Hello, my name is Ruben

[dabudkrew]

hi i'm new to this hobby sort of, i have always had a fresh water aquarium but i have about a week running a new aquarium i just purchased. I have a 75 gallon tank with about 50-75 lbs of live rocks and about 80 lbs of live sand two power heads, 2 120 watt lights, and a Eheim pro 2200 filter, any suggestions on what else do i need?? im going to buy a test kit tomorrow, just to test the water. this is a great site and alot of people helping each other, just great thanks!

[erikharrison]

welcomeeeeeeee are you wanting to do hard corals?

[dabudkrew]

kinda, i just want to keep it easy as possible. i wouls want to just some anomenes

[erikharrison]

rattle off your pumps in name and or GPH. you need a skimmer as well. I am buying a 75 gallon soon, and I am going to buy an octopus skimmer rated for a 220. I hear that the octos had their design stolen from euroreef! More about your lighting would help. A sump/fuge would help in your quest for corals as well.

[dabudkrew]

i got 2 maxi jet 1200 and as for the light i got them used but there are 2 of them about 2 feet long, they are pretty bright though and they are 295 gph each

[erikharrison]

look up the maxijet mod, you can get somewhere like 2000 gph... If you want to do hard corals, flow is where it's at.

[SACoastie]

Welcome to MAAST! On the lights is it one fixture with two blubs in it or two seperate fixtures with one bulb in each. Also can you get the watts off of them?

[Sherri]

Welcome to MAAST Ruben!! :)

[dabudkrew]

rattle off your pumps in name and or GPH. you need a skimmer as well. I am buying a 75 gallon soon, and I am going to buy an octopus skimmer rated for a 220. I hear that the octos had their design stolen from euroreef! More about your lighting would help. A sump/fuge would help in your quest for corals as well.

will i need all this equipment before adding fish or is what i got good enough?? as for the lights, there are two bulbs about 20 inches each i dont know the watts but will ask the previous owner

the bulbs are not solid they curve into a U at the end

[erikharrison]

power compacts, what wattage? color? If you are wanting to do more difficult things you need to look at lighting, using what you have as additional to some metal halides. Probably want to 400w double ended (HQI) metal halides. You'll probably want a sump/fuge.

[urban79]

starts of just wanting a anomenes. and then soft coral. then sps.

[erikharrison]

how long has the tank been up and running? Is the rock "cured"?

[urban79]

how long has the tank been up and running? Is the rock "cured"?


I hope so. You really shoudnt get sick rocks wet. :lol

[dabudkrew]

i got 2 700 watt flourescent bulbs, they're white, do i need to upgrade to something else?

[dabudkrew]

i have had it running for a week now and well the previous owner had them in his aquarium i just picked them up and put wet newspaper on the rocks then put them in a cooler and then set the aquarium up the next day, so i dont know if i had to cure them or if they aready are cured. there is nothing growing on them just some little white spots on them thats about it. how do i know if i have to cure them. i dont want to take them out again.

[dabudkrew]

i would send pics but my computer does not read my camera

[Texreefer]

you need the test kit to start.. so you know what your levels are ,,and did you mean 70watt..i don't think you have 700watt :blink

[dabudkrew]

i know i was looking at the bulb and the only thing it says is 700 thats why i put that, as for the test kit im going to buy that tomorrow

[dabudkrew]

the light i have is a 48” compact fluorescent twin tube reflector 110 volt and an extra 48” single blue light but it does not work, does anyone know how to check it?

[Jeff]

they are probebly 96 watt bulbs. to check the bulb just unplug one bulb and pop in the other. where are you located at? if in san antonio go to texas tropical or alamo aquatics with the bad bulb and see if they have a replacement. you will only have 192 watts of light but that is good enough for some soft corals. i know you wanted an anoneme first, but lets see how you do with some mushrooms, zoas, or other softees befor you try something a little more difficult.

you will have people say you have to have this or that devise but in reality all you really need to do is watch how much livestock you have in the tank along with regular water changes, and how much you feed the tank. remember to keep it simple and you will enjoy your tank a lot more.

