Getting started--what am I looking at here?

[PufferGuy]

i would do the shopping online since most pet stores charge WAY too much for everything

 

[chazzbo77]

Ok. Do you have a recommendation for a site or should I look around? How do you guys feel about Drs Foster and Smith?

 

[PufferGuy]

thats where i buy most of my stuff they have fair prices and ive never had to talk to their cutomer service because delivery is super fast. Im sure there are cheaper places if you really dig around.

For live rock/protein skimmer i would check to see if there are any local forums and check for people tearing down their tanks.

 

[Bifferwine]

Drs. Foster and Smith is great, especially for things like salt, sand and rock. They charge a flat rate for shipping (for me it's $17). So even if you order 800 lbs of rock, sand and salt (like I have in the past), it's just $17 to your door.

 

[dustin_P74]

the two doctors is probably one of the best companies to deal with in this hobby

 

[chazzbo77]

I know what a sump is and everything, but building one seems really complicated. Would it be possible to have a reef without a sump or is it actually easier to make than it seems?

 

[Altohombre]

do you have salt and at least one powerhead?

 

[Bifferwine]

It is super easy to make. If I can do it, anyone can. You need some basic materials: an empty tank (you can pick up a used one, just as long as it's not leaking), some plexiglass baffles that fit the width of the tank (Lowe's will cut plexiglass for free), some PVC, and a pump to return the water to the tank. If your tank is not drilled, you will need an overflow box.

You can have a very nice reef tank without a sump, a lot of people do. But having a sump makes it much easier, and makes it look nicer (you can hide most of your equipment in the sump instead of having it hang off the back of your tank).

 

[chazzbo77]

Ok, I guess I'll go for it then. Anybody have a really nice step-by-step guide for making one? Maybe with pictures? lol

 

[chazzbo77]

Oh, and will I need a RO unit or can I just use spring water or distilled water? What do you guys recommend?

 

[PufferGuy]

go to youtube and type in like "sump diy" theres a guy that made a 2 part video about how to build one and its pretty good

 

[Bifferwine]

You can use bottled water or buy an RODI unit. I think that buying an RODI unit is cheaper in the long run (I got mine from www.purewaterclub.com for $60 plus $40 shipping). If you use bottled water, you'll have to haul it. Just check the label to see that it is prepared using reverse osmosis.

 

[daugherty]

i like having a ro/di it saves me so much time and money. before i have it i had to add about 5 gallons of water a day about 2 1\2 gal twice a day but now after i got the ro and hooked it to a float in the sump as soon as the water dropes at all it gets filled up it just makes the water that much more stable. second the ro feeds a 64 gallon garbage can that i use for water changes. a 100 gallons of water prob cost only 10 dollars but if you go and buy it all it is going to cost way more,

 

[chazzbo77]

I've been reading about sumps and am getting pretty familiar with them. Do you need a "fuge" in them? And if so, what is that?

 

[dustin_P74]

you dont need it but it doesnt hurt to have one, its just an area of the sump with macro algae, live sand and rock rubble to help keep your parameters in check

 

[chazzbo77]

So how can the water get to the sump without me drilling any glass?

 

[chazzbo77]

And back up to the tank?

 

[dustin_P74]

a return pump and an HOB overflow

 

[daugherty]

something like these

http://www.fishsupply.com/siwcp-cs150.html

 

[chazzbo77]

ill have a go at it even though im not the most experienced either so wait for someone to confirm or deny my post..

To convert your tank you will need:
saltwater (obviously) -- this can be made or purchased at a store (i buy my water for now to make sure its made properly, water quality has a huge impact on your fish/invertabrates/corals

live rock -- this is you main source of filtration in a saltwater tank. Again, this can be purchased online, at a local fish store(LFS) or from other people with salt water tanks. You will need about 1lb rock/gal so youll need about 45 -50lbs of rock (live rock is called "live" because of all the bacteria and little critters that live in and on it)

sand(optional) -- sand can be "live" like the rock or just regular aragonite sand. This is optional but it also helps filter your water

powerheads -- these are in-tank water pumps that circulate your water and simulate the natural habitat in the ocean for fish and coral. Also, circulating water also brings oxygen in the water.

heater -- tropical fish need a pretty high temp.

sump -- a sump is another tank, usually smaller (youll need prolly about a 20gal tank) which holds all of the above equipment. It sits under your tank and has a pump in it and it circulates your water around.

another thing to know is that after your tank is set up, it will more than likely go through a cycle, which means that your ammonia levels will spike followed by you nitrates and nitrites, during which anything living in there will either die, or get sick and die later on, so after setting up your tank you have to let it sit and do its cycle for a few weeks before you can add anything in there. You will need testing equipment to check your water parameters to know when your cycle is over (ammonia/nitrates/nitrites all are at 0).

If you want to keep corals, you will need a special lighting setup which can be pretty damn expensive, but otherwise lighting is not all that expensive.

Im sure im forgetting stuff but look around the site and you'll find all the info you need.

Are powerheads just pumps that you put into your tank and plug in? Like do they go on the wall or something? Also, how many should I get for a 45 gallon?