Soon to be Newbie

[French27]

I am new to the hobby over the past month and change. And by new, I mean incessantly researching what it takes to set up a reef tank. I am looking forward to the adventure and challenge of this hobby. I am from Michigan, and also enjoy running, hunting, camping, and anything else I can do outdoors. My passion for the ocean started with visits to aquariums as a child and then was brought to the forefront with visits to tidal pools while visiting family in San Diego as an adult. Reefs and the habitats found in the ocean are truly fascinating. Growing up on the great lakes, I am no stranger to "big" water, but the ocean has so much more variety of life in comparison.

Anyways, it is good to be here, and I look forward to learning and contributing to the R2R community.

-E

 

[TarHeelReefer22]

Welcome, just remember very few good things come fast in this hobby, so take your time and when you feel like you have done enough research do MORE! Good luck and happy reefing!

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Rob.D]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!! Best of luck and have fun!

 

[Pete polyp]

Welcome to r2r! Sounds like you're going about this the right way. Research until your eyes bleed. Heal them up and research some more

 

[glb]

Welcome! Ask lots of questions. These are wonderful people!

 

[TUSI]

Welcome to reef 2 reef you are on the right track be patient, ask questions and don't hesitate to ask and you will have a successfull reef. All the best of luck

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Welcome to reef 2 reef

 

[French27]

Thank you for the warm welcome everyone.

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Pete polyp]

Have you decided on what type of tank you want? Fish only? Predator? Soft reef? Full blown reef? What about size of your tank? I would suggest figuring out what your budget will be for the tank and then multiply by 2 to get the actual cost haha. Initially you will have to spend quite a bit on a setup then you kinda have a "monthly" cost as you stock and build up your inventory.

 

[French27]

Have you decided on what type of tank you want? Fish only? Predator? Soft reef? Full blown reef? What about size of your tank? I would suggest figuring out what your budget will be for the tank and then multiply by 2 to get the actual cost haha. Initially you will have to spend quite a bit on a setup then you kinda have a "monthly" cost as you stock and build up your inventory.

Pete,

I have a good start on the equipment, both from research and consultation with a couple of LFS. I will be creating a tank thread once I am a little further along in the process. We are currently purging the finished basement and storage rooms of all non essentials to create organized space for our new hobby. I am planning to have a 75g DT. The 40G sump will have three chambers: intake with filter socks and skimmer, refugium, and return sections. I plan to make the stand myself, and will have the sump and other support equipment in our utility room, which has plenty of room, along with floor drain, etc. There will be baffles as well. As for livestock we don't have our list all the way complete yet. We were thinking mostly softies and fish to start out with, moving into some LPS, and SPS as we feel comfortable long term. It does include the following so far:

2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Blue Stripe Neon Goby (Gobisoma oceanops)
1 Golden Midas Blenny (Ecsanius midas)
1 Red Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis)
1 Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)
1 Hammer Coral

Others we are considering:
Goby/Pistol Pair
Flame Hawkfish or Longnose Hawkfish (If we did one of these, probably wouldn't keep shrimp)
Coral Beauty Angel
Eibl's Angel
Assorted Zoas
Anemone at least 9 months after tank is running, and have been successful with consistent parameters
Would love to get into acros and montis at some point down the road.


Equipment on Hand:
BRS 5 Stage 75gpd RODI unit (Currently supplying us with clean drinking water without the DI canister hooked up. Planning to run line to the basement for the canister at point of use for Tank(s))
40G Breeder for a DIY sump
20G Long for eventual QT
Buckets

Planning to get (Feel free to supply suggestions)
48" Aquatic Life Marquis Dual-Lamp (Marine)
Supreme Mag Drive 7 Pump (Less than 1 foot pumping height)
Choralife Super Skimmer 125
300W Fluval submersible heater

Anyone please comment and critique

-E

 

[EzCheez]

Welcome to the hobby French27! I too, am a Michigan native (Ann Arbor area). Congrats on making the jump. If i can add something that i regret doing (i still consider myself a noob) I regret getting a Hawkfish (i bought the tank and livestock from a guy already stocked). You obviously already know that you, most likely, won't be able to house shrimp. And i can't catch this SOB to save my life, and I'm not looking forward to breaking down my tank to get him. I want to have some peppermint and cleaner shrimp, but it ends up being an expensive snack. Again this is my opinion. But regardless, welcome again.

Pete,

I have a good start on the equipment, both from research and consultation with a couple of LFS. I will be creating a tank thread once I am a little further along in the process. We are currently purging the finished basement and storage rooms of all non essentials to create organized space for our new hobby. I am planning to have a 75g DT. The 40G sump will have three chambers: intake with filter socks and skimmer, refugium, and return sections. I plan to make the stand myself, and will have the sump and other support equipment in our utility room, which has plenty of room, along with floor drain, etc. There will be baffles as well. As for livestock we don't have our list all the way complete yet. We were thinking mostly softies and fish to start out with, moving into some LPS, and SPS as we feel comfortable long term. It does include the following so far:

2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Blue Stripe Neon Goby (Gobisoma oceanops)
1 Golden Midas Blenny (Ecsanius midas)
1 Red Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis)
1 Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)
1 Hammer Coral

Others we are considering:
Goby/Pistol Pair
Flame Hawkfish or Longnose Hawkfish (If we did one of these, probably wouldn't keep shrimp)
Coral Beauty Angel
Eibl's Angel
Assorted Zoas
Anemone at least 9 months after tank is running, and have been successful with consistent parameters
Would love to get into acros and montis at some point down the road.


Equipment on Hand:
BRS 5 Stage 75gpd RODI unit (Currently supplying us with clean drinking water without the DI canister hooked up. Planning to run line to the basement for the canister at point of use for Tank(s))
40G Breeder for a DIY sump
20G Long for eventual QT
Buckets

Planning to get (Feel free to supply suggestions)
48" Aquatic Life Marquis Dual-Lamp (Marine)
Supreme Mag Drive 7 Pump (Less than 1 foot pumping height)
Choralife Super Skimmer 125
300W Fluval submersible heater

Anyone please comment and critique

-E

 

[Shep]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Pete polyp]

You have a great start and seem to have a grasp on where you're going with this.

I would definitely suggest adding an auto topoff to your arsenal of equipment. They make life so much easier

 

[kireek]

*Welcome to Reef2Reef, French27 !* Keep in mind a melanarus wrasse may go after a pistol shrimp or snails.Also Angel fish may develop a taste for corals.Best of luck with your new system!