Reef tank tips

[Jabfish]

Hello everyone I am wondering if anyone can give me advice on starting a new reef tank - I have a biocube 29 but I think it's too small for a beginner just like freshwater I will probably get a tank around 75 gallons the main species I want is a flame angelfish I have had one before successfully but I feel it would be better in a larger tank any advice would be much appreciated as we do not have a reliable saltwater aquarium store near us

 

[Sniperhank]

Bigger is always better. I would be cautious with a flame angel in a reef, as they like to peck at some coral. Get yourself light that will keep anything you could ever want that is photosynthetic. You can turn it down from there.

 

[Jabfish]

Ok would you say if I keep up with maintenance everything should do fine ? I keep a very successful planted tank if that has any correlation

 

[Sniperhank]

Weekly water changes and monitoring what goes into the tank because it has to come out at some point, be it mechanical, chemical...whatever filtration. A reef usually aims for pristine water. Using ro/di water is almost a must, but distilled can accept never having a pristine reef.

 

[Jabfish]

Ok thanks for the help is there anything else I need to know ?

 

[Sniperhank]

Light and pristine water. 20-50x water turn over. That can be it in a very simplified manner.

 

[Jabfish]

Ok thanks again I have heard that saltwater is not necessarily harder than freshwater they are just less forgiving which makes sense because the ocean is huge and stable while lakes and rivers are comparatively small thus changes occur and the environment is less stable