Start Up Advice???

[dakotakid846]

I've been keeping FW for about 10 years now and I'm looking to move into salt. Mostly gonna start with fish, live rock and a few corals. So far i have decided on a 54 gallon corner unit but i'm very uneducated when it comes to the different equipment associated with salt as opposed to fresh, so any advice i can get would be much appreciated.

Heres what I was thinking so far:

1. For filtration I was gonna use the Eheim Professional II, now i know that the better option would be to use a sump but i have gotten mixed reviews that say the canister may not be the best, but will definitely work? Any suggestions???

2. Lighting I'm probably gonna go with MH over the T5's? Any suggestions for one that would fit my tank well is very much appreciated.

3. Protein skimmer....I have no clue. Does any one recommend one, I would assume I'm gonna need one that hangs off the back, but other than that I'm pretty clueless as far as the brands go.

4. RO unit, another area never encountered with the FW and no clue on a unit that would fit my needs the best.

Any help that I can get is very much appreciated....and anything that I may have missed please feel free to point it out.

Thanks Again.

 

[vangvace]

1. You can use a canister filter, but you have to be very religious to cleaning it to keep it from being a source for nitrates.

2. Are you going to have a canopy on the tank and what corals are you planning on keeping?

3. There are some ok HOB skimmers, but an in sump skimmer tends to be a better option and more powerful.

4. I'd recommend one from airwaterice (NJRC sponsor). There is also a popular ebay seller as well, but the name escapes me.

 

[Nickjr000]

I'd go with a sump if I were you. Get it now and you won't be sorry later. An in sump skimmer will blow away a hob skimmer. And it will give you more space for stuff later in the sump

 

[Phyl]

Bow fronts are miserable to get pictures in and tend to distort the view a bit. Look long and hard at them before you jump into one.

Ditch the canister filter, get a sump and a skimmer that can go in the cabinet.

Don't buy PC lighting, whatever you do. But T5s will meet most needs. Buy "retrofits" and you can always add more as your coral preferences change.

 

[mnat]

If you get a nice protein skimmer, you probably don't need the canister filter. We run sumpless systems and have been very happy with the Aqua C Remora HOB skimmer which would be fine for your size tank. I would go for T5s depending on the length of your tank. We have both MH and T5s and have been much happier with the T5s. Lighting is all going to depend on the corals you want to keep in your tank and where. Our 20g which is T5 we have SPS corals which need more light up top and then LPS and zoas (which don't need as much light). On this side of the hobby we are always upgrading and going bigger, so keep that in mind when buying things. If you catch the addiction you are only going to want more, so you can save some money now by buying up on things. Good luck.

 

[Lisa]

I agree a sump is the way to go!

 

[chuck116]

get a tank that is reef ready , go with a sump, if you have the space, over equip. If your anything like me you will want to go with corals and have insufficient equipment.Buy the stuff one time instead of every time your desires change. with mh lighting you have to watch heat . just a few cents of mine.

 

[Nickjr000]

My friend actually has one of those corner tanks. Lights it with a 250 de in one of the ice cap pendants so it fits good with a blue powerbright next to it. The tank looks great. Plenty of light and he's keeping some of everything

 

[Jcurry@wesketch]

1. For filtration I was gonna use the Eheim Professional II, now i know that the better option would be to use a sump but i have gotten mixed reviews that say the canister may not be the best, but will definitely work? Any suggestions???

If you already have it then go ahead and use it. But I wouldn't go out and buy one.

2. Lighting I'm probably gonna go with MH over the T5's? Any suggestions for one that would fit my tank well is very much appreciated.

It depends on what you want to keep but I would suggest a 250w icecap setup w/ electronic ballast. You should be able to keep most corals under that lighting.

3. Protein skimmer....I have no clue. Does any one recommend one, I would assume I'm gonna need one that hangs off the back, but other than that I'm pretty clueless as far as the brands go.

If no sump then I would recommend an Aqua C HOB. If you're going to have a sump then I would recommend a small cone skimmer. Eshopps make an inexpensive knock off of the higher priced ones.

4. RO unit, another area never encountered with the FW and no clue on a unit that would fit my needs the best.

50 GPD basic unit (3 filters & the RO membrane) is probably the best bet.

If you're buying the tank new I would recommend a "reef ready" tank with a sump.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Corner tanks are difficult for sumps and lights but if you have one or really like them then they are certainly an option.

I think a retro fit T5 will work well as you could have different length bulbs in the hood if you are going to get one. I think MH vs T5 is a matter of preference. Don't get the shimmer with T5 but runs cooler and less expensively then MH. Where will the tank be someplace warm or cool..just something to think about.

Try for a sump if you can gives you more water volume and a greater choice of skimmers.

 

[dakotakid846]

Thank you everyone for your imput and feedback. Its definetely made me rethink some of the plans I was considering. Ill keep you posted with what I decide on.....the planning is probably gonna take longer than putting everything together.

Thanks again.

 

[Jcurry@wesketch]

I would also suggest you go and look at peoples setups to get an idea of the amount of equipment you might need and the sizes of certain pieces.