VAreef
Reefing newb
Hey and welcome to the site. Just thought I would add my own :twocents: in here.
For water there are companies that will come and install an RO unit for you free of charge, do all membrane changes and maintenance free of charge, and only charge you 13-25 cents per gallon of the water that you use. If I didn't live in an apartment that would be my first choice for an RO water source. A lot of local reefers where I live use this service and everyone of them love it. It's a good alternative to buying an expensive RO setup and having to maintain it. I use a DI filter for my make up water and it works fine. It takes forever to make water at only 10 gallons per hour though. It does just screw into a faucet which is ideal for my living situation. I'll never use tap water again in a saltwater aquarium.
For lights. Man you sound like your going to get just as addicted to it as I am. I would just bite the bullet and get the metal halides in a fixture that does it all. I bought the corallife pro with a 150w metal halide 2 65w actinics and lunar lights all built in and love it. I got a seperate timer that turns the actinics on 1 hr before the halide and then off 1 hr after the halides go out. When the actinics go out the lunar lights come on. Definitly buy these online as local fish stores tend to up the price alot on lighting. I initially wanted a fish only aquarium then said I might as well add in some live rock. Then right before I bought the lights I decided I wanted corals and didn't want to need to upgrade my lights later. If you buy lower lights now then want more later those cheaper lights are kinda money wasted in my opinion.
As for rock. It usually sells 7-8$ per pound in VA where I am too. I got most of mine on sale at $4.88 a pound. If you look around you might find a fish store doing the same thing. I did go to a local reef club meeting Sunday where the guy had never bought any live rock and only seeded it with the rock the corals came on and it was gorgeous. I would never had known he didn't buy every bit of it as live rock. He just got dead rock and set up his initial rockscape then when he added a few softies it took off.
I think most people keep fish in quarantine about 4 weeks. Since I don't quarantine( I was going to but don't have more room for another tank) I can't say for sure. I like the blue green chromis but if you want a more colorful starter fish maybe a clown? They are pretty hardy fish I think.
Good luck and welcome to the site. And welcome to the most addictive (and rewarding) hobby I have ever had.
For water there are companies that will come and install an RO unit for you free of charge, do all membrane changes and maintenance free of charge, and only charge you 13-25 cents per gallon of the water that you use. If I didn't live in an apartment that would be my first choice for an RO water source. A lot of local reefers where I live use this service and everyone of them love it. It's a good alternative to buying an expensive RO setup and having to maintain it. I use a DI filter for my make up water and it works fine. It takes forever to make water at only 10 gallons per hour though. It does just screw into a faucet which is ideal for my living situation. I'll never use tap water again in a saltwater aquarium.
For lights. Man you sound like your going to get just as addicted to it as I am. I would just bite the bullet and get the metal halides in a fixture that does it all. I bought the corallife pro with a 150w metal halide 2 65w actinics and lunar lights all built in and love it. I got a seperate timer that turns the actinics on 1 hr before the halide and then off 1 hr after the halides go out. When the actinics go out the lunar lights come on. Definitly buy these online as local fish stores tend to up the price alot on lighting. I initially wanted a fish only aquarium then said I might as well add in some live rock. Then right before I bought the lights I decided I wanted corals and didn't want to need to upgrade my lights later. If you buy lower lights now then want more later those cheaper lights are kinda money wasted in my opinion.
As for rock. It usually sells 7-8$ per pound in VA where I am too. I got most of mine on sale at $4.88 a pound. If you look around you might find a fish store doing the same thing. I did go to a local reef club meeting Sunday where the guy had never bought any live rock and only seeded it with the rock the corals came on and it was gorgeous. I would never had known he didn't buy every bit of it as live rock. He just got dead rock and set up his initial rockscape then when he added a few softies it took off.
I think most people keep fish in quarantine about 4 weeks. Since I don't quarantine( I was going to but don't have more room for another tank) I can't say for sure. I like the blue green chromis but if you want a more colorful starter fish maybe a clown? They are pretty hardy fish I think.
Good luck and welcome to the site. And welcome to the most addictive (and rewarding) hobby I have ever had.
