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nano

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k

for those who didnt read my previous post i was debating between a 20 gal marine or 120 gallon FW ... its obvious what i chose.
hmmm ... where to start.

well lets make a list:
sump
powerhead
filter
and wat other stuff?
 
light
heater
return pump for sump
drilled overflow or overflow box (drilled would be better)
if drilled bulkheads
Salt


Optional:
Skimmer (its debated in nanos, its like comparing T5 to MH, they both have advantage and disadvantages but in the end they both work.
Wave-maker
Light timer
Filter (if you do get one no need for the sponge or bio-balls etc, just use the filter for chemical filtration
Corals
Fish
Live rock
Any other live stock
RO/DI unit (highly recommended) or buying RO water at your lfs/grocery store, not as economical in the long run)
 
i was just about to post about what you need but musho seems to have covered all that!

two things ive noticed you've missed:

Master Test Kit
Specific gravity meter
 
Specific gravity meter

A.K.A: Hydrometer or Refractometer.

Difference: Refractometers are known to be more accurate than hydrometers. But refractometers cost more but can range in the 20-35dollar range on ebay. Well worth it if you ask me. But I haven't even got one :-\
 
Refractometers are much more accurate and worth the extra money
 
depends on the refractometer and depends on they hydrometer....

(its what andy says, and hes not here....)
 
depends on the refractometer and depends on they hydrometer....

(its what andy says, and hes not here....)

True. $100 precision calibrated refractometer > $80 laboratory grade hydrometer > $35 chinese slave child made reftactometer > $13 plastic POS hydrometer
 
lol chinese slave......

aka

Ebay (most of the time)

Another thing to add to the optional list is an ATO
 
K so lets go down the list now.
List:

sump - how many gallons, and what should be kept in this?? (im gonna do more research on this)
powerhead - is this necessary?? and should I get a strong one or an average??
filter - is this necessary??
light - should i go for MH ?? or something regular and upgrade later (i know this depends on what im getting, but im not to sure yet)
heater - self-explanatory.
return pump for sump - k ill have to research on this...is this the whole open-closed thing.??
drilled overflow or overflow box (drilled would be better) - When i order the tank i can get it drilled is that fine?
if drilled bulkheads - got it
Salt - Any reccomendations??
Master Test Kit - self-explanatory.
Specific gravity meter - Refractometer is where i'll invest.

Optional:
Skimmer - have to do more research on this.
Wave-maker - isnt this like a powerhead??
Light timer - self-explanatory.
Corals - ye getting
Fish - yup
Live rock - course (are there different types or LR?)
Any other live stock - prob
RO/DI unit - I have a RO unit but I'm thinking on getting a better one which can support 20 gallons of water at once w/o running out.


K thx guys ... time to do my research :)
 
my responses in capslock


K so lets go down the list now.
List:

sump - how many gallons, and what should be kept in this?? (im gonna do more research on this) AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AFFORD/FIT
powerhead - is this necessary?? and should I get a strong one or an average?? ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE, SO HAVING 2 SMALL-MEDIUM ONES IS BETTER THAN 1 BIG ONE
filter - is this necessary?? NO, IT CAN BE A GOOD PLACE TO PUT CHEMICAL FILTRATION MEDIA IN THOUGH
light - should i go for MH ?? or something regular and upgrade later (i know this depends on what im getting, but im not to sure yet) YOUR CHOICE, MH OR T5, THEY ARE BOTH GOOD, EACH WITH THEIR OWN PROS AND CONS
heater - self-explanatory. VISI-THERM IS WHAT I USE
return pump for sump - k ill have to research on this...is this the whole open-closed thing.?? IF WATER GOES DOWN INTO THE SUMP, HOW IS IT GOING TO GET BACK UP? WITH A PUMP :)
drilled overflow or overflow box (drilled would be better) - When i order the tank i can get it drilled is that fine? YES, PRE-DRILLED TANKS ARE SOMETIMES CALLED REEF READY TANKS
if drilled bulkheads - got it
Salt - Any reccomendations?? I USE REEF CRYSTALS, THEY ALL DO THE JOB
Master Test Kit - self-explanatory. AMMONIA, PH, KH, NITRITE, NITRATE ARE THE BASICS, THEN CALCIUM IF YOU HAVE A REEF TANK AND PHOSPHATE TESTS ARE ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE ON HAND
Specific gravity meter - Refractometer is where i'll invest. TRY TO GET A GOOD ONE, NOT SOME CHEAPO EBAY ONE OR HOW SKI SAYS IT, A CHINESE SLAVE MADE ONE.

Optional:
Skimmer - have to do more research on this. TAKE YOUR TIME
Wave-maker - isnt this like a powerhead?? NO, THESE TURN THE POWERHEADS ON AND OFF OR CHANGE THE FLOW OF THE POWERHEAD TO HIGH FLOW AND THEN TO LOW FLOW, THIS CREATES WAVE PATTERNS
Light timer - self-explanatory.
Corals - ye getting LPS, SPS, SOFTIES, OR MIXED REEF?
Fish - yup
Live rock - course (are there different types or LR?) YES THERE ARE, FIJI, CARIBBEAN, TONGA, AQUACULTURED. IF YOU ARE IN THE US YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER AQUACULTURED ROCK FROM PLACES LIKE TAMPA BAY SALTWATER OR SEALIFE INC TO GET YOUR ROCK SINCE ITS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND THEY DONT NEED TO FOLLOW BASIC LIVE ROCK LAWS IN THE US. THE CON TO THESE ROCKS IS THAT THEY ARE GENERALLY MORE DENSE THAN FIJI ROCK.
Any other live stock - prob
RO/DI unit - I have a RO unit but I'm thinking on getting a better one which can support 20 gallons of water at once w/o running out. I DONT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY RUNNING OUT....


