.

kimmy · 12-26-2007, 10:43 PM

Welcome to the addiction...I mean hobby! As Bruce asked...what size? I started with a 40G and within 1 year I had a 40G, 24 nano and a 75G, I now only have the 75, but you see my point. Best advise I can give is to read read read and have lots of patience. As for equipment, if you do not have any yet, look onto forum classifieds, craigslist and recycler. People are always getting bigger or getting out and need to sell. Sometimes you can pick up some good set ups for reasonable $$'s. This is not a cheap hobby, but can be accomplished on a budget. Good luck, and keep asking questions.

footballdude2k3 · 12-26-2007, 11:00 PM

thanks for the fast responses, umm, im thinking either a 55, 75, or 90, i want live rock, and i hear damsels are ok to get at first to help cycle the water, i want a sump stand alone system, i have been looking around and i know that this will not be cheap, i am 20, i am going to get my scuba license next summer and i am going to start going to school for marine biology, so i think that an aquarium is appropriate at this time. i love how tropical fish look.

Camilsky · 12-27-2007, 03:20 AM

Hey! Welcome to 3 reef!

Quote:

i am going to get my scuba license next summer and i am going to start going to school for marine biology, so i think that an aquarium is appropriate at this time. i love how tropical fish look.

Hey! That's the way to go !

coral reefer · 12-27-2007, 05:33 AM

Hello and welcome to 3reef!
Best of luck with your endeavors in the marine aquarium hobby!
Other than the biological filtration being supplied by the live sand and rock along with the various filter feeders etc., a protein skimmer will afford you the most benefits with a carbon regimine periodically.
A sump and refugium can also provide many benefits as well.
It is best that you do some research above and beyond that which you are receiving here at 3reef to enable you to become better prepared for the best overall success and a thriving reef biotope which is ultimately your goal.
As far as the sand is concerned, I would use a aragonite sand for the best buffering capacity. The grain size should be consistent and dictated by the types of inhabitants you plan on keeping. For instance, Sea Cucumbers, Nassirius snails, plate corals, and jawfish do best with a fine grain sand and diffusion and advection take longer to set in.

aquaboy · 12-27-2007, 07:13 AM

Hey guys! we forgot about lighting..... (that noise that occurs in movies whenever something evil occurs is heard) for a 55 or 75 you should be able to use T5's (at least 4 tubes on a 55 and about 6 tubes on a 75,depending on what you plan to keep) and if you decide to go with a 90 gallon, Metal Halide lighting would more than likely be needed. T5 and MH (metal halides) are the most popular ways to artificially light reef aquariums. Make sure you purchase for what you plan on doing (ie. i bought a power compact light fixture thinking that it woud be adequate for the time being, but i upgraded to halides 4 months later (well now) and wasted $200 on the PC's, whereas my MH cost about $300 and are 4x as strong and much more aesthecally pleasing)

footballdude2k3 · 12-27-2007, 11:20 AM

hey guys i really appreciate all of the help so far, im really looking forward to doing this, one of my friends in high school had a reef aqaurium and i think every time that i went over there i spent close to an hour just looking at the tank, i love all of the possibilities that there are and i love how you can make your tank so personal. a couple questions, as far as when im setting up the live rock and sand should i be wearing rubber gloves so i dont contaminate them? just how easy is it to get a tank contaminated?

aquaboy · 12-27-2007, 11:28 AM

you dont NEED gloves in my opinion, just use your barehands. And...i am in high school...lol!

superclouds · 12-27-2007, 12:17 PM

Hope it isnt that easy to contaminate it, I have my hands in the tank almost every day.