Help need to know everything i need to start

HI, im extremly new to this and I have starting to gane alittle knowledge. I have the tank already its a 45 gallon bow front tank and i picked it up from a friend for 40 dollars. He also had a 75 but wouldnt sell that on lol but the 45 will work. I need to know what i need to get my tank started. Im tryin to not to go to expensive but want wat i need. Thanks lets try not to get to complicated with me being that i know not much. Thanks Guys ill appreciate any help you guys can give. Thank

also i would like live rocks to begin ...and lots of coral after my tank is established for some time

 

Well first, do you want a reef tank or a fish only tank?

In both cases you will need..
1. Protein skimmer
2. Lighting, reef you will need more
3. Live rock, I would suggest buying base rock and curing it yourself, you will need about 70lbs for a full blown reef tank and about 45 for a FOWLR.
4. Heater
5. Do you want to do a sump? Need an overflow if you do, return pump etc.
6. Sand
7. Mechanical filter, I like to use them to run carbon in, which is very important

I am sure I have missed something, but that should get you going.

 

Welcome to the reef.. First I would suggest getting a couple of books and read as much about things as you can. This is a great place to get help for more specific things. Also the search feature will help a lot.

 

thank now i can start adding up prices and figure out how this baby is gona hit the pocket itll be worth it when done and i want to do a reef tank but i would like to start small and gradually add is that fine or should i put all my live rock in at once? Thanks for the welcoming. av8 and the info guitar man... I do not want to do a sump what is my other option?

 

I agree. I have heard many different people say that nothing good happens fast in a saltwater tank. There are some very good books out there. The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner; The New Marine Aquarium by Mike Paletta if I recall. Look at some aquariums online; visit some fish stores just to see what you like. Then come ask some questions and we can help you from there. An aquarium to hold a seahorse is very different than one to hold a shark.

Also, be wary of LFS. A few are really good, most are there to sell stuff. You will make out better if you go in armed with knowledge.

and welcome to the forum

 

You could also do a hand on back refuguim they are fairly cheap and you don't need a sump for it.Like guitarman said I would buy base rock and maybe one piece of live rock to seed it.You can add all your rock at once and get it the way you like. its easier to do it without livestock in the tank. You have more than enough time to rearrange it the way you want it while your cycling.(although some of us never get it the way we want it and end up fiddling with it all the time..).
2 things you don't want to skimp money on is lights and a protein skimmer.

 

I like refugiums a lot.

I am doing a small tank build, and will be writing an article on the setup. Hopefully soon. I have the tank up and running and am watching it mature a bit so I can show results. But I will say I started with 30 pounds of base rock and 15 pounds live rock. Its a 40 gallon tank.

 

refuguim?? can u break this down for me ?

 

Large Aquafuge Refugium | Pet Solutions would this work and do i have to drill and hole in my tank for this? and what is the purpose for these things and what would it take the place of? thanks

 

a refuguim is place where you can but macro algae like Chaeto that feeds of of nitrates and phosphates and improves the quality of water combined with a sand bed to give more surface area for good bacteria to grow and in turn stopping nusance algea from growing in your tank, there are also other macro algeas out there you can get other then chaeto but this is the most widly used.it also gives a safe haven to critters that would get eaten in your DT like amphipods and such. I don't belive you have to drill your tank for that to work, hanging on the back it has a tube going in and a tube going back out into your tank over the top.

here is a good website showing different types of refuguims and sumps that helps explain it a little more.on page 2 it shows different types of refuguims.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/gt/index.php