Equipment????

[IceDragon]

I am looking to start a new tank and wanted to throw out the equipment i am looking at and get some feedback

All-Glass 75 Gallon overflow
a home made refugium/sump (29G 3 baffle)
Euro Reef ES5-3 skimmer
700GPH submersible pump
Used Light (my uncles ... he just upgraded to MH but these 2 light ran him about 650 so i think there are pretty decient and it supported his reek for 2 years he is also throw in all the powerhead(he has 11 not in used atm) for 70$)

i know i am going to use live sand and i think i am going to mix it with a little crushed coral (LFS suggestion)

i also know i want live rock both cured and uncured but i am a little scetchy on the amount

any help or advice would be greatly aprecciated

[omard]

WELCOME to 3Reef Icedragon...!!!!

For questions like yours...you have come to the right place...lots of good advice and info sources to be had here.

Looks like a sweet setup for a startup...if you already have all that stuff...start putting it together and getting it to work...!!

Get some live rock, some sand, and fill her up - you will have plenty of time during initial cycle to work out details of what critters you want to keep and "improvements" you may want to make on equipment...also about testing, etc...

Lots of reading to do - but feel free to query here on anything that does not seem obvious or you want clarification on.

(first recommendation - am not sure mixing your sand with some crushed coral is proper advice - you may want to look further into that...)

Those two year old "lights" from "uncle" going to need some new bulbs for sure. 11 powerheads? - your critters will be "surfing" - quite a few more then you probably need, and maybe not need at all if you want to look at some other options.

75 gal All Glass w/overflow a great tank! --- just about all lr going to need "some" curing - best to do all at once when first starting up - my approch was to start with 50 lbs of "fiji" - then topped off with some top of the line aquacultured stuff with lots of life after initial cycle of first stuff. ---

Enough from me initially...others might like to chime in here also...

Again, Welcome!

OmarD

[IceDragon]

thanks for the reply

my uncle said he changed the bulbs befor he decided to upgrade to MH lights so my best guess is they have about one month of use (he only runs them 8 hours a day)

with the live rock my LFS sells cured LR and uncured Figi ( although the stuff they have atm looks and smells fairly cured) for the same price ... my only worry is that i have talked to 5 guys at that same LFS and got 3 different ansers on what to do .... and i tried to ask my uncle to break it down ... but he payed a guy to come set it up for him (no help to me who likes learning even if it is the hard way)

also my LFS keeps trying to sell me on this chilled bacteria in a pouch telling me that add corral and fish in only 3 days and that sounds way to good to be true

thanks again for the quick responce

oh and btw my uncle said i was welcome to any of the items he wasn't using ... so i figure i will only take his 2 or 3 best powerheads

[omard]

Now I know you have come to the right place!

"Learning" is one of the big "attractions" for most here.

Would be very surprised if anyone posting/browsing here has ever "paid" another to set up a tank for them.

Again lights may be OK...but your "uncle" may be not best source for "advice" - do you know type of bulbs, watts, etc? -very important to you and the critters you are about to become responsible for.

Don't know about that "quick start"/"quick cycle" stuff - but if you have a little patience (much needed & hard to come by when first starting) the "old fashioned way" is probably safest. -

REMEMBER - unless you really "know" and "trust" anyone at a LFS - they have one major agenda - "SELL YOU SOMETHING" -find someone who seem knowledgeable and consistent and stick with what they say...

Start reading past posts here & you will get a good idea of those you can safely go to with questions...some marvelous "Reefing Guru's) are known to hang out here at 3Reef (I will tell you up front, I am still very much a "novice" at this "art" myself - make sure you cross check anything I might say to do ) -

Browse thru past posts...you will quickly get an idea of the broad range and depth of expertise represented on 3Reef...

HAVE FUN (in your case (&mine) the "hard way" is the best way! (and most fun!) ---

Enjoy

OmarD

[JOER0178]

finding someone at a LFS who seem knowledgeable and consistent isn't always that easy, at least in my experience, i stick to this site for advice. The people here are great knowledgeable and they are obviously not trying to sell you something. Sounds like a nice setup. What type of lights are you getting from your uncle and how many watts are they. Also, how many kelvin are the bulbs if you look it will say it on the bulbs it will be some thing like 6700 or 10000 or 20000. If i were you and i had the money i would just get metal halides to start as i have had my tank for about 3months now and i am already thinking of upgrading. Also i wouldn't get anything to boost the cycle except maybe live sand. Good luck though when you set it up take some pics and post and welcome to 3reef have fun.

[IceDragon]

still looking into the bulbs i havent got them from my uncle yet ... he is still in NY

i went to my LFS today and low and behold the marine manager was working ( and on a friday none the less). this guy was really friendly and gave me about 2 hours of his time. during that time he showed me the gear he had and tought me better ways to make my fuge and save money. this guy has about 15 years of experiance with salt and said he would do everything he could to help do it right the first time and not buy a bunch of useless crap.

even better he said that he like my genuine interest so much that he is willing to meet the price of any local vendor on any equipment i need ( this is way outside of normal for this store which is very good but very pricy on average)

so i thought i would throw out the price so i can make sure i am getting a fair shake

all glass 75G corner-driller with overflow 190 USD
EuroReef ES5-3 Skimmer 248 USD
700 GPH Submerible Pump 50 USD
OVerflow Kit 50 USD

i am getting a stand from the petstore i work at for 82
and the 29G tank for 47

with the lights from my uncle that will put my start up dry goods at 667 or there abouts

[Matt Rogers]

Those are good numbers, he's not marking up that much at all.

[flash=468,60]http://www.3reef.com/fish/sitepics/threesteps3.swf[/flash]

looks good

[omard]

Gonna be a Beauty!--- good job!

Look forward to seeing it "grow" - hope you have a digital camera to keep record of and share with the rest of us...

We all here would love to watch "progress"...please keep us informed.

Best wishes & good luck!

OmarD

[IceDragon]

Wohoo I am finally getting started

I am beginning to insert the baffles in to the 29G tank … and the DAP Aquarium Sealant is a pain, but at least I am going

Since I am using the euroreef, which has a massive 9X9 foot print, it cut more in to my refugium than I had intended …

Will I still be okay with a sand bed that is 13X11.75 in

With a 3.5 to 4 in SB or 534 to 611 cubic inches … sounds like a lot to me but I am still a newbie

I am using a set-up as shown below and intend to insert my heater with the pump

I figure this will allow for approx 1598 cubic inches (approx 7G) of water above the sand bed in the refugium at any given time