K thx guys ... time to do my research :)
 
I cant offer much advice from first hand experience as I'm still putting it all together myself. However:

sump - how many gallons, and what should be kept in this?? (im gonna do more research on this)
The bigger the better, what you keep in depends on you. The main options seem to be:
Filter media (LR rubble or bio balls)
'Fuge - For Macro Algae
Nothing - just added water volume and a place to put pests or anything you want to keep out of the main tank.
Equipment - Skimmer, heater, etc. Takes it out of your main tank
Or a combination of all the above.

powerhead - is this necessary?? and should I get a strong one or an average??
Yeah you need to have a good flow of water around the live rock which acts as your "filter"

filter - is this necessary??
Nope though it can a) add water flow, B) add some water volume, c) be used for chemical filtration or with Live rock. Downside is it can be a nitrate trap.

light - should i go for MH ?? or something regular and upgrade later (i know this depends on what im getting, but im not to sure yet)
Really depends on what you want to keep. I tend to try and get the best stuff that I "think" I'm going to need in the future as it then saves having to upgrade it later on down the line.

return pump for sump - k ill have to research on this...is this the whole open-closed thing.??
Yep basically you want a pump thats output matches the flow from the tank (also take into consideration that you will lose someflow from the pump as it is pumping against gravity, the further below the tank the pump is the more this effects its performance).

drilled overflow or overflow box (drilled would be better) - When i order the tank i can get it drilled is that fine?
Yep, or look for a "reef ready" system that has the weir boxes in place

Salt - Any reccomendations??
Seems everyone has different opinions :) I think to start with it is not as important. Its only when you get a lot of corals andinverts that you have to start looking a lot closer at things like how much calcium is in it, etc.


Optional:
Skimmer - have to do more research on this.
Everyone seems to agree that while you dont HAVE to have a skimmer on a smaller tank it will help.

Wave-maker - isnt this like a powerhead??
Kind of. Basically it creates a random flow through the tank (rather then having a constant current from a PH). This is better for most fish and corals. Some of the wave makers I have seen basically connect to a number of powerheads and randomly turns them on and off. I think you can also get pumps that basically do the same thing but are "all in one" (controller and pumps in one units).

Live rock - course (are there different types or LR?)
Yes. There is live rock from different locations around the world which among other thigns can have slightly different apprences.
More improtant though is if the live rock is cured/uncured.
Cured live rock has basically been taken from the sea and held in tanks for a period of before being sent/sold to you. This "holding" time means that all the stuff on the rock that dies off gets "cycled" (for want of a better term) and you dont get as big (or any) ammonia spike when you add it to your tank.
Uncured live rock basically comes from the sea and goes to the shop but then is sold on right away. Because it hasnt had time to sit you get it with all the dead stuff still attached. This will cause an ammonia spike in your tank. Not an issue with a new tank but with an established one it could be a nightmare.

Personally I'm going for a "man made" option. Basically they get a bunch of rock and dump it in the sea for a year then colect it up again. This means that they arent stripping a nature reef just for my entertainment.

RO/DI unit - I have a RO unit but I'm thinking on getting a better one which can support 20 gallons of water at once w/o running out.
Dont forget that you will not need to make a lot of water once it is set up so you dont need a massive 100gpd one.


Im sure some of the more experienced and knowledgable people will be able to add to that but hopefully that helped a bit (and hopefully I didnt get anything wrong)!

Edit: lol someone already beat me too it :)
 
skimmers have also been proven to cause some problems in tanks by taking out good things with the bad things like trace elements, thats one of the main reasons why people dont get skimmers in their nanos.

I find it a bunch of bull, if you have a small tank, small skimmer, big tank, big skimmer, there is no difference on how much you skim. Its like using 1 tunze nano in a 30 gallon nano (people say this is bad) but then use 2 tunze nanos in a 60 gallon tank (people say this is good). i dont see a difference..... But water changes are cheaper and easier to do in nanos and water changes are always better than skimming.

But do some research on it like everything else.
 
K so i started with the first thing on the list .. the sump.
I was thinking for a 20 gallon maybe a 10 gallon sump??
Within that there would maybe be 2-3 chambers.

1st chamber = bioballs to break down ammonia into Nitrite.
2nd chamber = Sand (I think it needs to be deep ... how many inches should it be?) ... with Calurpa rooted in the sand.
3rd chamber = no idea .. any suggestions??

Should i do DIY for this or just buy a pre-built sump of some sort??
 
Do a DIY, dont have a wet/dry section, or a biological section for that matter, they may contribute to nitrate levels.

First chamber, all equipment, heaters skimmers etc
second chamber, live rock rubble and macro algae (chaeto may be a better choice if not a display algae), if some equipment didnt fit in the first one, put it in the second one. You can put some sand in there but it has been proven that DSB dont really work well in small areas
third chamber, return pump
 
k sounds good on the sump.
How do i get macro algae into the tank .. or does it just randomly appear like most algae?

and how to i go bout building a sump??
 

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