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Thinking About Starting A Reef Tank


jeditait
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I currently have a 120g, 40g bow front and a Cascade 1500 canister filter.

Im considering setting up the 120 using the cascade to get the cycle started while I modify the 40g into a sump.

Lots of information out there saying you have to use RO/DI water when setting up a SW tank, I'm wondering if this is true or can i use Calgary tap water?

Next question is do I NEED a protein skimmer, will the combination of a canister filter and sump be sufficient? And then of course is the combo of canister and sump overkill?? :)

I am in absolutely no hurry to get a tank up and running as quickly as possible, everything i've read says to take it slooooooooooow.

I would like to start the process by first adding water and get the canister running. Let the water settle, add sand and then start adding live rock. As I don't want to go instantly bankrupt i plan on picking up live rock here and there and adding it to the tank slowly, is this approach ok or should i add all the live rock at the same time?

Once the sump has been completed ill setup an external overflow and get the sump running. Then sometime in the future once im comfortable my tank can handle it, add livestock :)

Ok lots of questions there thanks in advance for any advice you can supply.

Cheers!

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100% you must use RO (in our area). You don't need RO-DI as RO is just fine. ~$150-$200. You can in short order get metal poisoning if you use our tap water. With a larger tank people say it is easier to run because it can be more stable but on the other side of that coin you need more hardware. You can drop 2k just on lights for that 120 without breaking a sweat. What level of bioload do you plan on having? Larger-medium then yes, you NEED a skimmer. Use the sump and fill with live rock and you can put cheato as well as a nutrient sink.

The best sentence you've written "everything i've read says to take it slooooooooooow." 100% correct. Don't rush. It can take years for a large sw tank to mature..weeks it's just a baby...months it's just a toddler.

IMO it's best to have most equipment ready but I would suggest to get all tank/sump all plumbed, something for water flow and light. Once you start to have a bioload then a skimmer is needed. For sand and rock throw it all in at one time. Don't buy from various sources, buy from a trusted source. If your not sure about the rock you can cure it or acid wash it...if it's known to have nasty hitchhikers.

You sound sure that you want to do this but sound not so sure about you being successful in doing this. I'll throw out a suggestion. Do a smaller tank and get your feet wet first. I say this because you don't want to go instantly bankrupt...it's best to have most pieces of the puzzle together and the larger the tank the bigger $ hit you'll take. Why not do a 20 gal or even smaller in a dedicated self-contained tank. I do a little 6 gal pico and I can easily get away with just water changes...no sump...no skimmers, nothing. Once you've got that smaller tank running good and you feel comfortable convert to your 120.

While some advice can be given here the real pro's are at Canreef.com . I'd suggest make an account and read what that site has to offer for info.

To add: at Canreef great deals on hardware/livestock can be found. There are lots of Calgary saltheads...enough so that meetings/gatherings are scheduled at times during the year. Might be a good opportunity to talk with others in the area.

Edited by ckmullin
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Thanks for the feedback :)

I registered for an account on Canreef this morning, just waiting for an admin to activate my account.

Currently the tanks and filter listed above are posted in the Buy/Sell forum but i keep staring at them in my basement and I have an itch, an itch to get another system up and running (still need to convince the wife though).

Success...hmmm, i have no doubt that over time, i would consider the tank a success. It's all about the learning process, trying something new and reaping the rewards once its at a state where you can bask in its glory :)

I just had a hit on the 40g - If the tanks sell in the next couple of weeks then i wont have to worry about it, someone will have cured me of my MTS.

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I have also recently decided to start a reef tank. After doing my research I have came to the conclusion that RO water is a very very VERY good idea but not a must. I have talked to a few people in Calgary and they don't use RO water and still have a successful tank.

In my case I decided to fork out for a $135 bucks for a RODI system. If I am going to do this I want to do it right. I have done my fair share of research on RODI systems. Many recommend a system with a reliable membrane (i.e. DOW) and don't cheap out on a EBAY one.

After a few days of digging around and recommendations I bought this one.

http://www.aquasafecanada.com/store/aquarium-ro-di-filter-systems/aquarium-ii-7-stage-ro-di-system

It's on sale right now for $150 bucks Free shipping. You can use the promo code "waternow" for an additional 15% off. And Also you will get a Free TDS meter with it.

The RODI system should arrive at my house by tomorrow I can take some pics and update you with a review after I have used it.

Edited by Mahawka
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Hey Jeditait,

I am reporting back with my RODI findings.

It works wonders!!!! It took me about about 2 hours to setup. Using my TDS meter it shows a great improvement. The water that came out of my tap (SW Calgary) was at 290 TDS and after the filter it was ZERO !!

I have only used it for 1 night so I cant' comment on the longevity of this system. But so far everything look solid. The structure looks great, quality build and everything is included (even teflon tape)

And of course being me I did a taste test. Before and After. The new water was Silky smooth but have no taste to it. I kinda prefer the taste of tap water HAHA

Here she is
post-5527-0-15097900-1392219114_thumb.jpg

Highly recommended.

Edited by Mahawka
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while I am currently not running a reef tank I am running a FOWLR. I would tend to agree with all the statements above, you should use RO water and you could get away without a skimmer. But that really depends on bio load and how much you feed. Skimmers in general are not cheap, and they take some tuning and can be finiky to set up. Some other things to consider:

1. are you going to run carbon? GFO? If you are then there is a higher degree of success without a skimmer as the chemical filtration will pull allot of the unwanted organics (once converted) out of the tank, the nice thing about a skimmer is it pulls all that crud out before it breaks down and starts to pollute the tank.

2. what type of coral? Some require very little added neutrients, some require specific lighting, dosing etc for growth.

I know plenty of people who have successfull tanks without RO and skimmers, but I find their maintenance schedule is much more intense than those that do. They tend to have higher algea growth, higher nitrates etc which means more frequent water changes.

Since I like to reduce maintenance, I run GFO, Carbon and a skimmer through my sump and have 250lbs of rock. I only have to scrub the glass once a week and I could go longer but I am anal about clean glass. You will LOVE having and RO/DI unit on hand. It's well worth the investment. Now all you need is to consider how your going to handle water changes (RO/DI storage and then salt water mixing).

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Well after starting this thread all the tanks and gear I had posted finally got some interest and have all been sold...

After getting lots of great advice here and on Canreef, we have decided to hold off and plan out the system to ensure we get the right setup.

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

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  • 9 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I am setting up my 1st SW tank right now (going on running for 3wks now) it's a 40gal.

Seriously check out the RedSea Prizm Deluxe HOB Protein Skimmer I wasn't going to run one, but then I got it on Boxing Day Sale at Big Als. I LOVE IT. it's is no less "obnoxious looking" as any FW filter, & actually the sound of it working is way more "soothing" sounding than many relaxation music compelations. infact the other night I was feeling so stressed out that I came down here & just shut my eyes & listened to it running for a bit!

post-5692-0-43199600-1451605102_thumb.jpg

Edited by Fin2you
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