Khrizt
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hi everyone, first of all let me say that I am new to this hobby, and this will be my first hobby. I purchased a 65 Gallon Tank from a friend with 'Everything needed to begin.' I would just like some feedback on what my next step would be, to setup my future Reef Aquarium. Here is a list of everything that came included with my aquarium:
-65 Gallon tank with overflow sump return & Stand
-Two split spout return for the water from the sump
-3 power water flow pumps (one magnetic for placement on the glass,
one hangs over the side that does 170 gallons per hour, and one that
has suction cups for placement but has a spout that sways back and
forth)
-Canopy to conceal lights
-300 Watt heater
-Protein Skimmer with pump
-Pump (return water from sump back into tank)
-Micro pouch (remove fine particles)
-Divider (place blue pad to remove more suspended solids)
-White "carbon sock" (help chemically remove waste)
-Net
If you view my profile I posted 3 pictures of everything included in my system. I'm thinking of retouching the stand with a paint job, and I still need a light system for it (thinking of the Marineland Reef Light), and I don't know if there's anything I should upgrade in my sump, if there's anything you see out of place or something that needs replacement please let me know.
Thank you everyone for your help.
-65 Gallon tank with overflow sump return & Stand
-Two split spout return for the water from the sump
-3 power water flow pumps (one magnetic for placement on the glass,
one hangs over the side that does 170 gallons per hour, and one that
has suction cups for placement but has a spout that sways back and
forth)
-Canopy to conceal lights
-300 Watt heater
-Protein Skimmer with pump
-Pump (return water from sump back into tank)
-Micro pouch (remove fine particles)
-Divider (place blue pad to remove more suspended solids)
-White "carbon sock" (help chemically remove waste)
-Net
If you view my profile I posted 3 pictures of everything included in my system. I'm thinking of retouching the stand with a paint job, and I still need a light system for it (thinking of the Marineland Reef Light), and I don't know if there's anything I should upgrade in my sump, if there's anything you see out of place or something that needs replacement please let me know.
Thank you everyone for your help.
Sounds like a nice setup. Next you should be thinking of what you want to put in the tank. You can visit liveaquaria.com to find information on the fish and corals you are interested in. Many fish can be kept in a 65 gallon and many can't. As far as corals, some need high light and some need low light. I have a 4 bulb High Output t5 fixture above my 55g tank which is a total of 210 watts. Some people say 2-4 watts per gallon for lighting. You will find lots of helpful information here 
