Help me build a saltwater tank; shopping list

MidSSouth

MidSSouth

Large Fish
#1
Mar 18, 2005
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Memphis, TN
#1
I am thinking of putting together a saltwater tank and want to know if I have everyting I will need.

I plan on something around 115-120 gallons (48x18x31 or 48x24x25) with live rock and fish. I don't plan on inverts unless I just have a raging desire someday for some shrimp or starfish.

Here's what I have picked out so far:
Tank/Stand/Canopy
Light: How much wattage? I am looking at either a 2x65wt with 2 LED moonlights or a 4x65wt with 4 LED for night
Filter: Aquaclear 110 x 2. I'm running one of these on my freshwater and really like it
Skimmer: Aquarium Systems Seaclone 150. I'm still kinda confused on how this thing works. Does it hang on the back of the tank and has a collection jar for the funk? What powers the water/airflow?
Live rock: How much should I get and what should I pay
Dead rock / Texas Holey rock: Since I don't plan on adding fish for a while I have time for it to get infested by the live rock. How much should I get?
Heater: Aquarium Systems submergible 150wt x 2. I figure one on each side of the tank to heat it eavenly and protect in case one fails
What sort of substrate? Will sand work? What is dolemite and do I need it? I have very soft tap water that is around 7.5ph.

What else should I look into? Do I need a powerhead or will the two HOB filters make enough current? This is going into my bedroom so I want it as quiet as possible.
 

KahluaZzZ

KahluaZzZ

Superstar Fish
#2
Jun 12, 2004
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#2
If you have rock n fishies , you will be more than fine with the 130-140 w you projected. Filter : you don't really need one, unless you plan to put some carbon or filter media....but live rock is much better and all media will finally become a nitrate trap. Skimmer...damn you too bought a seaclone. The 150 gallons rating is false. I have the seaclone 100 and it cannot handle 55 gallons lightly stocked. It does hang on the back, like a power filter, and has a collection jar. The water is pumped into the skimmer by a powerhead ( like the maxi-jet 1200 ) but you can't adjust the power. The air is sucked in the powerhead, and you can ajust it with the twist cap.
I'll continue writing later, i have to work early tomorrow.
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

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#3
May 16, 2003
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I'm definitely not an expert by any means...still getting started in SW so I'll let everyone else answer your specifics. I just wanted to put in my two cents and let you know that I think you'll probably be better off with some crabs and snails added to the tank as a "cleanup crew". They'll help to mix up your sand and eat some algae and leftover food etc. Anyway you might want to look into that and not cross them out completely ;)
 

A

aresgod

Superstar Fish
#4
Jan 14, 2004
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Yea I would skip the aqua clear 110's and buy some powerheads and a more suitable skimmer for a Fish only tank, Something that can actually handle the waste produced by the large fish that always end up in FOWLR systems. You should buy as much LR as you can afford, your best bet is probably ordering online from somewhere for a tank that size, if you can afford it just use the the Texas Holey rock to build your structures on and use LR for everything else. Sand would work fine, your lighting choice should also be fine. You might want to get a water report for your area so that you know whether or not you need to use RO/DI water. hope this helps and welcome to a very enthralling hobby.
Brahm
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#6
Oct 22, 2002
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#6
You'll be too low on flow, so lose one of the aquaclears and either plumb a closed loop or get a couple of powerheads.

The seaclone will be a waste of time on that size tank, get a remora pro at least.
 

MidSSouth

MidSSouth

Large Fish
#8
Mar 18, 2005
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Memphis, TN
#8
aresgod said:
Yea I would skip the aqua clear 110's and buy some powerheads and a more suitable skimmer for a Fish only tank, Something that can actually handle the waste produced by the large fish that always end up in FOWLR systems. You should buy as much LR as you can afford, your best bet is probably ordering online from somewhere for a tank that size, if you can afford it just use the the Texas Holey rock to build your structures on and use LR for everything else. Sand would work fine, your lighting choice should also be fine. You might want to get a water report for your area so that you know whether or not you need to use RO/DI water. hope this helps and welcome to a very enthralling hobby.
Brahm
Click to expand...
What am I looking for to determine if I need a RO/DI setup? No power filter? I know that the live rock does the biological filtration, what does the mechanical filtration? The protein skimmer? What if I want to run some carbon to clean out meds?

If I get some live rock how long should I expect for it to start growing things on the dead rock?

Do I need massive amounts of light for invertibrates or just for coral?
 

A

aresgod

Superstar Fish
#9
Jan 14, 2004
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It takes a long time to seed dead rock months and even years before it will look like your LR, get your water tested for PO4 and nitrates ect... The power filters arent necessary, You usually can find somewhere to stick the carbon in a pre filter section of the skimmer. Most inverts should be fine with your normal lighting.
 

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