New reef tank

[jamesbay]

Hi new to this form and haven't had any questions until now. I have a 30 gallon saltwater that I was thinking about turning into reef tank to give it a go again( had a 60 gallon reef before I sold it). Would I need a protein skimmer for a tank as small as a 30 gallons or could I just get away with frequent water changes?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

No you don't need the skimmer on a 30 , wc's will work just fine, but I would say that's about the cutoff IMO.

 

[jamesbay]

No you don't need the skimmer on a 30 , wc's will work just fine, but I would say that's about the cutoff IMO.

Ok thanks for the help any advice on a good reef salt? Or do all salts include the same trace elements?

 

[Sniperhank]

They are all pretty close...there are a handful of us that rotate different salts to make up for one thing that one brand might be lacking. I personally like Kent the best in terms of mixing and higher levels for my skeleton building corals.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

They are all pretty close...there are a handful of us that rotate different salts to make up for one thing that one brand might be lacking. I personally like Kent the best in terms of mixing and higher levels for my skeleton building corals.

+1. As long as it's a reef grade salt. As hank said they all mix at different levels, so it really becomes a personal preference. I myself use Red Sea coral pro for much of the same reasons that hank used kent so it just shows that any reef grade salt will do.

 

[jamesbay]

Ok thanks for the help kent it is because I'm defiantly going to have some acropora in my tank so a high calcium salt would be best. Any recommendations fur power heads for the tank?

 

[jamesbay]

+1. As long as it's a reef grade salt. As hank said they all mix at different levels, so it really becomes a personal preference. I myself use Red Sea coral pro for much of the same reasons that hank used kent so it just shows that any reef grade salt will do.

Ok will go to my lfs and see what they recommend for high calcium reef grade salt mix and mention kent and Red Sea coral pro. Thanks for the help

 

[Sniperhank]

Try both and decide which you like better. In all honesty, pricing is always about the same on salts... I try to buy what's on sale as best that I can.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Ok will go to my lfs and see what they recommend for high calcium reef grade salt mix and mention kent and Red Sea coral pro. Thanks for the help

Be careful with asking advice from lfs with things like this as most will tell you that you need to purchase all kinds of additives and dose the tank with them. You do not, no matter what they tell you, this is how they make the majority of their profits. You will get all the elements you need from reef grade salt mixes.

 

[jamesbay]

Ok thanks for the advice. I may but just a few additives though just for emergencies.

 

[fishybuisness]

I second Kent marine salt..you can get it pretty cheap from fosters and Smith and it mixes better than anything I've tried so far..although I'm currently using instant ocean reef crystals and have no complaints..as far as not needing a skimmer you don't
.however why not run one when your gonna be putting so much time and money into the tank? You can get a used one in good condition for under 100

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[jamesbay]

I could and that is a good price I just thought might be a little over kill for a 30 gal.

 

[Ravden]

I saw you asking about power heads for a 30 I am also setting up a 30 gal for my first we I got 2 of these using one now to clean skeleton corals before 30 is up

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[jamesbay]

I saw you asking about power heads for a 30 I am also setting up a 30 gal for my first we I got 2 of these using one now to clean skeleton corals before 30 is up

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Ok thanks maybe be a little on the expensive side for me but now I go any idea for the gph I need to have

 

[jamesbay]

Do you keep them both on all day and all night or alternate between power heads. And do you keep them on at night?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

The only time I turn my ph's off is when I'm feeding, and only for a minute

 

[jamesbay]

Oh that's what I thought but ik some people alternate with the ph on each side of the tank to imitate incoming and outgoing tides. Any experience with this method?

 

[Ravden]

I haven't set mine up yet just using one in a ten gallon to clean some dry rock that's been in a hutch since I was a kid, I still have to buy my lights before I set tank up so cleaning those on mean time

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[Ravden]

And yeah lady at lfs gave em to me for $35 each but I didn't get there day they came in so that was retail sticker lol

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[jamesbay]

Lol oh 35$ is the price my lfs sells them about I just think they are a different brand.