Have everything; need help setting up

[BlueWorldAquatic]

Most important, check the tank for leaks.

3 Key steps setting up a new tank:

1 - Patience
2 - Patience
3 - Patience

For the beginning, try to get some used salt water, and a cup or 2 of sand to start "seeding" the tank with bacteria.

You can also use products like Prodibio's Start Up, or Seachems Stability.

To keep the costs down, don't go overboard with the salt, you can use basice IO salt, then upgrade to reef crystals. Keep your salinity lower, you don't need to have 1.025, you can get away with 1.020 (use less salt during the setup time).

Make sure your refactometer is calibrated.
Ditch the stick on thermometer
Timers for your lights
I would recommend a second heater, so if one fails there is a backup. Also less work on just 1 heater.

Next step is preparing your live rock, we warned, buying used live rock is great, but be prepared for organisms that may be already growing on the rock that you may not want in your tank. In all our new setups, unless the customer has his own rock, we will supply new semi-cured live rock that have been sitting in our holding tanks for a few weeks.

you should be able to get any help on these forums or your LFS, but if you need, don't hesitate to contact me here.

Ken - BWA

[Triggz]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I guess I should have mentioned that mine was the 32HF. It's been a while since I checked into this and it looks like prices have come down somewhat. Now the listed price online for the pump is now $155 and the impeller $99 for the 32. They only list replacement impellers for the 20 ($89), 26, and 32 (both $99). Maybe they don't bother selling for the smaller versions since it looks like it would be equivalent to a whole new pump.

As to what pump I recommend "per se" is a difficult question to answer, each pump will have pros/cons and some will better suit someone to a task over others - it's a little like Ford vs Chevy or something.

In general Mag drives have been dependable workhorses for me, but they are not the quietest nor the least-power draw for the amount of flow. But dependable, and easy to service (ie., can replace the impeller housing if need be, or the impeller itself, for reasonable cost).

Eheims tend to be the best blend of quiet, efficiency at power draw and volume output. But also tend to be the most expensive to buy, so they get you one way or the other.

I'm running a Hydor Seltz as a sump return on one tank and I like the pump. Smaller than the equivalent Mag drive, quieter, and less energy used. For a while there they were really popular and easy to find but nowadays they seem harder to find someone who sells them.

It's not like you should regret the purchase of the Rio Hyperflow. It is a good pump. I just found the longevity factor with it wasn't there though compared to others. If, a year or two from now you find that it's not starting for you, take it apart and check the magnet. If it's a perfect cylinder then it's still fine but if it has started to swell and is more egg shaped then you know that it's done at that point.

+1
I would agree with Tony

The Rio isn't necessarily a "bad" pump. Are there some better quality units out there? Yes. I am a huge Eheim fan... but as Tony said, you are going to pay for it. It's the same for almost all of the equipment out there. Koralia's work great for powerheads but then you get into a whole new league with powerheads like Vortechs ($300-$500 for a single unit). Same with skimmers.. Does everyone NEED a bubble king? ($1000+) No. There are lots of good skimmers out there to fit the consumers needs and budget.

Do your research, ask tons of questions, and take your time... you will be happy you did.

HTH

Ryan

[DisneyCoralReef]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Also you may want to consider an electronic thermometer, usually for around $20 or so, or you can just use a glass one floating in your sump, you'll get a more consistent reading. The stick-on-the-glass kind are a neat novelty but not really the best for a solid reading since they are on the outside of the glass so the tank temperature has to travel through the glass and also fight with the room air temperature and so on.

Done deal, I'll head out on tuesday after work to see if I can get one then.

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

What do you have for a skimmer?

What are your plans for the sump area? things like reactors, cheato, etc?

as for reactors and cheato? I dont know what that means

Originally Posted by Delphinus

As to what pump I recommend "per se" is a difficult question to answer, each pump will have pros/cons and some will better suit someone to a task over others - it's a little like Ford vs Chevy or something.

It's not like you should regret the purchase of the Rio Hyperflow. It is a good pump. I just found the longevity factor with it wasn't there though compared to others

Appreciate your honesty and info. I'm glad to know about it now and learn this from your experience because it's not something I would have known. Going to try to see if I can return the Rio and get something better on tuesday. I accidently thru out the receipt last week for it so Im going to see if they will still take it back in exchange of a better pump. Will keep you all posted. Thanks again for all the info-MUCHLY appreciated. Every single piece of equipment I got, I got because of the advice someone gave me, so hopefully we'll keep making some good decisions!

[Bloodasp]

Cheato is a type of algae you put in your sump which you grow to help in nutrient export and food for your fish.
Reactors are mainly used to hold activated carbon, gfo, phosban etc. to keep them in one place and makes them more efficient in doing what they were meant to do.

[newreefer_59]

You will have tons questions as you already have found out, but I am learning something new everyday.

Welcome to reefing!!

[DisneyCoralReef]

Originally Posted by newreefer_59

You will have tons questions as you already have found out, but I am learning something new everyday.

Welcome to reefing!!

You are kidding either! I'm learning more and more as I go along. Some things I didnt even know I was missing or needed to know about

[DisneyCoralReef]

I had a little trip from Santa this afternoon. An expensive trip but a good one. The powerheads and skimmer arrived in the mail. The guys at Aquacave are absolutely phenomenal. Never had such great customer care from anyone.

Never realized how freaking huge those skimmers were!

[Delphinus]

In case you haven't figured out already, red acrylic is a total reef geek magnet. It's like turning on a "sexy" switch.

Oh ya, BTW, sexy skimmer!!!! BOO YAH!!!!!!



(I wish I was kidding.)

[DisneyCoralReef]

[Bloodasp]

Nice skimmer. Yeah surprised me too how big those ones are when i started. My vertex has about the same capacity as that one but the footprint is slightly larger.