Critique my setup! Newbie reefer

[Calebd91]

Hello everyone, new here an new to reefing. Me an my dad had a fish only tank probably 25 years ago an I’ve wanted a reef setup ever since. Been doing some looking here an there last year or so and finally committed to it this past week.

So far I’ve got:
32g coralife bio cube with stand
Coralife V2 protein skimmer
Coralife algae cleaning magnet
Caribsea special grade reef sand (12lbs)
Aquarium pharmaceuticals reef master test kit
Two little fishes Accurasea1 artificial salt water mix (30 gal worth of salt mix)
Aquatic Life 4 stage RO/DI 50GPD system
Digital thermometer with probe
Seachem phosguard 100ml
Caribsea Liferock 40lbs
Instant ocean hydrometer
H2Pro 200w titanium heater w/controller
JBJ instant siphon gravel cleaner

How’s that look so far?

Been trying to do as much reading an research as I can in free time an trying to get my game plan on livestock and upgrades. I know I eventually want corals an will be looking into light upgrades an powerheads.
Also I’m in question about filtration upgrades, what’s a good starter setup to get me going?

I’ll be setting it up an aquascaping it over the weekend and filling it. Should I add something to get the cycle started? I looked at dr Tim’s and brightwell microbacter start.
Any suggestions on that or any other supplements/additives I need to have on hand?

I don’t plan on adding fish until I see it cycle an get everything in check. Then I plan on a pair of clowns to start. And then also looking at a good selection for clean up crew. I need to do some more looking at possible stocking I would like to make sure everyone is happy together.

How soon after introducing my pair of clowns should I wait before looking into corals that I can support on stock lighting? Any suggestions on good starter corals as well?

Thanks for any feedback an I will be getting pics of the setup this weekend an starting a build/ progression thread!

 

[Timfish]

For starters I'd suggest you read Aquabiomics article on establishing an healthy microbiome

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

I like API for pH and alklinity but you don't need nitrite and I prefer Elos, Nyos or Hanna for PO4 and Red Sea or Nyos for nitrate and red Sea for magnesium.

Here's more stuff you might find infromative:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas"


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)


Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching


Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[SantaMonica]

Also this might help...

What do all algae (and cyano too) need to survive? Nutrients. What are nutrients? Ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and urea are the major ones. Which ones cause most of the algae in your tank? These same ones. Why can't you just remove these nutrients and eliminate all the algae in your tank? Because these nutrients are the result of the animals you keep.

So how do your animals "make" these nutrients? Well a large part the nutrients comes from pee (urea). Pee is very high in urea and ammonia, and these are a favorite food of algae and some bacteria. This is why your glass will always need cleaning; because the pee hits the glass before anything else, and algae on the glass consume the ammonia and urea immediately (using photosynthesis) and grow more. In the ocean and lakes, phytoplankton consume the ammonia and urea in open water, and seaweed consume it in shallow areas, but in a tank you don't have enough space or water volume for this, and, your other filters or animals often remove or kill the phytoplankton or seaweed anyway. So, the nutrients stay in your tank.

Then, the ammonia/ammonium hits your rocks, and the periphyton on the rocks consumes more ammonia and urea. Periphyton is both algae and animals, and is the reason your rocks change color after a few weeks from when they were new. Then the ammonia goes inside the rock, or hits your sand, and bacteria there convert it into nitrite and nitrate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

Also let's not forget phosphate, which comes from solid organic food particles. When these particles are eaten by microbes and clean up crews, the organic phosphorus in them is converted into phosphate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

So whenever you have algae or cyano "problems", you simply have not exported enough nutrients out of your tank compared to how much you have been feeding (note: live rock can absorb phosphate for up to a year, making it seem like there was never a problem. Then after a year, there is a problem).

So just increase your nutrient exports. You could also reduce feeding, and this has the same effect, but it's certainly not fun when you want to feed your animals

 

[saltybees]

Get a good test kit for mag cal alk and an auto top off. You won’t regret it.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Get live rock and add a butt load of easy coral and a couple fish within a couple months. Don't over light it.

 

[PacoPetty]

You’re going to need more sand. I started out with 20 pounds and had to add at least 10 more. You won’t regret putting it in now but if you wait until everything is in the tank and then you try to add sand you are going to pull your hair out! Patience is the key to this addiction.

 

[Calebd91]

Build Thread - My first reef tank! 32 biocube

Hello everyone, new here an new to reefing. Me an my dad had a fish only tank probably 25 years ago an I’ve wanted a reef setup ever since. Been doing some looking here an there last year or so and finally committed to it this past week. So far I’ve got: 32g coralife bio cube with stand...

www.reef2reef.com

Link to build/journal for anyone who wants to follow