Newbie Questions

Hi everyone-

First time registering, but not the first time I've visited the site. You all post some amazing responses to questions no matter how simple or complex they are and with great attitudes! With that said hopefully you will excuse any questions you may have answered before.

I don't have a tank as of yet, but I am doing my homework. I've come across a 34 gallon "all-in-one" tank called the Red Sea. I wanted to find out your opinions on it for being a first time tank for a beginner since it comes pretty much loaded? I've read that the power heads and skimmer aren't of best quality but changeable and don't know if I should change them or use the ones provided before I spend the hefty price.

Also I've heard (no pun intended) that the bigger the tank the better...is 34 gallons a decent size?

And can anyone explain what RO/DI means?

Any advice on that tank system or another would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

 

I too am considering the RSM (Red sea max) seems like a great deal...many people have suggested just adding a powerhead or two.

I have been doin my homework and I think the RSM would be a great choice

If you do decide to get it post pics

 

BTW someone suggested Hydor Koralia 1...perhaps 2 of them for ample flow.

Hope this helps...

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong...

 

Thanks Marc-

I've actually heard the same thing, using the Hydor Koralia #2...another person mentioned adding a Hydor Flo to this tank as well. I plan on getting one Monday and will probably have my lfs help me with the first couple of changes and testing just so I can a quick training lesson before I take it on myself.

 

Howdy! and welcome to 3Reef

 

Welcome to 3reef.

 

Welcome to the addiction oops I mean reef club.

Gallons of tanks are just like motorcycles you start out with a minibike then a dirt bike before you know it you will own a harley. 34 gallons is not a bad starter size but the bigger the better because you will eventually run out of room in one that size.

As for power heads maxi jet 900 or 1200 with the hydor flo tip will give you a nice swirling current. The hydor Korallias are nice because of the magnetic mount. Either or both are good choices. Buy fairly large flowing pumps because they are a factor in keeping some of the harder corals. Higher flow also aids in stoping algae growth by having less dead space areas within the tank.

The water question is reverse osmosis and distilled water. You can buy gallons of ro/di water at most grocery stores. If your in this for the long term buy a new unit off of the internet. Definately do not use tap water.

I would rather buy a bare tank and add all of my power heads and skimmer to it. Look into whether you are going to run a sump or not also. Many tanks can be bought for pennies on the dollar from craigs list or selling forums on these kind of web sites.

Good luck I hope this helps you. If you have any other questions that you would like to ask you can PM me if you would like to.

 

Hey man. I looked at the Red Sea Max. The things I don't like about it.

$700. Don't like that. You can go onto Craig's List and get a pretty sweet set up that is much larger than a 29g tank......if you want to go that route.

None of the equipement is transferrable. I just replaced the 15g tall sump with a 20g long and now I have the perfect addition to a little nook. I had a 10 gallon standard in there that needed to be taller. The 15g tall fit the bill.

A good size to start. Well, any size really. It just depends on your budget. I did a 29g about 17 years ago that was a bear. This time I did a 75g and it was perfect. I am thinking about upgrading......and that's the thing. You will always want to upgrade, so choose a size you can live with. Look into the price of rock and sand to fill the tank you choose. Do you want a fish only tank or a reef? FO should have 1lb per gallon of live rock. Reef is 1.5 to 2lbs/gallon. There is a live sand calculator on this site.

Beyond that, things will nickel and dime you to death. Just be prepared to spend some money.

When you fill your tank, do it with RO/DI water. It stands for reverse osmosis/de-ionized water. All the bad stuff is pulled out of it. You can buy a unit here from AIRFIREICE that will suit your needs. If you are going to get into this hobby, this is a must have IMO.

So I will leave with that for now. Have fun. Any questions, ask us.

 

I totally agree. My first tank was a 70g that found listed on something similar to Craig's List. It set me back $300 and included pretty much everything I needed to get started except the RO/DI. If you have a good LFS, you can probably buy RO water therebut it soon gets more expensive than making your own.

 

The bigger the better yes. Yes you run out of room because you want everything but also it is easier to have your parameters not go wacky! There is more room for error and a bigger tank is more forgiving in the SW world. Check your Craigs list. I got my 75g off CL for $350 with EVERYTHING.....the chiller was broken but everything else plus some that I needed was in my set up! If you have the room in your house go for it!