(Part 2) Best products from r/ReefTank

It's not overprice. It's actually a very fairly price and well thought out kit. There's some unnecessary things, and the stock nuvo lights are fine (I actually have them only cause I got a sweet deal), but I would rather get the tank only and different lights. Here's my
attempt to piece that kit together with more ideal parts:

NUVO FUSION 20 BY INNOVATIVE MARINE ($200 anywhere)
This kit includes the TANK WITH THE LIGHTS, which are $400 MSRP. Just get the tank at $200. Use the $200 you would've spent on a better light and fixture:


AI PRIME HD AND MOUNT ($225 for light MSRP, $30 mount, MSRP)
This is a much better light. Stronger. Controllable (able to control all spectrums, set a sunrise sunset schedule, all from a mobile app). The Nuvo lights are just on and off, with no switch. You have to plug them into outlet timers. The AI PRIME is way better, for only a little more.


20 LBS. OF REEF SAVER ROCK ($52 bulk reef supply)
This is actually a good price per pound.


100 ML INSTANT OCEAN BIO-SPIRA (NOT NEEDED)
If you cycle your tank properly, this isn't needed.


4 OZ CLORAM-X AMMONIA REMOVER (NOT NEEDED)
You shouldn't be using a chlorinated water source to begin with, so declorinator only enables bad habits. Get RODI water from a local reef store, or make your own, or at the very worst, use vending machine water.


20 LB. SPECIAL GRADE ARAG-ALIVE! LIVE REEF SAND ($30 amazon)
You definitely want at LEAST special grade sand. Google it. Grain size matters. Too fine, and you'll get a sandstorm when the water is moved.
https://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-20-Pound-Special-Bimini/dp/B000EM2BRO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479312554&sr=8-3&keywords=arag+alive


HW-MARINEMIX REEFER SALT MIX (DONT GET THIS SALT)
Instead, get the gold standard:


INSTANT OCEAN REEF CRYSTALS ($50 for enough to make 160 gallons, Drs Foster and Smith, also, FREE BUCKET!)
Make sure you get REEF CRYSTALS if you want corals (it's the orange box/bag), or you can get just the regular INSTANT OCEAN (purple box/bag) if you're doing fish only. This is the most trusted and widely used and available salt. I recommend you use it, so your corals always get the same consistency of nutrients, since this salt is sold everywhere and reliable.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4856


REFRACTOMETER FOR READING SALINITY WITH CALIBRATION FLUID (THESE ARE UNNECESSARY)
Accurate? Yes. Pain in the ass? Also yes. Always having to clean these and calibrate them sucks. Get a standard plastic floaty arrow hydrometer instead.


HYDROMETER ($11 amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Ocean-tk504-SeaTest-Hydrometer/dp/B00019JOSO


TUNZE CARE MAGNET NANO - 0220.010 CLEANER MAGNET (UNNECESSARILY OVERPRICED ITEM)
Everyone knows that when it comes to cleaning magnets, Mag Floats are the go to. Sure you can pay more, but you don't always get more.


MAGFLOAT SMALL ($12)
https://www.amazon.com/Gulfstream-Tropical-AGU030SM-Mag-Float-Aquarium/dp/B003WRKVUC


MARINE S PELLET FISH FOOD - HIKARI (THERE ARE BETTER FOODS)
The best widely available pellet fish good is New Life Spectrum.


NEW LIFE SPECTRUM THERA A ($10 most online places)
They have big pellets and small pellets. Make sure you get the small pellets.


HMA-S 50W FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE HEATER (YOU COULD BUY YOUR OWN FOR CHEAPER)


EHEIM JAGER 50W HEATER ($23 amazon)
These are pretty well regarded and reliable heaters. Avoid getting the $15 chinese heaters, for a few bucks more this is a brand you can trust.
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313472&sr=8-1&keywords=50+w+heater+jager


HPS-100 FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE (GET ANOTHER FOR CHEAPER)
It's cool that the BRS team thought of this, but you can get your own large cheap heater for mixing water. Since it's a nuvo 20, and water changes would be around 2-5 gallons, a 150 watt or even 200 watt heater could warm up the water to match the tank pretty quickly.


