help with 30 gal reef tank. please

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
scalesandfins;4436730; said:
i have only seen sand in bags.... please explain what exactly i should get or need please.
i am still a noob on substrates for salt tanks
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Dry sand in bags is fine if you like the texture, and then you can seed it with refugium starter from ipsf.com, or from a buddys salt tank who you know very well and hasnt had any pest or viral issues in their tank.

Sand that is packed wet, in a light brown slury, is sold as live sand. Some people have suggested that it worked for them, I have never had any success with it, and it cost significantly more then dry sand.

Your sand should be aragonite/calium carbonite based, free of silicates and phosphates. Marco-rocks sells sugar grain size dry aragonite for cheap, I have used them with no issues. There are other grades like oolite which is slightly larger then sugar grain size and available dry or "live" through caribsea.

Or, you can do crushed coral. I dont much care for it though as crap gets stuck in it and is a pita to clean. If you are doing a coral only tank, then crushed coral is fine.

Fleshy is refering to live sand shipped direct from an ocean reserve to you, I know nothing about it, maybe he can help you out with a link.
 
That is the stuff that canuck is talking about being good. And I can see merits to it.

Crushed coral is okay for lots of apps as long as its not affecting your water quality or your livestock (exe: bottom dwellers). The only real advantage to it is that it is big enough to use a siphon without ever really sucking up substrate. It will compact though, and it has large holes that allow for crap to settle into it.

I use caribsea's reef-grade aragonite. Grain size is 1 I think.
 
wow this stuff gets complicated... i think i will just use the stuff in the bags that i have used and my fiend used on his tank. wish me luck :)
do all coral beauties nip softies? or can i get lucky?
 
scalesandfins;4437044; said:
wow this stuff gets complicated... i think i will just use the stuff in the bags that i have used and my fiend used on his tank. wish me luck :)
do all coral beauties nip softies? or can i get lucky?
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*Edit*- just realized that was a dwarf we are talking about. So the answer is no, you will not be that lucky
 
will they nip at pretty much any softy?
all i want are polyps and shrooms really.
 
update!
found the sand :) dry argonite. it comes in 50 lb bags for 50 bucks the guy said a 40 breeder would prob need 2 bags to get a decent sand bed.
also im goin with a 4 bulb 36 in t5 fixture and a rio 1400 for the pump.
and i can get 40 lbs of cured live rock for 150. its adding up quick.
also the lfs store i found yesterday can set up th ecomplete over flow for about 200 with box and bulk heads with a drain and return hole.
do you guys think i should just do a drain hole and have a hang on back return?
thats all i got so far.
am still adjusting my stock tho. i found a potters angel. i would love to have a potters and a coral beauty.
 
There is no WAY a 40g B is going to need 100# of sand...I would say 40#. The only reason you would want more is DSB and I wouldnt recommend you going that route.

Buy uncured rock, cure it in your tank, let it cycle your tank, save money.

A HOT return? Never seen that. Seen HOT overflows, but not returns. Guess I dont know why you would drill an overflow but not a return. Just my thoughts.

I would stay away from angels with corals. Some are reef safe, but it comes down to personality a lot with them. If they want to pick at your inverts they will. You can try it, but just remember that it might mean catching a small fish in a tank full of LR. :D
 
thats good to know :) so 50 lbs of sand on a 18x36 foot print would give me how much depth? anyone have a formula?
i made one for my 120 :) i guess not many people do it. its just that if i do a hole for a return thats another 30 for the hole and 20 for the bulkhead and then the kit is 80 bucks. do you think i can find any of that cheaper online?
 
I can buy bulkheads at a hardware store...probably the same with a hole drill, you just have to find one for glass. I bet you that would be WAY cheaper than $80.

Im guessing...$40 for a glass hole drill...$8-12 for a bulkhead.
 
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