Begginer marine tank set up

[music4everman]

I'm looking for advice on what equipment to consider for my new (marine) tank. Every product that i read about is, according to the seller, the best that i can get. Then l research the reviews and get so many different opinions or complaints that it's difficult to make a decision on whether to buy it or not. l have a 56Gal column glass aq. (30"w x18"d x24"h). Since I don't have room in my cabinet for the more traditional wet/dry with sump do to the the space required, I opted for the Eheim pro wet/dry canister filter 2229 (158Gal). I also have the Aquaticlife T5 HO light fixture W/ 2 lunar LEDs(30" 4x 24 watt). Since my tank is going to be in my bedroom ,I'm considering the Bermuda Aquatics Rogue wave HOT Protein skimmer (capacity 30-200, 175GPH). It's suppose to be very quite but efficient. Would love to hear from anyone who knows if this is true or not. Also is there a less expensive alternative to this unit since($249.99) is the cheapest I've found. I would like to set up a FOWLR tank and if successful for a good period of time , maybe add some beginner type corals down the line. I live in New York so I would also need a heater(not sure what type) and a UV sterilizer again not sure what type or wattage? Any input from members on anything I spoke about would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to joining the hobby. thanks%3Cdivclass=%22msgbox%22%3ENofilesuploaded!%3C/div%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E

[Bergy]

hey, welcome to the forum.

Im sure that we will be able to offer a bunch more opinions.. but as you are finding out, everyone has thier favorites and likes and dislikes...

There are a few manufacturers and suppliers that are the best, of the best

But, unless you start seeing prices in the thousands, then you arent looking at them...

As for one skimme over another, or filter or whatever...

your best bet is to find stuff/equipment that has excellent customer service and or has replacement parts.. (for the cannister filter)


They dont break down or anything, but a company that goes the whole nine, will be a great company for folks just getting into the hobby


i would suggest a heater that is 'titanium'..not glass, although there isnt anything wrong with glass, except that they can BREAK, althouhgh that doesnt happen often, a metal heater wont shatter...

They will break also, but not put glass or metals/heater elements into the water


A skimmer isnt all that important for a fish only system, so, i would suggest holding off on that purchase for a while...



I would also suggest etting as much stuff used/online as possible.. stuff doesnt really wear down that much, (except for heaters),

Ande you will get some great deals/prices


good luck, and lets look at what others will suggest...
\
bill

[Hajra]

just wanted to tell you if you dont already know that every one does their tank different. I agree with bill. titanium heater wont shatter and would be best but you can get shatter resistant glass too. just an option. I have a FOWLR tank and i do use a skimmer but as little as it pulls it isnt necessary. Hope i was of some help.

[music4everman]

thanks guys for responding so quickly. I'm so anxious to get started but I know patience is key to hopefully being successful with my tank( for the sake of my fish). Trust me when I say I appreciate all the help I get. Titanium sounds like a logical way to go. How about the UV sterilizer? I'm trying to get it right from the beginning. I'm sure I'll hit some bumps, just trying to minimize them. I figure if I reach out to people who have experience they can steer me on the right direction. Just read an advertisement for the ECO Aqualizer recirculating unit. They promise a lot of amazing benefits by using their product ( 75% less water changes, dramatically reduces green algae growth, increases lighting penetration by 24% etc) does anyone know if there's any truth to this? It sounds to good to be true, plus I haven't seen any hobbyist so much as mention it. Is it that new? thanks again%3Cdivclass=%22msgbox%22%3ENofilesuploaded!%3C/div%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E

[Bergy]

UV isnt really needed either.. .although there are some fish that tend to break out with ich if handled and transported and not acclimated properly..

(blue tangs???)

But really, all you need is a good light source, (and not that brite for FO), a good filter, (hang on tank is ok, but dont use the bio beads),  and a skimmer, if you want...

It really isnt that much mnore to it..

Andyea, get ready to hear, be patient, a lot!!!!

This hobby will take years to grow out and look all natural and 'grown out'...

