125 Gallon Reef Tank questions

[dym]

Hello, I will be setting up a reef/saltwater tank for the very first time and it'll be 125 gallons. For $250 I got two heaters, the tank, a coral light, a canister filter and some sand that are all a year old, I think that's very good since the retail price is like 1.2k. My plan was to cycle my tank at least 4 weeks with dry sand and live rock and add a couple ocellaris clownfish as a start and get different fish down the line, and then corals. So my questions are:
1. What kinds of fish can I add later on appropriate for 125G so I can set up accordingly?
2. What kinds of corals can I add thatll do good in my light? The model is "Fluval Sea LED 25000K Fixture 59W, 48"-60""
3. Lastly, will a FX4 canister filter (700 GPH) suffice for filtration long term?
I already looked at some posts on here to learn, but any tips in general would be appreciated

 

[fishywishy]

1. With a tank that size, you have access to a ton of fish, so I’d just pick a few you like and me or someone else can tell you if they’ll work.

2. That light is decent. You can grow all soft corals, easy LPS, and some low-PAR SPS with it.

3. Canister filters aren’t great for saltwater tanks. They just trap waste and turn it into excess nutrients, which can mess up water quality unless you clean them VERY often.

 

[Subsea]

Hello, I will be setting up a reef/saltwater tank for the very first time and it'll be 125 gallons. For $250 I got two heaters, the tank, a coral light, a canister filter and some sand that are all a year old, I think that's very good since the retail price is like 1.2k. My plan was to cycle my tank at least 4 weeks with dry sand and live rock and add a couple ocellaris clownfish as a start and get different fish down the line, and then corals. So my questions are:
1. What kinds of fish can I add later on appropriate for 125G so I can set up accordingly?
2. What kinds of corals can I add thatll do good in my light? The model is "Fluval Sea LED 25000K Fixture 59W, 48"-60""
3. Lastly, will a FX4 canister filter (700 GPH) suffice for filtration long term?
I already looked at some posts on here to learn, but any tips in general would be appreciated

OK, I just read your stand build thread and understand you are a complete newbie. No worries, 55 years ago, when I started as a newbie, we did not have the internet. So, I am self taught “old school”.

I have several systems that are sumpless and skimmerless. Most of my systems have cannister filters, HOB filters and reverse flow undergravel filter using 2” of aroggonite substrate. In the case of cannister filters, I use reef rubble with no mechanical filtration. I consider the cannister filters to be a cryptic refugium and do not open them up once they are running.

In my experiences, cycling a tank with diver collected live rock is the most important investment that you can make for long term stability and is a sure fire way to skip the uglies during the first year.

 

[dym]

OK, I just read your stand build thread and understand you are a complete newbie. No worries, 55 years ago, when I started as a newbie, we did not have the internet. So, I am self taught “old school”.

I have several systems that are sumpless and skimmerless. Most of my systems have cannister filters, HOB filters and reverse flow undergravel filter using 2” of aroggonite substrate. In the case of cannister filters, I use reef rubble with no mechanical filtration. I consider the cannister filters to be a cryptic refugium and do not open them up once they are running.

In my experiences, cycling a tank with diver collected live rock is the most important investment that you can make for long term stability and is a sure fire way to skip the uglies during the first year.

That looks gorgeous thank you for the tips.

 

[Fish Fan]

Congrats on your first tank, and a 125 is a nice way to start!

Not to be a downer, but I'm not confident in your light at all First, 59 watts on a 125 isn't much light at all. Second, all these strip lights that say they are for X inches to X inches (in this case 48"-60"), the light itself is really only as long as the lower number. The larger number means that it can sit on a longer tank by using extensions that come out of each side of the light (see pic bellow), but this means that much of the ends of your tank will not be lit. And, typical 125 gallon tanks are 6 feet long, or 72". I don't see how a light that's for a 48"-60" tank will work at all on a 72" tank, and in your case your lights themselves are only 48" long, so you'll have 18" on each side of the light that sees little to no light. At the least, this will create dark zones that are unpleasing to look at, but at the worst you'll likely have areas where you won't be able to grow much of anything photosynthetic, short of ugly algae.

