This guide is great but i think a welcome addition to a total newbie would be to explain what each and every part of the system does so we can understand the system as a whole too and what parts of the equipment do. I'm assuming this guide is for those progressing from having more basic systems.
@@kadenstimpson3167 I think that's a good trait to have, even if it can be frustrating at times. All manners of curiosity are a good thing in my opinion.
Best one-stop saltwater set up video on RUclips! Years of experience and research condensed in to 18mins. Follow this and you won't go wrong. We'll done @Reefdork, what a guy.
You just inspired me to try saltwater again. I see where I failed the first time. I thank you very much for all the information in this video. I love that you indexed the video. The extra effort shows, not just yanking your chain here.
Have freshwater tanks over a decade, and just before New Year somehow reef tanks appeared in my feed and i always knew one day i will go there :) I think time has come :D Such videos is especially helpful! Thanks, subscribed and going through your content :)
Back in the 80s when I had a saltwater aquarium, my first two fish were damselfishes. One looked very similar to the blue one at 16:08 the other one was a striped damselfish about the same size but a different shape. From what I remember the striped one was pretty aggressive after I added other fish but I don't think the blue one was. I remember a few years later the blue one disappeared. I eventually found his decomposing remains in one of the coral hiding spots. Oh well, he lived a pretty long life for a fish in captivity (a few years)
@@banshee_studios_uk I just looked it up and I think you're right. Looks like the fish I had. Even though small, he used to chase the other fish and he lived pretty long too.
Just a quick note, its actually not important the tank is level stress wise. Obviously appearance wise you want it to be level, but you should never worry about your tank busting apart or leaking from being unlevel. You just want to make sure the bottom of the tank is evenly supported. Thanks to static fluid pressure, the forces on the tank only depend on head height, and apply evenly in every direction. You could have a tank be 45 degrees off and the tank will still be totally safe.
Recently started my first 20 gallon saltwater tank. I already have everything that I needed such as filter, light, and a power head. I spent $58 for live rock that weighed 10 pounds and I got a 50 pound salt bucket for $40 of chewy, plus hydrometer to test salinity for $8 also off chewy. Currently cycling the tank to speed up the process I used a fluval bacteria starter , however I still lost my pair of clownfish. I should’ve waited for the 3 week mark to test for nitrite then add the clownfish along with bacteria starter. Lesson learned glad I only lost $20 worth of fish. One thing that I found helpful in my old freshwater setup was taking media filter from an old tank and placing it in a new setup to speed the process in half, so I’m going to do that with my saltwater tank and hope for the best. Going bigger is better in saltwater hobby, but those just starting out go with a 20 gallon or even a 40 gallon for better results and fewer fluctuations in water parameters it’ll just cost you a bit more.
Thanks so much for making this video. Now I understand how to setup a sump. Still not sure I trust my self to fit the pipe work though. So after using juwel tanks for the past 10 years maybe this is the year i finally get a sumped system. Only issue I have is my clown fish are in an 80cm long juwel tank which is 125 litres. To change to a sump system I would have to buy something like a red sea reefer 170 or aquaone reefsys 180 which are 2ft cubes, so my fish would be going from a narrow rectangle tank to a 2ft square sumped tank so they wouldn’t have as much swimming space.
Another great video from Reef Dork! I've been following your channel for a very long time now, Reef aquariums are my "passive youtube hobby" - and one day I might gonna buy me one. This video is definitely on top of my lists as a tutorials on how to do it correctly!
As usual, great video. Officially starting my cycle on Sunday but some not so lively hitchhikers on my rock seem to have decided to get it going before then! 😂
i bought the same tank second hand 2 days ago lol great timing on the serious. would love to see how you would integrate a filter sock or cup onto this system
im really surprised that this video is so helpful in every way. it was really hard for me to understand how reef tank works from other youtubers but this video really explained everything that i need to know to have a reef tank. I just subscribed to your channel!
Absolutely cracking video… I’m looking to purchase my first take very soon. Either a Red Sea Reefer 250xl or a 350…. This video was by far the best breakdown for what I need and why… thank you.. really appreciate #nervous #excited #nocluewhatimdoing
I've just bought myself a waterbox aquarium Marine X 110.4. it's my first ever marine tank. I plan on going real slow with everything. Any tips you can share? I've watched a tonne of your videos. I'm not sure if I should have went smaller for my first tank or not 🤣 One thing that was concerning me was the filter socks. I don't know if I can swap these out for the roller.
@@ReefDork I've been recommended to add in some already brown live media. And use some filter floss inside the filter sock area. What do you think? I also have a question about the sand. I REALLY like the look of the fine sand. I don't like the look of the coarse as much. But I'm being told the fine sand is a nightmare to work with. It will get blown all over and I'll have gaps in corners etc.
That's the plan, I'm not going to add a skimmer at first too. I just need to pick some equipment and get it bought now. It's hard to see which is good. My whole house is set up using smart tech, I'm tempted to look at things I can use my phone with too. But I'm guessing those are just crazy prices. My partner doesn't like the usual LED lights. She wanted me to get a tank with a lid and concealed light. Do you have any recommendations on more subtle lighting please? I intend to have corals at some point.
