Lighting

     This will depend on the type of set-up:* "Fish Only" (FO) tank only needs enough light to view the fish comfortably.

     * If you use "Live Rock" (FOWLR) in your tank, then you should not have less than 2.5-3.0 W/gal (more is better).

     * "Soft" corals such as star polyps and mushrooms require about 3-4 W/gal (again, more would be better).

     * Hard corals, clams and anemones need a minimum of 6-8 W/gal, depending on the water depth.

     * Normal Output (NO) fluorescent lights are mostly used on FO or FOWLR systems, but can be used quite successfully on Reef tanks as well, provided one has the space to accommodate all the tubes. As an example, I have kept a Carpet Anemone in my marginal reef tank for more than 8 months, using 8 x 40W NO tubes on my 55 gal. tank. (I have since upgraded to Metal Halides)

     * PC (Power Compact) fluorescent lamps are nearly as bright as Metal Halides, and are quite suitable to keep all types of marine animals in all but the deepest tanks. They are quite expensive, though, and not always obtainable.

     * VHO (Very High Output) fluorescent lamps are "old technology", and are being superseded by the PC's or MH's.

     * MH (Metal Halide) lamps are the brightest lamps available, and nearly equal the intensity of sunlight. They are probably the most suited type of lighting for deep tanks, and for "Reef" type set-ups with light loving animals such as SPS corals, clams and anemones.
    
     The light "Colour temperature" is also very important. Water "absorbs" the longer wavelength light (the red, orange and yellow colour) at a shallower depth than the shorter wavelength light (green, blue and violet). If one descended from the surface of the ocean, the red light would disappear first, and the last light remaining at depth would be violet.

     Sunlight at the water’s surface has a colour temperature of 6 500K. I don't have exact figures, but I believe that the 10 000K light spectrum approximate a depth of around 10m (33') below the surface, and the "bluer" 20 000K spectrum is equivalent of light at a depth of about 20m (66')
Because *most* corals live closer to the surface, 10 000K light would actually be more natural for them than 20 000K light. If one were to set up a "deep water" tank, containing species living at greater depth than that of a "normal" shallow reef, one would be better off to use the 20 000K lamps.

     The following links may explain this in more detail:

Reef Tank Lighting
Lighting
Photosynthesis/Irradiance (P/I) Curves and Why They Are Important to ReefKeepers

Filtration:

     * Skimmer - This removes biological waste before it can decompose into ammonia, etc, and thus lightens the load on the bio-filter. Do not skimp on the skimmer - buy the best you can afford. It is perhaps the single most important item you will buy, so rather get one rated at twice your capacity than get one which cannot cope.

     * In a lightly stocked tank live rock and/or live sand "biological" filtration is all that is required (apart from the skimmer, that is).

     * In a more heavily populated "fish only" tank, a Wet/Dry trickle filter is probably the best biological filter, though it will lead to a higher nitrate level than live rock filtration.

     * Canister filters are good "mechanical" filters, but they tend to produce an excess of nitrates in the tank.

     * Under-gravel filters should be avoided where possible, as they also produce unacceptably high nitrate levels.

     * A sump – get the largest practical tank, plastic container, etc, which will fit below your tank (or anywhere else that’s convenient). A sump is not really essential, but it does increase the total water volume, and allows one to keep all the ugly equipment (such as heaters, chiller, skimmer, and just about anything else) out of the tank. It is also a great place to make a refugium, and it allows for a more efficient gas exchange due to the tumbling action of the water flowing down into it.

Fresh-water Filters

     * It is very important to use pure, unpolluted fresh water to replace evaporated water, and to make the salt-water used for partial water exchanges. Using ordinary tap water invariably leads to algae outbreaks.

     * RO (Reverse Osmoses) filters are the cheapest in the long run, and they remove 95% (or more) of the contaminants from the water.

     * DI (De Ionisation) filters become exhausted quite soon, and need frequent replacement. This makes this type of filtration quite expensive. DI units typically remove 99% of all contaminants while "fresh".

     * One can combine the two, first using RO and then DI. This results in the purest water, but IMO is not really necessary.

     * One could also use a "hand held" water purifier, such as Nitragon, or a household unit such as the Brita filter. These units are actually small DI filters, and work quite well while fresh. Because of their small capacities they are quite expensive, though.Other equipment:

     * Heaters: Work on using about 2W/gal to raise the tank temperature 5 degrees F above the room temperature. (Thus for a 55 gal. tank you would need ~ 300W to raise the temperature to ~ 75 F if the surrounding temperature is ~ 60 F). It is better to use two or three smaller heaters than one large one. If a smaller heater fails on, it is unlikely to boil your tank, and if it fails off the other heater can still supply some heat until you (hopefully) discover the problem.

     * Air pumps: This is not normally needed if you have adequate circulation. It is good to have a standby unit for an emergency, though. I also use mine to aerate freshly made salt water used for partial water exchange.

     * Thermometer: Get an accurate glass or electronic one - those little "stick on" types are not accurate.

     * Hydrometer: These are notoriously inaccurate. Get a good glass type, and make sure you know for which temperature it is calibrated.

     * Pumps – Good water circulation is essential. Buy a good quality return pump (if you’re using a sump), and one or two additional power heads. . A "surge" device or "wavemaker" is a good addition, but is not essential.

     * Live rock - get about 20% - 40% of the tank's volume of live rock. This is essential for long term water stability (read: low nitrate level).

     * Sea salt – There are many makes of salt, and not all of them are good. Read the package label, and ask questions on the Net before you buy it. You will not only need salt for the initial makeup, but also for regular partial water changes (about 10%-20% of water volume every 2-4 weeks, depending on stocking level, etc).

     * "Incidentals" – You will need some test kits, additives such as buffer and calcium, a fish net, some containers to mix your water…

Page 1 - 2 - 3