I believe this is the light you have:
https://aquacave.com/fluval-sea-mar...4fMdPfF6iXaFQdPaU1N1Wj63a1QlreuEaAnyZEALw_wcB
And these are the "side extensions" I mentioned above. See how the light itself is really only 48", but the extensions go out to 60"?:

I might consider trying to re-sell that Fluval light, and putting that money towards different lighting. This is nothing you'd have to do today, you can get your tank running and cycled and even have fish and other inverts, but by the time you want some corals, I think you should try to upgrade that light

The Fluval FX is a solid choice for canister filters. I'd honestly suggest going with two of the FX4's on a 125, but start with your one and see how it does. I would suggest loading the canister primarily with rock rubble, with maybe just a little mechanical like filter floss. This tends to be a good setup when using canister filters for reefs tanks.

I also agree with using real, wet live rock, as much as possible, and right out of the ocean if affordable. Check out Tampa Bay Saltwater and the rock and sand they offer:
https://tbsaltwater.com/
I hope that helps and good luck!

 

[dym]

Congrats on your first tank, and a 125 is a nice way to start!

Not to be a downer, but I'm not confident in your light at all First, 59 watts on a 125 isn't much light at all. Second, all these strip lights that say they are for X inches to X inches (in this case 48"-60"), the light itself is really only as long as the lower number. The larger number means that it can sit on a longer tank by using extensions that come out of each side of the light (see pic bellow), but this means that much of the ends of your tank will not be lit. And, typical 125 gallon tanks are 6 feet long, or 72". I don't see how a light that's for a 48"-60" tank will work at all on a 72" tank, and in your case your lights themselves are only 48" long, so you'll have 18" on each side of the light that sees little to no light. At the least, this will create dark zones that are unpleasing to look at, but at the worst you'll likely have areas where you won't be able to grow much of anything photosynthetic, short of ugly algae.

I believe this is the light you have:
https://aquacave.com/fluval-sea-mar...4fMdPfF6iXaFQdPaU1N1Wj63a1QlreuEaAnyZEALw_wcB
And these are the "side extensions" I mentioned above. See how the light itself is really only 48", but the extensions go out to 60"?:

I might consider trying to re-sell that Fluval light, and putting that money towards different lighting. This is nothing you'd have to do today, you can get your tank running and cycled and even have fish and other inverts, but by the time you want some corals, I think you should try to upgrade that light

The Fluval FX is a solid choice for canister filters. I'd honestly suggest going with two of the FX4's on a 125, but start with your one and see how it does. I would suggest loading the canister primarily with rock rubble, with maybe just a little mechanical like filter floss. This tends to be a good setup when using canister filters for reefs tanks.

I also agree with using real, wet live rock, as much as possible, and right out of the ocean if affordable. Check out Tampa Bay Saltwater and the rock and sand they offer:
https://tbsaltwater.com/
I hope that helps and good luck!

thank you for letting me know, i will definitely sell it off

 

[Subsea]

Hello, I will be setting up a reef/saltwater tank for the very first time and it'll be 125 gallons. For $250 I got two heaters, the tank, a coral light, a canister filter and some sand that are all a year old, I think that's very good since the retail price is like 1.2k. My plan was to cycle my tank at least 4 weeks with dry sand and live rock and add a couple ocellaris clownfish as a start and get different fish down the line, and then corals. So my questions are:
1. What kinds of fish can I add later on appropriate for 125G so I can set up accordingly?
2. What kinds of corals can I add thatll do good in my light? The model is "Fluval Sea LED 25000K Fixture 59W, 48"-60""
3. Lastly, will a FX4 canister filter (700 GPH) suffice for filtration long term?
I already looked at some posts on here to learn, but any tips in general would be appreciated

I agree with Fish Fan, your light is insufficient for coral. You could use it when cycling your tank. If you had FOWLF (fish only with live rock) that light might suffice. I have low light (50 PAR) live rock tanks with ornamental & utilitarian macroalgae.