Christmas reef

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Agnate80700

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
260
Location
Canton, MI
Hello all.

Looking to upgrade my girlfriend's FOWLR setup to a reef deal for christmas. Not talking acro or clams here... mushrooms, leather, maybe brain coral at the most. Any of the lower-light corals.

She currently has a 5 gallon tank with a 20w 50/50 PC bulb on it.

I'm basically mirroring my setup but a mini version. I want to set her up with a refugium, so I'm thinking a 12 gallon rubbermaid tote to go below the main tank, putting the majority of rock and stuff in that. There will also be a small container which the water comes into the tote will flow through containing macro algae, and of course a lamp to go on the inside of the lid. Nano skimmer and heater will also be in the sump/fuge/tote. 14-ish gallons total volume, by the way.

So heres my equipment list thus far:
*denotes items she already has

*5 gallon tank
*20w 50/50 pc lamp
*Heater
*7 lbs live rock
*Standard saltwater test kits
Another 4lbs live rock
10lbs base rock
12 Gallon tote
Small plastic bucket for macro algae
Under water epoxy putty
2x bulkheads
pvc piping
vinyl tubing
10-ish watt lamp for 'fuge
Rio 600 or equivalent for return pump (looking for ~150gph at 2 feet)
Nano protein skimmer
Assorted nano reef additives
calcium/magnesium test kits
electronic timer
$100 gift card to local LFS

Am I forgetting anything? I want to put it all in the 12 gallon tote and wrap that. My goal is to set this up so she doesn't need to do much to maintain it.

One thing I need to think about is that she doesnt have an RO/DI system like I do. What should she do for quality water? Is filling up a gallon jug of purified water at wal-mart sufficient?
 
I get my water at walmart and have had no problem. Some LFS sell premixed water or RO water as well.

You girlfriend is very lucky.
 
ah yeah, forgot about the lfs water, duh. Well, in any case, hopefully with only the 5g tank having open air above it (the sump/fuge will have a lid on it,) the evaporation rate will be low and she wont have to add more than a gallon or two a week.
 
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