Looking for help

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

New to having a saltwater tank and just started getting somethings but looking for any input. I have a 60 gallon long tank (48x12.5x24), 40lbs of sand and 50lbs of dry rock. Looking at getting a HOB octopus 90 protein skimmer, have a fluval 110 hob filter to run carbon, 150w eheim heater, but not sure on lighting or powerheads yet. Starting out going basic with a pair of clown fish and eventually would like to add more and some soft corals. Any input would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Billldg · Mar 25, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!! Good luck on the build. I would suggest, if their is room, to install 2 100 watt heaters instead of 1 150 watt heater for redundancy.

Dimmy007 · Mar 25, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!! I would say 2 powerheads. What ever fits your budget. EcoTech are awesome. Same as lighting. Hydra 26 are great as well.

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

thank you

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

Dimmy007 said:
Welcome to R2R!!! I would say 2 powerheads. What ever fits your budget. EcoTech are awesome. Same as lighting. Hydra 26 are great as well.

How many gph should each powerhead have? And Hydra 26 am I able to get away with just one of them or would I need 2?

Ruben's Reef · Mar 25, 2019

!!! Welcome to R2R !!! Do you have the system running or you are going to start cycling?

Jeight · Mar 25, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!

Hemmdog · Mar 25, 2019

CDUB311 said:
How many gph should each powerhead have? And Hydra 26 am I able to get away with just one of them or would I need 2?

Welcome to reef2reef! You’d need 2 26’s.

KJ · Mar 25, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!!

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

spyder813 said:
!!! Welcome to R2R !!! Do you have the system running or you are going to start cycling?

I don't have it running yet but once I got the skimmer and powerheads I planned on letting it cycle before adding livestock

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Welcome to reef2reef! You’d need 2 26’s.

ok, thank you

Ruben's Reef · Mar 25, 2019

CDUB311 said:
I don't have it running yet but once I got the skimmer and powerheads I planned on letting it cycle before adding livestock

Great. For cycling, you don't need the skimmer but you will need the powerheads or wavemaker. Make sure the tank cycled before adding any livestock. On saltwater you have to go slow. I cycled mine in 3 weeks with Dr. Tim Bacteria and Ammonia. Then, I wait another week and add the two clowns that I had on quarantine and a small CUC.

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

spyder813 said:
Great. For cycling, you don't need the skimmer but you will need the powerheads or wavemaker. Make sure the tank cycled before adding any livestock. On saltwater you have to go slow. I cycled mine in 3 weeks with Dr. Tim Bacteria and Ammonia. Then, I wait another week and add the two clowns that I had on quarantine and a small CUC.

So all I need is powerheads, sand and the rock to cycle? Do you need to quarantine captive bred clowns? And what is CUC?

Hemmdog · Mar 25, 2019

CDUB311 said:
So all I need is powerheads, sand and the rock to cycle? Do you need to quarantine captive bred clowns? And what is CUC?

Cuc is clean up crew. Introduce about a week after your tank is wet. Search The @Lasse Method on here. Amazing guide for getting a tank wet up through your first corals.

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Cuc is clean up crew. Introduce about a week after your tank is wet. Search The @Lasse Method on here. Amazing guide for getting a tank wet up through your first corals.

thank you, I really appreciate it

Ruben's Reef · Mar 25, 2019

CDUB311 said:
So all I need is powerheads, sand and the rock to cycle? Do you need to quarantine captive bred clowns? And what is CUC?

To start you need the tank with saltwater mixed to 1.022 to 1.025 , rock (live or dry ), sand, heater, porwerheads or wavemaker.
CUC is (cleanup crew, like hermit crabs, snails).
All fish should be quarantine but some people know their LFS (live fish store) and they didn't quarantine.

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

spyder813 said:
To start you need the tank with saltwater mixed to 1.022 to 1.025 , rock (live or dry ), sand, heater, porwerheads or wavemaker.
CUC is (cleanup crew, like hermit crabs, snails).
All fish should be quarantine but some people know their LFS (live fish store) and they didn't quarantine.

Starting out I planned on getting saltwater from my LFS same place I planned on buying a pair of captive clowns. Just not sure about me mixing salt correctly out the gate but not sure if that's a good idea or not.

Ruben's Reef · Mar 25, 2019

CDUB311 said:
Starting out I planned on getting saltwater from my LFS same place I planned on buying a pair of captive clowns. Just not sure about me mixing salt correctly out the gate but not sure if that's a good idea or not.

I did that at the beginning too. I got the water from my LFS but got tired of carrying buckets every week or two weeks so I went and got my own RODI system and salt and learn to do my own water saving me a lot of money and time.

CDUB311 · Mar 25, 2019

I was planned on looking into that down the road once I got it up and going. I live 5 minutes away from them and planned on doing 10% changes once a week