Reef Wanna-be! :)

[Scrappy RN]

Greetings from East Tennessee, USA!

I'm a mom who's teens are outgrowing me so I need something else to take care of, lol!

So...I am joining in to get the best advice on setting up a new aquarium. I've had lots of freshwater aquariums and species, a brackish tank for a GSP and a biocube FOWLR tank once. But this is my first venture into reef setups and I can't wait!

I have a 55 gallon tank setup on layaway and while I'm paying it off I'm trying to decide exactly what I want to start with. The setup comes with stand, heater, hang-on-back filter, glass top and a normal 48" light. I am planning on getting a sump instead of the hob filter, adding a protein skimmer and, of course, changing to reef-appropriate lighting.

I'm hoping to get info on the best equipment like lighting, sumps, and protein skimmers for a reef setup AND on species of fish and corals and invertebrates that are good for reef beginners and that won't eat each other, lol!

I've done lots of research but have tons more to do. I'm trying to buy things a little at a time while the main setup is on layaway.

Any suggestions of good blogs, articles, reviews of equipment etc??

Thank you ahead of time!!

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!! You're in a great spot for some good advice! There are tons of product reviews and guides to help start up your aquarium here. I always suggest looking through the build threads on here for inspiration, if you see a tank or tanks you like take a little from them and put your own twist on it. Best of luck!!!

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R! We are glad to have you with us!
Here is a great article for beginners that walks you through the entire setup process to the cycle. It's even got pictures!
http://www.reefedition.com/291/

 

[R_C]

Welcome to R2R! We will be glad to help you along the way

 

[steelheader.262]

Welcome!!!

 

[Tahoe61]

Welcome, all you need can be found right here with regard to guidance, resources.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Thank you all! I can't wait to get more info and talk with others who have the same interests. My friends think I'm crazy with, "the fish thing, " lol!

 

[Chrisfish]

Welcome, you've picked a great place !

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R...You've chosen wisely. Not sure if you've stumbled on the thread below, but it's filled with some great information while you're in research mode.

Biggest suggestion is to continue reading and do not be in a hurry. Slow and steady wins the race.

http://reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[Salty1962]

Welcome to R2R! As mentioned, there are many good posts on this site to get you started. If you can't find what your looking for just ask, there are many experienced reefers and fowlr on this site that are more than willing to steer you in the right direction.

 

[Prozack199]

Welcome To R2R.

 

[Diesel]

 

[Scrappy RN]

Wow - thank you all so much! Lots of good info to get me the rest of the way there!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Hello there! You're a nurse, I guess? I'm a NICU nurse.

 

[Tahoe61]

Retired critical care nurse holds up hand.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Yep! Did ED at a level 1 trauma center for 6 yrs, then ICU for a few. Then had a brain spasm and did House Supervisor and manager, lol. What was I thinking? !

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I haven't worked in exactly a year tomorrow. Hurt my back, they botched the surgery. Game over. I'm 44 and going back to school for a master's in Clinical Informatics. Fun times :-/ Mind your back.

 

[Scrappy RN]

That's one reason I left the bedside - getting old and broken down from the riding pulling lifting and flat out running (not to mention fighting with the crazies!) I'm 45 and figured that management was my way to give back to our profession without killing myself in the process. If i could make the job easier for even one nurse then it is worthwhile! And if the management thing hadn't worked out clinical informatics was my next stop! I love computers and most of the programmers for medical systems apparently never set foot inside an actual hospital so I figured I might be able to make a difference in nurses' lives that way

 

[bklynreef123]

Welcome to R2R. I hate to be the one to say something negative... But it sounds like the tank you have on layaway is a standard 55 gallon tank. This tank is on the narrow side which limits what you can do with the aqua scape. The light that is included is likely underpowered, hob filters can work on salt water tanks, but the money would be better spent/saved for a skimmer, a glass top is not ideal for a reef setup either. I do not bring up these points to bash, or dissuade you. I think you should do some more research and choose a different route. It would be a shame to have a setup on layaway that you pay off only to figure out you could have spent the money in a way that would get you to your goals faster/more economically . All the best to you and your build.

 

[Scrappy RN]

Yeah, unfortunately I realized that after I decided to do reef instead of a Cichlid tank as I had originally planned. What I'm hoping is that the store will let me trade back the unused stuff for reef stuff. I'm going to talk with them about that soon. I have already started researching the necessary lights and sump and protein skimmer. The problem is that the more I learn the more questions I come up with, lol! I appreciate the candor though! I'm not one to pull punches so I like someone who tells me like it is - politely, of course