New reef tank

[Cb24]

I want to start a small reef tank. What are some things I should know and things I should do to start one

 

[Bectan01]

Is it your first salt tank? How small were you thinking? Anything under 20 and your not going to have a lot of options for fish - but you could do a coral only/invert tank in something smaller...

 

[gleach]

The bigger you go the easier it will be so I've read many times anything under 40 gal and you may have issues maintaining proper levels.

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[gleach]

40 gal seems to be important I've seen it stated online a lot and in a book I have on reef tanks for beginners. Get a book though I got the salt water for dummies it's a decent book to start with but doesn't quite explain everything just a good starter I got mine on the app market for android so I read it with my phone a few times.

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[Cb24]

I have a 20 gallon but I wanted to kind of master corals and a reef tank before I try and make my 90 gallon fowlr into a reef

 

[Bectan01]

Cool, I set up a 10g after I had kept a 55g for a year or so just to keep corals too. Mainly because I have a puffer in the 55 and I wanted a peppermint shrimp I have a clown goby In the 10g too. I have to say I spend more time monitoring the ten but it's worth it

 

[Cb24]

What would be the easiest way to switch over the 90 gallon to a reef tank?

 

[Bectan01]

How is the 90 set up? What king of filtration?

 

[Cb24]

The 90 has a sump and everything...also for the 20 gallon tank what would be some good lighting for the tank?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

The easiest way to make the 90 a reef is get reef capable lights and put in corals. For the 20 check out taotronics lights, lots of people seem to be getting them these days and I've yet to hear something bad about them

 

[Cb24]

For the 90 gallon tho would I need reef salt? Because it has the regular instant ocean salt

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Do you know what your trace element levels are?

 

[MikeG222]

For the 90 gallon tho would I need reef salt? Because it has the regular instant ocean salt

You would be alright with the regular Instant Ocean. I use it in all 3 of my tanks and all my corals are doing fine.

 

[Cb24]

Ya I would have to get my trace elements up then but for the 20 gallon tank I have a t5 lighting system with 2 blue actinic lights and 2 daylight lights. They are metal halides. Would that work for most corals or is that to much light?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

T5's and halides are different, but a 4 bulb t5 setup should work great for a 20

 

[Cb24]

Oops my bad I get all mixed up with all these lights, but the only bad thing is it's a 48 inch light so it's obvs much bigger then the tank

 

[DRock]

I've been doing a lot of research in the lighting department for corals, and depending on what type you plan to keep in the 90, I'd look into PAR 38 LED's they are a fraction of the cost of T5 lighting and can screw into a regular fixture from IKEA or Home Depot. I'm new in the hobby so this is completely based off of LFS advice and online research, but I hope it helps

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Par38's aren't gonna work for a 90. You would need 4-6 and for that price you can get some really nice led setups. Check out the eBay units, I'm considering picking one up to try on a new sps 20g I'm planning