My First Marine: AquaReef 400

[kirkf]

Hi there, I recently bought my first marine setup and it should be arriving in the next couple of weeks. Ive done lots of research into everything marine but it seems im learning new things with every post I open! I have a tropical tank, a self built pond and a chameleon, so im not a completely new to the game, but just looking for advice.

I feel that the most important thing that I need feedback on is my initial setup. Seems to be a fairly nationwide deal that AquaOne are rolling out across Maidenhead stores so im sure people have come across the deal on their travels.

Im going for a FOWLR setup initially but will move onto reef when I feel the tank has matured enough.

Setup:

AquaReef 400 tank inc sump 132 x 52 x 73cm
AquaOne Heater 300W X 2
AquaOne ProSkim G220
AquaOne Moray 3600 Pump
4 X T5 Lighting (2 daylight + 2 Blue)
Hydor Koralia 5200 X 2 + Smartwave Kit
TMC V2 Vecton 400 UV Steriliser
Kent Reef Salt Mix
API Saltwater Master Test Kit
Live Rock: 40KG Fiji + 5KG Branched (Not ordered yet)

Ive heard that one of the pipes needs to be cut by around 15mm from tank to sump, but other than that the only tweeks im thinking of making are in noise reduction around the skimmer inlet and outlets etc.

Main things I was wondering was:

1. Do I need the UV?
2. Would you advise buying live rock online, and if so have you had any good experiences with certain sites?
3. Should I stick with the BioBalls in the sump?
4. Should I put my skimmer in the 1st or 3rd chamber of my sump?
5. Whether I have missed anything!!

Looking forward to the feedback! Cheers.

 

[Wiggles92]

1. You don't need the UV sterilizer, but it will certainly help to keep nuisance algae to a minimum.
2. I recommend purchasing mostly dry rock and a tiny bit of live rock (for seeding purposes) in order to keep the cost down while avoiding parasites & other nuisances that live rock can introduce.
3. You'll want to have more rock in the sump rather than bio-balls. Cheato algae is also pretty useful as it consumes the nitrates & phosphates, but you'll need to have a half-decent light on the sump (but nothing terribly expensive).
4. Place the protein skimmer in the first chamber.
5. What do you plan on using for substrate?

 

[kirkf]

1. Cheers, I bought one anyway but thought it might have been bought for little reason
2. Yeah ive come across this idea before but wondered how long this would extend my first cycle before i can pop fish in. Also how long does it takes to seed dry rock?
3. Would i get away with sorting this aspect out a couple months down the line, as the current setup has already put me back a little?
4. Cheers
5. Got 4 bags of live sand thrown in, i know i may aswell have gotten aragonite but heck, it was free!

Cheers!

 

[mqktandy]

It takes several months min to seed live rock. I suggest Real Reef aquacultured rock if they have that in the UK. Its live rock that was artificially made and then cured for months in a indoor closed system which means no pests. Def the best rock out there IMO my company uses it in nearly every tank we do. If you have 1.5lbs per gal u can start adding fish within a week generally and CUC the next day if you wanted as your cycle while be extremely short.

 

[kirkf]

It takes several months min to seed live rock. I suggest Real Reef aquacultured rock if they have that in the UK. Its live rock that was artificially made and then cured for months in a indoor closed system which means no pests. Def the best rock out there IMO my company uses it in nearly every tank we do. If you have 1.5lbs per gal u can start adding fish within a week generally and CUC the next day if you wanted as your cycle while be extremely short.

Ive looked up Real Reef rock but there is none available in the UK! Shame, can anyone recommend a nice dry rock supplier, as my local LFS' seem to have a pretty shoddy supply? Ill get about 4-5 select live pieces and the rest dry. Is there anything i can do or buy to speed up the seeding process?

Also, CUC? Sorry for being a noob ha.

 

[Otherone]

CUC - "clean up crew" - dwarf Hermits and snails that eat diatoms, algae, and detritus.

As for the sump/skimmer - mines located in the 2nd stage but the pump for it is in the third, also my second stage has a carbon reactor, gfo reactor, and 4 units of chem-pure elite. 1st stage is a tower filled with LR, the top of the tower is a detritus trap.

 

[mqktandy]

the only real way to speed up the process is to increase the temperature and use an artificial source for ammonia to get the bacteria going. The problem with that is no fish or anything during that process.

 

[kirkf]

Well ill get some of that chem-pure elite. But how vital is it to have a carbon and gfo reactor upon setup? Is it something I could get a couple of months down the line?

 

[kirkf]

What kind of artificial source would i be looking at? Just popping some food in there and leaving it to dissolve?
Taking it slowly and introducing a CUC before fish sounds like a better idea. Start small etc. Cheers though!

 

[mqktandy]

If you want to do a reef tank I highly suggest a GFO reactor. Carbon is not as important and studies suggest carbon causes lateral line erosion in fish. The GFO will really cut down on your algae blooms. And as for the artificial source. My company uses krill or shrimp in a filter sock in the sump. Wait for it to decompose and just keep testing ammonia. Makes it cycle really quick