Just purchased a 125 gallon and want to set up a reef

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nicole

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
15
Location
NC
I am a beginner, so any advice that i would get is greatly appreciated. I have been looking at a wet / dry filter with protein skimmer. After going in several pet stores and getting different answers from all, i don't know whether to get the 150 or the 200? is this even the proper filter?
 
I have a 125 gallon SW tank. Here's what I have that I've had very good luck with so far, knock on wood:


6 x 55w Coralife PC light - 165 daylight/165 actinic
approximately 80 lb of live rock
20 gallon wet/dry w/ 2200 l/hr pump and just a simple PVC tube for a siphon
(2) 150w heaters - 1 in tank, 1 in wet dry
simple tube protein skimmer with a maxi-jet 1200 pump in wet dry
Aqua 15w UV sterlizer
Fluval 404 canister with the filter pads and carbon, and a surface skimmer
(2) 300 g/hr powerheads
 
Hi if you really want to set up a reef tank and do it right, id suggest some reading first. I wouldnt worry abotu buying anything else until you get the book "the conscientious marine aquarist" by robert fenner. this book is amazing and will help greatly, the book should give you a good idea on what filters etc do what, lighting, substrates, decor, fish compatability, etc etc. Also i would suggest doing lots of reading on this forum and asking lots of questions, we will all try to help you as much as possible, and guide you in the right direction, but i would defitnitley suggest getting that book and reading it, it was a huge help to a lot of us on this site, so hope this helps and i hope you come back with more questions,

remmeber if you try to rush this it will cause a lot of headaches and probably result in way more money spent than needed
 
nicole said:
I am a beginner[/i], so any advice that i would get is greatly appreciated. I have been looking at a wet / dry filter with protein skimmer. After going in several pet stores and getting different answers from all, i don't know whether to get the 150 or the 200? is this even the proper filter?


Correct me if i'm wrong. But, I think 150 or 200 is the model numbers of the RTG acrylic sumps which come with bio balls, holes, and a Rio pump. Do some more research on here before you buy it. You can make your own sump, and its a whole lot cheaper. Use a 55 gal tank if you decide to make your own sump.But, if $$$ isn't an issue. Go with the 200 model.BTW, don't let the lfs burns your wallet. :) Good Luck!
 
I too would reccomend some reading as well and A lot of it right here on this site, IMO I would just ask the questions you need answered right here as the lfs around here tend to give bad advise pretty often which leads to more money spent than needed due to redoing things. Go slow,read a lot, spend a lot of money and welcome to the world os SW. 0X
 
Thank you so much!

Everyone has been so helpful with such quick responses. Since I am just a beginner, its great to know that such good information is right here!
 
That's what I did, Thumper.

Before you set up anything, just read through every thread on this board that interests you, make a list of species you'd like to have, which ones you can have together, what your budget will allow etc.

In effect, work backwards to decide what you'll need in terms of equipment.
 
I noticed you only had 80 lbs. of rock. Does it fill the tank or would you recommend more?
 
The lr is your main source of bio filteration. It is one of the most expensive parts of the set up but also one of the most important for a healthy aquarium. Keep asking questions and you'll be their before you know it, just move slowly and dont rush it or I assure you it will come back to bite you.
 
80# of LR in a 125 is not enough. It took almost 150# for me to fill half of my 75 gal. You could do 80# base rock and the rest with LR to save $$$. The base rocks will eventually turn into LR as well.
 
80 lbs is what I bought with the tank. I could easily have more but I don't have that great a bioload (18 corals, maybe 20 inches of fish). I've registered 0 ammonia, nitrate and nitrite since setting the tank up 8 months ago. My Powder Blue Tang is my nitrite-gauge anyway - if he starts losing his color I need to test the water. Hasn't happened yet.

It also depends on how you disperse the live rock in the tank. Good water flow will also help the efficiency of the live rock.
 
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