- Joined
- Oct 30, 2018
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi all. I'm brand new to keeping fish. I have a 130g+40g sump partially set up that I hope to finish someday, it needs lights still and to refinish the cabinet and I need to make sure I'm physically able to take care of a tank that big. So we ordered the 50.3 AIO to start me off in the meantime. I've watched 52 weeks of reefing, but I still have a LOT of questions.
- How do I know how many fish I can put in it? I was using the aqadvisor calculator and I'm doubting its accuracy. I know I cant put them all in at once.
- How in the world do I choose a skimmer? I was thinking the tunze 9012 or the reef octopus classic 90 but I have NO idea what I'm doing.
- What test kit should I get? I hear API is garbage but it still seems to be the most popular?
- Is the syncra 2 a good return pump for my tank?
- How many powerheads do I need and how do I know where to set them?
- What do I need to clean my tank? Just something to scrape the glass? A siphon to vacuum the sand? Is that it?
- I'm making a saltwater mixing station and will have a barrel for fresh and one for salt. What size barrel should I get? Can I store the fresh water over a period of time? How far in advance can I mix the salt?
- What lights should I get for my 130g when I'm ready to set it up? Do I *have* to spend thousands on lights to keep coral? My 50.3 is coming with two AI Primes.
- Is it unethical to buy, for example, a juvenile yellow tang for the 50.3 and move it to the 130g when it matures? The fish store man told me that was fine or even trading it in would be fine, but I don't want to be a jerk.
- Are there meds or similar things I should keep on hand for emergencies?
- How big of a QT tank do I need? Do I just need tank, HOB filter, and a heater? Should I medicate fish in the QT as a matter of course or just monitor them? How long should I QT?
- Is it possible to someday alter the AIO to connect it to my 40g sump if I wanted to increase the water volume?
- I was looking at the Apex controller. Is that a ridiculous thing for me to buy at this point? Is there a cheaper way to get started? I know they said in the BRS video that you could get separate controllers for different things and upgrade over time, but I don't know enough yet to know what to get, that is overwhelming me.
- I'm disabled and I can't carry buckets. I want to pump water from my water mixing station down the hall to the tank and from the tank to the drain by the water mixing station. What kind of pumps should I buy to do that? What kind of hose? Is there anything I'm not thinking of?
- Does BRS only save your cart short term? I had like 50 things in my cart that all disappeared and now I have to start over. I'm crushed.
Thank you for your time, I appreciate any answers you can help with. I know I have a lot of questions but I felt a lot more prepared when this was all theoretical!
-Jill
- How do I know how many fish I can put in it? I was using the aqadvisor calculator and I'm doubting its accuracy. I know I cant put them all in at once.
- How in the world do I choose a skimmer? I was thinking the tunze 9012 or the reef octopus classic 90 but I have NO idea what I'm doing.
- What test kit should I get? I hear API is garbage but it still seems to be the most popular?
- Is the syncra 2 a good return pump for my tank?
- How many powerheads do I need and how do I know where to set them?
- What do I need to clean my tank? Just something to scrape the glass? A siphon to vacuum the sand? Is that it?
- I'm making a saltwater mixing station and will have a barrel for fresh and one for salt. What size barrel should I get? Can I store the fresh water over a period of time? How far in advance can I mix the salt?
- What lights should I get for my 130g when I'm ready to set it up? Do I *have* to spend thousands on lights to keep coral? My 50.3 is coming with two AI Primes.
- Is it unethical to buy, for example, a juvenile yellow tang for the 50.3 and move it to the 130g when it matures? The fish store man told me that was fine or even trading it in would be fine, but I don't want to be a jerk.
- Are there meds or similar things I should keep on hand for emergencies?
- How big of a QT tank do I need? Do I just need tank, HOB filter, and a heater? Should I medicate fish in the QT as a matter of course or just monitor them? How long should I QT?
- Is it possible to someday alter the AIO to connect it to my 40g sump if I wanted to increase the water volume?
- I was looking at the Apex controller. Is that a ridiculous thing for me to buy at this point? Is there a cheaper way to get started? I know they said in the BRS video that you could get separate controllers for different things and upgrade over time, but I don't know enough yet to know what to get, that is overwhelming me.
- I'm disabled and I can't carry buckets. I want to pump water from my water mixing station down the hall to the tank and from the tank to the drain by the water mixing station. What kind of pumps should I buy to do that? What kind of hose? Is there anything I'm not thinking of?
- Does BRS only save your cart short term? I had like 50 things in my cart that all disappeared and now I have to start over. I'm crushed.
Thank you for your time, I appreciate any answers you can help with. I know I have a lot of questions but I felt a lot more prepared when this was all theoretical!
-Jill