Needing big help to start 55gal saltwater tank

[underthesealover]

Hi! I just joined this site tonight after reading the forums going on here for more than a week now. I purchased a 55 gal tank and wanted to have a saltwater stuff on it like fish, live corals and rocks. Please help me on what I should really buy to get it starting. Based on what I been researching I will be needing a wet-dry filter but then some of the threads I have read says don't bother about the filter and I will just need a sump and skimmer if I intend to have live rock? I am new in all of this but since I was a kid I really wanted to have saltwater aquarium for me to at least experience how the under the water world looks like in a tank since i don't know how to swim. I really need all the help I can get and hopefully I can get an advice even what brand and what those equipment meant to my tank etc since I literally doesn't know anything! Please help me I don't want to end up buying things that I won't need and find best deals for the stuff I will be needing to get my tank going, I just really wanted to fulfill my childhood dream to keep an under the world scenes and creatures right within my sight anytime I wanted to look at them and promise I will take good care of all the living things I will be getting and thank you in advance for all the help I might be getting.

 

[mdaniel2882]

you don't need a wet dry filter or a skimmer to start. I ran my first 55 wiithout either for almost a year. live rock is a must. (75-85 lbs) a couple of good powerheads (korilia 2's or 3's), daily nitrate and ph tests and weekly or biweekly 20% water changes will get you going in fish only tank. ya need a skimmer HOB ok and perfect water for corals.

 

[underthesealover]

what if I wanted to put live corals as well? So the power head will be the one that will supply oxygen in my tank??? I wanted to put atleast 5 fish, sand, corals and rocks in my tank those were the one I really love to have in my tank.

 

[underthesealover]

BTW I also have the tank that doesn't have a pre-drill hole on it. thank you for replying

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

I agree with mdaniel. For a while all you will need is HOB filter AquaClear is my favorite brand for that they work great. Down the road once the tank is more established (maybe a year) you can start to add corals and all that stuff then you will want to think about a sump. And it's fine your tank is not drilled you will use a overflow instead which usually is pretty cheap. For a reef tank its recommend 3-5 watts per gallon for the lighting which usually is not very cheap but an important item for the reef. Also as he said you do want a good amount of live rock to act as your biological filter as well as sand for your substrate. Get a good test kit and keep up with water changes. A power head pointed towards the top of your tank will allow for more gas exchange and they are also used to remove any "dead spots" in your tank. Once you have your corals, anemones, etc then you will use your powerheads to create a flow in the tank for them.

 

[underthesealover]

can you please be more specific which type of filter exact model should I get in? i search for the HOB filter you have mentioned and the result were the filters I seen they were selling it petco but they told me there before that I supposed to buy a canister type filter (fluval brand) then earlier today I went to an aquatic store and they told me this time that I am needing the wet-dry filter type and they gave me this Eshopps Wet-Dry Filters WD-100CS filter and told me that as soon as I can keep it going I can start putting my corals, rocks and fish as soon as 2 days? That's why I am so confused. Can you give me a specific brand of filter I should really be using and I will much prefer to spend once for the things I really must have than get one thing now then after a year spend again to just change it coz I do believe at the end it will just cost more. Also, how many powerheads I should use and what kind of powerhead should I be getting? Sorry for too much question I just have no idea what to do really. And lastly, do I really need to wait for a year before I can start putting corals in my tank? <---sad face here. thanks for the reply!

 

[mr_X]

i'm going to have to respectfully disagree with both of the posters before me.
since you said you want to do it right the first time, the right way to keep a reef tank is implementing a sump, and purchasing an in-sump skimmer.

you will want power heads in the tank if it's a fish only or a reef simply because you want to keep detritus (uneaten food and fish poop) suspended in the water column until your filtration can remove it. it's just healthier that way.

you don't want a wet dry filter either.
you will need to purchase a HOB overflow box. i would think something rated 300-500 gph or so would do fine..
Eshopps PF300 Overflow Box, 10-75 gal tank, Single - AquaCave
now you will need a return pump to match it. something that after head loss will equal your overflow box. a danner mag 5
Mag Drive 5 Water Pump - AquaCave
should work fine.
now you need a sump. it's easiest to buy one pre-made, but that's going to be pricey.
Precision Marine Refugium
you can also make one out of a standard glass tank and just silicone in some partitions. it's pretty easy.
you will also need live rock. you can buy it uncured, from the ocean, or man-made dry rock.
live rock or equivalent has the surface area a strong bacteria colony needs to support your system. you know that these sensitive ecosystems rely on bacteria to sustain them, right?
you can add corals after the tank cycles.

as for the skimmer, you'll have to decide on a sump before i can link you to something that will fit it, because i don't know the correct dimensions.

and then there is lighting. what corals did you plan on keeping? will you keep stony corals, or just softies? will you keep clams, anemones?

