This just in! Field correspondent "wolfhedd" reports this latest
development!

U need a lot more than that.

tank
stand

Unless you've got something that will support the weight. I have heard
that not using the manufacturers stand voids the warrenty on the tank,
but I've not had any problems using bookshelves, cinderblocks, etc.

lights
powerheads(2-3)

again, maybe. depending on what other filtration you have, you may not
need them.

filter

There's a myraid of them out there. Lots of ways to go. Cannister,
undergravel, or hang off the back of the tank.

chemicals

If by chemicals, "Wolfhedd" means some type of water conditioner, such
as NOVAQUA (my favorite) then I agree, but other "chemicals" shouldn't
be necessary.

professional reputable marine salt
ReverseOsmosis water
skimmer

Again, not "REQUIRED". There are "bio-wheel" filters that eliminate
the ammonia, and if you're going to have live rock, you probably can
get away without one. (I do)

test kits
and start off slowly acquiring knowledge.

Completely agree. And keep in mind that you will probably get as many
"This is what you NEED!!!!!" as people you talk to.

on the tank, a 30 gallon is almost minimal but can only work in the
experienced hand.
i would get a 60 gallon if i was you, cause its the cheapest minimal size
for beginners if they want good results.

suppose you got a 60 gal,
a filter
mixed the water, and started cycling your tank using a big fat store bought
shrimp to create the bacteria and ammonia.(ask around for this, cause im not
sure which one u need to buy)

you should put water in the tank, and some food and let it run for a
couple of weeks with no critters. The food will decay, and start the
ammonia/nitrate/nitre cycle. (Just add the food once). Then after a
couple of weeks, see how the levels are, and then drop the shrimp in.

then you bought some marine sugar fine sand, and some aragonite sand and
mixed it up, or didnt mix it, either way, and made a 2 inch deep sand bed on
the bottom of your tank.

Again, you don't necessarily need sand. You can use various other
substrates.

start your cycling
test for ammonia and nitrite
test for nitrate
get some cured live rock and stock your tank,
test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
next get the lights on, some halides or power compacts, ONLY IN THE PROPER
SPECTRUM.
now your system is cycled, and has light.
get a Remora Protien Skimmer if you want the best working one from what i
hear, start it up.

You hear? Hmmm.....

buy some dkh calcium buffer and some kent turbo calcium or some techCB, or
just use baking soda at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons every day to
raise the ph and alkalinity, you need to be testing for those two as well
now daily into say twice weekly when it starts to stabilize.

Again, I've never added chemicals to raise levels. I did try some
stuff once to get rid of "red" algae, but then I learned it was part
of the "cycle".

test ammonia, should be going down towards 0, test for nitrite, should be
present, then start testing just nitrates(NO3) after the nitrite and ammonia
starts to settle.

can get some hermit crabs, a few snails, and maybe a clown fish or something
once ammonia is gone.

and test PH, and Alkalinity(DKH), and test calcium.

once you get the calcium, dkh, ph, and nitrates stabilized, your good for
corals........

hard corals will need atleast 150 watts of halide or power compacts, soft
corals like mushrooms will not need as much light as hard corals.

keep the fish population down, like 2-5 fish max if you want corals, and
you dont even have to buy fish until your get your water stabilized, would
actually be best, but not mandatory.

what size are your two tanks? maybe you can make one of them into a
refugium filter.

wolfhedd.

Well, Wolfhedd describe one way to do it, I added another (well, some
suggestions anyway). Get a book or two and READ, go to About.com and
read.

Then make some informed decisions and - GOOD LUCK!!


Deus benedicat vestrum quamvis.
Dave.