Hi there
I have been lurking through the forums on here for the last month or two, and thought I would finally set up my first reef tank. I spent a few years as a teenager and then later on in life over on the dark side with freshwater tropical tanks - but now want to get real. (the build threads have been a great distraction)
The one thing that has stuck in my mind of all the great advice offered here is the general theme of "buy the best you can afford" rather than buy twice, and so I hopefully managed to apply that to the first purchase - the tank itself.
I found an 18 month old example of this on the classifieds. It was a bit more than what I wanted to spend right this minute, but I couldn't let it go
The Cade Pro Reef PR1500
1500 l x 700 w x 550 h (sorry - im in AU so all metric)...
577L tank (495L inhabitable)
217L sump
The next bit of advice that sunk in was "dont rush things"... Well, in this case, I cant rush it, as I dont get the tank delivered for another week and a bit, and the next few months I am going to be tied up with a lot of travel - so this is going to force me to take my time, and plan the next stage. (and let the slush fund recover a bit)
Which is why I am reaching out.. Id like some "next step" equipment thoughts.
Id like to eventually set it up as a mixed reef. I love SPS' and zoa's - and I think I would like to try the Triton method. (if the supply issues to Australia can be sorted out in the next few months).
My next purchases while I wait to cure rock etc when I return from my travels will be Return Pump, Skimmer & Lights.
Return Pump:
Im pretty sure I would like to go DC (for future controllability & the quietness)... and id like to at least be able to achieve the recommended 10x water change over ... so 5000L/h
Skimmer:
this is all new to me... what would you recommend? There are so many options and so much variance in price... The expensive ones look great, and while I dont mind saving up for something if it is worth it - I dont want to spend money for the sake of it, or just to have the latest and greatest.
The sump that comes with the tank is 1340mm l x 450mm w x 360mm h, with a water level of 210mm in the controlled water sections. 4 compartments - prefilter 450mm x 100mm, skimmer 450mm x 620mm, "media / fuge" 270mm x 620mm, and return 180mm x 620mm
I'd like to switch it up as recommended by the triton method, - and run the fuge in the 2nd "skimmer" section (to get just over the 10% DT volume recommendation), and put the skimmer in the 3rd 270mm x 620mm media section. With the 210mm depth - is that enough / too much to run a skimmer here?
Lights:
I have fallen in love with the Kessil 360 format, and would like to keep the top of this tank as open as possible. Am I mad? Could i start with say three, and zone coral placement, or should I just get 4 to start with. (or do something else entirely )
Lastly
packet salt or real salt water
I live 100 meters away from a large saltwater bay, and can collect water from there. (a good few kilometres either way from the nearest boat ramps, and a good deal away from the busy part of the bay, and no real large run offs from the land. Im worried about it being a bay, and not the ocean itself (Port Phillip Bay - for any of my Australian readers). Instead of worrying - do I run an ICP test? not worry, or not bother and mix my own salt water up?
Ill leave you alone now. Thanks
"it wont happen overnight, but it will happen".
I have been lurking through the forums on here for the last month or two, and thought I would finally set up my first reef tank. I spent a few years as a teenager and then later on in life over on the dark side with freshwater tropical tanks - but now want to get real. (the build threads have been a great distraction)
The one thing that has stuck in my mind of all the great advice offered here is the general theme of "buy the best you can afford" rather than buy twice, and so I hopefully managed to apply that to the first purchase - the tank itself.
I found an 18 month old example of this on the classifieds. It was a bit more than what I wanted to spend right this minute, but I couldn't let it go
The Cade Pro Reef PR1500
1500 l x 700 w x 550 h (sorry - im in AU so all metric)...
577L tank (495L inhabitable)
217L sump
The next bit of advice that sunk in was "dont rush things"... Well, in this case, I cant rush it, as I dont get the tank delivered for another week and a bit, and the next few months I am going to be tied up with a lot of travel - so this is going to force me to take my time, and plan the next stage. (and let the slush fund recover a bit)
Which is why I am reaching out.. Id like some "next step" equipment thoughts.
Id like to eventually set it up as a mixed reef. I love SPS' and zoa's - and I think I would like to try the Triton method. (if the supply issues to Australia can be sorted out in the next few months).
My next purchases while I wait to cure rock etc when I return from my travels will be Return Pump, Skimmer & Lights.
Return Pump:
Im pretty sure I would like to go DC (for future controllability & the quietness)... and id like to at least be able to achieve the recommended 10x water change over ... so 5000L/h
Skimmer:
this is all new to me... what would you recommend? There are so many options and so much variance in price... The expensive ones look great, and while I dont mind saving up for something if it is worth it - I dont want to spend money for the sake of it, or just to have the latest and greatest.
The sump that comes with the tank is 1340mm l x 450mm w x 360mm h, with a water level of 210mm in the controlled water sections. 4 compartments - prefilter 450mm x 100mm, skimmer 450mm x 620mm, "media / fuge" 270mm x 620mm, and return 180mm x 620mm
I'd like to switch it up as recommended by the triton method, - and run the fuge in the 2nd "skimmer" section (to get just over the 10% DT volume recommendation), and put the skimmer in the 3rd 270mm x 620mm media section. With the 210mm depth - is that enough / too much to run a skimmer here?
Lights:
I have fallen in love with the Kessil 360 format, and would like to keep the top of this tank as open as possible. Am I mad? Could i start with say three, and zone coral placement, or should I just get 4 to start with. (or do something else entirely
)Lastly
packet salt or real salt water
I live 100 meters away from a large saltwater bay, and can collect water from there. (a good few kilometres either way from the nearest boat ramps, and a good deal away from the busy part of the bay, and no real large run offs from the land. Im worried about it being a bay, and not the ocean itself (Port Phillip Bay - for any of my Australian readers). Instead of worrying - do I run an ICP test? not worry, or not bother and mix my own salt water up?
Ill leave you alone now. Thanks
"it wont happen overnight, but it will happen".