Hi Alex. Hoping you can help!! I have a tank set up following your methods - (used atm colony a couple of months ago). All running great and stable so far (touch wood). I have a red sea reefer 350 - I've had 6 fish in the tank for a few weeks. I don't have a very good LFS so I tend to order online, but to keep costs down on delivery I ordered 3 fish, 4 cuc and a couple of corals. - Now I'm thinking it's a lot to add at once.. so should I add another bottle of ATM colony to help the tank out before adding them?
Hey, I was wondering, if you add live rock to the sump, won’t that add pests to the tank? Like if there are any pests, won’t that get into the display through the pumps? If not then I’ll get some live rocks for my fish tank when cycling :) please let me know. Thank you!
In my opinion, you shouldn't worry about pests coming in on live rock - you're not gonna get anything you can't deal with and the pros massively outweigh the cons.
@@ReefDork okie thank you so much! I was thinking of adding one piece of live rock from the ocean in the sump and then use that to cycle the whole tank. What do you think? I would like to scrub the rock with a toothbrush and blow off any other dirt with a pump then put it in the tank. If there are any coral pests, they should die right? As I will not be adding any corals for the first three months. Also can you please tell me what would be the possible problems that I might run into when adding live rock in the sump. I will most probably use rubble rock and also what will be the advantages? Thank you so much! If I cannot find any ocean cultured live rock then I will add live rocks from a few different tanks which I will clean and then add them to the sump. Do you think that the coral pests any fish diseases will cause any problems in the tank? I know someone with a beautiful tank, but if I am not wrong their tank had ich or velvet but it is cured. If I take rocks or some sand from there do you think it will effect my tank too much? Also how do you think I can cycle my tank with some live rock? Just add sand and rock and then fill it up with water. Then ghost feed the tank for a few days before adding the live rocks? Or just add something which will create ammonia? Please let me know, thank you!
Hello Alex! I'm thinking of getting my first marine tank! Would a bottle of Dr Tim's one and only (blue tang on the bottle) be OK rather than the one you used in the video? Thanks!
Got me a red sea 170, and this is my first tank with abdump, so this video is super useful..however, it does come across that, you can add fish without finishing the cycle? I thought even with bacteria, you got to finish the cycle before adding fish? 2) you put live sand and then used bacteria to help with th cycling. Does it clash? The bacteria in the bottle Vs the live sand? I've been debating getting caribsea live sand and then a bacteria in a bottle..would they lead to a worse ugly tank stage or not.
hi i am new to any fish tanks, so i had a question you said to remove the lights for a about a month so would that effect the fishes in there or anything else ?
Fish will be fine, the idea behind that is to try to minimise growth of things like algae early on. But if I were to make this video again, I'd say put the lights on at low intensity (10% ish) from day 1. You're going to get some algae regardless and it'll burn itself off anyway so I think it's probably better to just crack on. That's what I've done on the last 2 tanks I've set up since this video.
Saltwater is easy once set up… you don’t need all this ,,, saltwater maintains its ph better than a fresh,,, don’t be scared,, though after watching this I can see the pullback for saltwater, seriously though, tank pump filter lights water filter, Brita pitcher cheap
@@f87115 need an RODI water filter.... cheapest is $160, need a powerhead, need special lights if i want to do anything other than fish, need to buy salt, a salinity measurement tool... it's a LOT different than freshwater and much more intensive
Great video. Happy New Year. I always put sand first, then rocks. It is risky putting rocks first, if one tumbles, or you drop one, the rock hitting bare glass might not end well. You can always dig around the rock base to ensure the rocks touch the bottom. Love how you didn't drip acclimate the clowns. Even my LFS said just to put the bag in to temp match your aquarium then put the clowns in, they can survive anything.
Absolutely brilliant video. I have just set up a marine tank (beginning of December) but having problems with nitrate its sky high what do you suggest. Ammonia is 0 and nitrite is about 1 on the salifert test kits would really like some help.
Sounds like the cycle isn't complete yet - just ride it out until nitrite is 0. Don't worry about nitrates for the moment either - it's not a problem in my opinion 🙂
@@ReefDork There are a few key differences. Evergrows have a different spectrum, if you compare the LED’s they’re not the same layout. Evergrows also use a different controller, and don’t use the same app (if they use an app at all).
I am about to set up a 125 gallon reef tank. You mentioned not having the lights on for a couple months I think you said or you said at least a little while maybe I need to watch the video again. But is that what I need to do once I get it set up I don't even have it on the stand yet. But once I get it set up do I need to leave the lights off for a little while. Thanks in advance!
Hi again! Just a quick one, I’m struggling to find a sump online to purchase is there anywhere you suggest? And also do you need baffles in the sump when not using media ect as this could be something that maybe a large plastic container may do well?
Hey Reef Dork i live in the bahamas nassau bahamas (Caribbean) we live surrounded by water to start my first salt water project can i use the natural salt water and sand and rocks and reefs or coral in a tank all ways wanted to know because Im trying this on a budget that would help thank you
I've never used natural sea water so you're probably best asking elsewhere. But I'd be OK trying it somewhere like you are as long as you have a clean collection point.
