Looking for a "Reef Buddy"

[Martin Streicher]

I am about to return to marine aquariums after being away from the
hobby (investment?) for about eighteen years. At the time I stopped
keeping aquariums, wet-dry seemed to just be emerging. Nowadays, there
seems to be a ton of technology and opinions, too.

I am looking for a "reef buddy" -- someone who has an aquarium similar
to the one I want to acquire. Or, I would simply duplicate whatever
system my "buddy" already has in place. I could then have a mentor in
my new endeavor to ask questions, etc. Email would be fine. In return,
I can provide whatever I learn.

I want to keep a reef tank of fish, live rock, crabs, starfish, and corals.

My idea so far:

75 gallon tank, preferably drilled to be safe
100 pounds of live rock
Sugar-sized araganite substrate
20-25 gallon under-tank sump
Wet-dry filter
Protein skimmer
VHO lamps and MH pendants (2)
Heater
Power heads

I am looking for brand recommendations for salt to filters, and the
whole nine-yards.

Any takers? For reference, I live in Wake Forest, NC. To send me email,
remove "nospam." from my email address. (It should be supergiantrobot
-at- nc dot tt dot com.)

Martin

[Toni]

"Martin Streicher" > wrote >
> I am looking for a "reef buddy" -- someone who has an aquarium similar
> to the one I want to acquire. Or, I would simply duplicate whatever
> system my "buddy" already has in place. I could then have a mentor in
> my new endeavor to ask questions, etc. Email would be fine. In return,
> I can provide whatever I learn.
>


I know it would be easier to have just the one opinion to hear and one set
of rules to follow, but really I would not limit myself to only one persons
word- on *anything*.

The only absolute I have found in reefing is that the answer to almost any
question is "it depends", followed by a long explanation of some aspect that
never even occurred to me.
IMO the only way to reef successfully is by understanding the "why" of what
you are doing. Without listening to different opinions and experiences you
would not be forced to actually understand the "why" of any given action,
and thus remain dependent on another persons thinking. There is more than
one way to run a reef.

It *is* daunting, I know.
But until you invest the time to truly understand the processes at work I
don't believe you will be as fulfilled as a reefer, nevermind being able to
handle that emergency situation when no one is around to instruct you.
I would advise researching anything until you feel competent *even* before
you buy the first piece of equipment- because that one piece will either
influence or limit all the other things. I took longer than most (even with
a 30+ year background in freshwater)- I researched the hobby for eight
months before buying anything.
Items in this hobby are expensive enough without making newbie buying errors
and having to buy the same item all over again later on because you didn't
know what you were doing the first time.
Laugh.
But then ask folks how many skimmers they bought until they made a
*competent* choice!

This is a great newsgroup to ask questions of, and there are several good
forums out there (Reef Central, Reefland, Reefs.org, Coral Forum) that are
great for discussing the myriad ways of running a successful reef. Use them
all. Ask everyone how to do things until you understand the process in
question and then make a decision right for you and your own situation.

I know this is not what you asked for and it is just my own opinion.
But this is Usenet and we all get to talk.

Good luck-
It is a fascinating hobby!


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[Martin Streicher]

Thanks.


On 2004-08-24 13:30:13 -0400, "Toni" > said:

>
> "Martin Streicher" > wrote >
>> I am looking for a "reef buddy" -- someone who has an aquarium similar
>> to the one I want to acquire. Or, I would simply duplicate whatever
>> system my "buddy" already has in place. I could then have a mentor in
>> my new endeavor to ask questions, etc. Email would be fine. In return,
>> I can provide whatever I learn.
>>
>
>
> I know it would be easier to have just the one opinion to hear and one set
> of rules to follow, but really I would not limit myself to only one persons
> word- on *anything*.
>
> The only absolute I have found in reefing is that the answer to almost any
> question is "it depends", followed by a long explanation of some aspect that
> never even occurred to me.
> IMO the only way to reef successfully is by understanding the "why" of what
> you are doing. Without listening to different opinions and experiences you
> would not be forced to actually understand the "why" of any given action,
> and thus remain dependent on another persons thinking. There is more than
> one way to run a reef.
>
> It *is* daunting, I know.
> But until you invest the time to truly understand the processes at work I
> don't believe you will be as fulfilled as a reefer, nevermind being able to
> handle that emergency situation when no one is around to instruct you.
> I would advise researching anything until you feel competent *even* before
> you buy the first piece of equipment- because that one piece will either
> influence or limit all the other things. I took longer than most (even with
> a 30+ year background in freshwater)- I researched the hobby for eight
> months before buying anything.
> Items in this hobby are expensive enough without making newbie buying errors
> and having to buy the same item all over again later on because you didn't
> know what you were doing the first time.
> Laugh.
> But then ask folks how many skimmers they bought until they made a
> *competent* choice!
>
> This is a great newsgroup to ask questions of, and there are several good
> forums out there (Reef Central, Reefland, Reefs.org, Coral Forum) that are
> great for discussing the myriad ways of running a successful reef. Use them
> all. Ask everyone how to do things until you understand the process in
> question and then make a decision right for you and your own situation.
>
> I know this is not what you asked for and it is just my own opinion.
> But this is Usenet and we all get to talk.
>
> Good luck-
> It is a fascinating hobby!

[Martin Streicher]

On 2004-08-24 13:30:13 -0400, "Toni" > said:

>
> The only absolute I have found in reefing is that the answer to almost any
> question is "it depends", followed by a long explanation of some aspect that
> never even occurred to me.
> IMO the only way to reef successfully is by understanding the "why" of what
> you are doing. Without listening to different opinions and experiences you
> would not be forced to actually understand the "why" of any given action,
> and thus remain dependent on another persons thinking. There is more than
> one way to run a reef.
>


Toni,

Can you describe your configuration?

Martin

[Toni]

"Martin Streicher" > wrote in message
news:2004082510593534488%
>
> Can you describe your configuration?
>


It's all at
http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm



--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[Martin Streicher]

Very nice. Thanks again. I am off to the shop to buy my 90 G reef tank
today. I decided that since the 90 is the same size as the 75 but just
a little taller, I'd go that route.


>
> It's all at
> http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[NomoreRGS]

Take a look at http://reefcentral.com . Tons of info, lots of
experience, help and activity.






On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 14:59:39 GMT, Martin Streicher
> wrote:

>
>
>I am about to return to marine aquariums after being away from the
>hobby (investment?) for about eighteen years. At the time I stopped
>keeping aquariums, wet-dry seemed to just be emerging. Nowadays, there
>seems to be a ton of technology and opinions, too.
>
>I am looking for a "reef buddy" -- someone who has an aquarium similar
>to the one I want to acquire. Or, I would simply duplicate whatever
>system my "buddy" already has in place. I could then have a mentor in
>my new endeavor to ask questions, etc. Email would be fine. In return,
>I can provide whatever I learn.
>
>I want to keep a reef tank of fish, live rock, crabs, starfish, and corals.
>
>My idea so far:
>
>75 gallon tank, preferably drilled to be safe
>100 pounds of live rock
>Sugar-sized araganite substrate
>20-25 gallon under-tank sump
>Wet-dry filter
>Protein skimmer
>VHO lamps and MH pendants (2)
>Heater
>Power heads
>
>I am looking for brand recommendations for salt to filters, and the
>whole nine-yards.
>
>Any takers? For reference, I live in Wake Forest, NC. To send me email,
>remove "nospam." from my email address. (It should be supergiantrobot
>-at- nc dot tt dot com.)
>
>Martin
>

[Martin Streicher]

Here is a (from memory) list of what I purchased:

90 G tank
10 G refugium
20 G sump
protein skimmer
3 power heads
1 return pump
1 bag coarse aragonite
1 bag medium aragonite
2 bags sugar-sized aragonite
50 lbs of Oceanic salt (should last a while)
submersible heater
thermometer
salt water test kit
hydrometer
reef buffer
metal halide, VHO blue actinic and white light source (all in one fixture)
80 pounds of live Fiji rock

Perhaps there are some others things I forgot. I think I forgot
activated charcoal media and bags. I am still doing research to see
what the preferences are there.