 

[Greenmaster]

i'm going to have to respectfully disagree with both of the posters before me.
since you said you want to do it right the first time, the right way to keep a reef tank is implementing a sump, and purchasing an in-sump skimmer.

you will want power heads in the tank if it's a fish only or a reef simply because you want to keep detritus (uneaten food and fish poop) suspended in the water column until your filtration can remove it. it's just healthier that way.

you don't want a wet dry filter either.
you will need to purchase a HOB overflow box. i would think something rated 300-500 gph or so would do fine..
Eshopps PF300 Overflow Box, 10-75 gal tank, Single - AquaCave
now you will need a return pump to match it. something that after head loss will equal your overflow box. a danner mag 5
Mag Drive 5 Water Pump - AquaCave
should work fine.
now you need a sump. it's easiest to buy one pre-made, but that's going to be pricey.
Precision Marine Refugium
you can also make one out of a standard glass tank and just silicone in some partitions. it's pretty easy.
you will also need live rock. you can buy it uncured, from the ocean, or man-made dry rock.
live rock or equivalent has the surface area a strong bacteria colony needs to support your system. you know that these sensitive ecosystems rely on bacteria to sustain them, right?
you can add corals after the tank cycles.

as for the skimmer, you'll have to decide on a sump before i can link you to something that will fit it, because i don't know the correct dimensions.

and then there is lighting. what corals did you plan on keeping? will you keep stony corals, or just softies? will you keep clams, anemones?

+1 Mr. X knows what he is talking about most of the time

 

[underthesealover]

Wow thanks for the wonderful reply. my only question is... do I really need that refugium (trying to avoid it coz its the most expensive one lol) And also what does it do in the reefing???. And about your question I will want to have if possible both stony and soft corals and will get clams, anemones. I know the lightings will be so expensive too I guess I am just day dreaming but if i can get really great deals on those that I really needed I will definitely pursue it. I even can't sleep on excitement on how it will look like. I really do appreciate your big help and patience with me Doug thank you very much.

 

[underthesealover]

Also, can you replace that refugium with a sump?? will this model Reef Aquarium Filtration: Eshopps Wet-Dry Filters will work and can be used instead?

 

[mr_X]

you don't want the bio ball set up. it's going to eventually work against you. as i said, you can make a sump out of a 20 long or something similar if money is an issue. i can walk you through that if necessary.

to answer your question, no, you don't really need a refugium, but it's a great benefit to have one. it is an excellent way to lower the nutrient level in the system, and also to grow pods. it's yet another component to keep your tank healthy. btw, that was a sump i linked you to, it just has been partitioned to include a refugium. a sump is just an extra tank that shares the same water.
you could also check your local craigslist and backpage for deals. many folks sell used equipment there. (it's mostly people who try to cut corners and fail miserably, then give up).
if you want clams, anemones, and stony corals you will need powerful lighting. you have a few choices with lighting. you can go with metal halides (i would recommend 2 x 250 watts), high output T5 (i would want 6x54 watt), or LED, which is the most expensive. all of these have their pros and cons, but all of them will allow you to keep whatever you want, providing you buy a quality unit.

one more thing- is there any way at all you can return the 55 and purchase a 75 maybe? the 55 is going to be quite challenging to aquascape and is going to limit you on a few fronts. while you are at it, you can get a reef ready tank and skip the HOB overflow box. it will make your life a lot easier.
if you stay in this hobby and have success, you will thank me later for this suggestion.

 

[underthesealover]

I honestly just bought a b-new 29gal tank and then while surfing online I seen the 55gal used nice one in craiglist yesterday and bought it with stand for 90$ I was still kinda doubtful about that yesterday but my husband insisted I should pay it off since we already went there and bring the tank with us even though the stand was still left there. Now last night I seen a complete set up and established 75gal tank for just 550 and I so regret I followed my husband which kinda upset me and pisses me off coz I don't really want to get that 55gal yesterday anyway now I do not know if they guy I acquired it for will take it back I am so im am so kinda upset now. It's hard to work into something if your partner doesn't carry the same interest in the things you do he is against about my hobby, pets everything! while he is the one who made me live in the middle of nowhere and I got nothing else to do but entertain myself and I really do love to be busy around, wanted to find a job here but its almost impossible but I do take responsibility of the things I wanted its just sometimes its good to have someone who support the things that makes you happy and give a fair advice about it. He should be proud of me coz I been a city girl all my life and all of this things really new to me but when I set myself into something I don't usually give up easily and will try my best to make it work and keep it going. Sorry for the drama lol. You been a big help to me and I do appreciate your patience and time replying on my post. If I can refund my money for the 55gal one definitely I will want the fully set up 550 75gal one its an absolute great deal but my other problem is I don't know how to transport it from the owner to my place for 1 1/2 hr drive w/out killing the corals and fish in there. Is it ok for the corals to be out of the water for approximately 10hours??? and is it safe to move the tank with the live rocks still in there or I have to remove them all of the tank 1st?

 

[mr_X]

buy the 75 and use the 55 as your sump!

 

[mr_X]

corals are shipped overnight in bags all the time. you can do this. you will need a few bins from walmart...have some extra water made..as much as you can...
you will have to remove the rock from the tank..put it in bins/buckets and keep everything submerged in water if at all possible. chuck the sand bed though..give the tank a rinse, then put everything back.

 

[underthesealover]

and I will still need refugium?

 

[mr_X]

well, if you are going to use the 55 as a sump, why not throw a couple partitions in it and have a refugium as well?

 

[underthesealover]

great! I just dont know how to properly set it up by myself since I can't have anyone in here that will show me how to do it. and if i will ask a professional it will surely cost me more $$$ (sigh)

 

[underthesealover]

Hey Doug! can you check this listing in craiglist and see the description on it and based on what the seller wrote down in the can you please tell me what else I might need it I will buy off his tank? thanks! complete reef tank for sale

 

[mr_X]

here is a 55 that i partitioned...see, pretty easy-

 

[underthesealover]

I don't think my husband will l let me set up two tanks in the living room where I wanted to put my tank and mess with his fully carpeted floor.