So if you pause the video at 0.56 what is the thing that’s around your light I would love to have something like that! If you could share I’d appreciate it lots
Depends on the tank and light you want - BRS have made loads of videos answering this. As to water changes, 10% per week and lights should be on for 12 hours per day
I have a question.. are there any species of fish that are okay with loud music? I am wanting to put a tank in my studio but I don't want to stress out any fish/shrimp if I were to get any.. Great video! Thank you
All fish are very sensitive to vibrations I'm afraid - they have a lateral line organ they use to detect movement and vibrations through the water. So you really don't want to expose them to loud music - it's actually important not to.
Forgive my ignorance with these questions, as I'm a freshwater hobbyist. And I suppose since this video title states "For Beginners", maybe I can ask these here. Do you have to drill into the glass of the tank in order to make the drain & return plumbing system? Also - why is a sump needed in a saltwater setup? Why can't you just use a hang on back filter, eliminating the need for the powerhead, as the outflow for the hang-on-back would take care of the water agitation? Thanks
Most tanks with a sump come pre-drilled but you can buy a bare tank and drill it yourself to save money. Sumps keep ugly equipment out of sight and give you more options for filtration - there are loads of different types of filters that have various pros and cons. Sumps give you the space to use these. A small HOB pump won't be enough water movement for a saltwater tank - you want lots of flow in a reef tank, totally different to freshwater in that regard. You won't need an auto top off if you have a fixed lid but you'll still need to test salinity regularly to make sure it isn't drifting. ATOs are a great investment - salinity is hugely important and an ATO will keep it stable.
@@ReefDork Thanks for such a quick response! Makes sense! One more question - you mentioned an LPS tank when you were adding the sand. What does that mean?
@@Chick-In-Of-TheSea there are 3 types of coral in the hobby - soft corals which are corals with no stony skeleton (like zoas and Pulsing xenia), lps or large polyp stony corals which have a stony base and big fat fleshy polyps (like torch corals and acans). And sps or small polyp stony corals which have a stony skeleton but very small polyps (like montipora and acropora). Lps are much much easier to keep than lps and look nicer than soft corals so they're probably the most popular coral in the hobby 🙂
@@ReefDork sweet, i've read about their specific diet so i'll wait when my setup is more stabilized since i do plan on making a cultivation tank in the future
Euro Corals in Germany is very good and Dream Corals looks good too, although I'm not sure how accurate their photos are and they're very expensive. In the UK, AAC and Reefdreams are the best places I know if, along with Signature Frags and Frag Farm
Great video. I have that fish tank myself, it was the first one I bought. I got anxiety though from the lack of QT on the clowns. I suffered a velvet outbreak a few months in my journey and that is when I bought a second tank for QT.
Hey Reef Dork I Saw parkers video today and they showed a very Nice Cade aquarium With Steel stand that was Nice you should have a look on these aquariums one Time
I love damsels:( but honestly they can be a huge pain. I find that if you just keep them together, and have plenty of hiding places they generally don’t cause much harm. Can’t stress enough about keep only damsels or none in a tank this size. Other than that, their hardy, inexpensive, and come in a large variety of colors. They also don’t pester inverts and they don’t mess with corals( usually:()
Great video, I’m not a beginner in the hobby but I’ve recently setup two new tanks with proper external sumps! I’ve been running all in one tanks for the past 6 years. Previously I’d have Rowaphos, Carbon and Purigen in a media rack/basket but I’m undecided whether to run Rowaphos in a bag in a high flow area or in a reactor, I’d appreciate your opinion? I am running skimmers and refugiums with chaeto and Biohome marine media along with bagged Carbon and Purigen in each sump at the moment
Hi, love your videos and watch them every week, thanks. Can i ask your opinion on something please, keep getting mixed messages. I have a 12 month old reef doing fine. I am upgrading to a larger tank and have used new live sand and new dry rock to scape it. It is now just about cycled. I will add my 2 clowns and see how they go. Can i then over time transfer over the rock from my old tank to add the to new scape in my new tank? I will also slowly move over my other fish and corals in time.
@@ReefDork gotcha!! Thanks for the tip! I’m thinking of restarting my reef tank. I was always under the impression that you have to cycle the tank prior to adding fish
Hello Alex, the alk dosing tube in my 400l system keeps blocking due to crystalization. So, I have put the, dosing tube ends in my sump underwater! But, this does not work very well at all. Should, i place the tubes above water to stop the crystalization? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Definitely keep them above water or you'll risk creating a syphon. Depending on which dosing liquids you're using, diluting them with rodi water is probably the answer
Hey Reef Dork, great videos and they have fully inspired me to get my own tank. Been preparing and sorting equipment for the past 3-4 months. I’m starting out with a Red Sea Max Nano and just had two quick queries following your video. 1. You mention not turning your skimmer on or having a filer going initially to allow the bacteria to settle BUT when should you turn it on? When the cycle is complete? 2. Would it be safe to put my fish (two clowns) in at the same time I add my water? (Once it is at temperature etc) even if it is cloudy?