The first couple months, although may seem like a long time, is really nothing...

You will have fun micro analyzing all the hitchhikers and all the little critters, and trying ot figure out what does what and what kills what, and what eats what...



Im sure you wont be bored anytime soon...

AFter the first year, then yea, it become a bit boring/monotanous

[music4everman]

thanks Bergy, it's hard to be patient when i see other peoples tanks looking so beautiful and I want the same   thing.I can sit in front of their tanks for hours and just stare in amazement at all the beautiful critters , corals etc. I'm glad that these forums exist because it seems like my LFS's are trying to sell me everything in their store (boy do they sound convincing). So it's good to hear the opinion of people who aren't trying to sell me something. I appreciate the input.

[Learner]

Hi & welcome M4E,

Slow but sure is the only way to go with SW systems. I am relatively new to the hobby, started in June '09.

Just wanted to tell you that the people of Little Ocean are great, and any advice you receive is top notch   8)

I have had a lot of help and encouragement in my time here, and a lot of fun too  ::)

You'll soon be sat in front of your own set up, watching it come together stage by stage it's great. ;D

Tania.

[Bergy]

sitting in front of our tanks is something we all have in common..

I do it with the tv set on, although it is just noise.. i look at hte fish doing whatever it is they do, and making up story lines to fit...

The good thing is when you are new, is that the smallest things will get you excited...

Watching a crab pick at algae is an earth moving event...


hehehehehe

[pinkorchid]

Hi and welcome!
I won't be able to offer much advice, I'm a newbie. My 55gal was set up in September.
Best of luck with your set up :) Keep us posted on your progress.
Amy

Watching a crab pick at algae is an earth moving event...


hehehehehe

LOL! Yep, true :) I'm still at that stage ;)

[Just_Greg]

WELCOME!

After the first year, then yea, it become a bit boring/monotanous

nah...you know that's not how it goes.  not to mention that you can always shift gears a bit and get into other types of marine aquaria or critters.

[music4everman]

thanks everybody for the warm welcome and advice,
I must say that this seems like the perfect place to learn how to get started and hopefully maintain my own SW tank. The hardest part so far is trying not to rush into anything. Just navigating through all the different products that ,quite frankly, all sound good and necessary is hard. That's why I'm so happy there are forums like this one to help me out. It's good to know everyone who's responded to me so far have either offered me advice or wished me luck in my quest for a successful aquarium. It's much appreciated. Every little bit helps. Now if I could just figure out exactly what I need to get started , I'd be totally happy. At least I can tell by reading  someother members posts, that my situation is not unique. There seems to be a lot of people out there in my same predicament. But to be honest, I think the reward (my own marine tank) is well worth the struggle to get there. thanks again everybody, and just for the record Bergy, your so right , watching a crab eat algae......TOTALLY COOL. Much better than boring T.V. anyday. talk to you soon.

[Hajra]

i am no expert. i can only advise on what i have tried or what i would try on my own aquarium. i know no where near what i should for as old as my aquarium is. All i can do is try and help or offer opnion or suggestion based on my own experience or others i have read orheard. everyone does their marines different so you will get a lot of different opnions. most of the time from here you dont get two ppl telling you two totally different things to do. they agree on one or two ways to do the same outcome.we have a 36 gal and we use skilter 250. not many but a few fish and naturally clean up crew. not much but you can find more on our tanks in hajras hang out if you want to look. feel free to comment. just a lil info on me and the aquarium that we have.

[Bergy]

as for where to 'start'.. it sounds like you already have.. and it sounds like you are doing well...

For a fish only tank, you dont need much in lights... maybe some t5's  with as many bulbs as you can get so you can have options with colors ..


Skimmer, look for something on craigslist or ebay or something used...    and again, you really dont need it but it will help a little with oxygenation and maybe some removal of DOC, (dissolved organic compounds), i.e. POOP

a good heater... read the other thread....

and a couple test kits... ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and a refractometer or a hydrometer... (you get what you pay for)

Some live sand, and live rock, some saltwater, and your good to go...

it really is that simple...

