Completely new reefer asking for setup advice

[Wilbert]

I like the stand!

Thanks!! I rly like the look as well

 

[Wilbert]

If you haven't bought the primes yet ide consider others. Just not a lot of power for the price. You will limit your future coral options with those.

I found one used prime for 100 bucks that was barely used. Still have to find a second though

 

[Backtolifemassage]

Nice build. The only recommendation I have is use live rock. I have a 32g biocube and a 230 prostar peninsula. I cycled the biocube with regular rock from a local LFS. It took so long. I lost so much coral and fish. I cycled my peninsula using live rock from Tampa bay saltwater and was SO impressed. So many cool things were on the rock and it was ready to go almost instantly. I let the tank settle in for about 48 hours and I didn’t go through an ugly stage. I used Fiji sand live sand. I will never use anything g but live rock.

 

[Wilbert]

Oh I read over your comment I'm sorry. Yes I have read much about the dreaded ugly stages of tanks, especially from those starting out with dry/dead rock. I was personally planning on doing a mix between dry and live, saving some $ while still avoiding the ugly stage. I was planning on doing 25% live 75% dead, but any advice on this is very very welcome.

 

[Backtolifemassage]

Oh I read over your comment I'm sorry. Yes I have read much about the dreaded ugly stages of tanks, especially from those starting out with dry/dead rock. I was personally planning on doing a mix between dry and live, saving some $ while still avoiding the ugly stage. I was planning on doing 25% live 75% dead, but any advice on this is very very welcome.

You’ll probably be in the ugly stage if you use dead rock. However, you might find a good sale if someone is breaking down their tank.

 

[Wilbert]

You’ll probably be in the ugly stage if you use dead rock. However, you might find a good sale if someone is breaking down their tank.

Oh even when you increase the ratio of live (wet) rock and dry rock, is there gonna be an ugly stage anyway you think?

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Oh even when you increase the ratio of live (wet) rock and dry rock, is there gonna be an ugly stage anyway you think?

I’ve done about 50/50 and still got ugly stage. But I also know people who use all live and still got ugly stage. I think it’s just hit or miss honestly.

I’d echo someone’s comment above, start with the soft corals and not the euphyllia.

Save money and skip magnesium and potassium test kits. Use that money towards an inkbird controller.

An ATO is honestly IMO a required piece of equipment. Really hard to get stability down without it. I’ve used the $50ish FZONE ATOs from Amazon and didn’t have problems

Looks like you’re already sold on the primes but I would’ve considered other lights like the Nicrew HyperReef Gen 2, great budget lights.

 

[Wilbert]

I’ve done about 50/50 and still got ugly stage. But I also know people who use all live and still got ugly stage. I think it’s just hit or miss honestly.

I’d echo someone’s comment above, start with the soft corals and not the euphyllia.

Save money and skip magnesium and potassium test kits. Use that money towards an inkbird controller.

An ATO is honestly IMO a required piece of equipment. Really hard to get stability down without it. I’ve used the $50ish FZONE ATOs from Amazon and didn’t have problems

Looks like you’re already sold on the primes but I would’ve considered other lights like the Nicrew HyperReef Gen 2, great budget lights.

Ive got a good deal on one prime, and I've also considered XR15s or XR30s, but honestly with the light it was all about looking for used gear as these lights can be crazy expensive. I will look to the ATO options, the FZONE looks very good, but Ive also considered the Tunze Osmolator 3152. I will start with the soft corals, though later on I would rly like the euphyllia as well :).

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Ive got a good deal on one prime, and I've also considered XR15s or XR30s, but honestly with the light it was all about looking for used gear as these lights can be crazy expensive. I will look to the ATO options, the FZONE looks very good, but Ive also considered the Tunze Osmolator 3152. I will start with the soft corals, though later on I would rly like the euphyllia as well :).

I can vouch for the TUNZE osmolator, very nice ATO, and top-notch quality.

 

[Backtolifemassage]

Ive got a good deal on one prime, and I've also considered XR15s or XR30s, but honestly with the light it was all about looking for used gear as these lights can be crazy expensive. I will look to the ATO options, the FZONE looks very good, but Ive also considered the Tunze Osmolator 3152. I will start with the soft corals, though later on I would rly like the euphyllia as well :).

I made the mistake and bought an InkBird. It was not a reliable. XR30 pro’s work the best for my 230 tank. But I also have xr15’s for my 32. I’m in agreement with everyone when it comes to your application will be your experience. Weigh out everyone’s opinions and make your journey yours.

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Ive got a good deal on one prime, and I've also considered XR15s or XR30s, but honestly with the light it was all about looking for used gear as these lights can be crazy expensive. I will look to the ATO options, the FZONE looks very good, but Ive also considered the Tunze Osmolator 3152. I will start with the soft corals, though later on I would rly like the euphyllia as well :).

Tunze is a lot better if you have the budget for it.

Euphyllia is the main coral I keep so I know the excitement lol but trust me it’s not the first coral you want to keep. Will be easier to start with soft corals and then slowly add euphyllia and see how they do before adding more.

This is my frag tank basically all euphyllia

 

[Wilbert]

I can vouch for the TUNZE osmolator, very nice ATO, and top-notch quality.

