New member returning to the hobby

[Rivus]

I just ordered a RedSea Max E-170, 45 gallon AIO tank. So I guess I'm getting back into the hobby! I've had aquariums most of my life, freshwater, Amazon, native tanks with a brief foray into the marine side having a 33 gallon reef tank 15 yrs ago. I also helped start and run a marine science center in the 90's setting up and maintaining fish only display tanks.
I'm hoping that the new and improved technology will make maintaining a bit easier this time around. I'm sure I'll have many questions and since I have a couple of weeks before the tank arrives I've got some reading to do catching up on the changes to the hobby, and trying to recall what I've forgotten.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R Steve

#Welcometor2r

 

[DSC reef]

Welcome to R2R

 

[Palyzoa]

I just ordered a RedSea Max E-170, 45 gallon AIO tank. So I guess I'm getting back into the hobby! I've had aquariums most of my life, freshwater, Amazon, native tanks with a brief foray into the marine side having a 33 gallon reef tank 15 yrs ago. I also helped start and run a marine science center in the 90's setting up and maintaining fish only display tanks.
I'm hoping that the new and improved technology will make maintaining a bit easier this time around. I'm sure I'll have many questions and since I have a couple of weeks before the tank arrives I've got some reading to do catching up on the changes to the hobby, and trying to recall what I've forgotten.

Thanks,
Steve

Welcome back and welcome to R2R!!! You are in the right place, lots of knowledge here on the forums. If you have any questions just ask, theres allot of friendly helpful folks here willing to help. When your tank arrives, you should start a build thread! You can do that Here!

Looking forward to your build!

 

[Jason mack]

Welcome to R2R, happy Reefing!!

 

[redfishbluefish]

Welcome @Rivus to R2R.

 

[Chrisfish]

Welcome to R2R

 

[Fudsey]

Welcome to R2R ! ! !

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Welcome to R2R

 

[GoVols]

@Rivus
Steve
Welcome!!

 

[reef lover]

Welcome back to the salt life!!

 

[Rivus]

Thanks for the nice welcome. My first question is real basic, in all the videos I've watched on setting up these tanks there is never any glass top. Every aquarium I've had in the past either had a canopy or a glass top, or both. And I usually needed them (hatchet fish for one, can find the smallest opening to commit suicide. ) So is there a reason to leave the top open? I see that there is a screen option.

 

[Fudsey]

Glass tops can block some of the light that corals may need. When I had my FOWLR I always had a glass top as well. The screen tops don't block as much light and are a good alternative..

 

[zcedric]

Welcome

 

[Rivus]

Not sure if I should be starting a new thread, but I'm planning on putting the RODI unit and salt mixing station in a rarely used (soon to be never used) small shower stall. Any issues with plumbing it with warmer water from the shower head as our well water is 62F? Other parameters are TDS 115ppm, pressure low 40's, pH 6.9. I'm hoping to get by without a booster pump as that pressure is at the low end. Thanks, Steve

 

[Rivus]

Tank arrived quicker than I anticipated. Got it set up, water in today, so the cycle starts. Could either go to the LFS tomorrow and buy a bunch of fish and corals, or...maybe wait for it to cycle.
Getting ahead of myself, while it's completing it's cycling, I plan on QT'ing a couple of Perculas, I've read it should be OK to add a CUC and some corals. Could some corals be a soft coral package from Live Aquaria? Or should I just look for a couple? Fish won't be introduced until done with QT.