Dont add fish or critters for a couple weeks... (except maybe a really small amount of fish food or maybe a piece of fish from the market for a few days), to get the cycle going, and then jsut test for nitrites until you dont have any nitrites anymore...

after that you are good to go, mostly...

and while you are waiting    read, read, read...

heheheh

[music4everman]

hi everyone,
Its cool that everyone uses his or her own methods (equip,schedules,techniques) for keeping and maintaining their tanks, however, this creates so much confusion (at least for me) on how to proceed with my own tank. At times the advice and opinions vary so much, yet they apparently seem to work for the person offering it. Just when I think I have a pretty good idea of what I want, It'll makes me second guess myself. I'll read something else on the subject that will make me think what I'm getting is either not enough or too much. I'm so new to this that I'm not sure if expensive equipment is better or just more expensive. Are you paying for quality or marketing. Is more than what you need better... i.e. a filter rated for a 180 gal on a 56 gal tank or is that doing more harm than good. I don't know if I should just have a wet/dry filter or add a canister filter w/2 media? 3 media? 4 media? Or more? A pump that will circulate the water in my tank 4 times an/h or 10 times an hr? javascript:void(0);? I don't have a clue.
The last thing I want to do is boil water. fish aren't cheap in this world so do I use 1 big heater or 2 small heaters
Protein skimming or no skimming?
White light - Blue light - Sunlight-Moonlight - Normal-HO - VHO-LED?
Rock-Live rock-No rock?
Sand-bed-No sand-bed-Shallow sand-bed - Deep sand-bed?
To B or not to B, that is the UV question.
Information OVERLOAD. I can't read anymore, MY EYES HURTjavascript:void(0);.
I wanted to try to do it the right the first time, But I'm not sure what right is.
I guess there's no way to know for sure what's going to work for me until I START. I guess that means its time to put water in the tank and go for what I know (or don't know).
Well I would just like to wish everyone a very SAFE, PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR javascript:void(0);



%3Cdivclass=%22msgbox%22%3ENofilesuploaded!%3C/div%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E

[Bergy]

you are very correct in your frustration...  there is noo standard measurements for ratings things like skimmers/filters etc...

the biggest problem is not so much the equipment you want 'measured'/quantified, but rather the system it is being used on..

If you are going to have the exact same system, with the same livestock, and the same rocks and sand, and clean / maintain it hte same as the other guy, then yes, maybe there can be some standard, but, i have not ever seen two systems that were the same...

Everyone does things different.. they keep the water temp different, they keep the pH different, etc...

Try not to focus on the minum maximum info, and go for the average...

If you try it out for a while, and find you dont like it, then you can try something else...

Everything is replaceable and substituable... including information...

If you over think every component, you might not ever be happy...

The big thing that most folks like is the ability to upgrade, and substitute to fit your needs, your ability to get stuff, and your budget...

The things to focus on are how much maintenance you want to do, how often, how much money you want to spend on utilitys/ electricty bill, etc...

i usually dont reccomend hang on filters, or cannister filters as they are limiting to what you can do, and require more maintenance then a regular sump/refugium... 

This also allows you to get all the ugly equipment out of site and makes your display tank only display fish and critters, not heaters and skimmers...

But, i also understand that a sump seems more complicated and intimidating to those just starting out...

I also suggest getting an aquarium controller right off, instead of buying timers and power strips and heater/fan controllers..

the aquarium controller maybe a few bucks more then the other stuff, but, it is more accurate and more options/controllability then the odds and ends timers you get at home depot or whereever...

And folks usually migrate to aquarium controllers anyways, and buying it upfront will save you time and MONEY...

but most other things can be upgraded later on, and you can usually find folks to buy your used equipment to offset the costs of the new equipment...

anyways, i feel for you, but please dont let your frustration overwhelm you... just be satisfied knowing that no matter what you do, someone has already done before you, and it worked for them...

good luck