The main tank will have a center overflow. The water will flow into the
refugium and then into the sump, where the skimmer will stand. Then the
water will go back into the main aquarium.


Some questions:

* Can I put a pre-filter, say a pad, into the overflow box to quiet the
dripping noise? Or is that bad?

* Should I divide the sump, at least to have some sort of sponge filter
to do mechanical filtration? Most sumps seem to have such a setup.

* Should the refugium be placed after the protein skimmer? Does the
skimmer tend to kill off beneficial organisms that might grow in the
refugium?



>
> Very nice. Thanks again. I am off to the shop to buy my 90 G reef tank
> today. I decided that since the 90 is the same size as the 75 but just
> a little taller, I'd go that route.
>
>
>>
>> It's all at
>> http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[erik]

Another fine example of precision logic and admirable reasoning at
work.
Bigger is always better ;o)

On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 16:36:01 GMT, Martin Streicher
> wrote:

>
>Very nice. Thanks again. I am off to the shop to buy my 90 G reef tank
>today. I decided that since the 90 is the same size as the 75 but just
>a little taller, I'd go that route.
>
>
>>
>> It's all at
>> http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm
>

[Martin Streicher]

I told the aquarium shop to "supersize it." They gave me fries with that.



On 2004-08-31 03:22:27 -0400, erik > said:

> Another fine example of precision logic and admirable reasoning at
> work.
> Bigger is always better ;o)
>
> On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 16:36:01 GMT, Martin Streicher
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> Very nice. Thanks again. I am off to the shop to buy my 90 G reef tank
>> today. I decided that since the 90 is the same size as the 75 but just
>> a little taller, I'd go that route.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> It's all at
>>> http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[CapFusion]

"Martin Streicher" > wrote in message
news:2004083108160652256%supergiantrobot@NOSPAMncr rcom...
> I told the aquarium shop to "supersize it." They gave me fries with that.
>

You can have the fries when you supersize it but do not add Activate Carbon
if there no chemical in your tank. If you insist on carbon, try to leave no
more than 1 or 2 days prior of it fully absorb capacity. Carbon pad / media
is another type of mechnical filteration where bacteria will reside.

CapFusion,...

[Ken]

> 50 lbs of Oceanic salt (should last a while)

Last you about 6 months... maybe.

> * Can I put a pre-filter, say a pad, into the overflow box to quiet the
> dripping noise? Or is that bad?

I do. The only noise I hear is the skimmer, which I put flowing against the
wall to keep the splash noise down.

> * Should I divide the sump, at least to have some sort of sponge filter
> to do mechanical filtration? Most sumps seem to have such a setup.

If I understand what you are saying, then yes, you can. Again, mine is setup
like that. (I wish I had a camera to show you).

> * Should the refugium be placed after the protein skimmer? Does the
> skimmer tend to kill off beneficial organisms that might grow in the
> refugium?

I don't know. I am still learning also.

Ken.

[CapFusion]

"Ken" > wrote in message
...
> > 50 lbs of Oceanic salt (should last a while)
>
> Last you about 6 months... maybe.
>

> > * Can I put a pre-filter, say a pad, into the overflow box to quiet the
> > dripping noise? Or is that bad?
>
> I do. The only noise I hear is the skimmer, which I put flowing against
the
> wall to keep the splash noise down.
>

You can use standpipe or similar to lower your overflow noise
http://www.rl180reef.com/


> > * Should I divide the sump, at least to have some sort of sponge filter
> > to do mechanical filtration? Most sumps seem to have such a setup.
>
> If I understand what you are saying, then yes, you can. Again, mine is
setup
> like that. (I wish I had a camera to show you).
>


Yes, you can use a sponge filter but highly do not recommended. Again, use
standpipe to reduce noises as water flow into the intake.


> > * Should the refugium be placed after the protein skimmer? Does the
> > skimmer tend to kill off beneficial organisms that might grow in the
> > refugium?
>
> I don't know. I am still learning also.
>
> Ken.


Water from refugium should be gravity feed to your main tank. But water
going to the refugium can be water pump. Reason gravity feed from refugium
to main tank is not to kill those pod or any living critter that will become
food for your fish / invert / etc.....

CapFusion,...