First saltwater tank - 40 Gallon Tall

Ok I am going to take the dive and my wife and I are gonna build our first saltwater tank.

we spent a lot of time and research on our freshwater tank, and we are keeping it, but the payoff isn’t what we’re looking for.

I have spent the last several weeks researching and learning, but I know I won’t ever know everything. So I’m turning to the forum gods to school me. This is what I’ll be getting so far.

40 gallon tall (I know larger is better starting out because more volume = more room for error but We have a space to make it a centerpiece)
Filter seachem Tidal 75 - $60
Tunze 9004 DC protein skimmer - $200
Koralia power heads 1350 gph x2 - $120 (open to suggestions if this is overkill)
1 Prime 16 LED reef light - 200 (open to suggestions if this is overkill)
Hygger 200w heater w controller - $60

I’ll include a power controller with it all and eventually get an auto water top off device.
Planned on starting with living rock and sand.
i do not want to do a sump, if we end up like most and upgrade we might go that path just not now.

so now I turn to all of you. What am I missing, what is overkill or underkill (trying to do this and stay under the price of an all in one) what are the pitfalls I can avoid. I understand patience is key

for first fish (which I know is a while out) I was thinking the following
2 tradition clowns fish.
2 green chromis
2 royal grammas
I have not looked if this is to much for a 40 gallon, and I have seen where tangs are super beneficial for Algae purposes, but we would need to rehome when they get to large. Haven’t looked into a cleanup crew so open to suggestions there.

for corals I’m going to stick with soft corals because I’ve read they are easier to deal with than those with skeletal structures due to calcium and alkaline levels.

What else am I missing? Thanks in advance we are really excited to start this journey.

 

Welcome to the salty side

A few notes on your equipment:

• The Tidal 75 would be a fine choice, but keep in mind that you don't actually need a filter for this tank. Your rock will take care of the biological filtration, and your powerheads will take care of the flow. The filter will be there only for mechanical filtration (filter floss or something similar), chemical filtration (carbon, purigen, chemipure, etc.), and maybe to keep a small amount of sponge or something cycled for a QT or hospital tank. It's a good idea to have a HOB around, but you may not need to run it 24/7 if you don't want to for whatever reason. Unless you have the Tidal on hand, I'd probably recommend going with a Fluval Aquaclear. They're truly amazing filters and will offer far more space for different medias and will likely last longer as well. The Aquaclear 70 (or 110!) would be good choices.
• Nice skimmer. It's one I had considered for my 40 gallon Green Spotted Puffer tank, so I bet it'd work pretty nicely for you too.
• I'm a big fan of Koralia pumps. I don't think it'd be overkill at all since they put out a very wide, dispersed flow pattern. I'd just make sure to position them strategically around the tank to ensure there are no dead spots around your rockscape, and realize that they don't come with any bells or whistles - no controllers, nothing like that. They're just powerheads - but good ones!
• The heater should be fine - I like the Inkbird controllers, personally.
• That light is really only rated for a 24"x24" space, meaning you'd probably need two to cover the length of the tank. As is, you'll probably have lots of light spillage front-to-back and very dim ends of the tank. I might recommend looking into some of the black box LEDs - they're going to run you around the same $100-150, and you may have to hang them pretty high, but you'll likely get far better coverage. Not as many bells and whistles as the Prime, though - so if you're after those, you may be best to try and get a second Prime 16 and try to create a canopy to limit light spillage into the room.

Here's a random black box on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/WILLS-Aquari...640059263&sprefix=reef+tank+led,aps,89&sr=8-8

They rate that one for 36"x36" at 5" off the water surface, which should cover the tank end-to-end. I'd look around until you find one you really like, though!

As far as equipment, I think you've got most of it. I'd invest in a saltwater mixing area, unless you plan to buy your water at a LFS (not recommended, IMO). A 20-30 gallon trash can and a cheap powerhead and heater will do the job well. A good salt mix is a must too - Instant Ocean Reef Crystals is a great place to start for beginners. Speaking of water, have you given thought to your source water? You won't really want to use tap water for a reef - RO/DI or DI is a must, most of the time. An RO filter will run you somewhere between $100 for a cheap, slow unit upwards of a few hundred for a nice RO/DI unit. They usually hook into a water line under a sink or somewhere similar.

Keep in mind you'll also need a clean up crew - snails and hermit crabs are my go-tos. Reef-cleaners.org is absolutely fantastic for clean-up crews if you're located in the US.

For your stocking, a few suggestions:

• The pair of clowns should do great!
• I recommend avoiding Chromis in general. They have a tendency to not do so hot from the store, and they're known to get very aggressive towards each other as they age, despite being marketed as a schooling fish. If you can track them down, a group (3 or so) of Blue Sapphire Damsels will make for a similar fish - they probably won't school, but are some of the least aggressive damsels out there, and should play nicely. Just make sure that they're Blue Sapphires specifically - some damsels are outright nasty!
• IME, two Royal Grammas won't play nice together. They're usually a lot of bark and no bite, but I'd stick with one, personally. I've had them go after blennies and similar-looking fish, too, just because of similar appearances.
• I'd look into gobies and blennies - not all of them play nice together, but they're by far some of the most interesting fish you can get that don't really exist in freshwater.
• I'd probably skip the tang entirely. Even for a young yellow tang (a smaller species) that's really not a ton of room length-ways for it to swim, which can lead to illness and aggression towards other fish.

