Reef tank 7 years ago 85,540 views
How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Aquarium - Jebao RW-8 Wavemaker. In this video we show you how easy and inexpensive a reef tank can be setup for. WIth a tank, light. heater, wavemaker and live or dry rock you can have your own reef tank in your home.
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The "How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank" video is part of the reef tank, salt water category, which contains similar videos like this one.
Powder Blue is not really good in a 60g. They do better in larger tanks and are very prone to getting ick. The only tang I would recommend in a smaller tank is like a Kole Tang. They are very hardy, don't require larger tanks like most tangs and don't catch ick as easily.
I recently upgraded to a 75g tank and got this HOB skimmer. Definitely recommend it if you have the money for it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FG1QF2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DtuCAbWXC9Q0M
You definitely don't need 2 HOB filters. I run an AquaClear 70 with some Seachem Matrix in it to help with Nitrates and sometimes throw Phosban in there to control phosphates.
You definitely want some wavemakers and I personally would start with dry rock and not live rock. Your dry rock will become live and will run a lot less money and you won't have to worry about hitch hikers (pests) that come in live rock.
You will want to use distilled or RO/DI water. Not tap. You need to cycle your tank for the first month with no fish. Look up how to cycle a tank if you are not familiar and once that is done you need to slowly add your fish, like one at a time every few weeks in the beginning. If you are going to get clowns, get 2 of them at the same time but that is the only fish I would do 2 at once in the beginning just for the sake of them pairing up from the start.
It's not that hard and don't let people over complicate it for you. It can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be. If you want a full reef tank filled to the brim with corals and fish you will need to spend a lot more money and a lot more time worrying about levels but if you just want to enjoy some saltwater fish and maybe throw some corals in, it can be done pretty easily.
Good luck and if you have any questions just let me know. A great forum site is Reef Central. I used to spend a lot of time on that site when I first started my tank. Some great knowledgeable people there who can help you out.
For rock, people say a pound per gallon but there is no scientific evidence behind that. Just use enough rock to make your tank look good. Also, a pound of live rock is much less rock then if you buy a pound of dry rock since live rock will have water weight to it.
For cycling, look up a video on it. There is certain steps you must take and your tank needs to go through before you add fish. There is no time limit but testing for certain things will tell you when it is ready.
I agree with about not using a canister filter. You would need to clean them often to prevent nitrate buildup and they are not fun to clean.
I used to mix my own saltwater but now just buy it. So much easier and less time consuming. At $1 a gallon it's just with it.
Good luck with your tank!
Still need to get rock, light, fans, and heater.
I use to mix my own saltwater but I might just buy it from the local store.
10. comment for How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank
You probably have the knowledge already, but just make sure you know about cycling your new tank correctly. Also, using RO/DI water or distilled instead of tap and the biggest mistake people make at the beginning is going to fast. After your tank cycles, add 1 fish every few weeks to give your tank time to continue to stabilize.
Also, if you have the money, spend it on a good protein skimmer.
Good luck!
RO/DI and Distilled are supposed to remove everything from the water and the water is completely pure with no waste in it at all.
Of course there are much more advanced tanks and setups but people looking at that should already be researching much more then what this video touches upon. It was really meant to be a stepping stone for people who might have thought they can't keep SW fish to say, it's not as hard as you might think.
I didn't want to keep anything on top anymore so I now stay away from high probably jumpers.
Tunze USA 3152.000 Automatic Top off Nano Osmolator for Aquariums Under 55-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR1A7ZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_1KoiAbK6WRTCM
20. comment for How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank
Good luck with your tank!
On my 55g tank I was using a programmable 3W (per bulb) led that I picked up from eBay a few years back.
I just upgraded my tank to a 75g and actually went with the 48" Orbit Marine (not the pro) which was less then $200. I wouldn't put any corals that need a lot of light under it but it is good for some stuff and if something is more sensitive you can place it towards the top.