If you live near the beach (like most of us Aussies do) can you just use sand and water direct from the ocean? If so, should it be treated somehow first? Thanks for the video!
hi alex...big fan..love all your videos.. I'm from India and corals are banned in India.. however tube worm, anemones and other inverts are not.. so can you make a video suggesting creators that can help me create a "non-coral" reef tank
great tutorial, i enjoyed it. only thing I would disagree on is the no need to do a drip acclimation when introducing a new water pet. I believe this is important. I certainly wouldn't skip. would also set up a quarantine tank
Hiya , so you have added fish without cycling the tank ? I see you added the bottle bacteria, will this cut the need for a cycle then ? Sorry if stupid questions , Tom
No, very good question actually. Bottled bacteria should mean you don't see a cycle. The point of the nitrogen cycle is to establish a population of bacteria so this just jumps straight to that. But you should still test ammonia as it's not guaranteed and it might take time to establish so feed very little at first. Adding a little live rock also helps as that will be colonised by bacteria. But if you take live rock home dry, you can get die off which causes a spike in ammonia.
Looking for a budget setup? Here's a $182 setup guide - ruclips.net/video/9EcC49z7DNI/видео.html
😂 me too
This guide is great but i think a welcome addition to a total newbie would be to explain what each and every part of the system does so we can understand the system as a whole too and what parts of the equipment do. I'm assuming this guide is for those progressing from having more basic systems.
Agreed. I struggle to learn how to do things if I don't understand the reasons for why things are done the way they are
☝🏼
That's what I thought too. I'm a complete newbie. So I'm sort of lost already.
@@kadenstimpson3167 I think that's a good trait to have, even if it can be frustrating at times. All manners of curiosity are a good thing in my opinion.
Not gunna lie most youtubers would of dragged this out in to 10 episodes great short vid
The humor really brings this video to the next level. Good stuff.
Best one-stop saltwater set up video on RUclips! Years of experience and research condensed in to 18mins. Follow this and you won't go wrong. We'll done @Reefdork, what a guy.
🤣 Cheers David
I've consumed hundreds of hours of content and this was by far the most helpful video I've seen as I get geared up to get going in the hobby.
You just inspired me to try saltwater again. I see where I failed the first time. I thank you very much for all the information in this video. I love that you indexed the video. The extra effort shows, not just yanking your chain here.
Thanks, glad you liked it
Have freshwater tanks over a decade, and just before New Year somehow reef tanks appeared in my feed and i always knew one day i will go there :) I think time has come :D Such videos is especially helpful! Thanks, subscribed and going through your content :)
Did you set one up?!
Back in the 80s when I had a saltwater aquarium, my first two fish were damselfishes. One looked very similar to the blue one at 16:08 the other one was a striped damselfish about the same size but a different shape. From what I remember the striped one was pretty aggressive after I added other fish but I don't think the blue one was. I remember a few years later the blue one disappeared. I eventually found his decomposing remains in one of the coral hiding spots. Oh well, he lived a pretty long life for a fish in captivity (a few years)
The other striped fish you mention sounds like a humbug damsel (Black & white striped) very territorial but really Hardy.
@@banshee_studios_uk I just looked it up and I think you're right. Looks like the fish I had. Even though small, he used to chase the other fish and he lived pretty long too.
Nice video... Any about how to do a cover ?
I haven't made a video, but most covers are pretty easy to put together...
Just a quick note, its actually not important the tank is level stress wise. Obviously appearance wise you want it to be level, but you should never worry about your tank busting apart or leaking from being unlevel. You just want to make sure the bottom of the tank is evenly supported. Thanks to static fluid pressure, the forces on the tank only depend on head height, and apply evenly in every direction. You could have a tank be 45 degrees off and the tank will still be totally safe.
The failed silicone joints on my tank disagree. When not level, you put more stress on those joints.
Good video. Lots of little extra tips most videos won't contain, magnet trick with the sand - brilliant.
Great video. You made me forget about wanting a Saltwater tank.....I'll stay fresh hahaha
Recently started my first 20 gallon saltwater tank. I already have everything that I needed such as filter, light, and a power head. I spent $58 for live rock that weighed 10 pounds and I got a 50 pound salt bucket for $40 of chewy, plus hydrometer to test salinity for $8 also off chewy. Currently cycling the tank to speed up the process I used a fluval bacteria starter , however I still lost my pair of clownfish. I should’ve waited for the 3 week mark to test for nitrite then add the clownfish along with bacteria starter. Lesson learned glad I only lost $20 worth of fish. One thing that I found helpful in my old freshwater setup was taking media filter from an old tank and placing it in a new setup to speed the process in half, so I’m going to do that with my saltwater tank and hope for the best. Going bigger is better in saltwater hobby, but those just starting out go with a 20 gallon or even a 40 gallon for better results and fewer fluctuations in water parameters it’ll just cost you a bit more.
Istarted mine with Live sand from my local beach. Collected the water from the beach too. 800 litres of water for my 6 foot tank.
I am a really big fan of your commentary! thank you for your videos
Thanks , gotta love the seal subliminal messages
Another nice video! Well done!
Great video Alex! Always love seeing tank set up and build videos. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
"water tight seal" 🦭😂😂. Love it
The seal at 4:12👌
A brilliant comprehensive guide for beginners. How much did this setup cost you? Love your channel. Happy New Year to you and your family. 👍
Costs video to follow next week... 😁
Thanks so much for making this video. Now I understand how to setup a sump. Still not sure I trust my self to fit the pipe work though. So after using juwel tanks for the past 10 years maybe this is the year i finally get a sumped system.
