First time going saltwater, need help/advice

[skud24]

This seems like it's going to be more pricey then I expected, haha.

So, reef sand and aragonite mix for substrate or 100% aragonite?

And have a few Live Rock instead of the fish for the cycle. Won't I need chemicals for the Live rock or are you saying buy it to let it die for the cycling?

 

[FLESHY]

Reef-grade is 100% aragonite if I am not mistaken.

When you buy LR...they ship it wrapped in wet newspaper. Needless to say, some of the critters living in it dont make the trip. This is more than enough dead crap to start your aquarium cycle.

I have had a reef tank for several years now and I made my own sump it is very easy to do, make my own MH lighting out of parking light fixtures easy to do. but the best thing I ever found out about was a DYI algee truff scrubber, keeps the ph at 8.2 nitrate at 0, no water changes needed grows tons of cocpads cost about $30.00 to make just google it you wont be sorry. oh yea keeps your sand clean and no algee in the tank so no clean up crew really needed.

If it sounds too good to be true, it is. You would need a HUGE scrubber (depending on stocking) to make this work.

That being said, scrubbers are a good idea...and do keep algae out of your system, and provide a home for copes.

They do NOT eliminate the need for h2o changes. Having live algaes in any system also usually results in pH swings (plants take in co2, release o2 [buffering] take in o2, release co2 [lowering]) If your water has low DKH...you might see swings. Best to keep the lights on 24/7 if you are going to do a scrubber, and thats why.