My light over my 55" tank that was in this video was more money as it was a 24" programmable high watt LED light but you can get the (2) 16" lights I mentioned above for less and it would give more spread. The reason I had a 24" over my 55g was because it was from my 29g that I upgraded from and didn't want to by new lights. I just kept my corals more towards the center.
Here is an example of what you can go with. These are more powerful then the Orbit Marine.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F370858771177
30. comment for How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank
I did upgrade my skimmer with the new tank to a Reef Octupus HB-1000 which is an awesome HOB skimmer if you have the money for it. Runs around $200.
That would be the bare minimum. First think I would buy when you can afford it would be a protein skimmer and then an auto top off system. The protein skimmer is one of the most effective forms of filtration actually removing junk out of the tank.
Here are some examples.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Dry_Rock_for_Saltwater_Reef_Aquariums-FISSLR-ct.html
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-dry-live-rock-live-sand.html
http://www.petsmart.com/fish/tanks-aquariums-and-nets/aquariums/marineland-75-gallon-aquarium-majesty-ensemble-22101.html
Different corals require different food. A lot of corals require strong lighting which will help them grow. They will also get food through the water when you feed your fish. Some people feed certain corals with a tweezer and maybe some fresh shrimp. They also make food that you add into your water. Ask the fish store what type of diet the coral requires when you purchase it.
In the beginning most everyone goes through and algea phase that will come and go. Just keep cleaning your tank consistently and it will pass. Make sure to siphon the bottom of the tank and blow out your rocks with a turkey baster.
Tunze USA 3152.000 Automatic Top off Nano Osmolator for Aquariums Under 55-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR1A7ZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FuuNzb7P4FC28
There are some cycling chemicals to speed up the process but never used them so can't vouch for them. Also, make sure you get a test kit that measures for these 3 things so you know that each step has taken place.
No need for a light at this time.
For water with that large of a tank, your own RO/DI system would be the better route. Would save you money in the end and you will always have it on hand. The larger the tank, the more evaperation you will be dealing with and then water changes. Of course you can buy it from your LFS but you have to make sure your okay with the cost in doing that. By me, they charge 50 cents a gallon of pure RO/DI water and $1 for saltwater. That is US money. So for a 55 gallon I am okay with just purchasing it. For top offs, I actually use distilled water. Pay about 82 cents a gallon for it but it's more convienant.
I am not on a tiny budget, but spending $2,000 on a reef ready tank is a bit ridiculous (that's what they cost in Denmark where i live).
I lean more towards buying a 120 gallon glass tank, and add a skimmer, heater & powerheads myself -I think that will make things more simple for me.
But after your great council I feel like im ready to take the bug jump from freshwater to saltwater, and I will do some more research on those water changes, since I don't really have room for a big ROD system ;)
If you have the money and the room for it, sure get a reef ready tank that is set up for one but don't let it stop you from setting up a tank if for water reason your don't want one or can't have one.
The reason a skimmer is great is that it actually removes the waste completely out of the tank. Of course it doesn't remove everything, not even close and that is why blowing out your rocks and syphoning the bottom of the tank when doing water changes is very important.
Tunze USA 3152.000 Automatic Top off Nano Osmolator for Aquariums Under 55-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR1A7ZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Hs.Dzb48T0SYJ
I've been in the hobby for over 10 years and currently running 2 off 150Gal, 1 55gal and 1 33gal. between your vid and a mate of mine, I've been convinced to convert my 55Gal into a salty! How is your tank going now? have you made any equipment changes since the vid? Do you mix your own Saltwater with Tap water or just use ROD or saltwater purchased from LFS. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Do not use tap water. Use RO/DI or distilled. For top offs I use distilled water and for my saltwater I buy it pre-mixed from my LFS. RO/DI would be cheaper from my LFS but buying distilled from Target is just more convenient.
Good luck with your tank!