Awesome! I am leaning heavily in that direction :)

I made the mistake and bought an InkBird. It was not a reliable. XR30 pro’s work the best for my 230 tank. But I also have xr15’s for my 32. I’m in agreement with everyone when it comes to your application will be your experience. Weigh out everyone’s opinions and make your journey yours.

Yea for me it was hard to decide between two XR15's or two Primes. Ended up doing the latter, but the decision was ultimately made by the availability of used gear haha

Tunze is a lot better if you have the budget for it.

Euphyllia is the main coral I keep so I know the excitement lol but trust me it’s not the first coral you want to keep. Will be easier to start with soft corals and then slowly add euphyllia and see how they do before adding more.

This is my frag tank basically all euphyllia

That tank looks absolutely amazing! I will definately try to grow one when the time is right, and if my tank survives untill that point haha. I am curious to your strategy when setting up the tank. Did you cycle using live rock, when did you first add your coral/fish?

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Awesome! I am leaning heavily in that direction :)

Yea for me it was hard to decide between two XR15's or two Primes. Ended up doing the latter, but the decision was ultimately made by the availability of used gear haha

That tank looks absolutely amazing! I will definately try to grow one when the time is right, and if my tank survives untill that point haha. I am curious to your strategy when setting up the tank. Did you cycle using live rock, when did you first add your coral/fish?

Most of this livestock was in another 50 gallon lowboy frag tank that had no rock in tank but a bunch of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and a few local reefers in the sump. Also some bio bricks. When I got this rank, I just moved everything over into the new tank and also moved over the rock from the lowboy. In the lowboy I got an ugly phase but did not get an ugly phase in this frag tank using the same rock. Basically it was an instant start up but I had live rock. I also moved over the 3 clownfish I had in lowboy day 1 so it’s had fish from the beginning

 

[Blue Ring Octopus]

Sorry I did not have time to read through the whole thread, my two cents the Jabao SLW 20 will be way too much for that tank since you are doing softies, a 8 would be max and hopefully you can turn them way down.

 

[Wilbert]

Most of this livestock was in another 50 gallon lowboy frag tank that had no rock in tank but a bunch of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and a few local reefers in the sump. Also some bio bricks. When I got this rank, I just moved everything over into the new tank and also moved over the rock from the lowboy. In the lowboy I got an ugly phase but did not get an ugly phase in this frag tank using the same rock. Basically it was an instant start up but I had live rock. I also moved over the 3 clownfish I had in lowboy day 1 so it’s had fish from the beginning

Ah yea I do not have a sump unfortunately. But your tank looks awesome!

Sorry I did not have time to read through the whole thread, my two cents the Jabao SLW 20 will be way too much for that tank since you are doing softies, a 8 would be max and hopefully you can turn them way down.

Oh rly? The wavemakers are adjustable, but I am contemplating on getting one SLW20 and one SLW10 instead of 2 20s. The 20 can be used on the side of the tank, and the 10 can be used on the back to create some random flow. I can get them both used for a total of about 50 bucks

 

[Blue Ring Octopus]

If my memory serves me well, I have a 20 on my 120 tank and it can handle a lot of flow, hopefully others will have more experience on this pump and can chime in.

 

[Blue Ring Octopus]

With my 40 breeder build, I will be going with 1/2" Sea Swirls I have been able to source them for cheap, patience is the key.

 

[Wilbert]

If my memory serves me well, I have a 20 on my 120 tank and it can handle a lot of flow, hopefully others will have more experience on this pump and can chime in.

Thanks for your input! Correct me if Im wrong, but it might be a misunderstanding in the SLW or the SOW 20. I would fully agree that the SOW 20 is far too strong for my tank. I would love to hear potential users of the SLW model.

 

[Wilbert]

Figured I might as well take you guys along for the ride on this one. I installed the Prime and the Skimmer on the tank, still looking for that second Prime. I also got an ammonia alert badge and a thermometer

I also got a 4 gallon small tank as a reservoir for the tunze ATO (containing RO/DI water instead of salt lol), and got myself the RO/DI system. The RO/DI system is an easy line 300. Not too crazy in terms of production, but not too crazy on costs either.

I also decided on some 15 kilos on Marcorock to aquascape, along with some thick superglue and epoxy. I love the look of these elaborate negative space reef structures that BRS creates on their channel, and I figured I might give a shot. Still, I will add some pounds of wet live rock around the Marcorock, and put some rubble of it in my canister filter.

The next step is to make the scape and put it in, add in the sand around it, mix my salt water, and get the live rock in and begin the cycle with the added bacteria and ammonia. I was planning on keeping the light off for at least a month, and only keeping the SLW 20s on during the cycling process. Once the cycle is done, I will put in the clownfish and put on the skimmer. If that is settled for a couple of weeks, I will turn on the light to LPS, put on the cannister filter, and put in a tomini tang** to help with the alge, and a skunk shrimp + some more CuC members (what would you recommend?) Highly likely I will get uglies like this regardless of the strat, but I really like the look of a custom made aquascape and am willing to look at some green stuff for a couple of months to obtain a cool scape covered with corals..

** too large for the tank eventually, but I know someone who will take the tang once it is too large for my 40


Thanks for reading, and I am eager for your thoughts. I will keep you updated.

 

[X-37B]

I found one used prime for 100 bucks that was barely used. Still have to find a second though

2 is a good start you can always add more. I ran 2 on my 30g with good results.
First 4 settings at 100% and the rest at 50. This will grow anything.

And......