Help on suggestions for equipment for reef tank

Bamtnm · Feb 16, 2015

I am new to the sight and have had a fish only tank for the last year or so. A while back I had a 125 and had a few corals mostly mushrooms and things like that. I would like to get back in reef on my 180. I made my own live rock and have close to 200lbs but will be reorganizing it. Right now I just have 3 20w led flood 12k lights. Was wondering which led lights should I get. Full spectrum or just blue white and what are the benefits of one or the other. I will be going either 3 165w full spectrum fixtures or 3 165w blue white. Also what size uv do I need. And what do I need to treat my tank with to start trying to get coralline. I have a bad time with brown and green algae now. I am not running a skimmer yet but do have one the propeller is messed up in the pump and I just never ordered on yet because not sure what it needs. Any help would be greatful. I don't have a bunch of money where I can just buy all this stuff at once so I will slowly be adding things a little at a time. I will probably start slow with the cheap mushrooms and stuff like that at first, but I think I'm a little ways from adding corals. Also if I need to get other equipment to manage it better let me know your recommendations. Thanks again. I know there are a lot of questions I just need to kind of know where to start And what I need to have a successful reef tank. Also what size powerheads do I need and how many. Can't really afford high dollar equipment so suggestions for budget equipment would be great

Joeganja · Feb 17, 2015

i love this! Congrats! i recommend getting Kessil A360W or hydra 52s. Or radions but those are 600-800 per light. i recommend a 18 watt uv sterilizer, i also like reef octopus skimmers look into them they are powerful! later i recommend adding a phosphate reactor. um what else lets see. you should look into the jabao pumps or ecotech marine they are both strong and both have controllers. jabaos are cheaper by a lot and super strong! if u dont wanna spend alot on lighting then i recommend adding a light at a time. any other questions?

Bamtnm · Feb 17, 2015

Joeganja said:
i love this! Congrats! i recommend getting Kessil A360W or hydra 52s. Or radions but those are 600-800 per light. i recommend a 18 watt uv sterilizer, i also like reef octopus skimmers look into them they are powerful! later i recommend adding a phosphate reactor. um what else lets see. you should look into the jabao pumps or ecotech marine they are both strong and both have controllers. jabaos are cheaper by a lot and super strong! if u dont wanna spend alot on lighting then i recommend adding a light at a time. any other questions?

what size pump should I put in the tank as far as gph and how many for the 180. I know corals love movement. I just purchased an led 165w full spectrum fixture that is dimmable for $100 on ebay, there have been a few guys on these forums that said they were good for the money and on listing it said if anything goes wrong even after a year he would send free parts minus shipping. I have a Berlin skimmer with pump that came with the tank just have to find out what propeller it needs. What calcium reactor should I look at on a budget that will serve me well. What do I need to do to get rid of brown and green algea. Thanks for your help

tigerdragon · Feb 17, 2015

Jebao rw15's would be a good choice or a maxspect gyre xf150 for flow. Leds you want full spectrum.

Reefing Madness · Feb 17, 2015

#1-Dry Rock, there are a few hitchhikers on Live Rock that people want to stay away from, so they opt for using Dry Rock, or Dead Rock. Macro Rock is a good place to start looking for that. Either way you go you will need a minimum of 1lb per gallon. You can use Fully Cured Live Rock, and have the tank cycled in just a few days also. Other way is to use just a couple of pounds of Live Rock and the rest Macro or Dry Rock.

#2-Replacement filter media like filter floss and activated carbon (if you get a filter) Which is really not necessary.

#3-Multiple Power heads (2 or 3) 10x your water volume for just a Fish Only With Live Rock, and at least 20x your water volume for a Reef Tank. So lets say your going reef, and you have a 100g tank, you would need flow in that tank at minimum of 2000gph, or 2 1000gph power heads.

#4-Protein Skimmer, rated at 2 times your water volume. Unless your tank is under 30g, in which case you can do 10% water changes a week to rid the system of detrius. But, you'll have to watch the water parameters close, if things go haywire, you'll have to do more water changes.

#5-Saltwater Test Kits. Reef Test Kit. Test for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, Phosphates, Calcium, ALK and Magnesium.

#6-Saltwater fish food. Mysis Shrimp, Squid, Cyclopease, Algae Sheets, Romaine . Flake food is not really a good food to feed your marine fish.

#7-Aquarium vacuum. This one is iffy. Most don't use one, if you have enough flow in the tank you won’t need one

#8-Rubber kitchen gloves

#9-Fish net

#10-Two, clean, never used before, 5-gallon buckets

#11-Aquarium thermometer, digital being the best.

#12-Brush with plastic bristles (old tooth brush) - needed for cleaning the live rock if you don't get Fully Cured Live Rock.

#13-Power Strip, possibly GFCI outlets by the tank.

#14-Optional but definitely recommend getting a Reverse Osmosis or RO/Deionization filter for the make-up water, and a barrel for storing the water.

#15-Possibly a Quarantine Tank for your new fish. They sit in here for a few weeks to kill off parasites and bacteria, to keep it from getting in your main tank

#16-Heater rated for your size tank.

#17-Saltwater Mix. Marine Salt. Instant Ocean is the cheap Salt that beginners and Advanced use alike.

#18-Saltwater Hydrometer or even better a Refractometer, which is more accurate. There is also a Digital Meter that is way advanced if you have the cash.

#19-Aquarium filter (not absolutely necessary if running with adequate amounts of live rock, but nice to have if you need to use a mechanical filter or activated carbon, or GFO and such)

#20-Aquarium substrate such as live sand or crushed coral. Some go bare Bottom, others choose the 1-2" bottom, others, more advanced will try the Deep Sand Bed, which is over 6" deep.

http://www.scaquariums.com/sc-aquariums-sca-301-65-gallon-protein-skimmer.html

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=aquarium+heater&_sacat=20754&_odkw=power+heads&_osacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=power+heads&_sacat=0&_odkw=salt+water+refractometer&_osacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-0-10-Salinity-Refractometer-Salt-Water-Aquarium-/251140605905?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a792587d1

http://www.marcorocks.com/

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-dry-live-rock.html

Live Rock: Live Saltwater Aquarium Rock

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/fish-supplies/aquarium-substrate/ps/c/3578/9805

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

http://live-plants.com/

http://successfulreefkeeping.com/learn/what-your-coral-needs/

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=t-5+lighting&_sacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=cree+led+aquarium&_sacat=0&_odkw=t-5+lighting&_osacat=0

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/fish-supplies/saltwater-aquarium-salt-water-mix/ps/c/3578/4685

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15473

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4749

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4145

Joeganja · Feb 18, 2015

Bamtnm said:
what size pump should I put in the tank as far as gph and how many for the 180. I know corals love movement. I just purchased an led 165w full spectrum fixture that is dimmable for $100 on ebay, there have been a few guys on these forums that said they were good for the money and on listing it said if anything goes wrong even after a year he would send free parts minus shipping. I have a Berlin skimmer with pump that came with the tank just have to find out what propeller it needs. What calcium reactor should I look at on a budget that will serve me well. What do I need to do to get rid of brown and green algea. Thanks for your help

i say get a controllable pump so you can automatically switch flows. but flow rate i would say 800gph and up

Bamtnm · Feb 18, 2015

Trying to figure out whether to go with the rw15's or 8's. Most reviews on these people say go ahead and get 15's because you can turn the flow down but if you need more you have plenty more its capable of. Just trying to figure out if it's worth the extra $20 each for the 15's or if the 8's will have plenty without running them at full speed