50. comment for How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank
Top Off:
https://www.amazon.com/Tunze-USA-3152-000-Automatic-Osmolator/dp/B00AR1A7ZU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499736486&sr=8-3&keywords=tunze+top+off
This a cheap protein skimmer but if you are going to splurge on anything, do it on a better skimmer:
https://www.amazon.com/Protein-Skimmer-Counter-Current-Medium/dp/B0002APZ8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499736635&sr=8-1&keywords=lee%27s+protein+skimmer
There are a bunch of different Wavemakers you can buy but I use this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XRDWKNC/ref=twister_B00RIO4ET4?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
Hang on filter. I will sometimes run it and sometimes take it off.
https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-70-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499736938&sr=1-1&keywords=aquaclear+70
Things I run in it:
https://www.amazon.com/Poly-Bio-Marine-APMPF-9-0200-POLYBIO-POLY-FILTER/dp/B00025664C/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499737026&sr=1-2&keywords=poly+filter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00029PO6O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To test salinity:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ES6MOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To Clean:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011DDJZ9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006JM0K8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Test kit:
https://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Stabilizer-7-05-Ounce-Container/dp/B001EUE808/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499737279&sr=1-1&keywords=saltwater+test+kit
Not the lights I have but an example of what you can get for a 55g tank if you want corals. Of course you can spend more and there might some for less that are similar. If you are going to do fish only, any light will do it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-Dimmable-165W-LED-Aquarium-Light-lamp-Full-Spectrum-fish-tank-Reef-Coral-/381105651046?epid=1439710696&hash=item58bbaabd66:g:BT0AAOSwjL5ZMNKW
You are better off letting that waste settle in a slow flow area and simply removing it with a syphon. This job where a BB tank is great. It's so easy to see and remove the waste as it settles in low flow areas. I did say if you are going to spend money, a protein skimmer is where to put it. It is the device that will actually remove waste from the tank unlike a canister filter where the waste is being collected no better then in the tank.
Water changes is the best way to remove waste better then any other filtration can. I have test kits. I know how how to cycle a tank. I know how everything works. I used to be very active on online forums with people who used to have setups that cost thousands and thousands of dollars. I am aware of all the equipment out there.
As for the Kole Tang. They are unlike other Tangs and do not require the swimming room like most tangs. Even the most consertive site for fish on the internet, Live Aquria reccomends only a 70 gallon tank. Sure a 70 gallon tank is a little larger but please don't tell me 15 more gallons makes a depressed Kole Tang the most happiest fish alive.
I agree about using backup power in case of power fail and also dual heaters are a good way to prevent a problem if one should quite working.
I always appreciate people's comments they leave here whether they agree or disagree with me but you could have given your opionion without attacking me. People sometimes open my mind up to new ideas and sometimes I can even open up others to some ideas or things they might not have thought of.
Either buy distilled water from your grocery store or Walmart or by RO/DI from your LFS for half the price.
There are people who do use tap but it is definitely not recommended.
Making little ripples on the water's surface with any powerhead is in no way breaking the water's surface. Take water put it in a glass and look at it, you will notice a thin film on the top. Unless your power is pointed up splashing water all over the place I guarantee you're not breaking through that film. Now if you had a proper reef tank with a sump then gas exchange and oxygenation would be taking care of through the overflow.
YES you did several times say the protein skimmer was not needed.
Side note, did you know that reef aquariums are made with a much thicker glass on the bottom than standard aquariums? The 55gal aquarium you are using is not designed to support the amount of weight required to run a proper reef aquarium. The bio filtration of live rock is based on 1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon. I bet you're no where close to 55 to 80 lbs of rock in that tank. Add a couple of inches of substrate I can hear that glass cracking.
I never said a Skimmer was unnecessary. I said a tank can be ran without one but reccomended if you are going to spend money on something do it on the skimmer as it actually removes waste.
A wavemaker pointed up at the top of the tank will give you oxygen exchange and break up anything on top which I also mentioned.
Live rock are detritus traps and a nice turkey baster, regular water changes and syphoning takes care of that better then anything else can.