Only issue I have is my clown fish are in an 80cm long juwel tank which is 125 litres. To change to a sump system I would have to buy something like a red sea reefer 170 or aquaone reefsys 180 which are 2ft cubes, so my fish would be going from a narrow rectangle tank to a 2ft square sumped tank so they wouldn’t have as much swimming space.
Clowns wouldn't be bothered about the swimming space I'd guess - they hardly move in most tanks!
You’ll find the clowns will spend 99% of their life’s in one corner no matter what size tank you have!
Probs a stupid question but the water you use for the top up reservoir still needs to be ro di water I assume?
Yep, absolutely
Another great video from Reef Dork!
I've been following your channel for a very long time now, Reef aquariums are my "passive youtube hobby" - and one day I might gonna buy me one.
This video is definitely on top of my lists as a tutorials on how to do it correctly!
When you moved the tank over with Mrs reef dork did you use furniture sliders ? Need to move mine soon.
No, I think I put cardboard under it but I can't remember now
@@ReefDork how many gallons is it ? Got to move my 30g to get floor layed. Drain and move on sliders will be ok ?
My mom wants a saltwater tank (I do too but don’t tell her XD) so this is a big help and explains a few things
As usual, great video. Officially starting my cycle on Sunday but some not so lively hitchhikers on my rock seem to have decided to get it going before then! 😂
i bought the same tank second hand 2 days ago lol great timing on the serious. would love to see how you would integrate a filter sock or cup onto this system
Hey you're great at this, I wish you luck on your channel sir
i love the hilarious things he says in such a flat voice
My 100G reef tank is ran on a fluval 407 canister with a inline heater and uv steriliser...no sump or skimmer and it’s been thriving for years
Great job .... . I have questions where from u got crocodile clips for plumbing I couldn't find them anywhere ?
They came with the tank and I can't find them online either! I don't even know what they're called I'm afraid...
@@ReefDork tkanks for replay if I am right they called crocodile clip in US but here in UK no idea.... .
@@piotrzemanek5947 They are called Herbie Clips in the U.K. but not easy to get a hold of.
Thanks Simon I found a website with all dimensions clips it might help somebody www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/Nylon-Blk_HoseClip_HCL_Herbie.html
im really surprised that this video is so helpful in every way. it was really hard for me to understand how reef tank works from other youtubers but this video really explained everything that i need to know to have a reef tank. I just subscribed to your channel!
Absolutely cracking video… I’m looking to purchase my first take very soon. Either a Red Sea Reefer 250xl or a 350…. This video was by far the best breakdown for what I need and why… thank you.. really appreciate
#nervous #excited #nocluewhatimdoing
Hi there how much salt for 12 litre tank for brine shrimp please its just the set up of the salt water thankyou so much for your video 😀
Damn This is just what I needed, How hard is it to find the right guide! thank you very much Sir,
I've just bought myself a waterbox aquarium Marine X 110.4. it's my first ever marine tank. I plan on going real slow with everything. Any tips you can share? I've watched a tonne of your videos. I'm not sure if I should have went smaller for my first tank or not 🤣
One thing that was concerning me was the filter socks. I don't know if I can swap these out for the roller.
Good tank, that. Filter rollers are great but it's probably best not to have one at first - you want some nutrients to build up for a few months.
@@ReefDork I've been recommended to add in some already brown live media. And use some filter floss inside the filter sock area. What do you think?
I also have a question about the sand. I REALLY like the look of the fine sand. I don't like the look of the coarse as much. But I'm being told the fine sand is a nightmare to work with. It will get blown all over and I'll have gaps in corners etc.
That's the plan, I'm not going to add a skimmer at first too. I just need to pick some equipment and get it bought now. It's hard to see which is good. My whole house is set up using smart tech, I'm tempted to look at things I can use my phone with too. But I'm guessing those are just crazy prices. My partner doesn't like the usual LED lights. She wanted me to get a tank with a lid and concealed light. Do you have any recommendations on more subtle lighting please?
I intend to have corals at some point.
Hi Alex. Hoping you can help!! I have a tank set up following your methods - (used atm colony a couple of months ago). All running great and stable so far (touch wood). I have a red sea reefer 350 - I've had 6 fish in the tank for a few weeks. I don't have a very good LFS so I tend to order online, but to keep costs down on delivery I ordered 3 fish, 4 cuc and a couple of corals. - Now I'm thinking it's a lot to add at once.. so should I add another bottle of ATM colony to help the tank out before adding them?
I wouldn't bother personally but going slow is better...
Who saw the seal?😂
I had to go back to make sure i wasnt going crazy XD
@@Brandon9856 lmfao
Thought I was having a stroke !
😂
Hey, I was wondering, if you add live rock to the sump, won’t that add pests to the tank? Like if there are any pests, won’t that get into the display through the pumps? If not then I’ll get some live rocks for my fish tank when cycling :) please let me know. Thank you!
In my opinion, you shouldn't worry about pests coming in on live rock - you're not gonna get anything you can't deal with and the pros massively outweigh the cons.
@@ReefDork okie thank you so much! I was thinking of adding one piece of live rock from the ocean in the sump and then use that to cycle the whole tank. What do you think? I would like to scrub the rock with a toothbrush and blow off any other dirt with a pump then put it in the tank. If there are any coral pests, they should die right? As I will not be adding any corals for the first three months. Also can you please tell me what would be the possible problems that I might run into when adding live rock in the sump. I will most probably use rubble rock and also what will be the advantages? Thank you so much!
