Tropical Fish Forums

[D_Ahumada]

I currently have a FW community planted tank. I will be starting my first 29G SW (or if Craigslist comes through a 55G). I'm on a bit of a budget, so I'm trying to figure out what I need to get in order to start, and then what can wait so I can get it later on. I was planning on doing a reef tank eventually. At the moment I was planning on just getting live rock started. So I was thinking, sand and live rock only for now. Assuming I am starting with just the tank, (I may or may not have a filter depending on the CL situation) what do I need to get my sand and live rock started? Is it alright to slowly introduce increasing amounts of live rock? Can I keep just live rock in the aquarium for a while, or do I need to get a "cleaning crew" to help maintain it in the beginning?

I know I'll be needing a heater, but not too sure beyond that. I've been trying to read up, and talking with friends and LFS personal to try and get a solid handle on what I need, but I'd love another opinion.

At the moment I'm considering getting a RO/IO system,(http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12093 ) and thinking the 4-stage 50 gpd unit, but I do have access to water from my LFS for about .50 per gallon as well. I was wondering though, is there a difference between the coralife systems and those I can get at the Home Depot or Lowes?

What else do I need? is a protein skimmer necessary right away? Does just having a HOB filter work? The other way around?

Do I need powerheads right away?
I plan on upgrading my lighting later on, when I move onto adding fish/corals.


Also any suggestions for good sources of live rock. I've only got one local source, not too expensive at 4.89, but it's a very limited selection. I was hoping to mix a few different strains, but I'm not sure where online I can find a good price, and is reliable.

[FloridaBoy]

[MarkLehr]

Some ideas on cutting costs. There are a lot of dry rock suppliers on line. You can order dry rock at a great savings. My 180 was created with about 200 pounds of Key Largo dry rock and 20 pounds of live rock. Pic:

As you can see, the dry rock becomes live and is indistinguishable over a period of time. In the picture above, the white rock on the left has just been added. The purple rock is about 5 months old, encrusted with coraline growth. I personally use Marco Rocks for my dry rock.

On the subject of coraline algae growth, as mentioned alkalinity and calcium as keys. There are many reliable products for maintaining these levels. One is a 2 part additive called BIonic. This is very popular today and available at most LFS. I personally use the Kent products Kent Marine Super Buffer DKH and Kent Marine Liquid Calcium Chloride. Both methods work well. Just remember, you should always test for both alkalinity and calcium prior to adding any supplements or buffers.

Finally, for a tank your size a protein skimmer will not be overly expensive. You can get a hang on variety at a good cost. There are dozens of online retails that you can buy from at a discount. A quick google search will get you what you need. For your tank I like the AquaC Remora hang on skimmer, with a MaxiJet 1200 pump and the pre filter box.

Hopefully this helps. Good luck!