So what else will I need?

HeyRobi

Reefing newb
Ok here is a rundown of what I have:

33 corner tank
Fuval canister filter
Aqua C Remora Skimmer
10lbs of Live rock (will have 30)
Live sand
Standard lighting that came with the tank


Can I get anything besides just fish? I am very intrested in all the stuff I have seen on this forum like invertebrates, SPS, LPS, Anenomes and then I saw on Reefmadness some really cool Frags. (By the way I really have no clue the differance between invertebrates, SPS, LPS, Anenomes and frags but I know I like the pretty stuff on the rocks! and as I keep reading I will learn the lingo)

Will I be able to do any of this with my current setup or what else am I going to need?? By the way I know I will need new lighting for some of that stuff but is there anything thats cool other than fish that I could start with?
 
Well i think that in order to keep any kind of corals you're gonna need most likely T5s or Metal Halides, but MH are more expensive.
You're also gonna need a bit more flow, probably at least a powerhead or two.
More live rock would be nice.
How long has your tank been running??
 
Invertebrates
Although it can be anything without a backbone(i.e corals) but we like to call crabs,snails,shrimps,nudibranches,worms inverts.Basically anything thats not fish,corals,anemone and clams we reefers lump into inverts.

SPS
Small polyp stony corals-the most light intensive corals.Go with T5-HO or Metal Halides(MH) if those interest you.

LPS
Large polyp stony corals-moderate to high lighting in general but not always the case.Power compacts(PC),T5, and MH will all work.

Softies
Soft corals-they have no external hard skeleton.PC,T5,MH will all work.Soft corals generally don't like intensive lighting so they do best on the bottom and shady areas with MH.

Anemones-hardest to keep in my opinion.Some take to moderate lighting but most needs intense lighting.A large bank of T5's or MH will be your best bet.

Okay,class dismiss!
Seriously though,decide on what you like to keep before deciding on lights.Personally,my favorite are T5's.Strong lights but less heat issues.I can't recommend anything for the standard lighting you have.There are non-photosynthetic corals out there but they need a lot of direct feeding....not really recommended for beginners.Stick with fish until you can upgrade your lights.

You may want to add two powerheads for added flow.
 
Thanks for the lesson Teach! So If I was going to go ahead and uprgrade my lightning now I would have to get a whole new hood or can I just pop in new lights and a new ballast? any paticu;ar brand or setup you would reccomend so I could start looking so I can get some ideas.


My tank has only been up for a few days but I am preparing for the future. The more I read the more I get excited! I was at the pet store today and I caught myself looking at a 75 gallon oh wait how about that one oh its a 125!!
 
Yes Reef has given me loads of good advice already! He reminds of my Dad though he keeps telling me the things I dont want to hear but then of coarse the next day he was right!!
 
Do you plan on keeping the canister filter? If so be sure to clean it weekly. Look into T5's. What size of lights would you need? If I was you I would really consider upgrading now or at least buy stuff you can use when you upgrade.
 
From experience, all i can tell you is do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions before you buy, it will save you a lot of money.
Also try to stay away from impulsive buys, since most of the time they are the wrong ones. Take one step at a time and you'll be with a nice looking tank in a couple months. I started mine in July and i just recently added my first couple corals, so take your time and you'll be fine, there's a lot of people around here that have great advice!!
Goodluck
 
Go 125 and join us in the big tank club.I hate for you to spend all this money now for lighting just to upgrade again in a few months.

Do you think this 33g. will satisfy you for a long time?
If yes,than give me the dimensions of the tank.The one thing I hate about corner tanks is finding a fixture that fits.Your best bet is to hang the fixture.
 
Well I want get rid of this tank it wil become my qaurantine tank or new stuff tank so I will have two active tanks running. I think its 24 inch I will need to measure them tommorow.
 
If you get metal halides, you will be able to keep any coral you want in your tank. However, MH will heat up a tank your size very quickly and cook your inhabitants. Therefore, T5 lights are your best bet.

You won't be able to keep any corals/anemones/clams under the lights that you currently have, so do some research on T5 fixtures that will work for your tank. Freak is right -- finding lights to fit a corner tank is a pain in the ass!

You also should look into getting more live rock. The more rock you have, the cleaner your water will be.

And everyone is right about the powerheads. Get a couple of those also.
 
Live rock is on the agenda! I am going to se if the guy selling that tank would be intrested in selling his live rock since he does not have enough anyways! I will also get some powerheads
 
You could go with 30 pounds of lace rock and seed it with 5 pounds of live if you wanted too.Its cheaper that way.
I agree with Reef and Biff about the T-5s also.There your best bet and cheapest in the long run once you factor in the cost of bulb replacement.
But your even thinking about up-grading to a bigger tank,Then now is the time,before you get a bunch invested in the tank you already have.
 
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