first impulse buy now need help

[reefkeeper62188]

I hade my first marine fish impulse buy today, a 30 gal all-glass tank
I have a 150 watt Visi-therm Deluxe heater, and a penguin 170 bio-wheel power filter. What other stuff do you suggest i buy like specific brands and model to look into.
Thanks for help

 

[Anonymous]

Well, what kind of tank (just fish, mostly corals, clams, ect) do you want to keep, everything will depend on that.

 

[Anonymous]

What Laura said.

 

[reefkeeper62188]

Mostly coral but probably still 3 or 4 fish Dimensions are 36x12x16 just in case

 

[reefkeeper62188]

plus i have an extra 10gal if that helps

 

[reefkeeper62188]

could i fit a six line wrasse, a blue or yellow tang, and a royal gramma in the 30

 

[reefann]

NO TANGS!
_________________
Mercedes Benz 200

 

[Anonymous]

I'm running with exactly the same dimensions right now.. - Including the 10g sump.

Nix the tang, 30 is too small for long-term health.

I currently have a 6-line and 2 false percs. - Will eventually be adding a gramma and a firefish, subject to change if something more interesting yet "mini-reef"-friendly pops into my head.

Mature tangs need more room to swim than what a typical 30 can provide. (Its kinda like this could you live in a 16' x 8' room? - Sure - But would you be happy & healthy??)

Don't mean to sound harsh at all, I'm really not an official member of the tang police, I swear! :wink:

Anyway, I think once I add a couple smaller fish (maybe add a few blue chromis) I'll be at my limit.

I have between 40 and 50 lbs of rock, a southdown DSB (3"-6" variable) with decent randomly alternating current, a Euroreef ES5-2 and lit by a 175w 10K spider-reflected @ ~ 4" above water surface.

HTH,
Norm

 

[hdtran]

I hade my first marine fish impulse buy today, a 30 gal all-glass tank
I have a 150 watt Visi-therm Deluxe heater, and a penguin 170 bio-wheel power filter. What other stuff do you suggest i buy like specific brands and model to look into.
Thanks for help

You didn't mention a protein skimmer. I would highly recommend using one. For a 30g, I'd recommend the AquaC regular remora or Urchin, CPR Bakpak series, or Red Sea Prizm Pro (though I've heard many folks complain about the Red Sea Prizm). I've also heard many good things about the Euroreefs.

 

[Anonymous]

I would use the 10 gallon as a sump, and use an external overflow box (unless you can get the tank drilled--the far better but improbable option) to plumb it down to the sump. You could place that power filter inside the sump to hide it, along with an in sump skimmer, the heater, and a return pump.

I think you could squeeze two more similar sized fish into it after the gramma and six line. As noted, no tangs. I really like pygmy angels, and flame angels are beautiful, peaceful, and available captively bred. Some other options are a pair of cardinal fish (many are available captive bred), a peaceful dottyback species (P. fridmani, sankeyi, or splendens, all available captive bred), or a pair of neon gobies (you guessed it, captively bred).

 

[Kevin1000]

http://www.reefs.org/library/newbieguide.htm

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Euroreef ES5-2 in my 10g sump.. Works great.

Overflow for me is a Marineland SOS HOB.. Has a tendency to build up algae and restrict flow / lose siphon over time but as long as its maintained works like a champ.

 

[gabemerrill]

1. Get the tank drilled; once you have it plumbed set it up outside, fill it all the way up and start it and stop it several times... will help aviod flooding the house (experience speaking here)
2. ReadReadReadRead; will save you hundreds of dollars
3. Realize that if you don't do water changes and blow off and take care of it that you tank will look like crap.
4. fewer fish in the tank = less work to keep it nice
5. realize the advice people give here is just that, their opinion, but they have made alot of mistakes... and aren't tryign to sell you anything like the guys at the LFS so you might want to listen.

 

[reefkeeper62188]

thanks for all the responces you dont have to tell me twice no tangs i was just curious if it was possible but i figured not. I would like to keep a small angel but i understand they are a hit or miss with corals and im not sure i want to take the chance. I would like to use the 10 as a sump so could anyone post picture of theirs that would illustrate a basic setup That would be greatly apreciated.
Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

i'd recommend never buying anything on impulse, but now that you have the tank, it's my profound hope you'll research first, and not impulse buy, your future livestock :wink:

there's a great library here w/tons of info on just about everything you need to know, the link is right at the top right hand corner of this page

 

[Anonymous]

Only real changes to this is that I have some rock around the return, the drain lines are more to the left, the intake to the skimmer directly below the drains and no poly pads in use.

Oh, and I run the skimmer a LOT dryer now.. (Everyone else seemed to start talking up running wet not too long ago so I went the other way.. :wink: )

 

[drywallguy29]

Welcome welcome welcome
to our wonderful hobby...................Iskimmed fairly quickly through the other posts but I dont believe I saw mentioned getting a book. A good start would be The Coscientious Marine Aquarist the info on the boards may be more cutting edge, however this book is a great foundation many a trip to the thrown room for it and I together( A lot smaller than the pc at least). Also the advanced marine aquarist site has great articles. I personally subscribe to aquarium fish magazine IMO it also has some very good articles though not 100% salt. To coment on the choice of the pygmy angel I have heard they can nip and in actuality they do like a larger set up with some mature live rock they are quite the grazers. Just my two cents good reefing.

 

[reefkeeper62188]

grateful diver do you mind posting a pic or your tank?
Thanks

 

[getsteppin]

Hi Reef keeper

Iam sending you a URL to check out>>>

http://aquaricare.com/default.asp

....before you buy ANYTHING else. I promise, you wont regret it.

getsteppin

 

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of things I wish I'd done differently with it, a lot of mistakes made, but I'll be moving again soon so it'll be a good time to change things up.

Sorry for the poor quality, I also need a better camera - but here's one thats fairly current.. (The made rock on the right sort of behind the GSP with the halimedia growing out from it is roughly 12" x 5" x 6" and is partially buried in the sand - just for size-reference..)

This is also a little more current shot of the sump... - No more cheap timers, all timing is done with X10 modules now.. (I've also got the skimmer dialed in for a lot drier skimmate now too..)

HTH & feel free to ask if you'd like to know more..
Norm