EHEIM JAGER 150 WATT HEATER ($25 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003M7P9YU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313666&sr=8-3&keywords=150w+heater


HYDOR KORALIA EVOLUTION POWERHEAD 600 ($29 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Evolution-Aquarium-Circulation/dp/B004F461UA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479313724&sr=8-1&keywords=hydor+koralia+600


So as you can see, you can do it with better parts and remove unnecessary things, but you'd be paying $697 before tax. Personally, I would still rather part it myself, because I know I can find used AI primes with mounts for $150-$200 (check the classifieds of reef forums or you local club). Also, I don't have to buy some of this stuff because I'm already in the fish hobby and have leftover heaters, or have friends who are that can help me get started. But if you're in a hurry and want to start, or this is your first endeavor into fish keeping and have no fish keeping friends, the BRS kit is not bad at all and the convenience is nice.

PROTIP: If you do plan on buying something this big from BRS, i'll let you in on a trick. First, make an account if you don't already have one. Then, add the kit to your cart. Then, leave it there for a few days. You'll get an email reminding you that you have it in your cart, and since it's a large purchase, they'll give you a coupon (i forget the percentage) to encourage you to buy it. Then use the coupon and buy it lol. WINNING!

Hey mate. Congrats on jumping into the hobby. Firstly, have you measured ammonia recently? You want to be certain that your tank has cycled properly before adding livestock, even though you have added some fish already.

Clownfish are a great start and get along with most other fish. Some are more aggressive and territorial than others. Any kind of tang is a bad idea in your tank, as it's just too small. But there are a huge range of other awesome fish you can keep with the same striking appeal! Fish like dwarf angels, numerous wrasses and schooling anthias are good striking fish to take the place of a tang.

I would chuck in some clean up crew now for sure, and provided you have indeed cycled, do a a water change to bring those nitrates down. Don't go crazy off the bat with the CuC however. If not enough food is present for them, some can die from starvation and worsen your water quality from the start, which is no good. I know some websites in the States sell CuC packages with 100 or so snails in them for 40G breeders. Crazy! Pretty soon, it's more than likely you will start to experience a diatom bloom and various types of algae blooms as your system reaches some kind of biological equilibrium. If there's one thing I've learned in my limited time in this hobby, it's that you're maintaining a true ecosystem. It's all about balance and slow changes. If you tip the scales too much, too quickly, it will all fall on its head.

 

There's no great rush to stock your tank (nothing good happens fast in this hobby), as you've still go plenty to learn. So after adding your CuC, you should be researching a stocking list using forums and websites like reef central and liveaquaria to find suitable fish that will get along. Don't forget that there are several great books on everything about this hobby that, IMHO, are worthwhile having on your shelf. Maybe start with a book like this one to figure out who's who in the zoo. I purchased that book and it's been pretty helpful. Things that you should know before buying a fish, for example are: Do they jump? Do they eat coral (aka are they reef safe)? Do they eat prepared foods? Are they gonna eat my shrimp? Is my tank big enough? Catching fish can be pretty difficult, so you want to make sure you don't have to once they are in. ;)

 

Next. Corals. I bought this book to really get my head around what was out there. You'll buy a few corals first off, like leathers, GSP, maybe a hammer or torch or frogspawn. Maybe an acan because you're starting to like LPS. This book (and other online resources) can make it easier to understand what tank conditions these different corals require. Things like lighting, feeding, territory and flow.
With regards to your flow, ideally you will want uneven and random flow throughout your tank without any dead spots. Dead spots are where detritus will accumulate and break down, causing your water quality to deteriorate. The more flow the better! The things that prevent us from having a whirlpool are fish (they'd get tired), sand (don't want it blowing around) and coral (some types dislike too much flow). So find a happy middle ground. For example, in my tank I have one MP10 and a pretty powerful return. This generates a consistent flow pattern throughout the tank that is strong enough to not let detritus accumulate, but varied enough to have places in my tank for corals that love flow (right next to powerhead/return) or prefer it to be more gentle (other end of tank to MP10 is my hammers, duncans and torches).

 

But enough from me. One series of videos that really helped me can be watched by starting here - BRS 52 Weeks of Reefing Build. It's a great series produced by a reef shop called Bulk Reef Supply in the US. If you are from the US, I am very jealous, as they don't ship to Australia. The vids can come off sometimes as being a bit advertise-y, pushing the products they sell. But on the whole they are very well produced and contain a great deal of useful information for you to take away and research. They hit on everything you really need to know in this series.

