My project

Hey,

First of I'm new here, so hello. Next, I've spent a long time (15+ years) with smaller freshwater aquariums, from 10 gallons to 75 gallons and I would like to move on to saltwater aquariums, preferably reef ones. Btw I'm 20, I was taught to look after my first aquarium which had two fish in it when i was about 5, now I have a 75 gallon aquarium with about 15 fish in it. I've only lost a couple of fish over the years, one of them to a pleco who hit my cory with its tail.

Anyway, point is I know how to keep water parameters acceptable for freshwater fish, tests for ammonia, nitrites and so on. But I've been reading up on marine aquariums for a few months now and some things are lost on me. My goal is to have a 500+ gallon, possibly 1000 gallon reef aquarium. I wanted to know if anyone could suggest equipment I'd need for this, I've been looking around and while I have found equipment for tanks of that size I've no idea how reliable the manufacturers are. I want the best equipment possible (cost isn't a concern) so any suggestions would be welcome. Also how much maintenance a tank of that size would require. I'm perfectly happy setting aside an entire day a week just to do maintenance on the tank. Also, suggestions for the kind of fish I could keep together, for instance with some more aggressive fish I've read they can only be kept on their own but with that much room would I be able to keep two?

I was considering an acrylic tank, but read that there could be a problem with scratches. Is there anything I can coat the inside of the tank with to make it scratch resistant but non-toxic to anything living inside? I really dont want to have to climb into the tank to buff out scratches but I will if I have to.

This is likely to take several years to get altogether but I wanted to find out what manufacturers I should use, amount of time for maintenance and things like that well in advance.

Thank you for any input

(If this thread is in the wrong forum I apologise)

 

Welcome to 3reef. WOW 500-1000gals, you sure need to do your homework for such a big system. Remember to take your time and dont do anything in a rush. Luna

 

Hence the several years

 

Welcome to the reef and man what a project. Money Money Money!

 

Acrylic is the way to go I had a 750 acrylic that never got a scratch the trick is to use proper magnets to clean it and take proper precautions .. I ran mine for 3 yrs or so before It had to be broken down and sold off .. As I was not able to properly care for it for a few yrs.

As for how to set it up and what equipment that may or may not be needed that all depends on what you want to keep and maintain with in the system a full blown reef with a few fish ? or totally reef and or just a fish tank ? And if a reef what corals are you going to be keeping in the system ?

 

Welcome to 3Reef>>>>>>>

 

Its gonna be a reef with a few fish, i say few...i mean around 30 or so. And im making up a list of corals I would like as I type. Its ones I would like, im not sure if they would all be compatible in the same tank. Haven't got a fish list yet but it will be limited to what is considered reef safe.

 

Corals so far: Red Sea Pulse Coral, Alveopora, Millepora Dichotoma,Seriatopora Guttatus, Acropora desalwii,Duncan Coral,Purple montipora Digitata,green montipora capicornis, Roscoes blue acropora, Velvet finger coral,Red ricordea yuma, red goniopora, colt coral,flower pot, red scroll coral, torch coral. trumpet coral and maybe a few sea fans. Plus if anyone would like to recommend other corals, the place im using to supply only has a limited choice. With specific types I could look further afield.

 

so...any suggestions out there?