You still have some room left in the tank (IMO), but it's probably best to start light and slow. The clowns would be a great first addition. Do you plan to quarantine? You can kind of get by without doing it in freshwater, but I really don't recommend skipping QT in saltwater. It almost always comes back to bite you, since you can't treat the majority of diseases in the display tank (due to coral and inverts), and some diseases require the tank to be empty for up to 76 days to kill off parasites. A few week QT is well worth it!

I know it's a lot, but take it one step at a time! Feel free to ask any questions, too!

 

That light is really only rated for a 24"x24" space, meaning you'd probably need two to cover the length of the tank.

This will be a cube tank I apologize for not putting that in. I don’t know the dimensions yet so your probably right. Are there any lights I can use where I can hang them lower? You mentioning the height just reminded me limitation I have. If I need to hang lower and have 2 then so be it.

Speaking of water, have you given thought to your source water? You won't really want to use tap water for a reef - RO/DI or DI is a must, most of the time.

So I have read about the rodi setups but have also read many people have had no issues with tap water and a good filter. I didn’t look into it because I don’t have easily accessed water lines where I would need to store water. This of
Course doesn’t solve the weekly water change issue. I planned on having a 20 gallon rubber trash can premixed and properly stored so I can mix once a month and use it for 10 percent changes weekly. I planned to use pro reef meersalz/sea salt since you can mix once and it will stay mixed. Maybe I’ve been misinformed about that last piece.

for stocking I’ve read damsels tend to be aggressive so appreciate the suggestions. I’m open to other types of fish but I read those cohabitate nicely so any other suggestions that pair with clownfish would be welcomed.

for a qt tank I would only need a heater filter and water correct? How big would it need to be?

one big thing I’ve read that kills peoples hopes and dreams is algae. What’s the best way to avoid it / cure it if it happens?

 

Ok I am going to take the dive and my wife and I are gonna build our first saltwater tank.

we spent a lot of time and research on our freshwater tank, and we are keeping it, but the payoff isn’t what we’re looking for.

I have spent the last several weeks researching and learning, but I know I won’t ever know everything. So I’m turning to the forum gods to school me. This is what I’ll be getting so far.

Well, certainly looks like you guys did a lot of research! Looking good so far.

40 gallon tall (I know larger is better starting out because more volume = more room for error but We have a space to make it a centerpiece)

Honestly this more so applies to anything less than 10 gallons. Above that it's fine. But either way, 40 gal works!

Filter seachem Tidal 75 - $60
Tunze 9004 DC protein skimmer - $200
Koralia power heads 1350 gph x2 - $120 (open to suggestions if this is overkill)
1 Prime 16 LED reef light - 200 (open to suggestions if this is overkill)
Hygger 200w heater w controller - $60

I’ll include a power controller with it all and eventually get an auto water top off device.
Planned on starting with living rock and sand.

Looks great. You can also just have one power head, and have the HOB be on the other side. Unless you are going minimal with the live rock, your live rock will be the main biomedia in your tank which will handle nitrification, so so long as there is plenty of flow in the tank, that is sweet. A HOB is still great if you want extra mechanical or chemical filtration though.

i do not want to do a sump, if we end up like most and upgrade we might go that path just not now.

That's fine, a sump is actually entirely optional.

so now I turn to all of you. What am I missing, what is overkill or underkill (trying to do this and stay under the price of an all in one) what are the pitfalls I can avoid. I understand patience is key

for first fish (which I know is a while out) I was thinking the following
2 tradition clowns fish.

Cool cool.

2 green chromis

Chromis can be tricky and may fight, but not bad fish per se.

2 royal grammas

They can be kinda aggressive at times and may fight. Or may not. But it applies to a lot of marine fish lol.

I have not looked if this is to much for a 40 gallon, and I have seen where tangs are super beneficial for Algae purposes, but we would need to rehome when they get to large. Haven’t looked into a cleanup crew so open to suggestions there.

There are sites like reefcleaners where you can buy individual cuc for relatively cheap. I'd suggest getting a good mix, 1-2 of each species of snail, crab, and brittle star. That way you'd get a good variety. Tangs can be beneficial for algae, but mostly they are good just as fish that looks good. You will have to re-home them when they grow larger, yes, but no harm keeping them early.

for corals I’m going to stick with soft corals because I’ve read they are easier to deal with than those with skeletal structures due to calcium and alkaline levels.

You are right. And soft corals look great too! I love soft corals. Some can spread very rapidly, but hey - that's not necessarily a bad thing right?

What else am I missing? Thanks in advance we are really excited to start this journey.

Some things are very different in marine versus freshwater systems. Nitrite for example, is not lethal to marine fish until it reaches very high concentrations.

Nitrifiers in marine and freshwater systems can also be different, so when cycling and buying a bottled bac product, make sure you are getting the right one.