 

Best of luck to ya mate. This hobby is a great thing to be a part of.

 

Edited for grammar and linkfail.

It's a bit unclear what your experience level is. You mention "upping my game" but then say it's a "starter" tank.

I have a 2.5 gallon Fluval Spec III which has been running for about a year so I can give you some insights.

A refractometer is an excellent tool to invest in and will help you make accurate measurements.

Any salt mix that advertises as being "reef" formulated is probably fine, I seriously doubt there are big differences between brands.

Aim to do a 30-50% water change every week. Even if you slack off you will still generally end up doing it every 2 weeks which is a good pace. Water changes are essential to replenish trace elements and remove wastes.

For smaller tanks, Cobalt Neo-Therm Heaters are a good choice and have a slim profile. 50 watts is plenty for a 5.5 gallon tank (I have a 25 watt).

Get a two glass thermometers, one for the "display" of the tank and one for the rear chamber. Check them daily.

Get a suite of SALTWATER SPECIFIC test kits that cover pH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Calcium, and Carbonate Hardness (alkalinity). Test strips are nice to have for spot checks but are not to be relied upon. The only parameters I actually check regularly are pH, Calcium, and Alkalinity. Once the tank is stable, other parameters are unlikely to fluctuate much between water changes.

Invest in a good light! Seriously, it's one of the most important pieces of equipment so don't skimp out. You could get away with something like this if your corals aren't picky (I did for months with this light and it actually grew SPS alright) or a dodgy Chinese LED fixture from eBay, but I recommend something like the AI Prime HD (which I just upgraded to). It has built-in wifi control so you can set things like color temperature, auto timing, and weather patterns.

For a small tank, an auto top off (ATO) is essential. I have a Smart ATO Micro and I love it, works perfectly. Without an ATO your water will evaporate, your salinity will fluctuate, you can't risk leaving it alone for more than a day, and if you neglect it your pumps might even run dry and destroy themselves. Trust me, this is $124 well spent.

Upgrade your return pump from stock. I put an AquaTop SWP360 in the back of my Spec III and it works really well, good flow and just the right size. In a 5.5 gallon tank you might get away without an additional powerhead for flow, but I'd recommend a small (small) powerhead for good measure. (Pro tip: repurpose the stock return pump for that!)

What else...

Get GFCI power strips so that you don't electrocute yourself.

If you're getting a Fluval Spec III or V, consider investing in this excellent media basket.

Well that's some good advice to start from... let me know if you have questions.

http://imgur.com/NmBvujH.jpg

Believe this is the route we're going. I know plenty about LEDs, but nothing about reef, coral, FOWLR, and all the other stuff my wife has been spewing at me like it'll suddenly click and I'll know exactly what she needs. But based upon what you've provided they just need a very white/blue/purple spectrum that is strong enough to reach the bottom of the tank. I believe we'll be ordering some cheap-o 165w lights from Amazon, it is comparable to the MarsAqua in that outside of a slight shift in spectrum (blue/purple are 10nm off from the MarsAqua, resulting in a more blue/purple spectrum) it is the same light.

Appreciate everyone who put in here, and I guess I should have been more specific about the budget. Wife likes expensive hobbies but doesn't ever want to spend the money for the nice things that come with expensive hobbies.

https://www.amazon.com/Phlizon-Dimmable-Decoration-Saltwater-Freshwater/dp/B074DRCVC4/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=165w+aquarium+light&qid=1564005995&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Which Philzon actually has a fair few products that I am familiar with from LED growing, and while they are no power house in the game they are certainly a cheap entry level into LED growing. So I assume it's safe to say they would be a reasonable bet for entry level .. coraling? Coral Reefing? Growing rocks? As I said.. I know nothing about this except it's salt water and is supposed to have pretty fish.

What other options did you try first? This seems like a drastic option to say the least. GHA takes time to get rid of, but draining the tank to spray with HP shouldn't be the first thing anyone tries.

u/typical_tim check out my post and the comments others wrote for good advice and techniques. I linked the last update because it has the 2 other links in it.

What worked for me was a mixture of things.

1. Limit the light. It wont hurt the coral.
   
   
2. Up your magnesium to around 1500ppm.
   
   
3. Phosgaurd is your best friend!
   
   
4. Remove as much GHA by hand as you can. My clowns are savages so I used an acrylic rof with a designated tooth brush on the end to brush away any GHA I could.
   
