Starting my First Reef!!! Advice, help, anyone with any opinions would be great!

[nikkibabee]

I am starting my first Reef with the help of Ming from this site. He has been a great help! I bought the 59 Gal tank set up with custom sump from BklynNano and am excited to get started. The set up is beautiful btw! I will post pictures as I go along so maybe this will help any other newbies like me. I am really excited! I also purchased today some live fiji rock and some pieces of Tonga that Ming is helping me cure. It will be a while till I get my tank up and running but it will be well worth the wait. Anyway, I am looking for opinions on a good skimmer and lighting. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks!!!

 

[nikkibabee]

This is the set up I purchased...

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...gallon-oceanic-reef-ready-brand-new-tank.html

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Great looking tank. What do you need as far as equipment goes now?

 

[nikkibabee]

I need lights, and the skimmer. I would also like to get a chiller and wave simulator...But I have time for that. I am also going to connect a smaller set up for sea horses, I am looking for a small hex set up but that can come later.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

What kind of lighting? What kind of skimmer? I am going to suggest a controller like the aquacontroler or the reefkeeper 2 as well, they can act as a timer/wavemaker/thermometer/ph tester/they will turn off your lights and heater if the temp goes too high in the tank and turn on a fan or chiller to bring the temp down.

I am running a 250w Metal Halide setup on my 24 gallon tank and I have a 10 dollar fan from House of fish that turns on when things get too hot in the tank and that is sufficient and much more cost effective. You may want to try that first before dumping a whole lot of $$$ into a chiller.

 

[nikkibabee]

Great Idea. I don't know what kind of skimmer, like I said I am new to all of this so any suggestions would be great! I saw this ad on CL, but its all not english to me.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/for/468595222.html
Let me know any suggestions that you think would work.

Thanks!!!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

No way on that skimmer LOL Also no sea clone skimmers or prizm skimmers as well. You need to decide if you want an in sump skimmer or a hang on back skimmer. Once you make that decision the next decision is what brand skimmer and size skimmer you want as well. The lighting decision depends on what type of corals you want to keep as well. Once you decide that it will dictate what type of lighting you get as well.

 

[nikkibabee]

I would like an in sump skimmer. I do not want too many things hanging out of my tank. The coral I want will be all different. I would like to set up a tank that has a reef as well as a deeper swimming area for the fish and darker coves for other coral. I really want to go all out on this tank. So Im up to spending a little extra for nicer things just not breaking the bank.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

What types of corals? SPS LPS Soft Zoas?

 

[nikkibabee]

Possibly both, I want to set up a tank that can hold just about anything.
Am I asking for too much...lol?

 

[ming]

Since you're new in the hobby, I would start out with Softies/LPS until you get the hang of it. If they're growing successfully, you can slowly switch over to SPS if you still want it then. Just limit the amount of leather corals if you're going to do SPS, and keep in mind some softy corals can be invasive and hard to get rid of after they get everywhere.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If you want SPS in the future I would suggest MH lighting. That's just my opinion tho. T5 is an option as well.

 

[reefnewbe]

nice set-up you bought.
good luck.

 

[nikkibabee]

Thanks, it seems like Ill need all the luck I can get.

 

[duke62]

do not be like most of us.make sure u buy the right equip the first time.and make sure u get the right size tank the first time.upgrades can be a hassle and expensive

 

[ireefny]

& yet, there is room for one more tank....LOL

 

[NYreefNoob]

tank

what siz area do you have in the sump for a skimmer, this makes a big differance, as for lighting go with either a minimum of mh's or t5's had both and loved both. as for fans always working to keep tank cool, it didnt work for me so i bought a chiller { brenden doesnt have all the extra pumps a tank with a sump has so his tank will stay cooler } that size tank you could get tunze nano 6025's had them and loved them also nice tank btw. like someone else said take the time if it means waiting a few extra weeks to afford the proper equip first time around will save on the long road and worth the little extra time

 

[nikkibabee]

I am getting all the right equipment, definitly not going to skimp. I already have the 59 gal tank and sump. Ming is really being a great help with all the right stuff. Since we are going to cure the live rock ourselves I have time to get good lighting. At least a few weeks. I am not trying to rush into this because I don't want my tank to be cheap and break. I am in the process of looking for a good skimmer.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Check the for sale threads there are quite a few skimmers for sale right now.

 

[nikkibabee]

Recommendations are appreciated...it is all a different language to me