New to the hobby, hows my setup

[Chief-Reef]

I'm a new freshwater convert, and have had a planted freshwater tank since circa 2012. I asked the guys at my LFS and they advised that I could make the transition pretty easily. Right now I put down some live sand, used saltwater from their shop and have around 40 pounds of live rock. My aquarium is a 56 gallon column aquarium. Right now it is cycling, but the tank is not drilled and I don't have room for a sump, so they recommended I add the Seachem Tidal 75 since it has a surface skimmer as well. I currently have an aquaclear 70 on the tank as well. I was thinking about converting the AQ70 to a small refugium and running filter floss, Purigen, and ChemiPure Blue in the Tidal 75. I plan to keep a pretty low bioload without a sump and grow some cool corals in the tank.

Does all of this sound okay?

 

[Reefer Deez]

Hello and welcome to R2R I'm not familiar with sumpless tanks but I wanted to welcome you and say hi

 

[Mark Bianco]

Welcome,

What you are thinking about is a good start, however I will make a few suggestions. First off 86 the idea of making the aq70 a refugium way too small to be effective. I would still use it with a filter and some carbon. The other filter looks nice but just be aware this is not a "skimmer" in the sense most of us use the term skimmer. But then again there are plenty of successful tanks that are skimmerless I myself have a 14gl that has never had a skimmer on it. You did mention you want corals, but you make no mention of what type of light you intend to use? Do you have something picked out yet?

Anyways happy reefing!

Mark

 

[reef lover]

Welcome to r2r!!

 

[Chief-Reef]

Welcome,

What you are thinking about is a good start, however I will make a few suggestions. First off 86 the idea of making the aq70 a refugium way too small to be effective. I would still use it with a filter and some carbon. The other filter looks nice but just be aware this is not a "skimmer" in the sense most of us use the term skimmer. But then again there are plenty of successful tanks that are skimmerless I myself have a 14gl that has never had a skimmer on it. You did mention you want corals, but you make no mention of what type of light you intend to use? Do you have something picked out yet?

Anyways happy reefing!

Mark

Mark, thanks for the advice. And I was just going to go with some Chinese black boxes, again what they recommend over at the shop.

 

[Josh Kraft]

I am curious about this "used saltwater from their shop". Does this mean you purchased freshly mixed saltwater from their shop, or you got water from their tanks? Some shops offer their water because it is cycles, and claims it helps get your tank ready quicker, but it also likely contains parasites. Also, do you have any plans to quarantine fish before you add them?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Welcome to R2R and welcome to the salty side! I'm looking forward to watching your build! Take things slow, and don't be afraid to ask questions before you pull the trigger on something during your build.
As mentioned earlier, I personally would never consider used water from anyone's tank, especially my lfs, not saying you done anything wrong but I want to manage what gets introduced to my tank to the best of my ability. Press on and let's see some pics!!!

#welcometoR2r

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R! Whatever equipment works for you sounds good to me What equipment to use is all going to depend on budget, available room, personal preference, and your individual goals.

 

[EW_Fish]

I'm a new freshwater convert, and have had a planted freshwater tank since circa 2012. I asked the guys at my LFS and they advised that I could make the transition pretty easily. Right now I put down some live sand, used saltwater from their shop and have around 40 pounds of live rock. My aquarium is a 56 gallon column aquarium. Right now it is cycling, but the tank is not drilled and I don't have room for a sump, so they recommended I add the Seachem Tidal 75 since it has a surface skimmer as well. I currently have an aquaclear 70 on the tank as well. I was thinking about converting the AQ70 to a small refugium and running filter floss, Purigen, and ChemiPure Blue in the Tidal 75. I plan to keep a pretty low bioload without a sump and grow some cool corals in the tank.

Does all of this sound okay?

I would keep the live rock and sand. Budget in a HOB skimmer and you are golden nothing else really needed other then powerheads

These things are beast when it comes to HOB skimmer
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aquamaxx-1-5-hob-skimmer.386089/

 

[saltyhog]

Welcome to R2R and the addiction!

The bacteria that are in the water column are insignificant compared to what is on the live rock. If it came from the vat the live rock was in, no harm. I wouldn't want water from any system tied to their fish display tanks. To much chance of disease transmission.

Post lots of pictures and ask all the questions you want! No such thing as a dumb question (unless it's one not asked).

 

[Chief-Reef]

I am curious about this "used saltwater from their shop". Does this mean you purchased freshly mixed saltwater from their shop, or you got water from their tanks? Some shops offer their water because it is cycles, and claims it helps get your tank ready quicker, but it also likely contains parasites. Also, do you have any plans to quarantine fish before you add them?

Josh, I didn't explain things well here. The water is water that they mix, not from their display tanks.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Josh, I didn't explain things well here. The water is water that they mix, not from their display tanks.

Oh, that's a relief!

 

[WVNed]

I used that tank with a Reef Octopus HOB skimmer and a Fluval canister filter to run carbon/media in. It made a nice tank but I was too short to reach the bottom so I went to a 75.

 

[mattgsa]

Sounds like it will be an interesting tank. Pics?

 

[lazlodawg]

Your water change schedule / bioload will go a long way towards determining your need for a skimmer. Lots of successful reef tanks with no skimmer, but I've had lots of luck with the aquamaxx hob like several others have already mentioned. By the way, go dawgs!