New to Reefin'

[Aimiel]

OK, I've got about fifteen years aquarium-keeping experience, though I have not had an aquarium for over ten years. Wow, there's so much new equipment!!! I still love freshwater, but fell in love with saltwater about twenty years ago, and will never go back. I've set up a 90 gallon, with about 65 lbs. of live rock, about 2" of live sand on top of about 2" of aragonite, one Coral Beauty, three Blue Damselfishes, six Chromis, a Turbo Snail, a Coral Banded Shrimp and a Sandsifter Starfish. I use a sump with bioballs, and a full spectrum (two white and two actinic) lamp. I want to put together a reef tank, but don't know what my next steps are. Where do I begin? I've seen a lot of advice in this forum, but if I follow all of it, I'll go broke by sundown tomorrow. I'd like to have corals and anemenoes, but don't want to do that without knowing the pitfalls and what not to start out without. Is a skimmer my next purchase, or will I be OK without one? Do I need a UV unit? Are these 'must-haves' for a reef tank? My wife couldn't believe what I paid for the setup I have now, and each time I come home from my local fish store (LFS), she gives me 'the look' that I think most of you have seen...

My tank runs 79°F and 0 ammonia, 8.5ph, and currently is in its sixth week with a mild case of green coloration in the water, like pea soup that comes and goes with water changes (10%/week). I believe that's algae, right? ... or is it plankton? I've seen some cyano algae, but it is not overwhelming the coraline algae (doesn't seem to be able to grow on it). I have some red and some bright tan (almost yellow) on the rock that I bought (cured) from LFS. I have seen some really small starfish, sand-dollars and anemones, here and there, but they don't seem to stay in one place long enough to monitor their progress. Do I need to wait before bringing in rock with corals or feather-dusters on them, or not? I just love the 'featured' tank in the magazine. I can't believe someone has that big of a tank in their home. Amazing.

[md0760]

well i think the next purchase you need to make is a skimmer.
My first coral was a mushroom rock then 3 wks later was a colt coral.

[fish guy 40]

I'm on my 6 weeks also I have cured live rock that was in another tank for 3 years. I have 2 featherdusters 1 corral beauty angel 1 yellow tank and a few hardty asst. soft corral starr polps, zoa,s frog spon. Looking good and loving it. I'm going through a red almost loves like blood in my sand cycle right now. But the level ect are normal everything appears fine. also a clarks clown

[fish guy 40]

I added a protein skimmer the same day I added fish also. Forgot that sorry

[MinnFish]

Welcome to the forum. Could you list the rest of the water parameters. First, i would increase the LR about 30 more pounds. Increase clean-up crew by atleast 90% (one snail per 10 gallons). Throw the balls to the dogs. Nothing but a nitrate factory. Skimmer will be your next major purchase. What type of lights are you currently using? The type of light will determine what type of coral you can keep. To clear the discoloration in tank presently. Reduce the lighting. Use RO for water change and top-off. Add more flow in display tank or redirect. Don't sweat the coraline algae, it will happen. But, only when the conditions are right. Hope you luck. Remember, SW is like Nascar. Only bad things happens when you go to fast. And usually when you wreak, you take out everything(livestock) around you.

[Aimiel]

Originally posted by MinnFish
Welcome to the forum. Could you list the rest of the water parameters.

I've listed temperature, ammonia and Ph. With those in line, are there further tests indicated?

Throw the balls to the dogs. Nothing but a nitrate factory.

So what good is a sump without them?

Skimmer will be your next major purchase.

Is it more important than RO/DI unit?

What type of lights are you currently using? The type of light will determine what type of coral you can keep.

I thought I posted that... I have a four-bulb unit, with two full-spectrum and two actinic bulbs.

To clear the discoloration in tank presently. Reduce the lighting.

Turn off the full-spectrum portion, maybe? For how long? Days, week(s)?

Use RO for water change and top-off.

I haven't bought one yet. I've only just learned about them.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

[Aimiel]

Originally posted by fish guy 40

also a clarks clown

That reminds me, I forgot to mention that I have two Three-Stripe Clowns. Seems like they never sleep. Every time I look in the tank, they're in the back corner, swimming. Maybe they swim in place in their sleep.

[ahullsb]

You should be testing your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Another very important thing to remember, is that keeping your calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium within recommended ranges is a major factor in how well your corals do in the tank. I'm assuming it's a reef and not fish only? I also agree that you don't need bio balls. Just add more rock down in the sump and use that instead. Some people set up refugiums as well, but I run a tank without one. I don't think you will find anyone on here recommending using bio balls, basically. Skimmer and ro/di are both very important. It's a tough call which you should get first. If you can get ro from your local fish store, buy a skimmer first. If you have no access to ro or di, I would buy one of those first. Don't go cheap on either the ro or skimmer. They are important purchases that you don't want to have to upgrade if you can afford it. I'm assuming that the four bulb unit you are referring to are power compacts? Depending on the wattage, you should be able to keep many soft corals, zoanthids, mushrooms etc. Unless you invest in t5's or mh's, I think most clams, sps corals, and anemones are out of the question. And lastly, the discoloration could be from many different things. It could be the initial water quality causing problems, (tap water). It could be algae blooms, or a high amount of organics as well. I would do some water changes and see how it goes. I hope that helps. Just take your time and do things slowly, and your tank should be fine after a few months.

[Aimiel]

I have been testing ammonia and alkalinity, and recently just added nitrite and nitrate test kits. I will bring in more rock and replace the balls with it. Shouldn't the rock be fully submerged, though? I can simply close off the bottom of my sump and drill holes higher up to give room for some rock down there.

[kzickovich]

A phosphate reactor will help out to. There cheap! Then skimmer most lfs have ro/di water you could buy.