Equipment Checklist

[Wheeljack]

Hey fellow reefers! So in a few months time - probably around April or May - I will be diving head first into my first saltwater tank after wanting one forever. I've been slowly putting together an equipment list of everything I need to start and what I'll be adding in the following months after the tank's cycle is started. There's some things I'd like opinions on and, of course, if I've missed something glaring, please chime in and let me know. I'm in no rush to get the tank up, because I've been waiting years and a few months more to to do it right the first time is a drop in the bucket.

My plan: I'll be doing a fishless cycle with ammonia drops, after which I will be running fish only for several months to allow the tank to mature some and give me time to settle into a good WC/tank maintenance routine. After that, I will dabble in hardy, beginner friendly corals. Mainly softies or LPS. At some point I would like to try SPS but they will not be the focus of this reef and will come later.

Spoiler: Equipment List

Tank:

Red Sea Reefer XL 525
Water Volume: 108g DT with a 31g sump
Dimensions: 59" x 22" x 22.6"​

Return Pump:

Reef Octopus VarioS-8
Rated for 2,700gph (This is deliberately over-sized because I plan to run a manifold with other equipment)​

Lighting:

Hydra HD 52??? x2 or x3
Hydra HD 24??? x4

​

Skimmer:

Nyos 160
​

Powerhead:

Gyer 250 x1 or x2??? (Pretty sure I need two but could I start with one during the cycle, and carry it into the fish only stage?)
​

Heater:

Jaeger TruTemp 250 x2
​

ATO:

Tunze 3155
​

Controller:

Neptune Apex Bundle (Comes with the controller, power brick and probes)​

Dosing:

Neptune DOS + DDR (Will be bought later once corals are introduced and manually dosing is no longer an option)
​

Other Stuff:

Aquamaxx GFO/Carbon Reactor x2
Algea Scrubber???
Some sort of UV sterilizer????
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt Mix
BRS 6 Stage RO/DI Unit (Already bought, our tap water is, in a word, terrible)
Cobalt MJ1200 (For mixing saltwater, already bought)
Jebao DC9000 (Water mixing station pump)
Refractormeter (Went with a MD one, already bought)
Water Testing Kits (Probably going with the Red Sea test kits, maybe Hannah Checkers later on?)
Reef Saver Rock (~70-80lbs)
Live Rock (~20-30lbs)
CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Sand (1.0-2.0mm size. Would this be okay for sand sifting gobies?)​

I guess my biggest question right now is lighting. I've bounced back and forth between the two Hydras and even considered Primes at some point. I don't want to rule out getting SPS because I do want to try them, but I wasn't sure if the 24s would work or if it'd be better to start with less 52s and add more if I'm successful and take a fancy to SPS. I'd probably keep any SPS at the highest points of the tank, with the rest placed in the remaining room below. Theoretically it sounds like the 24s would work, but I'd rather hear from someone experienced. Any suggestions on another light is welcomed as well, so long as it can be mounted on the tank itself. We have very high vaulted ceilings and there'd be no easy way to hang a light where the tank is going.

As for the rest of the equipment, please let me know what you think and whether I've missed something. Anything with ???s I'd love some opinions on as well!

 

[Big G]

Looks like a good plan. Best advice I can give is that we basically "manage" water quality first and foremost. Red Sea Pro kits are pretty good as are Salifert. But truly do your self a favor and get the Hanna HL Copper Checker, extra reagents (25 pk) and Copper Power. It's amazing how the Hanna lowers the stress both on you and on the fish.
Big fan of SB Reeflights. Have the 45" ultra on my 90. Lots of flexibility and plenty of power. Plus no fans = no noise

 

[Huff747]

+1 and then some on Hanna. So much easier to read a number on a screen then try and match colors or tell when a color changed to the endpoint color. And the easier the test is to do the more likely you’ll do it. And for most Hanna tests the reagent refills are $8-10 so can’t recommend them enough.

 

[Wheeljack]

Looks like a good plan. Best advice I can give is that we basically "manage" water quality first and foremost. Red Sea Pro kits are pretty good as are Salifert. But truly do your self a favor and get the Hanna HL Copper Checker, extra reagents (25 pk) and Copper Power. It's amazing how the Hanna lowers the stress both on you and on the fish.
Big fan of SB Reeflights. Have the 45" ultra on my 90. Lots of flexibility and plenty of power. Plus no fans = no noise

The plan was to move into the Hanna checkers, but I may go ahead and get a few to start out. I'd hate to overly stress on my first SW tank. Some stress will be unavoidable, of course, being new to the SW side of things. I'll have to give that light a look too! What are the mounting options for it?

+1 and then some on Hanna. So much easier to read a number on a screen then try and match colors or tell when a color changed to the endpoint color. And the easier the test is to do the more likely you’ll do it. And for most Hanna tests the reagent refills are $8-10 so can’t recommend them enough.

You make a good point about ease of use correlating to how often the tests get done, lol! I'm pretty comfortable using the API tests, which is what I use on my 20g guppy tank. I'm assuming the RS tests are similar? But I do think I'll revisit starting out with some of the Hanna Checkers then.

 

[Wheeljack]

Anyone else with any thoughts or opinions on the equipment list above? I'm going to take it as a good sign that there aren't a lot of people chiming in saying I've missed stuff, so there's one worry alleviated!