If I cannot find any ocean cultured live rock then I will add live rocks from a few different tanks which I will clean and then add them to the sump. Do you think that the coral pests any fish diseases will cause any problems in the tank? I know someone with a beautiful tank, but if I am not wrong their tank had ich or velvet but it is cured. If I take rocks or some sand from there do you think it will effect my tank too much? Also how do you think I can cycle my tank with some live rock? Just add sand and rock and then fill it up with water. Then ghost feed the tank for a few days before adding the live rocks? Or just add something which will create ammonia? Please let me know, thank you!
Great video! Accurate information and humorous narration. Look forward to the next one!
Most helpful video I’ve seen for setting up a new tank! 👏🏻
Hello Alex! I'm thinking of getting my first marine tank! Would a bottle of Dr Tim's one and only (blue tang on the bottle) be OK rather than the one you used in the video?
Thanks!
Yep, that's one of the most popular options 👌
Do you recommend have and air rock in the tank as well?
No, not necessary in a saltwater tank - you get oxygenation from the other pumps.
hello, excellent video as always, but can you tell me where you brought your fish trap that you use in your Peninsular tank please
I got it from my lfs, ReefKeeper Windsor. But it's made by Aqua Medic.
Got me a red sea 170, and this is my first tank with abdump, so this video is super useful..however, it does come across that, you can add fish without finishing the cycle? I thought even with bacteria, you got to finish the cycle before adding fish?
2) you put live sand and then used bacteria to help with th cycling. Does it clash? The bacteria in the bottle Vs the live sand? I've been debating getting caribsea live sand and then a bacteria in a bottle..would they lead to a worse ugly tank stage or not.
All bottled bacteria i've used recommends adding a fish immediately to provide a food source for the bacteria. It won't clash, no.
Have you done a video on setting up a coral QT tank? That's my next mission
Never QT'd corals i'm afraid...
hi i am new to any fish tanks, so i had a question you said to remove the lights for a about a month so would that effect the fishes in there or anything else ?
Fish will be fine, the idea behind that is to try to minimise growth of things like algae early on. But if I were to make this video again, I'd say put the lights on at low intensity (10% ish) from day 1. You're going to get some algae regardless and it'll burn itself off anyway so I think it's probably better to just crack on. That's what I've done on the last 2 tanks I've set up since this video.
@@ReefDork thank you for the info I appreciate it
This is beginner? WOW, I'm probably gonna stay with freshwater forever
Tank pump lights that’s all you need
Saltwater is easy once set up… you don’t need all this ,,, saltwater maintains its ph better than a fresh,,, don’t be scared,, though after watching this I can see the pullback for saltwater, seriously though, tank pump filter lights water filter, Brita pitcher cheap
@@f87115 need an RODI water filter.... cheapest is $160, need a powerhead, need special lights if i want to do anything other than fish, need to buy salt, a salinity measurement tool...
it's a LOT different than freshwater and much more intensive
@@subadanus6310 I doubt you need rodi water
@@nickthompson7369 300+ GH ml/l hardness, carbonate 300+, PH 8.0...
yes, i do
Great video. Happy New Year.
I always put sand first, then rocks. It is risky putting rocks first, if one tumbles, or you drop one, the rock hitting bare glass might not end well. You can always dig around the rock base to ensure the rocks touch the bottom. Love how you didn't drip acclimate the clowns. Even my LFS said just to put the bag in to temp match your aquarium then put the clowns in, they can survive anything.
People advising drip acclimation for fish is my pet peeve!
Rock always before sand sitting on egg crate...then if a fish digs the sand it won’t all crash down
Aqua one mini reefs are really under rated! They are a great looking tank for what you pay for them!
Question - can sponge filters be used instead hung on back filter?
Yep - if you buy large sheets of cheap filter floss, you can throw it away and replace it every few days to good effect.
Absolutely brilliant video. I have just set up a marine tank (beginning of December) but having problems with nitrate its sky high what do you suggest. Ammonia is 0 and nitrite is about 1 on the salifert test kits would really like some help.
Sounds like the cycle isn't complete yet - just ride it out until nitrite is 0. Don't worry about nitrates for the moment either - it's not a problem in my opinion 🙂
Is that the Reef Breeders Photon over the tank in the first part?
Evergrows, but yeah basically the same thing 🙂
@@ReefDork There are a few key differences.
Evergrows have a different spectrum, if you compare the LED’s they’re not the same layout.
Evergrows also use a different controller, and don’t use the same app (if they use an app at all).
I am about to set up a 125 gallon reef tank. You mentioned not having the lights on for a couple months I think you said or you said at least a little while maybe I need to watch the video again. But is that what I need to do once I get it set up I don't even have it on the stand yet. But once I get it set up do I need to leave the lights off for a little while. Thanks in advance!
Yeah, best to leave the lights off for a month or so. In a big tank like that, it'd be good to get an algae eating fish early doors too 🙂
Lube on the hinges. Genius, will do now.
Nobody likes you
Great video. Enjoyable and not overdone.
Hi again! Just a quick one, I’m struggling to find a sump online to purchase is there anywhere you suggest? And also do you need baffles in the sump when not using media ect as this could be something that maybe a large plastic container may do well?
