Hello from Calgary

[mrhasan]

Welcome to Canreef

1. RO is not a MUST but its HIGHLY recommended. I have had used tap water for about a year. During the summer, tap water "seems" fine (didn't have algae issue) but winter is worse (diatom bloom is a must with tap water). Its always better to used RODI or atleast RO (I use RO and comes out at 4ppm; many will freak out with that number but I am using it with no issue. But ofcourse, 0ppm is ideal but you will need the DI unit for calgary water).

2. For skimmer, there are many different sides. Some don't like skimmer while other do. Among them, there's the overskimming group and the skimming group. There's success among all three groups as well as failure. Skimmers are recommended, especially if you want bigger bioload in the tank since it helps with he nutrient issue. Some argue that skimmer take away good stuffs along with bad stuffs and not worth it while others don't agree to such extend that they would quit skimming. Skimmers are great filters for saltwater. So do I recommend a skimmer? yes. Will I agree that you "absolutely" need one? No. And this is one piece of equipment I wouldn't "cheap" out. You don't need to invest a lot to get a skimmer that works great (bubble magus, reef octopus, vertex, etc. works great) but I wouldn't settle for something from companies that are not specialized in skimmers.

3. Basic rule of thumb is about a pound to two per gallon depending upon what kind of aquascape you want to pull. Some people go for less rock in display and more in sump while others go all in for their display. Personal choice. And the more the porous/matured the rock is, the better it is. I personally use around 50lb in my 70 gallon tank.

4. I personally don't trust any store with LR. They are, most of time, pest harvester and you will end up paying crazy amount (anywhere between $8 to $10/lb). I prefer LR from hobbyists since they can atleast give me some hint what to expect and what not to expect. I highly recommend to buy LR from hobbyist. And if you can't find any, you can always go for dry rocks (the new craze since it doesn't have the water weight and no chance of having any pest) but they always need some work. Both type has their advantages and disadvantages.

Originally Posted by jeditait

Hi I am new to the site and have some questions about starting up a reef tank and have been told this is the best site to get some answers .

I have been in the hobby for a year and a half now and have a 230 gallon freshwater african cichlid tank. I want to get into marine because i want to try something new.

Currently I plan on setting up the tank using a Cascade 1500 canister filter to do chemical and mechanical filtration. I will also add a sump, 30-40 gallons; with live rock, refugium and Seachem Matrix (see question 2 below regarding skimmer).

So to my set of questions:

1. Do you need to use RO water in Calgary or can you use tap water add water conditioner and filter heavy metals out of the water by using seachem carbon and cuprisorb??

2. Do I need a protein skimmer??

3. How much live rock do you need??
I have read a lot and see anywhere from .5 lbs per gallon to 2 lbs per gallon. I understand this probably depends alot on your filter setup and what type of look you are going for, but I would love to hear how others are doing it.

4. Last but not least, where's the best place in Calgary to get Live Rock?
Im not talking cheap live rock, i mean to say where is the most reliable source for healthy live rock that comes at a good price!

Thanks!