| I didn't put this page here to give you "the basics" on how
to set
up a reef tank (you can find that most anywhere), but to give you some
simple guidelines, and good links on certain things that WE believe are
the foundation of good reefkeeping. Remember, other opinions may
differ, and your mileage may vary! ;-)
This page is simply an offering of what has worked best for us - the nuts and bolts of our reefkeeping "philosophy", for whatever that is worth. Every reef tank, every setup, is different. No one "set" of tools or equipment will work for everyone. That said, here is what we feel is important...... (patience and research go without saying). |
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Buy the biggest & best you have room for and can
afford.
This is your #1 tool to remove "dissolved organic compounds"
(pollution)
from your syste. Do NOT skimp here.
Check out our DIY skimmer here |
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We've had several tanks over the years. Bare bottomed
tanks,
crushed corals substrates, shallow, dead sand beds. The 180g is
the
first tank in which we've had a DSB. I would never again choose
another
substrate. Never, in any of our tanks have our nitrates
consistently
remained absolutely undetectable. I strongly believe that a live,
functioning
DSB contributes greatly to the overall health of the system.
Your sandbed should be at least 4" in depth at an absolute minimum. Ours ranges from 5" - 8". Although many people use silica sand without any problems, we use Aragonite sand for our DSB. We're also lucky enough to have access to Southdown sand. A couple thoughts on DSB's..... Do NOT add sand sifting creatures such as sand-sifting starfish, horseshoe crabs, etc. These creatures survive by eating the sandbed fauna. What does this mean for you? They will deplete your DSB of the microfauna, meaning you will have a clean, but dead DSB. If your sandbed is dead, you will not realize any benefits - no denitrifiication will take place. You want copepods, amphipods, bristle worms, peanut worms, spaghetti worms etc. These are all good, necessary, & beneficial sandbed fauna. A few good links.... Deep Sand Beds - Dr. Ronald L. Shimek, Ph. D. The Why's and How's of Sand Beds - Dr. Ronald L. Shimek, Ph. D. Sandbed FAQ by Charles DeVito - Reefs.org Muddy Waters - Dr. Ronald L. Shimek, Ph. D. Particle
Size of Southdown Sand from Home Depot - Rob Toonen
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In essence, your live rock is your filtration (biological)
for your
tank. It also provides a natural enviroment, which is both
aesthetically
pleasing, and very important for the well being of the creatures you
will
keep. The type (Fiji, Marshall Island, Kaeolini, Tonga,
Aquacultured,
etc.) of live rock you use is personal preference only.
The amount of live rock usually suggested is 1.5 - 2lbs per gallon of water capacity. Less can be used if there a a functional DSB in place. More will not hurt, as long as their is ample swimming room for your fish. We’re Almost There — The “Ins and Outs” of Live Rock (Reefkeeping 101) Live Rock - from Reefkeeping 101 Cycling
Live Rock - Dallas Warren, Reefs.org
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The subject of reef lighting is very complicated, and very
controversial.
I'm not going to get into details - there is a LOT of great information
out there. Decide what you want to keep in your tank - that is
most
important, and will drive what type of lighting you will require.
The three most common types of reef lighting are PC, VHO, and MH.
I have no personal experience with PC lighting. I like VHO
lighting
a lot, we supplement our current tank with 4 x 160w URI VHO bulbs (this
is in addition to 3 x 250w Iwasaki MH's). VHO lighting alone is
perfect
for a softie/mushroom/LPS tank.
You can see our tank lighting here. If you are considering sps (stony) corals or clams, there is no choice but MH (Metal Halide). Again, this is my opinion and experience. Lighting FAQ - CoralReefEcosystems Saltwater Aquarium Lighting, Chapter 2 - About.com Lighting for the Reef Tank - Albert Thiel Photosynthesis and Photoadaptation - Sanjay Joshi Shedding Light on the Reef - Richard Harker Lighting
the Reef Aquarium - Spectrum or Intensity? - Dana Riddle and Miguel
Olaizola
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Chemistry is NOT my strong point. I won't pretend it
is, and
I won't lecture you on the relationship and balance between calcium,
alkalinity,
pH, temperature, salinity, etc. I couldn't tell you what an ion
is
if you paid me. What I can tell you, is that good, balanced, and
stable Calcium, Alkalinity, and pH levels are of utmost
importance.
I do know that they are very much related. I do know that you
should
find ONE good, simple, balanced method of dosing calcium and
alkalinity.
That said, here are a few excellent articles that can help you where I
can't...
Calcium and Alkalinity - TheReefweb.com What is Alkalinity? - by Randy Holmes-Farley More About Calcium and Alkalinity - Craig BingmanPh.D. How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme - by Randy Holmes-Farley Solving
Calcium and Alkalinity Problems - by Randy Holmes-Farley
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Use it. 99% of all tap water contains something you do not want in your tank. Whether it be nitrates, phosphates, silicates, heavy metals, or other contaminants - none of these are good for your tank, and many will contribute greatly to nuisance algae problems. A decent RO/DI filter is not very expensive (compared to the rest of your equipment), and well worth the investment. |
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Our salinity is consistently at 1.025. Our temperature
fluctuates
between 79f - 82f (winter), and 80f - 83f (summer). The salinity
of a reef tank should NOT be less than 1.024. Your temperature
should
NEVER be less than 76F - and even that is quite cool for a maintained
temp.
Salinity and Temperature - Craig Bingman and Rob Toonen What are Natural Reef Salinities and Temperatures…Really…and Does It Matter? The
Great Temperature Debate - Various Authors, Reefs.org
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My theory here is the fewer, the better. There are 2
things that
need to be added to a reef tank on a consistent basis:
(1) Some sort of balanced calcium/alkalinity
supplementation
Here is our Homemade Fish Food Recipe Follow these basic rules of thumb and you'll be fine... (1) Never add anything you do not test for.
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Improper acclimation is one of the deadliest mistakes a
reefer can
make. There are three tests that are vital for proper acclimation
- salinity (I strongly recommend a refractometer), pH, and
temperature.
Many reef creatures are extremely sensitive to rapid changes in
salinity/temp/pH.
If these factors change to quickly, they can easily perish.
Mobile
inverts (starfish, crabs, snails, shrimps, uchins, etc.) are some of
the
most sensitive.
On Acclimating Livestock - WetWebMedia |
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(under construction) |
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(under construction) |
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