Or possibly just one divider with the skimmer in one side and heater and pump in the other?
Best thing is to speak to an aquarium designer like aquarium connections. They'll talk you through stuff 🙂
Hey Reef Dork i live in the bahamas nassau bahamas (Caribbean) we live surrounded by water to start my first salt water project can i use the natural salt water and sand and rocks and reefs or coral in a tank all ways wanted to know because Im trying this on a budget that would help thank you
I've never used natural sea water so you're probably best asking elsewhere. But I'd be OK trying it somewhere like you are as long as you have a clean collection point.
@@ReefDork thank you so much really appreciate your response
So if you pause the video at 0.56 what is the thing that’s around your light I would love to have something like that! If you could share I’d appreciate it lots
ruclips.net/video/4wp92Ne9vxY/видео.html
Stuff I want to know like
how high up should the lamp be?
how many hours a day for it to be? on.
watts?
amount of weekly water change?
Depends on the tank and light you want - BRS have made loads of videos answering this. As to water changes, 10% per week and lights should be on for 12 hours per day
I love how just assumes I have a partner lol
🤣🙂
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I hate you
Lollll
F
Now THIS IS A SET UP !
Great tutorial for starters!!! Compliments from our side!
I have a question.. are there any species of fish that are okay with loud music? I am wanting to put a tank in my studio but I don't want to stress out any fish/shrimp if I were to get any.. Great video! Thank you
All fish are very sensitive to vibrations I'm afraid - they have a lateral line organ they use to detect movement and vibrations through the water. So you really don't want to expose them to loud music - it's actually important not to.
Forgive my ignorance with these questions, as I'm a freshwater hobbyist. And I suppose since this video title states "For Beginners", maybe I can ask these here.
Do you have to drill into the glass of the tank in order to make the drain & return plumbing system?
Also - why is a sump needed in a saltwater setup? Why can't you just use a hang on back filter, eliminating the need for the powerhead, as the outflow for the hang-on-back would take care of the water agitation?
Thanks
Most tanks with a sump come pre-drilled but you can buy a bare tank and drill it yourself to save money. Sumps keep ugly equipment out of sight and give you more options for filtration - there are loads of different types of filters that have various pros and cons. Sumps give you the space to use these. A small HOB pump won't be enough water movement for a saltwater tank - you want lots of flow in a reef tank, totally different to freshwater in that regard. You won't need an auto top off if you have a fixed lid but you'll still need to test salinity regularly to make sure it isn't drifting. ATOs are a great investment - salinity is hugely important and an ATO will keep it stable.
@@ReefDork Thanks for such a quick response! Makes sense! One more question - you mentioned an LPS tank when you were adding the sand. What does that mean?
@@Chick-In-Of-TheSea there are 3 types of coral in the hobby - soft corals which are corals with no stony skeleton (like zoas and Pulsing xenia), lps or large polyp stony corals which have a stony base and big fat fleshy polyps (like torch corals and acans). And sps or small polyp stony corals which have a stony skeleton but very small polyps (like montipora and acropora). Lps are much much easier to keep than lps and look nicer than soft corals so they're probably the most popular coral in the hobby 🙂
@@ReefDork very cool. Thanks for explaining that! 🙏 🪸
Hi, I'm pretty late on this but i was wondering if it's possible to house a Mandarin Dragonet in this?
Yeah, possibly. They're very fussy eaters though so you'd really need to setup a refugium and wait for a year before getting one...
@@ReefDork sweet, i've read about their specific diet so i'll wait when my setup is more stabilized since i do plan on making a cultivation tank in the future
So much good info in this video, best I've seen
Do we need like bacteria house before substrate ? Like in freshwater setup
I'm not sure what you mean by bacteria house, but no - you just need sand and rock 🙂
@@ReefDork thank you very much
Are there any stores in the uk or Europe that sell high end acropora or some sellers on forums ?
Euro Corals in Germany is very good and Dream Corals looks good too, although I'm not sure how accurate their photos are and they're very expensive. In the UK, AAC and Reefdreams are the best places I know if, along with Signature Frags and Frag Farm
Great video. I have that fish tank myself, it was the first one I bought. I got anxiety though from the lack of QT on the clowns. I suffered a velvet outbreak a few months in my journey and that is when I bought a second tank for QT.
Thanks for the video, very informative. A lot of new info for me... You seem very well researched!
Great video as always. Can you tell me where you got the plastic hose clamps from?
They came with the tank I'm afraid - I tried to find them online when I made the video but couldn't
@@ReefDork no worries. Thanks for the reply. Think I have found them now on Amazon.
@@simonhedderwick4516 could you post a link?
@@ReefDork Try this - Glarks 121Pcs 8 Size Heavy Duty Black Double Gripping Nylon Hose Clamps Set, 6.1-26.1mm Plastic Snap Ratcheting Clamps Assortment Kit (Black 121Pcs)
Hey Reef Dork I Saw parkers video today and they showed a very Nice Cade aquarium With Steel stand that was Nice you should have a look on these aquariums one Time
I love damsels:( but honestly they can be a huge pain. I find that if you just keep them together, and have plenty of hiding places they generally don’t cause much harm. Can’t stress enough about keep only damsels or none in a tank this size. Other than that, their hardy, inexpensive, and come in a large variety of colors. They also don’t pester inverts and they don’t mess with corals( usually:()
One question, can I get the sand from the beach? Since I'm living close to the beach 🏖️
Hmm. Maybe, although i'd be worried about pollutants. I don't know the answer though so maybe ask on a forum 🙂
@@ReefDork Alright, thanks 😊
Which tang is that one that is seen at minute 2.17 with the white tail?