[erikharrison]

you will have people say you have to have this or that devise but in reality all you really need to do is watch how much livestock you have in the tank along with regular water changes, and how much you feed the tank. remember to keep it simple and you will enjoy your tank a lot more.

agreed. the slower the better. Make sure your water levels are set, and that there is no fluctuation over a few weeks.

[dabudkrew]

so would 192 watts of light be enough for a 75 gallon and about 70 lbs of rocks?

[Jeff]

that would be alright for some soft corals. if i were you i would start saving up for t-5 lights. http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/IceCap/Retrofit_Kits/ the initial price is steep but they will be better in the long run. where are you located at?

[erikharrison]

If you're worried about putting fish in right away, get a test kit, then start looking at your filtration. It's only a matter of time till you will need a sump! You should also be thinking about (DELTEC) skimmers.

[dabudkrew]

im located in Laredo, i went to petco and they recommened to get some damsels, i checked the water today and everything pass. i bought some dried shrimp food but it just floats on top and i just the fish are scared to get the food on top, does anyone recommend something better. the food comes in big chunks that crumble real easily

[erikharrison]

get frozen brine and bloodworms.

[dabudkrew]

any specific brand?

[erikharrison]

Hikari...

[dabudkrew]

yeah i bought some pellets, i works pretty good and my fish are eating

[dabudkrew]

do i really need a sump and a skimmer, and what is this for?? thanks

[reeferRob]

i am really a beginner myself, but i think before you go ANY further and start throwing money at this box of water you really need to get at least the basic water parameters down and figure out how to check them. Do some reading http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=c530c2892091cca731fa43946fbefe69& threadid=1031074 right here to start. Once you got some idea on how to maintain the water then might be a better time to move in to corals, and lightiing, and filtration, and so on. Otherwise you are sure to waste a bunch of cash, kill a bunch of precious livestock and get real discouraged. JUst my $.02.

[Texreefer]

i cannot say enough about the importance of reading and researching if you really want to get into reefs,, the info on this site is a great help, but without a solid basic knowledge of saltwater,filtration, the biological process etc, it will be really tough to be successful. there are two really cheap books that have some great basic info and are easy to find locally... 'The Marine Aquarium Problem Solver' and 'Saltwater for Dummies'...(no i'm not calling you a Dummie) :P both of these provide a basic guid to aminals and their care, filtration, lighting Etc.,, hope this helps.. oh and we eill still be happy to answer any questions you have...as for the skimmer and sump question,,, it depends on your water stability, the animals you are Currently keeping and want to keep in the future, your overall bioload,, from what i can tellyou don't need any of this right now

[dabudkrew]

well i just have about 60n pounds of live rock, 2 damsels, and a frag of neon green zoas, and thats about what i want to start off with. i want to end up with some soft corals and a couple of more fish. but what kind of skimmer do you guys recommend for a 75 gallon aquarium. one you guys think is the best one. thanks

[Jeff]

i wouldn't use a skimmer yet, you can add 1 or 2 small fish to the tank and be all right without a skimmer. what you should do is learn good husbandry like water changes and how much to feed your fish. get a few hardy soft corals, do some water test, and watch how easy it can be. once you start to get more equipment to help you along you will start to forget the basics, get sloppy and the tanks will either crash or just not grow. after a while you will get fustrated or bored because nothing seems to be working right and then you get out selling your stuff for half of what you bought it for. i've seen it happen and it's happened to me, so start with a small amount of fish, a couple of corals, and good husbandry, and you will enjoy your tank more.

[Jeff]

months down the line when you feel you need sps corals and you need a skimmer, then you go get it. do not overstock your tank with fish. if you do then you will need a big skimmer, phosban reactor, sulfer denitrator, more pumps, more gadgets and more money. or you can start out slow and steady and not burn your self out.

[erikharrison]

or you can do like I did. Buy everything slap it together too fast, then spend a grand saving fish/corals becuase you didn't research first :P
Parameters first, determine what levels you have, and where they stay at. Then work on getting them all to zero. If the levels are all at zero, add slowly over several months (fish/corals) and keep a close eye on everything. Most test kits do not include a phosphate kit, which I recommend you buy! Then once your bioload is a little heavier, look into a skimmer, then some rockin metal halides. on a 75g, 250 is acceptible (x2) or you could 400w x2 for optimum success. Metal halides are for serious daytime (high noon) and you sub out that light for power compacts through the rest of the day.

