Reef tank start-up

[perkinskr]

It's been a few years since my last reef tank. I must admit I cut many
corners wich turned out ok , but if left unchecked things would and could
have gone way bad...Anyway I'm thinking about a 90 gal. reef ready tank. I
want to see if there is any truth to the LFS guy or is he just seeing my tax
refund in his dreams too. turn over he states shouild be 9-10x tank size
(mag 12 pump) wet/dry filter is huge 33x18x24 or something like that, and he
wants me to use a ero-reef skimmer csomething something 8 which equals
600.00 at his store. anyway what would could I use for a wet/dry, a skimmer
and a uv sterilizer. I'm looking for low price high quality(aren't we all)
the plan is to run mw, power compact I want to be able to keep stonies.If I
go with this guys word for everything except ro/di unit and uv he wants
right around 2500.00 (tank,stand,lights,wet/dry,and skimmer) I need name
brands so I can check them out on the web.
Thanks to any and everyone foe reading....
Ken

[FordStyle]

"perkinskr" > wrote in message
news:955Kd.4670$Vg3.1464@lakeread05...
> It's been a few years since my last reef tank. I must admit I cut many
> corners wich turned out ok , but if left unchecked things would and could
> have gone way bad...Anyway I'm thinking about a 90 gal. reef ready tank. I
> want to see if there is any truth to the LFS guy or is he just seeing my
> tax refund in his dreams too. turn over he states shouild be 9-10x tank
> size (mag 12 pump) wet/dry filter is huge 33x18x24 or something like that,
> and he wants me to use a ero-reef skimmer csomething something 8 which
> equals 600.00 at his store. anyway what would could I use for a wet/dry, a
> skimmer and a uv sterilizer. I'm looking for low price high quality(aren't
> we all) the plan is to run mw, power compact I want to be able to keep
> stonies.If I go with this guys word for everything except ro/di unit and
> uv he wants right around 2500.00 (tank,stand,lights,wet/dry,and skimmer) I
> need name brands so I can check them out on the web.
> Thanks to any and everyone foe reading....
> Ken

Ken,
Prices at the LFS usually are higher than mail-order. You are pretty much
stuck on the tank prices as they are too costly to ship. If you are willing
to do it in parts it can be done cheaper.
The mag 12 would work well but you could do it with a 9. Turnover actually
should be higher overall but can be accomplished by the pump and a few
powerheads or wavemaker in the system to get this figure. Pump is available
for about 55-60 online. The protein skimmer can be had for less by same
maker. CS8-1can be gotten for 429.00 or a CS6-2 which is fine for that tank
for 369.00 at premium aquatics. You don't need a wet/dry but can do a DIY
sump fuge for less and a little work. Bio balls can actually cause nitrate
problems if not kept in check. UV sterilizer is not necessary at this time
and its debatable on the pros/cons of it in a reef softie tank. A RO/DI unit
that works fine for reef tanks can be had on Ebay and the like for under 100
for a 6 stage unit.
Check out reefcentral.com and the forums to get some ideas. I was in the
same boat you are in now last year and saved $$$$ looking around for parts
and just getting the tank at the local fish store

Just my opinion as I`m sure others will have theirs. I`ve done a 65gal and
90 in the last 8 mths this way.

[Billy]

"FordStyle" > wrote in message
. com...
|
| "perkinskr" > wrote in message
| news:955Kd.4670$Vg3.1464@lakeread05...
|
| Ken,
| Prices at the LFS usually are higher than mail-order. You are
pretty much
| stuck on the tank prices as they are too costly to ship. If you are
willing
| to do it in parts it can be done cheaper.
| The mag 12 would work well but you could do it with a 9. Turnover
actually
| should be higher overall but can be accomplished by the pump and a
few
| powerheads or wavemaker in the system to get this figure. Pump is
available
| for about 55-60 online. The protein skimmer can be had for less by
same
| maker. CS8-1can be gotten for 429.00 or a CS6-2 which is fine for
that tank
| for 369.00 at premium aquatics. You don't need a wet/dry but can do
a DIY
| sump fuge for less and a little work. Bio balls can actually cause
nitrate
| problems if not kept in check. UV sterilizer is not necessary at
this time
| and its debatable on the pros/cons of it in a reef softie tank. A
RO/DI unit
| that works fine for reef tanks can be had on Ebay and the like for
under 100
| for a 6 stage unit.
| Check out reefcentral.com and the forums to get some ideas. I was
in the
| same boat you are in now last year and saved $$$$ looking around
for parts
| and just getting the tank at the local fish store
|

Good post. I agree with every word. I would like to add that the
wet\dry filter would be pointless in most reef tanks as the the Live
Rock takes care of all biological filtration needs.

billy

[perkinskr]

I don't plan on running the reconmended amount of live rock (1.5-2lbs) per
gallon so i was told that an off set would be a wet dry and after the tanks
breakin a year or slowly remove bio-balls and once they are all gone go with
a refugium. Any sanity to this idea?
"Billy" > wrote in message
...
>
> "FordStyle" > wrote in message
> . com...
> |
> | "perkinskr" > wrote in message
> | news:955Kd.4670$Vg3.1464@lakeread05...
> |
> | Ken,
> | Prices at the LFS usually are higher than mail-order. You are
> pretty much
> | stuck on the tank prices as they are too costly to ship. If you are
> willing
> | to do it in parts it can be done cheaper.
> | The mag 12 would work well but you could do it with a 9. Turnover
> actually
> | should be higher overall but can be accomplished by the pump and a
> few
> | powerheads or wavemaker in the system to get this figure. Pump is
> available
> | for about 55-60 online. The protein skimmer can be had for less by
> same
> | maker. CS8-1can be gotten for 429.00 or a CS6-2 which is fine for
> that tank
> | for 369.00 at premium aquatics. You don't need a wet/dry but can do
> a DIY
> | sump fuge for less and a little work. Bio balls can actually cause
> nitrate
> | problems if not kept in check. UV sterilizer is not necessary at
> this time
> | and its debatable on the pros/cons of it in a reef softie tank. A
> RO/DI unit
> | that works fine for reef tanks can be had on Ebay and the like for
> under 100
> | for a 6 stage unit.
> | Check out reefcentral.com and the forums to get some ideas. I was
> in the
> | same boat you are in now last year and saved $$$$ looking around
> for parts
> | and just getting the tank at the local fish store
> |
>
> Good post. I agree with every word. I would like to add that the
> wet\dry filter would be pointless in most reef tanks as the the Live
> Rock takes care of all biological filtration needs.
>
> billy
>
>

[KevinM]

"perkinskr" > wrote in message
news:549Kd.4679$Vg3.61@lakeread05...
> I don't plan on running the reconmended amount of live rock (1.5-2lbs) per
> gallon so i was told that an off set would be a wet dry and after the
tanks
> breakin a year or slowly remove bio-balls and once they are all gone go
with
> a refugium. Any sanity to this idea?

It's a workable method, but you have to be on top of your maintenance at all
times in order to keep nitrates down. Especially since you say you'll be
light on LR at first.
Whether or not you can ever remove the bioballs will be completely dependent
on the total amount of LR. If you have enough to support the systems
bioload, then you could remove the BBs at any time (slowly, of course). If
you never install enough LR to support the load, then you will need to keep
at least some of the bioballs to compensate.

HTH,
Kev