My wife and I have decided to jump into the saltwater side of the aquariums and we have been buying piece by piece. We have crushed coral but were told we needed sand...we bought two bags of this so I guess Im out money already lol. We want some coral and some fish the tank is 30 gal I plan on T5 lights and live rock if I can get it locally. Any suggestions on what I still need? the tank is in the living room and do not have the space for a sump and all that...feel like my heads gonna explode here to much conflicting info out there HHEELLLLPPP!!
Crushed coral and sand, hummm not my choice. Where are you at? We need to get you on the right path, ask anything on here then look for the consensus and that's a good start. Before you spend any more money go to some members tanks and look. I am in Bryant if your in this area.
Cool, members any if you live in this area? I know we have members in Conway and Ft. Smith... If so can we give smoke74 a hand. Most of us use arroganite reef grade sand, it's a large grade and does not scratch the glass. Our next meeting is in Cabot followed by Searcy, then Conway. If no one is close just ask what should you do....lots of times you will just get incorrect advice from a store. If your in LR go by The Tank across from Park Plaza.
In this hobby you have to get use to differing opinions. The one we could probably all agree on is be patient. 90% of the mistakes I've and others have made are from getting in a hurry. I agree with Greg on the substrate. A lot of people use aquaclear hang on the back filters. There very versatile. I've also had the fluval C series hang on which I thought did well. There's a garage sale at this months meeting. That would be a great place to find some cheap stuff. And welcome to Razorback Reef. Sent from uh......
A local fish store told me to use crushed coral as well which I did and now wish I didn't. My tank is thriving but I think I have to work a little harder to keep the substrate from becoming a nitrate factory. Don't hesitate to ask questions, we were all new at this at one point.
http://fishneedit.com/ is a good place to light shop if you want T5's. They having massive sale. So far ours has run like a champ. I will say if you do get one from them, make sure to open it up and get all Styrofoam out..lol..they pack it really good. See if you can exchange the crushed coral for something else's imo. No sump needed- I run a 12gal on an Aquaclear70. AC's have good flow, can be mod'ed into a fuge, and last forever if you keep them maintained. Pricey to start off with, but their versatility is worth it. Try to nab one on a sale. Fresh live rock is sooo much better. Already seeded, and full of cool critters. However, be prepared for unwanted critters too. Even with its downsides I will always go fresh (personal choice). We live by 3 rules here with all our tanks, 1- Take it steady 2- Research everything BEFORE I buy it. (corals/fish/gear..everything) 3- Keep to maintenance schedule.
I have a bunch of stuff to do a t5 retro fit if u want to come get it i will give it to u and will show u how to install. I live in Austin north of cabot. Give me a call 501-416-1312
Welcome to Razorback Reef. I live in Conway and would be glad to talk to you and show you what I have and how to set it up. I would make the trip to Austin and take Kevin up on his great offer. Free lights is always a good choice!!! You could stop by on your way and we can talk. Like everyone says you will get a different opinion from each person you talk to, but you can pick the consistent parts out and decide on your own plan. This is a great hobby, just remember to take everything slow. Nothing good happens in a hurry. Norman 501-329-6964
Welcome to Razorback Reef Marine Aquarium Society. Many people have there in preference. On substrate I have a mixture of crushed coral, special grade arragonite, and oolite. It gives a more natural look in my opinion. Definatley go to other members houses and take a look at tanks. With our new photo contest starting you have a chance to see true jems of RRMAS. We have 3 local sponsors The Fish Tank in Little Rock, The Fishbowl in Searcy, and Paradise Pets in Benton. Also take your time, no need to rush things take it slow. Do your research I can't stress it enough. I have always believed in dry rock then seeding with nice live rock. If you buy all that pretty live rock and stack it on top of each other that pretty live rock will bleach out and be wasted. Norman(fisher12) has an awesome tank set up with a canister filter. Take every opinion with a grain of salt. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
As a fellow newbie (tank has been set up about 6 months) I can tell you that you came to the right place. Lots of experienced people here who are eager to help rookies like us. They've helped me with every thing from ID of hitch hikers to choosing equipment to actually stocking my tank. Come to think of it the large majority of the corals in my tank came either from club functions (meetings, Reef Splash) or from fellow members. In the few meetings I've been able to make I've received coral frags worth several times what my two year membership cost. As a newb I'd echo the patience part. It's very hard to put in practice but it' s essential. My other suggestions include 1) don't over react when something goes wrong. Sometimes your efforts at 'fixing' things only make it worse. 2) Research, research and then research some more. Never, ever impulse buy fish OR corals. 3) Leave the Nano tanks to the more experienced, start with the largest tank you can afford/have room for. Larger bodies of water are more stable/forgiving to our inevitable rookie mistakes. And finally never fail to ask a question because you're afraid it's a dumb question....chances are several other people are wondering the same thing as you. You will never be made to feel like a newb by the guys/gals here.
Thank you David. I think you have summed up in one post the goals of any good club. Many of the older members (not necessarily age) of the club have worked very hard to make this club and forums a place where you can go to get information and help no matter what your experience level. From dealing with other clubs around the country I always say we don't know how lucky we are to have such an outstanding club. Keep the posts and photos coming and enjoy this great hobby.
I have to work so no i will not make it. I am off on Wed. and Thurs. would it be possible to make arrangements on one of those days?
Welcome to the hobby! If you are looking for lighting options for your tank, I'd research LED's. I run them on my tank. They are a little more expensive, but by the time you add up the cost of replacing the bulbs in other fixtures, they really are more economical. They also help with keeping the cost of the electric bill down. Just something to consider. The best advice I ever got was to take things slow in this hobby. If it means waiting a couple of months so you can get the right piece of equipment, then do it. A lot of times people get in a rush, and it ends up costing them more money in the long run.
Kevin Sorry been a long week at work for me I did not have a chance to get up to see you I will give you a call and see if we can set something up. Mr. Lyon I appreciate that offer and may take you up on it soon.
