Nicole's 29g Reef Build

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Also led lights have a long life but still need replacement, I don't remember the numbers but 100, 000hr burn time, then there is a shift towards the end so best to change before then and its like 70, 000hr? Or something so if you run on 10hrs a day like 2 yrs life...

The rodi I linked does have di resin.
 
The ro/di that kurtyboh linked is the same one I started put with. It was cheap and gave me a chance to save money for other necessary items until I was ready to upgrade the ro/di. I changed the filters on my portable cheap unit like twice I think and that was over a year plus a few months time. :)

If in a year or two you are still in the saltwater hobby then you can think about getting a more expensive larger unit. It is cheaper in the long run to go straight to the expensive one as the filter changes are cheaper but if you are low on cash this is the way to go.
 
A little update.

Disappointingly I haven't accomplished anything with my tank this week as I've been super busy at work. But I have today off and **** is getting done! According to FedEx my lights will be delivered sometime this afternoon so I'm pretty stoked about that.
I'm going to rinse out the tank, install the background, fill it, add salt, an throw in a power head for mixing. Then I'm off to the LFS to get some dry rock. I've also got to wash my sand and put that in after the salt mixes for a while. And then tonight I will hang my lights.

After all our talks about RO water I started looking on a local reef forum and found that the majority of people in my area successfully use tap water. Apparently toronto has really decent water. So despite the fact that its not the recommended way, for the time being I will be using tap water treated with prime and running some chemi-pure elite in my filter. Pictures to come. For the last week I've just been staring at this.
 

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Over the weekend I bought a plant hook to hang the lights from the wall ($7) and $45 worth of dry rock (only 3 pieces!!!) and tonight I hung the lights and started rinsing the sand and dumping it in. I have 2 30lbs bags of dry aragonite oolite sand so I'm going to start with one and most likely add the second one. I think I want a DSB. Here's a picture of my murky water as the sand settles.
I hung the lights approx 1 foot above the tank. I hope this will be okay. I used wall plugs and a metal plant hook and so I have about 10lbs hanging from the dry wall. I hope this is safe. Does. Anyone I think I should invest in a screen top just in case the lights ever fall?

Total cost to date: $286
 

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I will be using an AC110 filter with a sponge and biomax. Do you think this will create enough flow on a 29gal or will I need a power head too?
 
I would add a powerhead as well. A small one will do. You want a cross current in the tank not just water flowing in one direction. :) I'd go with a 425 koralia or a 550.
 
Alright guys. Here we are! It's coming along nicely I think. The lights were a huge PITA because they kept wanting to spin to the side and I accidentally overflowed the tank all over my bedroom floor this morning but I made it haha!
My filter is full of good bacteria and pods because it was taken off a fully cycled tank. Do I still need to cycle this one or am I good to go?
And I still never was able to get a straight forward answer regarding lights. Someone please help! How strong should I put them on. They're about a foot above the water. And what about the blues? Is it up to what I prefer looks wise or do I need a certain ratio of blue lighting?
 

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You can tinker around with the ratio of blue to white until you find a nice mid way point. Ypu dont want all blues even though it may look real nice, corals will need some white as well:)

I think most people hang them about a foot above the tank, I have my non dimmable ones about a foot above but its too much light. With the dimmable ones you have more leeway as you can dim them if they are too much.

To be sure your tank is ready for fish you will want to test it with an ammonia source either the dead shrimp or pure ammonia way. The ammonia level should drop to 0 after 24 hours. This ensure that the tank can handle the waste of a fish.
:)
 
Thanks. But I'm still unclear about the light settings. How do I know what is a good mix of blue and white? Is it just what I think looks good or is it somehow dependant on the livestock in the tank? Same question for the brightness. How do I know if the lights are too bright or too dull?
 
I've been happy with a mix of blue and white, with a little more blue than white. :) You will want to start out on a lower setting when first starting it up over corals and slowly build it up in intensity. Most people dont go to the full 100% though. I think its like 60% and 40% if I remember correctly. Or its close at least lo;l
 
How necessary is my HOB filter? I ask because the tank is in my bedroom and the motor and the waterfall sound is driving bonkers. Seeing as its only real purpose is biological filteration and aeration, could I get away with using just live rock and powerheads?
 
You are going to want some form of physical filtration to help collect the larger particles you will have in your water column.
 
I am an advocate for an all natural set up. I run a 55g reef with no mechanical filtration so it can be done. Loads of live rock is the key, I have around 80pounds, and plenty of flow. Weekly water changes are a must, I do 20%... Hope that helps!
 
Yes it can be done, but you must do a great job using your vac to remove all the detritus that will build up. If you slack it will cause problems in a short amount of time.
 
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