Need help on where to go now

[clarkschildcare]

Ok guys here it goes I have a 75 gal what I want to be a reef tank but I have many fish. I have 75lb or better of live rock the tank is about 1year old. I have made sure all the fish I have are reef safe. Any way I think I need to take a new direction or approach to my system My friends say they son't have this and that and it is fine but I think I need to add to my system tell me if you would where to start. I have a canopy light Wht I think is 65w with 2 white two blue and two lunar lights. I only use biowheel filters hanging on the tank without the wheels. I know I probably need a refugium????? Tell me should I start there or differant lights or differant filters I do have two power heads. that is all the equipment I have

[McTeague]

What kind of fish do you have? The light is a total of 65 watts? Conventional wisdom is 3-4 watts per gallon for corals. So you would need as much as 300 watts.

What type of substrate do you have?

[clarkschildcare]

No total light is 260 So I do think I need to add more light? I have just went by advice from friends but I am really getting into my tank and want it to grow and it seems as tough every thing is staying the same or kinda dying off. For a substrate??? I don't know even what that is sorry. I have one bay anenome ,2 yellow tangs, lawnmower blenny, a coupe leathers, button and star pullips, 3 green chromis, yellow and pink fish (don't know what it is called) ,yellow sponges that just started growing like crazy sand sifter star and a ton of babies ,zenias ,kena trees ,snails, 1 pep. shrimp and crabs

[clarkschildcare]

I had a bubble looks kinda like a brain it is trying to grow back...
and frog spawn that did die

[Avi]

Well, I think the first thing you'd need to do is address the water quality of the water in your new reef. The powerfilters aren't ideal and I'd suggest that you replace them and instead use a sump/refugium and add a good quality protein skimmer....and those, together with the live rock in your tank, would be the infrastructure of your "filtration." That may seem like a lot if you're not familiar with sumps and refugiums and protein skimmers but it really isn't terribly complicated and you have plenty of people here in RC that'd walk you right through it all. Believe me...It's the ticket to a healthy reef.

As far as lighting is concerned, it'd be nice to spruce that up too, but for the moment, the water quality issue is a more immediate concern.

By the way...are you testing your water for calcium, alkalinity, pH...etc.? And, are you using a good quality water source for your water changes?

[clarkschildcare]

ITAKE A SAMPLE TO THE LOCAL FISH STORE AND THEY ALWAYS TELL ME IT IS FIne. I HAVE A WATER TESTER BUT IT SEEMS SO CONFUSING AS FAR A WATER CHANGES i US BOTTLED DISTELLED WATER AND THE SALT LEVEL IS ALWAS RIGHT WHERE IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE BUT I ONLY DO WATER CHANGES ONCE A MONTH.
SO SHOUL I BUY A SET UP WITH ALL THE STUFF IT TAKES OR SHOULD I TRY TO MAKE IT MYSELF? i FORGOT TO ADD I HAVE A MANDIAN GOBY AND NO PODES AT ALL I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FEED HIM ALL KINDS OF STUFF NOW I NEED TO BUY PODES AND THEN MAY REPRODUCE SOME OR SOMETHING HAVE ANY IDEAS

[Avi]

If you're handy, then you can put a lot of stuff together yourself...visit the RC DIY forum and look around there and also look here:

www.melevsreef.com

It'll also aid you in understanding the whole sump/refugium configuration

[Zestay]

ok if you want to get serious about your new reef tank to be
you gotta be on the ball about a few things
1) your water quality. get a good ro/di unit and use it for your tank. it saves so much money in the long run.
2) get a good test kit, ask in the reef chemistry fourms for which is the "standard" kit these days.
3) test your water every week and record the results in a tank log book of some sort.
4) im guessing you have this or something similar to it
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=328
if youve had that light fixture for the entire life of your fish tank ( approx 1 year ) the bulbs are burned out. they might not look it but at bare minimum replace the bulbs in the fixture and do it every 6 months.
5) dont skimp on your skimmer. there are so many options for the 75 gallon tank range.
6) you already have a lot of fish? can you give us a list of everything thats in your tank?
7) your going to need more power heads / flow devices

[clarkschildcare]

I have 2 Yellow tangs, 1 mandian Goby, 1 Lawnmower Blenny,1 Peppermint Shrimp,(all my shrimp die) so I stopped buying them I have just the one, 3 Green Chromis,1 sandsifting Star and alot of babies, 1 Clown,Tons of small and large bistal worms, Xenia,Kena Tree, Leathers??? not sure of the names, 1 Royal Grama,Bay anenome, i also have bubble (looks like a brain) I have a large leather it looks like a big tree hangs off the rock it is really pretty when it is fully out. I have some frags of pollips and zooanthids but they don't really look like they want to grow anymore they was looking good but now they are kinda going away? Maybe the lighting. So I will have to start slow but I am willing to buy whatever it takes. So what do yo suggest I do first. I will need guidance through this whole process.

[drillsar]

2 tangs? No take 1 out

[clarkschildcare]

Ok I have had them for a year now are the hurting the tank? Or is it just not a good idea to have them both in there because of the size of the tank? I want to do whatever it is I need to do.

[drillsar]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=392

First they can come agressive towards each other, need alot of swimming, eats lots of Veg (Nori every day)

[clarkschildcare]

Thanks for the information I will check it out.