White tail kole tang
@@ReefDork thank you so much!
I had.... NOOOOOO CLUE... that salt water tanks had this much going on. WOOOOOOOOW! I still want one!
That seal jumpscare made me spit my drink XD
Most how to set up a marine tank videos stress me out, they all seem way too overwhelming. This one is great!
Great video, I’m not a beginner in the hobby but I’ve recently setup two new tanks with proper external sumps! I’ve been running all in one tanks for the past 6 years. Previously I’d have Rowaphos, Carbon and Purigen in a media rack/basket but I’m undecided whether to run Rowaphos in a bag in a high flow area or in a reactor, I’d appreciate your opinion? I am running skimmers and refugiums with chaeto and Biohome marine media along with bagged Carbon and Purigen in each sump at the moment
Rowa is far more effective tumbling gently in a reactor - it's the only way I'd run it. Algae refugiums kick ass!
@@ReefDork thank you, I’ll use reactors then 👍
Hi, love your videos and watch them every week, thanks. Can i ask your opinion on something please, keep getting mixed messages. I have a 12 month old reef doing fine. I am upgrading to a larger tank and have used new live sand and new dry rock to scape it. It is now just about cycled. I will add my 2 clowns and see how they go. Can i then over time transfer over the rock from my old tank to add the to new scape in my new tank? I will also slowly move over my other fish and corals in time.
Yep, I did so on the first day I upgraded a few years ago.
Thanks for the feedback much appreciated.
Very good instruction. Well done
How long do you let your tank cycle? Did you add your clownfish the same time you added the bacteria?
Yes, same day. The bacteria need ammonia to survive so you have to either add fish or add fish food with no fish
@@ReefDork gotcha!! Thanks for the tip! I’m thinking of restarting my reef tank. I was always under the impression that you have to cycle the tank prior to adding fish
That was a good and easily understandable tutorial for beginners keep it up
You're going Aquashella Dallas?! Awesome!!
I noticed you had a slimline Ato reservoir. Can you recommend a company that makes it either in acrylic or glass. Tia
In the UK? I used ND Aquatics - their customer service is a bit lacking though 😬
Hello Alex, the alk dosing tube in my 400l system keeps blocking due to crystalization. So, I have put the, dosing tube ends in my sump underwater! But, this does not work very well at all. Should, i place the tubes above water to stop the crystalization? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Definitely keep them above water or you'll risk creating a syphon. Depending on which dosing liquids you're using, diluting them with rodi water is probably the answer
great video as usual. I'm starting to plan my first reef tank so good timing on this one.
Hey Reef Dork, great videos and they have fully inspired me to get my own tank. Been preparing and sorting equipment for the past 3-4 months. I’m starting out with a Red Sea Max Nano and just had two quick queries following your video.
1. You mention not turning your skimmer on or having a filer going initially to allow the bacteria to settle BUT when should you turn it on? When the cycle is complete?
2. Would it be safe to put my fish (two clowns) in at the same time I add my water? (Once it is at temperature etc) even if it is cloudy?
Technically the best answer is probably when you have a reading of nitrate. But I'd just turn it on after a few days (I always do)
@@ReefDork thanks :-) great videos too always very informative
Great and helpful video thank you .
Amazing video. Love it!
hi, I live on Vancouver Island Canada. My question is: Can I go to the beach to collect salt water for an aquarium. thanks a bunch
I've never done it and my opinion is it's better to have control over the water you mix.
were did u buy the Aqua One Mini Reef 120 ?
and stand was included ?
If you live near the beach (like most of us Aussies do) can you just use sand and water direct from the ocean? If so, should it be treated somehow first? Thanks for the video!
People do it if they can collect from a clean source. I'd be a little concerned about pollution but if you live on the Whitsundays you're probably OK!
Im gonna do this idea for my 5 gallon gsp puffer tank
hi alex...big fan..love all your videos..
I'm from India and corals are banned in India.. however tube worm, anemones and other inverts are not..
so can you make a video suggesting creators that can help me create a "non-coral" reef tank
great tutorial, i enjoyed it.
only thing I would disagree on is the no need to do a drip acclimation when introducing a new water pet. I believe this is important. I certainly wouldn't skip.
would also set up a quarantine tank
I think it's especially important for invertebrates
THANK god for this series🤗
Hiya , so you have added fish without cycling the tank ? I see you added the bottle bacteria, will this cut the need for a cycle then ?
Sorry if stupid questions , Tom
No, very good question actually. Bottled bacteria should mean you don't see a cycle. The point of the nitrogen cycle is to establish a population of bacteria so this just jumps straight to that. But you should still test ammonia as it's not guaranteed and it might take time to establish so feed very little at first. Adding a little live rock also helps as that will be colonised by bacteria. But if you take live rock home dry, you can get die off which causes a spike in ammonia.