   
5. Make sure you have filter floss in place to catch any GHA floating around and change it daily.
   
   
6. High flow (move corals that dont like high flow to lower flow areas) this is key to help move the floating GHA you cant catch into the filter floss. Also GHA doesnt like high flow.
   
   
   It took about 3 months for my tank to look amazing again. I tried everything I could before that and was about to get out of the hobby due to it until someone on r/reeftank made a comment to me saying GHA is part of the hobby so get used to it. It comes and goes and as you mature in the hobby you will learn how to deal with it better and better each time.

OK. My suggestion? Get a 40G Breeder from Petco/Petsmart. One of them frequently has a $1/1g sale, so you can get one cheap.
 
Next, you'll most likely want a protein skimmer. They keep excess waste and proteins out of the water and prevent nutrients from staying in your tank (and thereby allowing algae to grow). This one is internal and has good reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Protein-Skimmer-Counter-Current-Medium/dp/B0002APZ8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468385411&sr=1-1&keywords=protein+skimmer
 
You will need an air pump and air stone for that one, but they're like $10-$20.
 
Now, a heater. I'd suggest going with Eheim, they're rock solid. I have two of these in my larger tank for redundancy, both will be controlled by an aquarium controller eventually. https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003SNMMQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468385694&sr=1-1&keywords=eheim+heater+125w
 
Lastly, you will need a way to move water. Get two of these at $35 a piece. https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Evolution-Aquarium-Circulation/dp/B0036RXO3O/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468385948&sr=1-2&keywords=powerhead&refinements=p_89%3AHydor

So far, we're at the following with just equipment:
Tank: $40
Protein Skimmer: $34
Air Pump: $20
Heater: $25
Powerhead: $35 (x2) = $70
Total: $189.
 
Now you'll need to factor in other things, like consumables!
Salt: Red Sea salt is my personal favorite. https://www.amazon.com/Red-Sea-ARE11220-Aquarium-55-Gallon/dp/B000YIYTIC/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468386197&sr=1-1&keywords=red+sea+salt
This jug will do 55g of water. $32.
RO/DI Water: My LFS sells it for $0.50 a gallon. Not sure what you can get it for, but I assume its similar. You should absolutely NOT use tap water with a conditioner. The conditioners remove chlorine, but they do not remove phosphates and other heavy metals in your water. Let's assume you get 45 gallons (tank + 5 gallons to replace 1 week of evaporated water.) $22.50.
Assuming you do a 10% water change every two weeks, your monthly water usage will be 54+10=30 gallons of water a month @$0.50/g, $0.576 per H20 gallon of salt 30 gallons = 15+17.28 = $32.28 a month in water after initial setup.
 

Consumables:
Water: $22.50
Salt: $32
Water Maintenance / month: $32.28
 
You will lastly need some testing equipment. Get a hydrometer to measure your salinity (I keep mine @ 1.026), a thermometer (mine is 79F), and a test kit to measure your parameters. Don't bother with API's test kit, they're not to accurate. Red Sea makes a good starter kit: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Sea-ARE21525-Marine-Aquarium/dp/B00BAVVD6I/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468386757&sr=1-1&keywords=red+sea+test+kit @ $39.76
 
Now you just need rock and sand. Good luck!

I've read a lot of great reef keeping books and am glad to help you out. I think it's really pretty naive for lots of reefer to solely rely on forum and youtube video advice for this kind of things. Books are written by professionals in the hobby and in marine biology. Thanks for looking into books!

Here is the best book on coral specifically that i Know: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890087475/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Go down the page on amazon and look at the other recommended books and just pick some with lots of good reviews and written fairly recently. Like past 15 years max.

Hi guys! this time the give away is ended. Congrats to our winners u/TDD40 & u/krisjoseph . We will PM you, pls check out your Messages. Thank you everyone who entered! We've already got our next give away in the works so keep your eyes open for more chances to win free stuff!

Here are 15% off coupon codes for C929-A WiFi Aquarium Temperature Controller if you are interested in.

US: VN4PBSUT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y2L95KH

CAN: Z8IE2J8A https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07WPC27DK

Thanks all !

