equipment check list

buddy08

buddy08

SPS Addict
What i have:

2x 48" 54w 454 bulb and 2x 48" 54w aquasun bulbs powered by vho ballast.
1x 125g in sump protein skimmer.
1x mag 7 for 1" return from sump
2x maxi jets with sure flow mods 1x 2100gph and 1x 1600gph
1x 250watt heater
1x 20g long sump with 2x 1" bulkheads from DT
will be purchasing 150lbs of live rock from a guy monday
and also getting 100lbs of aragonite sand (unless you recommend something better)
1x old hydrometer that i need to replace
1x high range ph test kit for: high range ph, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and low range ph w/ 4 test vials

what else do i need or would you recommend me investing/ looking into?
I know i need salts. will my ph test kit work? should i replace hydrometer with a refractometer? What chemicals should i purchase? I know i may also want to invest in an ro unit for water changes as well. Im trying to get my ducks in a row and eggs in a basket as i am in the final stages of getting this project set up. Any advice is always helpful!
 
I would get a second heater, and refractometer for sure. They are so much better than the hydrometer is crazy.

Also, it kinda sounds like those are dip tests. Dip tests are notoriously unrelable and you should invest in the liquid tests. I would get tests for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, and alk for a basic fish set up. If you want to do corals i would think about adding a calcium test.
 
no, its a liquid test with 4 glass vials. add drops to certain levels of water, shake, let stand for 5 mins kind of deal :) I bred cichlids before deciding to convert to a reef tank so accurate water parameters were important then due to malawi bloat and high ph conditions (8.0 - 8.2). I do want corals, whats a calcium test?
 
Last edited:
Definately add the refractometer. I'd only run the one heater, but depending on the age of it, you may want to replace it. The calcium test you will need along with a magnesium test, and an alkalinity test when you start adding coral. It sounds like you have everything needed and are ready to start cycling the tank once you get the live rock in.
 
the high range pH test should be fine to test the pH, but i think all of those other test you have to buy saltwater specific tests.

Also a calcium test tests the amount of calcium dissolved in the water which is needed for corals. Especially the stony corals that make their skeleton from that and the carbonic acid in the water - which is also why you need a alkalinity test.
 
You should buy your salt according to the trace elements in it. You will want to keep your Calcium, and Magnesium at certain levels, and the content in the salt mix helps this greatly. Lower content means dosing these supplements more heavily when needed. I am not familiar with that particular brand however so I can't say either way.
 
Also be sure you order the calibration fluid for your refractometer, you can get it really cheap off of ebay. Just be sure it calibrated to 35 ppm which is the salinity of saltwater.
 
Instant Ocean salt is fine -- as you keep more advanced animals, you may want to consider switching over to a salt that has a better balance of essential elements, but there's nothing wrong with IO salt.

As for test kits, I like the API kits. They are cheap and relatively accurate. Not as good as Salifert, but there's a big price difference between the two brands.
 
yeah my test kit is api and it does test ammonia, ph, nitrates, nitrites. are their anymore parameters i need to test? and, do i need a calcium reactor for corals?
 

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