new to hobby and need help

[Kagan]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the hobby and thinking to start a marine tank. I have bought a 125cm*50cm(depth)*65cm tank. It holds about 90 gallons. I have vecton UV 25 watts from my discus tank. I am thinking to make a trickle filter from one of my tanks, which has about 33 gallon capacity (I guess trickle can use 20-25 gallon at most).

My plans are to put some fish (about 8-10), some anemones, a shrimp (or if possible more), a star... I am not planning to upgrade to reef in the near future.

I do not have much money for now..

My questions are:
1) I have found a seaclone skimmer for 100 gallons. Would it be enough?? Or should I try to build my own skimmer?

2) What does a sump mean? Is it the same thing with deep sand bed??? Or what do these do? Do I need one?

3) Is the trickle filter ok? What should I use in it? I am thinking to put sponges, bioballs or fumice and then the heater and the pump. The pump will have a 1400 liter/hour capacity. Will I need more??

4) I am thinking to put crushed corals (mixtrue of large and fine) into the tank. What should be the amount and do I need any preferred orientation throughtout the tank?? I will also put a power head in the bottom to make circulation. I also found some colourfull rocks that do not go into reaction with fresh water. Though I do not know if they do with marine water. If these are not ok, what type of rock can I use ( for the nice view)? I can find

5) I will be able to put about a max. 100-150 watts of fluorescent lamps like marine glo or similar.. Is it suicide??

thats all for now. I will be waiting for the recommendations..

[carribeanlovers]

You will see that most people on here will tell you not to use crused coral. Use a DSB (deep sand bed). Crushed coral causes problems.

[dkh0331]

First, what type of marine tank are you considering for your set-up - Reef/FO/FOWLR?

1. The seaclone may or may not be a suitable PS. For a reef tank, I would suggest looking at alternatives.

2. A sump is different from a DSB. A sump is a separate vessel where your tank water flows into. It has a number of possible uses, to include holding all your equipment (heater, PS, etc). It can be also house a 'fuge, which can also house your DSB. Water gets to the sump thru a couple of different means - the most popular being thru bulkheads (holes drilled in your tank) Another means is thru an overflow device, such as the CPR Overflow. Water enters your sump and then is pumped back to your tank.

3. If you are considering any type of corals, stay away from the trickle filter. For a reef tank, you want a minimum of 10-20X your tank size. 90 gallon = 900 gph, minimum.

4. Depending upon your tank set-up, crushed coral can be used, altho a number of people use a DSB (deep sand bed)

5. If you are considering coral, not suicide - murder for your corals. Not enough lighting for this size tank for corals.

Do a lot of research here on RC.

HTH

David

[dragon_slayer]

your mentioned lighting isnt going to cut it for an anemone.

your setup will be fine for FO (fish only) but your tricle filter is going to give you high NO3 and they quickly kill any inverts (shrimp/corals/etc..) you can remove the wet/dry portion (bio-balls and sponge) from it and it then becomes a sump. i'd recommend at Mag 9.5 or similar on the return from the sump.

depending on the type/size of fish, the seaclone might not be your best choice. for the price it will do a 'fair' job on the tank if the bio-load is kept low.

kc

[Pete Jaenecke]

If you want to have an anemone you will need a lot of light ! and lighting will cost some cash! do a LOT of reading before you start

[MalHavoc]

I suggest doing some reading before progressing further:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46719
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1337387#post1337387

by the way,

[welcome]

[yamant]

WELCOME Kagan,
Nice to hear words from Turkey :)

Lets come tou your questions:

i think seaclone will be sufficient for low load,

sump described above and you can setup your tricle filtre at your sump

i think that you must run a return pump higher than a 1400lt/h.

i am using crushed coral since january 2003, finding southdown sand for DSB isn't possible at Turkey,

100-150 watts flo 's will be sufficient for mushrooms, polyps and maybe some leather corals but not for anemone.

don'y use rocks that you find, buy live rocks..

See you..
PS. send private message to me if you have questions about saltwater fish stores at Turkey

[Kagan]

Hi there,

I have written what I will put in the tank. 8-10 fish, anemone, star, shrimps. But I guess I have to rearrange these. I see that things get complicated...

btw, thanks for the replies and your time.. I will do some reading and come back with more questions I guess. I think I have to learn these things first... I will start with checking those two links... Then, lots of threads waiting for me.

Kagan

PS: If you can direct me to links with basic definitons and their usage it would be great. Because, it is very hard to find every little thing within the posts..

[MalHavoc]

Here's a great acronym page that may help:

http://reefcentral.com/modules.php?s=&name=Encyclopedia&op=terms&eid=2&ltr=all

[Joe Masyga]

Here is another good web page lots of info www.wetwebmedia.com

[Kagan]

Thanks for the links... I will try to return as soon as possible :)

[Kagan]

ok I am back after some reading :reading: I am back with updated plans as you have expected. This means you have more work :):D

ok here we go... Please comment on every point.

Firstly, I am still thinking to make a SW tank. :D

It will be 100 gallons as I have mentioned before.

1) I will use a trickle filter for the filtering, with 25 gallons capacity. What should I put to make the filtering? What I think is a pump (this is needed I guess), one heater, some sponge, some bioballs or fumice.

2) I thought to make another tank next to the trickle. I will make this one the DSB. It holds about 15 gallons of water. It will work with another pump. Of course if I can find the live sand around here. The height will be much higher than 4 inches of course. I am aware that the surface area will be lower. But I guess the anaerobic part will be more effective.

3) I am also planning to put a small lamp on either the DSB tank or the trickle filter to get some algae. I have read that they help the filtering too.

4) Is it possible that this algae can reach my main tank?? Or is it desired for my little cleaning crew?

5) The lighting will not contain metal halides since I cannot afford them... I will try to select the inhabitents in this manner. I guess I have lots of time for this..

6) I will put sand into the bottom of the main tank too. I did not like the idea of the DSB in the main tank. I thought that it can be done in a separate tank..

7) Do I need live rocks for my purposes? I mean I plan to have anything, which my system can hold...

8) Please choose for this system: Seaclone for 100 gallons/400 liters or a DIY skimmer? For now these are what I could find. I will not be afford a better one for now I guess.

Please comment on anything you see wrong. Since I do not know anything except what I have been reading last two days, these are just theoritical..

The main tank will have another heater and a small pump inside to aerate. Of course these are what I have in mind.

Thanks for reading if you havent get bored yet..

Kagan

[Pete Jaenecke]

Kagan, Look at pics in my photo gallery for so info. all I have for my tank is a 30 gal sump. in the sump I have a aquamedic skimmer, carbon, heater, and return pump, in the main tank I have 2 maxijets on the other side of my return next to mt over flow that is going to my sump. in the main tank there is 130pounds of live rock and 3in of LS. lighting is a 72in MH/VHOs. if you have any ? let me know. Pete

[Pete Jaenecke]

Kagan, Look at pics in my photo gallery for so info. all I have for my tank is a 30 gal sump. in the sump I have a aquamedic skimmer, carbon, heater, and return pump, in the main tank I have 2 maxijets on the other side of my return next to mt over flow that is going to my sump. in the main tank there is 130pounds of live rock and 3in of LS. lighting is a 72in MH/VHOs. if you have any ? let me know. Pete