Yes and no. Let's break down those kits:

Saltwater Master:
pH kit: kinda useless IMO. I don't test pH and if I did I'd just get a cheap pH pen or some pH paper really.
Ammonia: Useful for monitoring a cycle. Not necessary for doing so (I cycle without testing it personally) but for a beginner it can be helpful
Nitrite: Again, useful for monitoring a cycle but probably the most useless of the three nitrogen tests given the low toxicity of Nitrite in marine environments. Still decent for beginners to have as a way to get a better understanding of the nitrogen cycle.
Nitrate: Probably the most useful of the three Nitrogen tests for long term as you will likely test Nitrate a lot. Again it's not necessary and many people don't test nitrate in their established mature tanks but when you're a rookie and posting threads about "Why am I getting cyano" you'll be asked for levels of nitrate and such.

Reef Master:
Calcium: If you keep stony corals you need to have proper calcium levels. You can probably wait on this one until you add them.
Carbonate Hardness (Total Alkalinity): Very useful even if you don't keep stonies. Again not a requirement depending on your tank and your water change schedule but I'd argue this is the second most important reading besides specific gravity.
Phosphate: Useless in the API test kit in my opinion, very poor scale and color for any reasonable accuracy.

All said these cost you what? $50. Okay that's not terrible but you might be able to pick and choose test kits for early on and get some slightly better ones and just add to your collection later. Maybe something like this Red Sea https://www.amazon.com/Red-Sea-ARE21525-Marine-Aquarium/dp/B00BAVVD6I?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1 which costs $50 ish and doesn't include calc or phos but does include the three nitrogen for getting through your cycle and a better alkalinity kit.

This is all good advice.

BRS is your friend right now. You can get man made dry rock, a BRS RODI (and you really should get an RODI, lugging water from the LFS just sucks).

I'm sure they have a refractometer like /u/fp4 linked. I went best rather than better and got one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-MA887-Refractometer-Temperature-Compensation/product-reviews/B007Z4ITWU though you can find it cheaper that was just the first google result. It's a worthwhile upgrade. It's just always right. Always.

And Sump vs HOB is a no brainer, sump. every time.

That is the smaller 14 gallon unit. I would stay away from that one for the same reasons everyone is saying smaller aquariums are harder to take care of. I have to be very careful when I do my water changes, because when I take 5 gallons out of my tank it is about a fourth of it's capacity. So if my water is 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the tank when I go to refill it, it can be a huge shock to the tank.

This is the tank I would recommend

Seriously though look online and find them used Mine was in pretty much perfect condition and I only paid $150 for the whole thing with stand.

A couple of weeks ago I saw an Innovative Marine 30Gal tank

At the LFS for only $200 and it was pretty much ready to go.

According to Aquarium Advisor these are some of the best reviewed refugium lights in your price range. All available on Amazon w/Prime for 2 day shipping if you have it. Hope you find one that suits you ;)


Innovative Marine ChaetoMax -18W- 2-n-1 Refugium LED Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WTQ8CHD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PqIIDb8A1Z1N5

Kessil H80 Tuna Flora Refugium LED https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0749X5XL8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_trIIDbJWDT28D

Kessil A160WE Controllable LED Aquarium Light, Tuna Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHC6D7O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VrIIDbJS6W72J

JBJ Nano Glo LED Refugium Light for Aquarium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003J89HEU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XsIIDb42T80FQ

Wave-point Mirco Sun 6,500 k Daylight High Output 8-Watt LED Fixture Lighting for Aquarium, 6-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADK3AQ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GtIIDbW097X9H

Innovative Marine ChaetoMax -9W- 2-n-1 Refugium LED Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076J295D3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RtIIDb2DEQXZ4

I use this. It works very well, and it's at the very least a name brand. You can add in a DI can if you need to for not very much money, if you don't get 0 ppm. I get 0 ppm every time, and we have 400 ppm source water from the tap. If you want to test, this is only $20, and it's great. Best shit you can get, without regard to the price. For home use, it's awesome.

The 50 gallon version makes it fast enough.

• The D120 is the way to go for lighting. You'll probably run it at 30-50% depending on what corals you put in.
  
  
• The 200g box of Reef Crystals is certainly the most economic way to prepare water. It's about a year and a half's supply for a 10g in four separate bags. If you're making your own water, you'll want a RODI filter too, BRS or Spectrapure sells the 4 stage which is plenty. I should note--for a 10g, it's probably cheaper to just buy prepared water from a LFS.
  