Which means no means of removing debris from the tank before decay which will poison the corals eventually, no source of oxygenation and gas exchange (protein skimmer provides that too). When dosing your tank with lets say a D-nitrate, that oxygenation is NEEDED or you could kill your fish. Live rock are DETRITUS TRAPS and can cause more harm than good if not done right. SOOO NOOO live rock is not enough filtration for a tank with corals. Lets not forget you have NO surface skimming to remove floating debris on an open top tank.
It doesn't matter how much money one spends, if someone has no clue they are going to fail
I also know so many people who have thousands of dollars of equipment and lose hundreds of dollars of corals as well. Or people that dose their tank and have a piece of expensive equipment fail and kill everything on the tank.
Simplicity and frequent water changes work too. Many ways to skin this cat.
Can I ask for your email please, I need some tips.
Of course you will need salt and water. If you buy saltwater from your local fish store, it's usually around $1 a gallon. So fill your tank for $55. Or buy RO/DI freshwater from them at around 50 cents a gallon and add salt yourself.
You will need test kits and a refractometer to test salt levels. A net, and a water syphon. Also, something to clean the inside of your glass.
I buy almost everything I need from Amazon. They usually have the best prices.
Now, you can by a HOB filter and use it during water changes to run carbon or keep it on for other chemical stuff to help with phosphates and such. Just remember, a HOB filter keep junk in it until you clean it so it needs to be cleaned often.
Some things to look into are auto top off system. Not a must but a good to have so you don't need to add fresh water everyday yourself. This takes water from a bucket and keeps your tank topped off. Around $100 or even less I think.
I think we are waaaaay under $2,500 dollars. LOL
did you not run a filter pad or sponge on your acuaclear?
The other thing you need to worry about is topping off the water that evaporates. I have an auto top off of my tank. I think I paid less then $100 for it. I have a 7 gallon bucket filled with fresh water and when the water in the tank reaches below a certain level it fills it up. Very easy to set up. So depending on how long you go away for and how big of a bucket you buy you might need to have someone come over and fill it for you. For example, when I go away for a week, I have someone come over 1x in the middle end of the week and ask them to fill the bucket back up. I leave gallon of distilled water right next to it and all they have to do is fill the bucket back up. Hope this make sense.
Also, a common mistake, make sure you top off your tank with fresh water and not salt water. Water evaporates but salt does not.
I don't test my water anymore. The tank pretty much is in auto mode and if my fish and corals are looking good then I don't worry about it. When I setup the tank I was testing a few times a week.
just a couple of questions though. why the need for a heater? do the fishes thrive better at a particular range of temperature? please advise!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Still have fish I bought on day 1. All fish healthy, fat and eating every day. No breakouts of any disease since having this setup. No hair algae or any strange algae breakouts. I run a $30 skimmer.
I might know a little more then you think and have the tank to back it up.
In the long run, depending on the size of your tank it could be cheaper to have your own but it's not necessary to own one.
