I Have a 29G tall with 16lb of Fuji nano live rock, with Florida crushed coral. I was thinking on doing a reef tank and adding on 10G, 5G refugium. The way I’m going to make the refugium is out of my old tanks. I have protein skimmer and a light (Satellite 30” Single Compact Fluorescent 10000K/460 Nanometer Actinic).
I was wondering if I should get more live rock and if so how much I should add to it? If I could use the crush coral or if I should go with sand? I don't have any fish or coral yet.
I have a canister filter rate now but I’m going to put that on the 55G freshwater tank I’m going to set up in the summer. I know every one out there say use the 55G as your reef tank, but the tank is my dad’s and he wants it to be fresh water and my younger bother wants keep Tetras so I told them I would set it up for them. So that is where my canister is going to go.
I look the TR podcast, and forums. I all most gave up on doing a saltwater tank but after find the podcast, I then realized what I did all wrong and figured that I would give it another try.
I think that your 29 with a 10-15 gallon sump/fuge will be a fine setup. I would increase your rock to 30-40 lbs total. You could use base rock like that from Marco Rocks, a TR sponsor and the LR you have now will seed it. I really recommend using aragonite sand instead of crushed coral. The coral tends to collect detritus and that can create problems. I am a fan of a DSB and a 29 is tall enough to accommodate one.
I think it is a good idea to save the cannister for the FW tank. I have one that I use occasionally for water polishing but they are not a good choice for an all the time filter on a SW tank.
In addition to your return pump you will probably want a couple of powerheads inside the tank. I am very happy with my Koralia pumps from The Cultured Reef, another TR sponsor. For a 29 I'd go with a K1.
welcome to the club dood.
just out of curosity, what was your number 1 mistake of late with SW?
I had a undergravel filter in it not working in reverse flow. Because the book I have said undergravel would be good for a reef tank and did recommend using it in reverse flow but wasn’t needed. That the crushed coral would be better to use than sand. But after doing some searching and finding Talking Reef that I should have done my homework better.
Well I just to and ordered 40lb bag of (CaribSea Aragonite Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand
) and (Pentair Aquatics Lifegard Quiet One 12000) all from petsmart. When I finish figuring out how I’m going to set every thing up and finish getting every thing I’ll have to send some picks in. But first I got to get most of the stuff first. I’ll put the sand in rate away to get the tank cycling. When I get some money to buy more stuff for it I’ll keep you all posted.
Well I just go the overflow box and it will flow up to 300Gph and the pump I have coming is 296Gph. Pulse I to and got the Koralia 1. Sow I should be getting most of it together soon.
Olah Kan! Sounds like you are moving right along. If money is tight, you might just want to get one of the Koralias and see how that will work. I have two #3s and my Lion isn't wild about all the new water movement. I am thinking about maybe getting a #1 for flow in his favorite hang out and then maybe with time slowly add the #3 back. And like CJo was saying, you can cut cost by buying dry base rock and always later down the road, get some cured LR to seed it. And of course, you're always going to get rocks when you buy coral, that is if it's not frags. And your wish list gets longer while your pockets get shorter. Hang in there, you're on your way!
just to put a weird spin on it, i use crushed coral for my bed on the nano @ work because i have tons of it & not much else to use it on, id still be one of those people that recommend a fine bed if your deciding on it though. & get this, to compound it even more, ive made my own gravel washer & bi-weekly i clean the bed of all the crap. Doesn't take a genius to realize larger particles, larger detritus trapping abilities. key difference is this isnt my first BBQ if you know what i mean, so i compensate in other ways.
Well I should be getting most of the stuff today and tomorrow. Then next week after I get my check and pay my bills first I’m going to take what’s left over and go to Lowes and get what I need to get my pluming going for now.
O if I hadn’t posted it yet that I have been working on fixing up my room but done for now. But this summer adding on 20ft to my room. So mostly what I do now is just to get the tank cycling. So then I’ll have some inspiration to get the room done plus to plane out were I’m going to put the tank. Plus the big thing what I’m going to put in it. So that I’m going to do my homework this time instead of throwing money down the drain.
So I can’t wait until I go back to work in the spring and bring in some big bucks to get everything started.
Sounds excellent Kan, I look forwards of seeing some pics of your tank project as it develops. The first few months, or year, in this hobby can be some of the most exciting and (frustrating!).
You're doing good Kan! Funny how everything is expensive to get started, and we find ourselves not moving at the pace we wanted. But all things worth having takes time and I personally feel that I appreciate what I have so far and the progress that I have made even more so, because of it. But, that's what hobbies are. They are an extension of whom we are and I can't wait to see the real you that's lurking inside, just waiting to come out!
to TR! I'm glad you found us. 
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If money is tight, you might just want to get one of the Koralias and see how that will work. I have two #3s and my Lion isn't wild about all the new water movement. I am thinking about maybe getting a #1 for flow in his favorite hang out and then maybe with time slowly add the #3 back. 
And like CJo was saying, you can cut cost by buying dry base rock and always later down the road, get some cured 
Then next week after I get my check and pay my bills first I’m going to take what’s left over and go to Lowes and get what I need to get my pluming going for now. 