The suggested amount of live rock is 1-1.5lb of rock per gallon of water. If you go for less, make sure to supplement with extra biomedia. I'd suggest MarinePure to keep it compact.

Always calibrate your salinity measuring tool with a calibration solution. You can get some easily from say Bulk Reef Supply.

It is generally recommended to keep nitrate and phosphate >0, so you know there is enough for your corals to consume.

 

Well, certainly looks like you guys did a lot of research! Looking good so far.

Honestly this more so applies to anything less than 10 gallons. Above that it's fine. But either way, 40 gal works!

Looks great. You can also just have one power head, and have the HOB be on the other side. Unless you are going minimal with the live rock, your live rock will be the main biomedia in your tank which will handle nitrification, so so long as there is plenty of flow in the tank, that is sweet. A HOB is still great if you want extra mechanical or chemical filtration though.

That's fine, a sump is actually entirely optional.

Cool cool.

Chromis can be tricky and may fight, but not bad fish per se.

They can be kinda aggressive at times and may fight. Or may not. But it applies to a lot of marine fish lol.

There are sites like reefcleaners where you can buy individual cuc for relatively cheap. I'd suggest getting a good mix, 1-2 of each species of snail, crab, and brittle star. That way you'd get a good variety. Tangs can be beneficial for algae, but mostly they are good just as fish that looks good. You will have to re-home them when they grow larger, yes, but no harm keeping them early.

You are right. And soft corals look great too! I love soft corals. Some can spread very rapidly, but hey - that's not necessarily a bad thing right?

Some things are very different in marine versus freshwater systems. Nitrite for example, is not lethal to marine fish until it reaches very high concentrations.

Nitrifiers in marine and freshwater systems can also be different, so when cycling and buying a bottled bac product, make sure you are getting the right one.

The suggested amount of live rock is 1-1.5lb of rock per gallon of water. If you go for less, make sure to supplement with extra biomedia. I'd suggest MarinePure to keep it compact.

Always calibrate your salinity measuring tool with a calibration solution. You can get some easily from say Bulk Reef Supply.

It is generally recommended to keep nitrate and phosphate >0, so you know there is enough for your corals to consume.

Thanks for the feedback. Do you have any suggestions for other
Variations of fish that can be paired with clownfish? We are looking for lively and colorful of course but if we can get some fish that put in work keeping things clean that would be great. Haha.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Do you have any suggestions for other
Variations of fish that can be paired with clownfish? We are looking for lively and colorful of course but if we can get some fish that put in work keeping things clean that would be great. Haha.

Certain gobies may be nice if you want something that may go through the sand, but cuc would probably handle that fine.

Honestly I'd suggest just going for a tang that you like, and keep it for however long you can keep it. ^_^

 

How about algae issues? I’ve heard they were a huge reason first timers give up.

 

Hey I’m thinking of getting a jbj rl-45 for this build. I found a new one for 536 dollars. Would this be a good deal? I would still need lighting, heater but the store told me power heads wouldn’t be needed because the heads Included are more than enough.

 

How about algae issues? I’ve heard they were a huge reason first timers give up.

Sorry I missed this question. Algae is certainly a huge issue because people want to use corals, and basically corals and algae has the same growth requirements(ish). It's the same with algae in planted tanks, and the solution is the same. Something needs to remove the algae, like some algae eater or manual removal. However, it re-releases nutrients into the water, which could then be recycled and re-utilized by algae, causing them to come back pretty quickly. So water changes help here. That, or you have to ensure there's enough competition. Generally for really established tanks with a lot of coral, algae barely grows because the same nutrients would mostly go to feeding the corals rather than the algae. Etc.

Hey I’m thinking of getting a jbj rl-45 for this build. I found a new one for 536 dollars. Would this be a good deal? I would still need lighting, heater but the store told me power heads wouldn’t be needed because the heads Included are more than enough.

Just for the tank? Honestly I'd just get this: Shop | Innovative Marine Products. NuvoAquariums are really good quality, and right now it is on sale for a similar size. It is slightly smaller technically, but well, the tank is just REALLY good quality. Or spend another $100 or so for the 50 gal: Shop | Innovative Marine Products.

But yeah, honestly the filter outlets nowadays are pretty good so yeah, powerhead probs not necessary.

 

40 gallon is what we were originally wanting so this is defiantly in the running. I’ll still need lights and whatnot right?

 

40 gallon is what we were originally wanting so this is defiantly in the running. I’ll still need lights and whatnot right?

Yeah. In the U.S. I've only ever had experience with the AquaIllumination lights. Some people seem to be able to have a single AquaIllumination Prime 16 HD: Prime 16 HD LED Reef Light - Black Body - Aqua Illumination and it works for them, though honestly imo it is a bit small. I'd say an AquaIllumination Hydra would be better.

 

If you get two royal grammas you will end up with one .
They are all bark and no bite when it comes to other fish .
They are death to their own ..
Same with Chromis .
Tangs get tooo big for tanks under 100g IMO.
Look into dwarf angels like a Cherub or Coral Beauty .