Equpiment Needed 4 Reef Tank

[Guido]

OK, it seems like every time i figure something out and think I've got a list of everything I need, there's always something else lol. So I'm here to ask a few questions on the success of keeping coral, anemones, etc. Now I know that I'm going to use a 175w mh lighting, an aqua c skimmer with sump/refug setup (going to need to buy an overflow box as well), but now I'm thinking I might need a calc reactor to keep the coral alive. Is this true? Also, I would like your total opinion on the full set of equipment needed to fully maintain and run a sufficient and happy reef aquarium environment. I mean every piece of equipment I would need to keep a reef aquarium. I'm in not hurry for the answers to these questions, but, the sooner i figure them out, the sooner I will know what to order and buy for my tank. Thanks!!


The further i progress in knowledge, the more there seems to be than before

[jerryc]

NO you do not have to have one i have never had one and keep my calcium at 420

But Thea can make life easer

[Guido]

What do you use to keep it at 420ppm then? Because I'm looking at kalkreaktors right now and I could probably afford one, and seeing as how I would only need to refill the tank once a year and the media maybe twice it doesn't seem like it would be a bad investment. (especially not for around 300-500 to keep everything alive and happy)

[graphixx]

a lot of people will tell you that you need a calcium reactor that is not true. I keep corals and have never used one. but I do use a drip method that very much works the same way as an IV. I mix kalkawasser and it just steadily drips into my sump I have it gauged at about one drip every 25 seconds. this slowly released calcium into your tank. but you can keep your calcium level up by regular water changes. You can also use reef buffer.

now it sounds like you have the lighting and the sump down a couple other things I would recommend would be a RO/DI unit. This is just me talking but this will greatly improve the water going into your tank. water out of the tap contains some bad stuff a lot of minerals and chlorine or chloramine. by using a rodi unit this will get your TDS down to or at near zero TDS (total dissolved solids) this will make the nutrients in the tank easier to get at by your corals some of the nutrients are bound by some of the minerals in your tap.

but other than that I think you pretty much have it down. you want good lighting, good filtration, good water going in and other than that just keep up on the daily maintenance and monitoring and you should be well on your way to a healthy and happy tank. I am sure I missed somehting but someone else will surely chime in and add even more help and insight.

[jerryc]

If you have the money go for it Thea can save you a lot of time if i had room under
the tank id have one

I use a pickling lime drip along with a 10% water change ever 2 weeks
I'm also playing around with a home made 2 part additive

[Guido]

Well, I could afford a reactor (just gonna take me longer to get everything setup) but I would prefer to go the less expensive way (500+ is a whooping to my wallet size). If I were to use an IV drip method, how often to you have to refill it, are the kits expensive, and what do you use to supply the drip (what do you put in it to drip into the water (whats the product, and I'm assuming its liquid))?

[Guido]

I'd also like to give you a list of my equipment selection. I pretty much know what I'm going to get except for the lights, I'm undecided on that and would like your opinion.

Lighting:
Aqua Medic Ocean Light T5/MH combo series; 48" 2x250w + 2x54w

48" Current USA Outer Orbit 10k HGI MH 2x150 Dual Daylight +2x130 Dual Actinic & 6 lunar lights

Both prices are affordable and within the same range.

Skimmer:
AquaC EV 120 w/JG fitting & Mag Drive 5 Pump

Overflow Box:
CPR cs90 overflow box (is there anything else I need with this, or do I just hook a piece of piping or flexible hose up to this and it flows right into the sump/refug?)

Pump:
Eheim Universal Hobby pump 1260: 635 GPH with a delivery head of 12' 1" (what exactly is the delivery head? the distance of piping it can push the water through?)

[graphixx]

you can get diff size of drip dosers anywhere from a half gallon to five gallon. the one that I have is a gallon. what I put in it is called kalkawasser. It is a powder that you mix one gallon at a time. I use one and a half teaspoons of kalk to a gallon. after you mix it you have to let it settle and pour only the clear water and try not to let the stuff that settled on the bottom into the drip. and then it has a tube that you put in your sump and it has an adjustment to regulate the drip. it is pretty inexpensive. Kalk is like 8 dollars for about 4 months worth. and the doser cannot be more thatn fity bucks. the one that I have is made by Kent

[Guido]

Awesome, definitely beats a 500 reactor. If you get a chance, I would like your opinion on my choices of lighting. (If you think I should go with something else, let me know exactly what it is and I'll check it out)

[graphixx]

well you got to tell me what you have chose silly!!!!!!!