Hello everyone.

[Pheeshes]

My wife and i both have had many aquariums from a fish bowl up to 55 gallon freashwater tank. we've both always wanted a saltwater tank and we just happened to get a free 55 gallon aquarium.

i know we'll have to clean it out with water a vinegar.
we are both pretty novice at saltwater though.
i know we'll need a protien skimmer and powerheads for the water flow. do we need a refugium and or a sump. how does all of that work. we're going to the LFS tonight or tomorrow to look at some things there and talk to them.

My very tentative plan is to get "the Package" from Live Rock - Tampa Bay Saltwater Aquacultured Live Rock does anyone have experiance with them?

and does anyone have recommendations for equipment. protien skimmer, powerheads(size and number), Sump and or refugium(do we need one and how big)?

thanks alot to everyone.

Andy

[reeffreak]

First off,welcome to the site.

You can have successful reef with or without a sump/fuge.Even so,I highly recommend one,its a great place to hide equipment(i.e.heaters,skimmers).So personally,I'd go sump and fuge if all possible.One of the people who visit this site works part time at a LFS.There store orders live rock from them.He says its awesome rocks.Nice color and cool hitchhikers.

Equipment wise will depend on your budget and how much your willing to spend.You can build your own sump/fuge out of a fish tank to save money.Many here has and can help walk you through it.I recommend the Octopus skimmers for affordability and for how well they work.Koralias for circulation,two model 2's or 3's will work depending on your needs.

You never mention what kind os salt set up?
FOWLR(fish only with live rock) or reef.

Here's link to the skimmer and pumps.

Octopus Skimmers
Water Pumps & Wavemakers: Hydor Koralia Water Circulation Pumps

[Pheeshes]

we would probably just mix it ourselves from the store bought solution unless there is a better way. we know not to use tap water for it, but i can't remember which kind of water jugs to buy.

We aren't really sure about what we're going to put in it yet. that's a big part of joining the site. right now we are leaniing more toward a reef, but i was wondering what is the difference between the two care and maintenance wise.
money isn't a huge issue(well, at least no more than it is with anyone else) but we don't want to go too crazy on our first tank.

[reeffreak]

On a FOWLR,you wouldn't need any special lighting.The standard flourescents that usually come with a tank will work fine.I believe on a 55g.,a good T5 lighting fixture would be the best choice for a reef.A good one will allow you to keep practically any corals,anemones and clams.Maintenance wise is about the same,well maybe a little more with a reef as far as testing.Calcium is something you definitely want to test for from time to time.Thats in addition to usual testing like pH,nitrates,akalinity etc.There's so much more diversity with a reef than a FOWLR.The choice is up to you,good luck on which ever you decide to go.

[Bifferwine]

Hi and welcome! I agree with what Freak has said. If you want to start out with fish only, it will save you some money since you won't need expensive lights. If you decide you like the hobby and want to invest more in it, then you can buy the fancy lights and try your hand at some corals. If money isn't an issue, you can buy the lights upfront. Basically, lighting is the biggest difference (equipment wise) between having a fish only and a reef tank.

[LionFish]

Hello,
Welcome to the reef.
Make sure to take lots of photos along the set up process. We love the pics, and can maby spot something that could cause problems or major drama in the system.

[yote]

Welcome to the reef.
You'll love that rock package.Awesome colors,critters,and other stuff comes with that rock.Every thing from fish,brittle stars,corals,and even had a few octopuses show up in the boxes at the LFS.
Remember to start a thread in the showcase forum so we can keep up with your build,and good luck.

[Pheeshes]

well, we didn't get to go to the LFS tonight, because we had to start packing for my wifes conference in Atlanta (we're going to the Aquarium there after hours with a private group party and were are both incredibly excited about it). We will certainly post pics of the whole setup before during and after. and i'm sure we'll ask about a hundred more questions before we actually buy anthing...so try not to get too sick of my newbie questions

Is the protein skim Onebillion better that the onbillion1...only time will tell

[yote]

Ask away.The more questions you ask,the high our post count gets.

Have fun in Atlanta,and take pics at the aquarium.

[fishbait]

welcome to the site and the wonderful hobby!