  
• A refractometer costs only a little bit more than a hydrometer but is significantly more reliable since it can compensate for temperature.
  
  
• You can typically save money if you buy your live/dry rock at a LFS instead of online--mixing the two will save you more money! You'll also get to pick the pieces.
  
  
• Buy this heater.

While some people run canister filters on saltwater tanks with success, they are generally not used. Most of the biological filtration in saltwater tanks is done by the bacteria that cover the surface area of the rockwork and sand. Canisters end up filling with gunk and waste that then leeches nitrates and phosphates back into the water and can be counter productive if not kept exceptionally clean. In planted tanks these products are used by the plants, but are detrimental to most marine invertebrates. HOB filters can be used, but generally they are only used for water flow through chemical filtration bags like chemipure, purigen, or GFO. The amount of surface area a HOB filter adds is minimal compared to the porous rock and sand in saltwater tanks.


I ran a sumpless system for about 2 years and many people do the same. Although the system was successful in the short term the waste export was not great and the clarity/water surface were not what they have been since I have set up a new system with sump, filter socks, and skimmer. If you want a simple setup for ~$500 maybe look into some of the plug and play systems like the nuvo aquariums or all-in-one cubes. Some of these systems are more customizable than others if you think you may want to upgrade the tank in the future.

For example:
http://www.marinedepot.com/Innovative_Marine_30_Gallon_NUVO_Fusion_30L_Aquarium_(Tank_Only)_Nano_Cube_Aquariums_Tanks_30_39_Gallons-Innovative_Marine-0I10443-FIAQNCNTHH-vi.html

http://www.amazon.com/Coralife-15607-Biocube-Size-29/dp/B007UQA7CS

http://www.amazon.com/JBJ-Nano-Cube-Aquarium-Fluorescents-Moonlights/dp/B002BC4XIU

For softies really you don't need much light. You could go with a PAR38 like this one here, or at the top of your price range, a MarsAqua LED. The only thing about that is that its basically the size of your tank and you'd need to keep it at like 10-20% power.

With the PAR38 you could go to ikea and buy a nice desk lamp you like and screw into that.

GFO is the best long term solution, but Phosguard is cheap and works well if replaced when exhausted.

A good skimmer is important in the process too.

The API phosphate test kit isn't sensitive to the low levels you would test in a for in a reef so use just about any other test.

Coralline seems to grow better under blue light, so give it plenty of actinic light.

Flow might be the problem, in so far as it's directed towards one side, and the other might not be getting enough. I did remove approximately half of what is in there currently to try to improve the flow, but it may be my design more than any blockage.

The light is this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GFTK7CQ

I can't really say if it's better or worse than any other light, since it's the only one I've owned. For the price point though, I'm very happy with it. It does have the digital timer/remote with it. In the pictures I posted, I had the whites up to 100%, and the blues at 0%. I'll post more pictures of different light settings when I get home if you'd like.

What other equipment do you have?

Provided you don't have sump/skimmer/reactors and only have tank and powerhead you could also get an Aquaclear 70 HOB filter and put in there bag of Chemipure Blue, 100 ml of Seachem Purigen and adequate amount of Seachem Phosguard in Seachem The Bag.

For skimmers you could get cheaper but very effective SCA-301: it is little under $100, rated up to 65 gallons and is very quiet and has good customer support. Mine had faulty pump which was extremely loud, told that to customer rep and new pump was delivered to me within few days. This skimmer is low profile, but does require sump.

A Current USA Orbit Marine may be okay for a small, shallow tank. Its PAR is enough for low light level corals if placed 6" from the light. PAR data for their lights is here if you're interested.

EDIT: Make sure it would fit length-wise, or you can mod it to fit.

Do Amazon (or any other online selling place, like specialized reef supply stores) search for reef or coral lights.

It could be T5, T8 (bulbs need regular replacement), LED (most popular) or metal halides (uses too much energy and gets too hot).

Length should fit your tank, or two lights that create cones of light.

Now watch for spectrum, there shouldn't be reds, purples and warm whites (6500K or less). Blues should be there.

Intensity (watts), read reviews there. It QA say that 165W LED fill fry everything in the 10g tank, it will.