led light 20$
wawemaker 20$
protein skimmer 20$
hydrometer 5$
water tester 10$
salt 15$
heater 10$
-witch heater should i buy ebay 50W 100W 200W 300W www.ebay.com/itm/25-50-100-200-300-Aquarium-Mini-Submersible-Fish-Tank-Adjustable-Water-Heater-/111759773459?var=&hash=item1a0566cf13:m:mLbOKGV7AzPnHHa2BtHzobQ -protein skimmer im thinking of a cheap chines skimmer 15$ plus a pump 10$
-led lights i dont know witch to buy www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Over-Head-Lamp-36-72-SMD-LED-Light-White-Blue-PCUK-/371423654065?var=&hash=item567a9330b1:m:mtmI5fEmqVmEIXZkPDmdi2Q want 2 of these
-wawemaker www.ebay.com/itm/220-240V-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Wave-Maker-Pump-Powerhead-Circulation-Suction-/371808846817?var=&hash=item569188c3e1:m:m2EEVJW8GjIimUJ8Ibya82g cheap 20$
-salt from a local store
-i a gonna use tap water and try to get rid of clorine
-im on a low budget so i dont have 400$ for live rock so i am going to go to a really remote island with a boat in the summer and go pick some rocks from the sea DO YOU THINK THIS WILL WORK
i'm curious, what corals are you growing with lights that were probably really cheap? a lot of corals need pretty good lights and since I don't go with the hardiest I have a bit more expensive lighting
never said you were wrong :P
just saying in regards to most people that wont work, i prefer to have low maintenence so i always get good equipment to avoid having to spend a couple extra hours each week. I forgot about buying used equipment since I personally never would do it out of fear of a malfunction from it being used in the past
fish
Skimmer
Led
Live rock
Corals
Pump
Heater
IT WORKS AMAZING i have 20 corals because my friend have them to me
Than i bought 7 fishes for super cheap
And i picked live rock from a remote island
I have the tank for 2months and its doing excellent i do water tests once a month and it costed me 120$
Also, if you want a fish only tank you can buy any cheap light and it will due but even LED fixtures that will support corals are less then $100 on eBay. You can't count the fish and corals in the price of starting up a tank, that doesn't fall under equipment and that is a cost that will be spent slowly over the lifetime of the tank. You can buy a fish for $10 or you can buy a fish for $200. It can be as expensive or cheap as you want it.
A good skimmer will always pay off if you wanted to dump more money on 1 piece of equipment but I have been getting away with a $30 skimmer for more then 3 years now. I don't have a ton of coral but as an example of growth my torch grew from 1 head to 5 and my Duncan coral grew from 2 heads to over 20 now. My whole setup doesn't cost much more then a setting up a freshwater tank. Remeber, I never said it was going to be free to setup a tank. I just said it can be setup simple and inexpensive compared to what most people think.
More importantly is to make sure to remove the waste by syphoning out the junk from the bottom of the tank and also blowing out your rock with a turkey baster as junk builds up in it.
By having a hang on filter, it isn't removing any waste from your tank until you clean the filter and remove it. So all you have in the filter is waste building up and it will have a constant flow of water that will continue flowing over that waste. So in essence, the hang on filter doesn't remove anything as it still sits in the water.
100. comment for How to Setup a Simple, Easy and Inexpensive Reef / Saltwater Aquarium Tank - 55g Saltwater Tank
I had a 29g before I upped it to the 55. As for equipment and using what they had, it depends on the equipment. They might have some stuff that isn't even necessary and won't need. Also know you want be able to keep but a few fish in the tank, you can't stock it like freshwater and also make sure you know about cycling your tank. Usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks before you will be ready for fish and then add fish slowly. Definitely let me know if you have questions.
Also, make sure to learn about water. Don't use tap water. Either go RO/DO or distilled. What size tank is it?
I actually have my water changes all the way out to once a month. For a 24 gallon you could do like 5 gallons a week or 8-10 every 2 weeks. It is not as important to how much water you change but you just want to suck out all the junk in your water change. That is more important then how much water you actually change.
For water, don't use tap water. Buy distilled water from your grocery store or but RO/DI water from your fish store. The fish store is usually the cheapest. Could be 50 cents a gallon. They also usually sell pre-mixed salt water for $1 gallon. I buy my saltwater from my fish store. You get 5 gallon containers and they fill it up.
Also, you can get around 20-24lbs of dry rock. Even a little less will be fine.
For fish, you would probably be around 3 small fish in that size tank. Maybe a pair of clowns and another small fish. The. you could add some crabs, snails, a shrimp and stuff like that.
If you have more questions let me know. The biggest mistake people make are always at the beginning with the cycle of a tank or when first stocking it.
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━━╯╰━╯┻┉┉┻━┛┻╰╯ Nice video Thumbs up! . ♡✩♡
My parents thank it pretty intimidating. But me might try it one day. I have a small tank for one bata fish
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