[DaBird47]

wow, nice response you guys...I'll say Ditto to what they said...

[dabudkrew]

thanks you guys

[dabudkrew]

as for light do you guys recommend buying two of these for my 75 gallon tank?
http://www.hellolights.com/55w10000kac0.html or these
http://www.hellolights.com/55w65w10co21.html

[Jeff]

if i were you i would start saving up for either t-5 lights or metal halides. what your running (compact flourescent) you need to have at least 4 65w bulbs for the properlight. pc's are great to start off with but the bulbs lose their intensity after a few months and are expensive to replace. a good t-5 set up is expensive at first but cheaper in the long run. the t-5 bulbs run cooler, last longer (up to 18months), and are cheaper individualy than pc or metal halide. as an added bonus there are so many different lighting color bulds for t-5 that you can mix and match until you get the right color combination.

[dabudkrew]

this is what my tank looks like with all the brown fuzz

[dabudkrew]

does anyone know how to get rid of this?

[dabudkrew]

anyone?

[erikharrison]

it'll go away, you could get a lawnmower blenny, they love that stuff.

[dabudkrew]

yeah now green stuff is growing

[dabudkrew]

what is a UV Clarifier and what is it for?

[SACoastie]

yeah now green stuff is growing

How long are you running your lights? Since you are using fluorescents It is recommended you keep them on for about 10 hours with no more than 12 hours max.

A good clean up crew of turbo snails as well as some hermit crabs and some sand sifting snails will really help to keep the algae under wraps. Check your lights and get some cleaners. ;)

[SACoastie]

what is a UV Clarifier and what is it for?

This is an ultraviolet light that kills most free floating pathogens and other harmful bacteria. Water passes through a tube inside the sterilizer housing which encompasses the UV bulb. The more contact area for the bulb to penitrate the water the better. The downfall to this is it also kills some of the good bacteria as well.

[dabudkrew]

well i got 2 65 watt lights running 10 hours a day, but alot of people say its cause its a new set-up but thanks for the recommendations on the snail, im was going to buy some but didnt know what type, any suggestion on hermit crabs and the name of the sifting snails?? im going to buy them off reeftopia cause my LPS dont carry them. i am going to buy an extra pair of 65 watt light to keep some soft corrals

[SACoastie]

what type, any suggestion on hermit crabs and the name of the sifting snails??

Blue leg hermits are safe
Sifting snails = nassarius vibex
Get the turbos too. ;)

[dabudkrew]

jus ordered me some snail hope this works

[erikharrison]

oh yeah, to further James's explanation and put it in newbie terms, UV will kill off microscopic algae, ICH, and any other parasites. It also makes your water REALLY clear. Also, might I suggest setting up a filter full of carbon. I have one that runs every hour for fifteen minutes. It's a Rena filstar XP2, with the top basket filled with Activated Carbon (AC). It helps get the suspended waste and food out of my water so I dont have to pick it out. I think UV is fantastic, and it's extra helpful in the beginning.

[SACoastie]

If/when you get the UV Ster. I suggest the Coralife Turbo Twist. I really like this one since it maximizes the amount of water contact by having the water tubes make a screw effect around the bulb instead of shooting straight across the bulb. The one I have is like the second one :( , but I'm looking to replace it with the twist :D .

[txstateunivreefer]

if you can run to a bookstore what i would reccommend would be this book
http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-Step/dp/1890087521/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9312186-3279229?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177432119&sr=1-1
shows you step by step what to do what to get and answers alot of basic questions it also gives you a really good overview of all the diffrent kinds of fish.

before i found maast this was my bible and it helped alot, it has lots of pictures and easy to understand directions and explainations.

[dabudkrew]

i just found out that the bulb in my UV is bad, but i think im going to replace it

[txstateunivreefer]

thats not a bad idea rule of thumb i always hear is to replace it every 3 months you may also want to replace the bulbs in your light if you havent already. if the bulbs are old and you didnt buy them that could be another source of your algae problem. unlike with lightbulbs elsewhere in reef keeping you need to replace them before they burn out becuase with age the spectrum or color will change and they always change towards the color that algae uses.

