need some help on new tank

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Smokinn

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
11
Location
omaha,ne
Ive been reading the info on this site and i must say all great info and a bunch of great people so I decided to join and ask some questions.

I have the chance to buy a 125gl tank that use to be set up for fresh water "currently not set up at all" for 400.00 bucks. My question is I need some help on getting started i.e. skimmers, power heads whats the best way as far as lighting? I plan on having fish and live rock and corals. I figure start with the right equipment now so i dont waste money later. Also whats the best websites to buy equipment from? I dont really want to pay the prices from a pet store. Im just glade my wife wants this as much as I do. :) Im not really new to the SW world buts its been over 10 years since I had my 55gl and im sure things have changed.

Thanks
Jason
 
Lighting: You should look at MH lighting with actinic supplement for the day/sunset/night effect. Darin at Captive Reefs (a forum sponsor) can help you in that regard as well as with many of the other drygoods you need e.g. protein skimmer.

Most people here swear by Maxi-Jet powerheads. I have 3 in my 125 on a wavemaker strip in addition to two Hagen 802 powerheads.

Sump: Plan on putting in as large a sump as you can under the tank. You can make one yourself (30 gall tank and add some baffles to it) or buy one pre-made.
You can put the heaters (2 for redundancy) and PS in the sump.

I assume that the tank is not pre-drilled so you need an overflow box to get water down to the sump. Again, you can DIY or buy pre-made.

Substrate: DSB was considered the way to go but now there are some questions about it. CC is generally on the way out because it's a nitrate factory unless you maintain regularly. Bare bottom is coming back into vogue especially in conjunction with a DSB in a refugium.

Soak that up, read the Articles. Then ask more questions. It's best to limit each post to 1 or two questions.
 
One other thing - make sure that since it was a fw tank that they never used a copper product in it. Copper stays in the corner silicone. Bad stuff for a sw tank.
Terry
 
Thanks for all the info. My wife and I just returned from looking at the tank and the bottom has been drilled and has a looks like a 20gal box with some bio-balls in it. Also inside the tank theres a black thing sitting in the corner. I guess its a good thing that it has all this all ready? We still kicking around the idea.
 
The 20 gal box is probably a wet/dry filtration system. The black thing in the corner should be where the bottom is drilled. That would be the overflow. I would think it would have 1 in each corner.
 
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