From low end lights, two of these will be enough and one blue for early morning and everything, before white light is on. There are gooseneck holders for them, or you can use arm desktop lamps with metal shade removed. This is enough for soft corals, LPS, basic sps.

Thanks, I think I will buy a ro unit. Is this one ok?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DOG63OY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1421600615&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=41CF6VoMfQL&ref=plSrch

As for a protein skimmer, what do you think is the best company?

Yeah I love the Rockscape but he's right. You could bring them in just a tad and use one of these! It's actually A LOT stronger than this one I bought to replace it so I could cover more surface area. The Mag Float one just falls off all the time. I have the Nuvo 10g too.

so, for what its worth, a dimming programmable timer is for YOU not for your tank... it is also something that is likely to go wrong before the actual lights stop working. IMO - separate the two... get a light, get a timer... if one of them fails, you arent out the money required to replace both.

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this is a mars aqua rip off, which i think is a rip off of someones US designed lights... but in either case, its 65 bucks, and has more wattage than the lights you are suggesting. I have run similar light on a 60 cube (24X24X24) and grew basically everything for a few years before a hurricane took out that tank. you could easily run these on your 25. Center it and you will get a good 24-30" spread.. it will light the whole tank, you just wont be able to grow acropora on the sides. (Softies will be fine tho).

​

you can run this on pretty much any timer. From a $12.00 cheap ass 3 prong intermatic analong timer, to the latest and greatest digital timer on the market...

​

either way, if the timer does, you just replace the timer, not the whole light...

Having sump will let teach you about plumbing and keeping up with the filtration. I have a sump in my 29g tank. Here’s a good DIY kit from eBay https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192265982145

As for over flow, water will stop once it goes below your overflow box. As long as it’s not an external overflow with a U shaped tube you’ll be okay as far as power outage. For the return, if your drilling your returns then just make them the same height as your overflow box and add a check valve just Incase. If your doing over the rim returns drill a syphon break hole.

For skimmer this is a good starter skimmer. You usually try to get something rated higher than your tank with this type of equipment.

SC Aquariums SCA-301 Protein Skimmer, 65 gal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CML49CK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xQGdBbAKEVAZD

For return pump get something with a controller that you can adjust like a Jebao pump.

If your drilling your overflow box make sure you drill two holes for a herbie style overflow or even better three for a herbie animal style overflow. One hole in the overflow will cause problems.

If this is the light you are talking about then no. This light is made for a night lamp. If you're looking for a cheap light that will be enough for an anemone then go for something like this lamp and a cheap light fixture to put it on. Anemones are going to a good amount more light than softies are. A light like this cheap black box would be able to do any coral or anemone near its' lowest setting in a 29 and it would be useful on a much larger tank.

I have One of these LED lights over my fuge and I get green hair algae growing like crazy along with my chaeto, I throw some in my display for my tang and fox face every time I clean it out, they think it's a treat.

Here is what I did to solve the veggie clip issue a few years ago.

I found that the little suction cup thing would just give out after a few minutes with the fish tugging and pulling. So I grabbed an old magfloat algae scraper thing... This thing

I then took my standard algae clip and super glued the clip to the magfloat. I've been using it for 3+ years without issue. Just my .02

I'm in the same situation, I got this one. It looks pretty close to yours but cheaper, if you want DI you have to buy that stage separately, i think it's around $30.

I've never had a problem with it leaking or anything, It also works really well. I don't have a TDS meter or anything, but I haven't had any algae blooms. I have to add about half a gallon a day to my 20 gallon to keep up with evaporation, so i'm sure I would have noticed by now if it wasn't doing its job.

The only things I don't like about it is that half the manual is printed on the box instead of in the actual manual. And that you need to buy some 1/4" tubing. Not a big deal, but eh, why couldn't they throw it in?

products i love:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z4ITWU/ref=sxr_rr_xsim1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-HI-755-Colorimeter/dp/B005FH2O6G/ref=pd_sim_328_91?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8MKR3X0JC3JK0MJA969X

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Sea-Reef-Foundation-Test/dp/B004FUJ5NE/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1482730008&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=red+sea+test+kit

I was having sillicate based issues that looked a lot like yours. Put some of this stuff and it cleared up within a few days. My tank is only 90g and I don't think I had as much algae as you, but I would definitely give it a shot.