[dabudkrew]

is this enough rocks??

[erikharrison]

More rocks, and I second the coralife turbo twist.

[txstateunivreefer]

more pwr heads too thats not gonna be near enough flow

[dabudkrew]

yeah i got two more on the way

[Jeff]

if you want more rock then get it, it is what you want your tank to look like. as for the uv sterilizer, you really don't need one. the jury is still out if they are effective or not, some say they reduce the pod population, others say it helps fight pathogens like ick, but i ran one for over a year and saw no difference. all it becomes is a 100$ piece that you attach to a 10$ powerhead, you get little flow but a lot of heat introduced into your tank.

[Jeff]

this is your tank, aquascape it the way you want it. my first year i had a 100 gl tank whos only filtration was a emperor 400, mixed sand and crushed coral bed about 2 inches deep, and about 60 lbs of rock. no sump, a seaclone skimmer (so basically no skimmer), and power compact lights and it was one of the easiest tanks to run. that is untill i started to add too much bioload then i needed a better skimmer(150$), more power heads(about 60$), more rock 100# at the best price at the time 6$ a pound (600$) uv sterilizer (100$).

many newbees go out and buy a bunch of fish and drop them into the tank, which causes a bad algea bloom along with killing everything , come on maast for help, at which the only thing to do now is spend money on things to stop what you created. i.e skimmer, sump, more rock, phosban reactor, more circulation. if you go slow you can avoid a lot of problems and if you do have them they are not emergencies.

[erikharrison]

See, personally I love my UV sterilizer. The water has never been so clear. It also helps
(majorly) with algae. I don't have to clean my glass every single day. My UV keeps it nice and clear. As you can tell from Jeff and my statements, everyone will have different opinions, there is only one aquatic truth..... Salifert test kits, or none :D

[erikharrison]

What kind of sand is that in your tank? Is it the kind from Home Depot/Lowe's? If so, that is where you're getting your diatom outbreak from.

[dabudkrew]

no i got it from Petco, Live sand said the bag, it saw moist when i bought it

[erikharrison]

cool, you could try the 2-3 days with no light method.

[dabudkrew]

i didnt want to start another thread but does anyone know if theres a list of all compatable fish?? i dont want to lose any fish

[dabudkrew]

is it posible to add more sand with livestock in the tank??

[SACoastie]

Yes you can put more sand in. It will get really cloudy if you dump it straight in. The best way to do it it use about a 2" PVC pipe and push it all the way down into the sand bed. Then pour the sand in the pipe slowly. If you don't have any fish/corals in yet, then just pour it in the tank it won't matter about the rock and like I said it will just get murky.
As for the compatability look here >>>> http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/compatibility_chart.cfm

[dabudkrew]

Ooooo, thank you very much for the chart

[SACoastie]

No prob ....... remember add slowly :D ;)

[dabudkrew]

yup, going to do it tomorrow, thanks again

[erikharrison]

has your tank settled down a little? Less algae etc?

[dabudkrew]

yes the snail helped alot

[dabudkrew]

ok i need to buy some new lights, 1 got 2 65watt and 2 96 watts what do you guys recommend getting for some soft corals??

[txstateunivreefer]

NO SOFT CORALS YET GRASSHOPPER you must learn to stabilize your tank or else you might as well burn your money give it a month for all your problems to smooth themselves out ie sand to get established and for you to learn when to do h20 changes etc and in the meantime read alot about corals... when the time comes you could do mushrooms zoos and leathers but not now

[dabudkrew]

i will, just wanted some info on the light bulbs i should get for soft corals

[txstateunivreefer]

well if you split em up from 10k and atinics that would give you a good look and good growth

[dabudkrew]

i was thinking both 96 - atinics and two 65 - 50/50, but i dont know???

[SACoastie]

i was thinking both 96 - atinics and two 65 - 50/50, but i dont know???

I would go with the 96's as actics and the 65's as 10k's. I think if you go with the 50/50 on the 65's it will be way overkill on the blue tint in the tank.

[dabudkrew]

cool, will do, got to wait till next week for payday though

[dabudkrew]

SeaClone 150 Protein Skimmer, is this a good one to buy for a 75 gallon tank??