SW tank setup questions

[babyduke]

After a long debate whether to go with freshwater, brackish or SW, I've decided to set up SW for my 55G tank. I've had plenty of freshwater expereince but it would be my very first for SW. So far, this is what I have:

55Gtank (48 x 13)
Stand & Canopy
2 power bio-wheeled filters
1 sponge filter w/ a powerhead
a heater

I will be ordering:
live rocks (will be ordering)
skimmer & hydrometer
salt

Questions:
1) What kind of lighting should I get? Why are they so much more expensive vs. the regular flourescent lights?

2) What kind of bottom substrate should I get? sand, argonite or crushed corals?

3) What exactly does live rocks do? Is it ok to put them in uncycled water? Do corals naturaly grow on them?

4) How do I start the anenomes and are they good for the tank?

5) Have I mentioned everything that I need?

Sorry to ask so many questions.

 

[waterwatereverywhere]

Okay, I don't pretend to be an expert but I kept marines until recently so from my experience:

1) Lighting: SW tanks need LOTS of light if you're going to try and simulate the conditions near the surface of a tropical reef. If you stick to fish only then flourescents are fine, but if you're heading for a reef (as it sounds like you are) then you'll need loads of them, or the ideal is metal halide. And you're right, yes, these are indeed much more expensive, but are designed to give exactly the right spectrum of light needed by your inverts. But they do have to be suspended at least 10-12 inches above the water, which should be without a cover. If you can't go to metal halides, cram as many tubes as you can in the hood!

2) I used coral sand; aragonite is good too, basically any of that will help buffer your pH.

3) Live rock is rock taken from a reef; how much life there is on it can be variable, you usually get what you pay for. It does two things: first, it houses zillions of minibeasts which you'll never see but which will gobble up fish waste, so it effectively acts as a filter. Which is why I never used any other filtration apart from a skimmer. Secondly, it should have some invert growth on it, at least in the form of some coral polyps. You're not likely to get any specimen corals unless your really lucky, although I had a good colony of Porites.

You can get live rock which is already cycled, or 'raw' live rock, which is basically straight from the reef. This would generate a LOT of gunk, so if poss I would get rock which has already been in a supplier's tank for a while. That way, the supplier should also have got rid of any nasties which have come in, like mantis shrimps. Then yes, put them into your tank first.

4) Never had anemones so I can't answer this one really, but I think they need really good quality water; I should see how you get on with soft corals first.

5) As I said, personally I would lose the filters, but I'd add to your powerheads - reefs like lots of water movement, I doubt a single sponge filter/powerhead would be enough for this size tank. Test kits for the usual, plus calcium, which is especially important for hard corals. The order I'd suggest would be let the live rock do its work for a few weeks, before adding any fish or corals, then start with soft corals and mushrooms.

But for every reefkeeper there's ever been you'll probably get different advice!!! Good luck!

 

[ostrow]

No different advice on those answers. Except, step one is to read, read, read. Many of your questions are answered in the articles GL has at the top of this forum. Some of the questions you ask indicate you shouldn't do ANYTHING or by anything until you read more.

For a 55G you want at least a total of 1200GPH movement. Yes, 1200. In my 75G I have 2100 and it's not enough.

Live rock will shorten the cycle or eliminate it. You want a mix of live sand and aragonite IMO.