New Red Sea 350 & Taking the Plunge into Corals

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

KittyKatFishGrl

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Messages
61
Location
The BigCity
New Red Sea 350 & Taking the Plunge into Corals

So I have been a saltwater enthusiast for a little over a year and I am ready to start working with corals. I currently have a 55g with LR, LS, 2 Firefish gobies, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp, astrea snails and 2 hermit crabs.
I am strongly considering the purchase of a new Red Sea 350 and my 1st sump tank. I am DEATHLY afraid of the whole sump setup so I am trying to educate myself as much as possible because it’s always fear of the unknown that holds us back. I am DEATHLY afraid of the weight of 91g of water and LR on my floor & I keep having dreams of my tank falling through my 5th floor apartment and the damage wiping out my savings account [emoji33]? ??...
I have ordered a beginner package of soft and hard peaceful corals and any advice on dipping, qt’g (how long, should all corals get low lighting while in qt, I’m going to use frag racks and pipes), acclimating, and lighting (??$1000 for lights - Whhhhy??) especially lighting would be greatly appreciated. Are Kessils and Hydras really worth the pocket dent and if I’m gonna spend it which will give me the best coverage and bang for my buck. And if not those brands what are some others maybe less expensive...[emoji106]
Any advice on sumps and filling the tank for the 1st time and getting the right amount of water into the system so it runs efficiently without flooding and getting my pipework right so as not to spring a leak. The best return pump, skimmer (I currently have a HOB) and rufugium starter to use. I’ve been watching BRS tv and other YouTube favorites for as much information and visuals as possible but the more knowledge the better. Plus I trust you guys [emoji79]?[emoji847]
I also got a new Valentini Puffer so any advice on the care for him is appreciated and welcomed as well.
I floated the bag for 30mins, acclimated him for about an hour and a half. He went straight to the bottom corner of the tank but I just turned the lights on and he swam around a bit so I fed him some garlic soaked krill and mysis shrimp. He’s in my 29g for now, I’ve read where people said they ate something or another from the tank and others say they play nice - I know it’s a fish by fish trial and error but I do have the 29g for him if he turns out to be a “true” puffer [emoji849], my luck he will.


Thank you guys in advance!!

Nitrates - 0 (For the 1st time EVER) [emoji847]
Nitrates - 0
Ammonia - 0
Phosphates - .50 (I’m working on getting that down)
Calcium - 360
PH - 7.4 (I’m working on getting that up)
Kh - 7
Salinity - 1.021 (He came from the same salinity at the store)
Temp - 79

IMG_1518278085.243953.jpgIMG_1518278147.528615.jpg
 
I have both kessil and the AI hydra 26 hd and of I were to get a new tank with lights I’d go hydras 100%. Kessils are nice but just don’t provide the penetration the hydras do. I’m not sure on the new Kessil lights though. However the eBay leds which are around $100 will do a great job as well if trying to stay in more of a budget.

As far as dipping corals I’ve always used revive and fill container with the suggested amount per gallon and just swirl and leave the corals in there for about 5 minutes. I then manually inspect for pests before going into my tank. The only corals I think I’d ever qt are sps like acropora and montipora as they can have some real nasties and losing a $100 1” frag to red bugs isn’t fun. Softies and lps honestly I’d just dip and into the tank they go. You’ll want to light acclimate corals as well which means starting them near the bottom and moving them to their final spot slowly as to get them used to your lights. Some lights like the hydras have acclimation programs you can use on the controller as well in which the lights will slowly ramp up over the week until they hit the level you want them to be. I’m a terrible role model when it comes to acclimating corals as sps and lps get a good 15 min float and then another 15 minutes drip and then dipped. Softies get a 20 min float, dip and in they go lol. I do test the salinity and alk of the water they’re in beforehand though. But imo corals are usually kept where we keep our tanks at unlike fish who can be kept in salinities from 1.012-1.026 depending if they’re in hyposalinity.

What test kit are you using for phosphates and calcium? You’ll definitely want an alkalinity kit as well since you’re getting into corals.
 
When the tanks plumbing is all hooked up fill the tank till it overflows to sump and continue till about 1 or 2 inches below top of sump.With the power out this all the water the tank and sump can hold. Now start pump and let system run for a couple of minutes.
You will see the level of water in sump has dropped.MARK the water line with tape or something permanent..That is max fill linewhile tank is running for top offs.
Don't be intimidated..Sumps are open topped canisters basically. You just use an overflow to supply it but it pumps back the same .Keep return line very close to top of water level in tank so if/when power fails it does not syphon back to sump.This is how overflows occur.Some drill a small 1/8 inch hole on the inside of return pipe elbow inside the tank to allow air gap and prevent syphon.
Many like the cheap Chinese black boxes for lights. I run 2 of the Mars Aqua 165 LED over my 4' tank.They are about $100 each and most say can grow anything. Their are 2 channels controlled on each light[white and blue] so they can each be on seperate timers for a nice lighting cycle.
You want your calcium up around 430-450 so look into method of supplement or see if increasing water changes keeps the level up. If it continues to stay low then test magnesium as it needs to be around 1350 to help keep the calcium up...
You need to get your ph up and probably the alkalinity also.
I have to add almost weekly for ph,Ca and alkalinity[dkh]..
The tank literally eats them...
 
I’d get better kits for calcium, alk, mag and phosphates. API is pretty inaccurate for measuring those from my experience. Salifert makes good kits as well as Red Sea. You can’t really beat a Hanna tester for low range phosphate but I could see how $60 for one kit could be a bit expensive.
 
New Red Sea 350 & Taking the Plunge into Corals

Thanks Corallbandit! I going to look into the Mars Aqua lighting and just to clear something up - the parameters are for my 29g tank that my Puffer is in.. My 55g where the corals will eventually be going are ideal.. Anyone heard of Philizone lights, another brand of cheap Chinese black boxes or Current USA Orbit Marine LED (my LFS said the Current brand was horrible and steered me towards the Philizones) but the Currents are rated as one of the best LED? I’m also looking at the ViparSpectra 165W Timer control LED’s - those seem a little better since it includes the timer.
My LFS has some of the Philizones and they are more affordable and the corals looked pretty good under them.
 
Back
Top Bottom