It works fine. Trust me. I also proof my outdoor plants with this light before I move them outside.

I looked up my order on amazon, this is what I picked up. Not sure if it is the same one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GNWK2XO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is what I am running. It seems to work pretty well.


https://www.amazon.com/SC-Aquariums-SCA-301-Protein-Skimmer/dp/B00CML49CK

I have one of the cheaper $30~ Amazon Refractometer and have had no issues with it. I test my display and the new water to make sure they match beforehand.

If want to spend the money for a good salinity checker, go digital and grab one of these instead:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Z4ITWU

I own this book, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890087475/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a little outdated, but it has a ton of info and showcases a lot of corals. It's a good book to have just for the reference material, and even as a coffee table book.

I got the Innovative Marine ChaetoMax -9W- 2-n-1 Refugium LED Light

https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Marine-ChaetoMax-2-n-1-Refugium/dp/B076J295D3/ref=asc_df_B076J295D3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198072615033&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4657125377234784331&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032185&hvtargid=pla-391627451499&psc=1

Thanks for the reply! I'm really thinking I'm going to make the purchase.

I'm really not sure. I know this is the tank.

I got the Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light and love it..


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GFTK7CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I mean its not a pendant but it's way cheaper than other stuff so

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GNWK2XO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485639834&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=taotronics+led+grow+light&dpPl=1&dpID=41RnUHYwATL&ref=plSrch

Is this the one you're talking about? Seems a little low wattage wise.

Okay so not all RO units include the DI part by default? So, this? It seems to be the add-on DI for that RO unit. The RO/DI is the biggest 'new' thing for me to research so I am still getting a feel for how it all works, thanks for pointing out this one didn't have the DI.

Yeah I agree I don't want to be using shady water for such a small tank. My betta is in a well-planted 5.5 that's doing very well with its nitrate levels and such but I know there are a lot more water chemistry elements in salt/a reef that could go wrong.

I should have added that I also have a sump with an over sized skimmer.
https://www.amazon.com/SC-Aquariums-SCA-301-Protein-Skimmer/dp/B00CML49CK

I actually have to overfeed my fish to keep my nitrates above 0 for my corals.
http://imgur.com/a/tyMva

I also have a bag of biopellets that I don't use.

Like I said, 2 of my fish don't really swim around in the water column. All of my fish put together probably has less mass than than the melanarus wrasse which has a recommended tank volume of 50 gallons.

It's RO buddy with the attached DI cartridge.

Aquatic Life RO Buddie Three Stage Reverse Osmosis, 50-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_2AuZXCATMFHrh

Aquatic Life DI Color Changing Mixed Bed Resin Cartridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSP57BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_AYC81Ut4FcPwC

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M0PF72P/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1520597232&sr=8-7&keywords=reef+led&dpPl=1&dpID=51Gfjku8qwL&ref=plSrch

That's really really expensive. Biocubes are less than that. Even their 29 is less.
https://www.amazon.com/Coralife-15607-Biocube-Size-29/dp/B007UQA7CS

Would I need to get the blue light separately?
I had found these 3 lights on amazon but wasn't sure if they would be safe/appropriate:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DRCVC4/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B074DRCVC4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=04EE86HR22AN8HHFVK3G&pd_rd_wg=GylUa&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=2DNvj&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=1caf8f40-c516-11e8-a5cd-85f68c4eb870

https://www.amazon.com/MarsAqua-Dimmable-Aquarium-Freshwater-Saltwater/dp/B017GX73YY/ref=pd_sbs_199_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B017GX73YY&pd_rd_r=3ab9a93f-c50e-11e8-a5cd-85f68c4eb870&pd_rd_w=HVbLd&pd_rd_wg=W18XH&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=2AF1WVAZ309435Y2988V&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=2AF1WVAZ309435Y2988V

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074PL12FM/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B074PL12FM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=B87C578F8QE0RAPSERWW&pd_rd_wg=yg3CS&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=fLVGF&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=4a43f5b2-c5aa-11e8-a4e5-63f94ef21772

Wanted to do the 75W but they don't have any atm. How about a 50W? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=twister_B00TQZ7G7K?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Or should I wait and go with the 75W?

I am more worried about maybe needing a fan? right now I only have the "moon lights" on and it is running at 80.2-80.4F.