New to the hobby. Having second thoughts on equipment/setup

[Danyole]

Hey everyone! I recently set up my first reef tank and I would definitely consider myself a reefer on a budget. I'm only a week into my cycle so i'm not opposed to change but i'm starting to question my setup choices. I know bigger is better especially for beginners to keep parameters from fluctuating too much but I found a great deal on a Fluval Flex 15 with the built in filtration removed with a stand and had to pull the trigger. I decided to go with the Aquaclear 70 HOB with a surface skimmer attachment + media basket for a chaeto refugium but i'm questioning whether I should have went with a 10 gallon sump just to add more water to my system especially with the cost being comparable between the two setups since I already have a unused 10 gallon tank. What do you guys think? Also can someone suggest a return pump for this setup?

Fluval Flex 15
20LB Fiji Pink Arag-Alive sand
20LB CaribSea LifeRock
Smatfarm G3 60W Reef Light
AquaClear70 / inTank Media basket / Seachem Matrix / Hygger 100w heater

 

[MoshJosh]

You can probably make it work with what you have. I say why not try it? You can always add your sump later on. Just go slow, add things slowly, feed lightly, ramp the light slowly, etc. I would say you want to add a wave maker or power head, with all that rockwork I imagine there are a bunch of dead spots. . . Jabao make great affordable wavemakers.

 

[Danyole]

Hygger mini wavemaker and a ATO are the next two on my purchase list along with figuring out a lid situation. Is there an ideal placement for the powerhead?

 

[MoshJosh]

Hygger mini wavemaker and a ATO are the next two on my purchase list along with figuring out a lid situation. Is there an ideal placement for the powerhead?

I'd say wherever you are getting your ideal flow is best. That said I do try to mount mind towards the back and top of my tank for aesthetic reasons.

 

[Danyole]

I'd say wherever you are getting your ideal flow is best. That said I do try to mount mind towards the back and top of my tank for aesthetic reasons.

So the Aquaclear is actually moving a decent amount of water from the back right to the front of the tank so is there like a direction if flow I should follow?

 

[Freenow54]

Hey everyone! I recently set up my first reef tank and I would definitely consider myself a reefer on a budget. I'm only a week into my cycle so i'm not opposed to change but i'm starting to question my setup choices. I know bigger is better especially for beginners to keep parameters from fluctuating too much but I found a great deal on a Fluval Flex 15 with the built in filtration removed with a stand and had to pull the trigger. I decided to go with the Aquaclear 70 HOB with a surface skimmer attachment + media basket for a chaeto refugium but i'm questioning whether I should have went with a 10 gallon sump just to add more water to my system especially with the cost being comparable between the two setups since I already have a unused 10 gallon tank. What do you guys think? Also can someone suggest a return pump for this setup?

Fluval Flex 15
20LB Fiji Pink Arag-Alive sand
20LB CaribSea LifeRock
Smatfarm G3 60W Reef Light
AquaClear70 / inTank Media basket / Seachem Matrix / Hygger 100w heater

I think you answered your own question, I use a fluval on my 40 gallon. I also suggest you be careful with the chaeto I neglected mine, and it grew great but the contamination eventually started getting int my main display, and was killing coaral

 

[jda]

I would keep what you have rather than use a overflow box. I have a 40g cube set up pretty much like that, except I have a AquaC Remora skimmer on it too - perhaps the best HOB skimmer ever made, IMO.

You might need a small powerhead moving forward, but give it a shot.

 

[Danyole]

Hmm alright i'll stick with this then. I'm really happy with how quiet the whole setup is right now anyways. My biggest concern came when I was mixing water and used a hydrometer and Amazon salinity probe got really different readings from both. I ended up getting the BRS refractometer and confirming it was accurate comparing it to my LFS's reading so I returned the other 2. Ended up getting paranoid and questioning whether a nano tank was too much for me to handle

I have a Fluval protein skimmer that came with the tank. Gonna assume it's not great but I read most nano tanks don't really need protein skimmers so never really thought about trying it. Either way im at the long waiting period for the setup so i'm figuring out what else I need to buy while watching a bunch of Youtube videos to learn haha

I did re-scape a little to condense the rocks some. Water's still kinda cloudy