The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

Nehemyah

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So I'm putting up a 90gl tank and my magnesium is 1600+. No additives in the tank at this time but my salt mix is Fluval sea. I have no live rock in the tank but thinking of going with dry rock instead and live sand which I have in the tank now. Will my tank cycle if I add the dry rock to the tank and will it cause the Mg to go down as well?
 

pmorphb28

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New to hobby, in my first year. Have a 28g nano BB. Just set up a 120 tank with sand. My first sand experience. Set it up yesterday. Water is incredibly cloudy. Can anyone offer help and suggestions for ware clarity?

Thank you!
 

Rob Top1

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New to hobby, in my first year. Have a 28g nano BB. Just set up a 120 tank with sand. My first sand experience. Set it up yesterday. Water is incredibly cloudy. Can anyone offer help and suggestions for ware clarity?

Thank you!
Not sure inside this thread you will get a lot of answers, I'd report your question as a new thread in the beginner forum. Be sure to include filter/sump info.
Simple answer is time, couple days to a week depending on how bad it is. Skimming will help as will use of a polishing pad of filter sock. Also SeaChem's Clarity works well but you have to use a polishing pad of sock with it, have to. Hth, good luck
 
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Bump!
 

saltyphish

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You typically would use some type of overflow box in the tank to keep the fish and snails out of the plumbing. You need to know which one you are using to determine the hole placement. You might be mixed up with a hob overflow.
I don't have an overflow box that's why I'm asking what size should I drill my tank I'm doing a DIY
 

saltyphish

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Depend if you have a fowler or a reef tank. If you want fish only then 1.018 probably would not be bad. Corals need your salinity in the 1.023-1.026 range.
I have just got my first saltwater aquarium.
I have added the salt, and i Measures 0.018 in salt. Is this enough ?
ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1388153636.645957.jpg
 

Bensadork

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New to the game

I have dabbled with freshwater tanks for some time. Mostly when I was a kid and didn't know anything about parameters and proper filtration and water changes and pretty much everything one needs to know about the hobby. I got back into the habit a couple of years ago and got a 46g bowfront and turned it into a thriving freshwater peaceful community tank. This led to multi-tank syndrome and I purchased another 36g bow front and just kept one big happy jack Dempsey fish in there and hand fed him shrimp daily. I had a job relocation and couldn't take my fish with me without fear of them all dying in the whole process so my tanks sat in a spare room empty for months. I would have had them set up a long time ago but I decided to go with a reef tank and had to start over again. I purchased a new Current usa orbit marine led fixture. That thing rocks by the way. I also have an eshoppes psk100 hang on back protein skimmer rated for a 100 gallon tank. I also have an aquatop cf400uv canister filter with a built in uv sterilizer. In the canister filter I have nothing but pieces of foam and 2 carbon packs. I didn't use any of the bio balls that came with the filter as I read they produce a ton of nitrates. I also have 80 pounds of live sand so it's pretty deep as well as 45 pounds of live rock. I noticed after adding my live rock that I had a very sudden diatom bloom and almost everything turned a deep brown and it was nasty. I returned home from a long weekend away and I almost couldn't see through the glass. This diatom bloom has almost all but disappeared. There is still a little brown on my sand and on some rocks but it's definitely going away. I have also noticed quote a few hitchhikers from my live rocks as well. I have probably at least 10 asterina starfish and at least 3 stomatella snails. I've reads that these are quite welcomed hitchhikers that are very beneficial to a tank. I was looking in the tank last night with just the blue lights on and also noticed an amazing amount of these little shrimp looking creatures darting around the rocks. Anyway I am rambling but I just wanted to get any pointers or tips and even welcome the haters to comment on what I've said and I'll add a pic of my current tank to see what you guys think. I am about to purchase a liquid test kit today to stay on top of my parameters and I also know it will still be a while before I buy my first fish. Let me know what you think! And also let me know what I have to look forward to good or bad!

image.jpg
 

jademoon

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hey guys I'm just starting out. I put my dad and somewhat live rock in a tote and let it sit with constant water changes for 6 weeks. the water is no longer smelly but I have yet to check with a water test. waiting on my test kit to come in. I have one power head located at the bottom of my tank behind some of the rock. I have good water circulation but a lot of little bubbles. Will those bubbles cause any problems?
 

mr.reeferman

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for a high temp you can get a water chiller my tanks are in my shop and its pretty hot but i set the chiller to the temp of the heater and bam automatic nclimate control pretty simple
 

beaslbob

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geeee

how come I don't do a about 3/4's of that yet still have successful aquariums? LOLOLLOLOL

good article though and one beginners and more experienced people should read.

my .02
 

beaslbob

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I have a 55 gal. Someone told me today not to do a sump and overflow but to use a skilter instead to prevent flooding problems. Any thoughts
Sumps properly setup do not flood under any circumstances.

That said you actually can avoid the sump and skimmer by simply using an in tank refugium with macro algae or even an algae turf scrubber.

Just a thought.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 37.0%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 34.1%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 24 13.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 15.0%
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