New to saltwater

[new2nemo]

Is that something I can buy any where like pet or hardware store or does this need to be ordered?

 

[new2nemo]

I was thinking about switching to Led cause I heard they were cheaper to run

 

[jtucker022187]

Led is a lot cheaper to run but for a good unit new is about 400+ and you'll need 2-3, I personally like T5 I have had amazing growth, units are cheaper and bulbs are cheaper then mh and it's cheaper to run.

 

[ShippD]

Great excuse to switch to LED's

 

[new2nemo]

The t5 lights where do I get them. Pet store

 

[jtucker022187]

Yea or offline

 

[new2nemo]

Ok. Thanks. I have a few ppl in my area selling live rock for $3/lb would it be safe to purchase or would I get too much waste from it.

 

[jtucker022187]

How much live rock do you have?

 

[new2nemo]

Not much 1.3lb live amd the rest was all dry stuff that came with the tank.

 

[jtucker022187]

I would see what you can do with yours and but if you need

 

[new2nemo]

Ok. Either way I'm pretty sure I need more. I recall needed 90lbs. I'm gonna try to build a free standing wall over time with the rocks as I collect them. Next on my list will be a light and a water tester kit. Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[inurocker]

I had a skimmer like the many years ago It is a red sea berlin. If you need to adjust it there is a nylon thumb screw where the black airline comes up to the two pipes that the water comes out. I would remove the sponge on the right side of your sump. If you don't keep it clean it will cause you problems. On your lights I would check to see if your ballast has a fuse or resettable breaker on it first if it dose It may need to replace or reset it. It could be just that simple. On the live rock it is a roll of the dice it could be a great deal or buying someones problems if its got bad critters in it or loaded up with phosphates.

 

[new2nemo]

Should I remove the sponge and the polywool or just the sponge. As for adjusting the skimmer would I want lots of water out put very little or medium flow coming from the out put pipes. Ill be checking that balast tonight for those th ings thanks for the great info.

 

[inurocker]

Things like sponge and poly that hold waste if not kept real clean can become nitrate factories. Not what you want in a reef tank. If you look around on the net there are post and videos on tuning your skimmer. Some like it really dry some like it wet no right answer for you there. I like mine on the dry side thick and dark.

 

[new2nemo]

Ok ill remove the poly and sponge. Is there anything you recomend that I do keep in my sump?

 

[new2nemo]

Would it be a good idea to place a mesh bag with some carbon in it where I have the sponge? Also if there is nothing there to catch the stuff floating around in my tank won't it look cloudy ?

 

[jtucker022187]

Run a filter sock it will keep the big pieces out

 

[new2nemo]

Can I make my own? Or do I need to buy one?

 

[jtucker022187]

I would buy one

 

[glb]

Ok. Either way I'm pretty sure I need more. I recall needed 90lbs. I'm gonna try to build a free standing wall over time with the rocks as I collect them. Next on my list will be a light and a water tester kit. Thanks for all the help so far.

I agree that you need more rock. The general rule is 1-1 1/2lbs per gallon. $3/lb is a really good price IMO. You'll need to add all the live rock before you put anything else in the tank. Live rock always has some die off which produces ammonia. If the tank is empty, that's not a problem at all. You'll also want to arrange the rock so water can circulate around it and fish have plenty of room to hide. So leave some nooks and crannies in your setup. Once the ammonia and nitrites are gone, the cycle is complete. Check your nitrates and if they're over 10-15ppm, you'll want to do a water change to bring them down.
As far as test kits go, if you eventually want coral, these are the ones I use:
Mg: Red Sea pro, Ca and Nitrates: Salifert, Alk and Phosphate, Hanna checker. When I was cycling my tank I used API for ammonia and nitrites. I only check for those two during the cycle so I didn't want to spend a lot on them. I think the better tests are much more important when you have livestock in the tank. I found a good refractometer on Amazon. Other good websites for supplies are BRS and Marine Depot.
As far as lights, I just got LEDs and love them. They are more expensive to purchase but cheaper I think in the long run because they last longer, produce less heat and use much less electricity.
You'll learn a ton here. No question is too simple to ask. Everyone's here to help you. Good luck!