HELP!!! NEWBIE ALERT!!!

[DOMINATOR]

hello everyone, im totally new at this so here goes.....i just bought 2-90gallon aquariums to start my very first saltwater oasis or underwater paradise....ive got nothing...i need live rock,coral,(not expensive) and lots of tips!!! what coral will go good together, what fish can live together, etc,etc...If anyone out there feels me, HELP!

[Duffer2]

Welcome to Canreef.

2 90's, that should be a good volume to work with. This is a great place for tips and advice.

The best advice that I didn't follow and should have when I got into this hobby is try to be really patient. For instance, I wouldn't even really think about corals for a few months at the earliest. As for fish, add them slowly, and ask lots of questions.

What type of equipement are you running (lights, skimmer, power heads)?

[DOMINATOR]

I need to purchase a skimmer, i have a big sump and a pump...as for lights, i need advice

[Twinn]

The biggest piece of advise I can give you is to plan ahead. What do you want for coral SPS, LPS, Softies and mixed reef. Do you want lots of fish or just a few. This will help you to decide lighting, skimmer ect.

[es355lucille]

+1 on this advice. Take your time to read some of the documents by a few around here. Let your system take hold once you get your live rock placed in the tank. Depending which way you are going: Reef (takes longer) Fish Only (not as long).......but be careful and read about everything you add to your tank. Fish are something to research...once you get a couple...then you need to ensure you are adding compatable for your community. Have fun and look at the live rock closely when you start. Get a flashlight and watch the natural things found in live rock grow......you are at a very exciting time....don't let that hurry things too much. This is how people get into trouble. Ask any of us....PM if you like. This can help you very much. If you have any questions give someone on here a shout. Brad

Originally Posted by Twinn

The biggest piece of advise I can give you is to plan ahead. What do you want for coral SPS, LPS, Softies and mixed reef. Do you want lots of fish or just a few. This will help you to decide lighting, skimmer ect.

[DOMINATOR]

for my 2 90 gallons, what start off lighting do you recommend? Tanks are 48 long...dont really want to upgrade often neither

The best advice I can give is take it slow and buy everything used if possible. It can be an overwhelming if you try to buy everything new. Also dont put fish in your tank that aren't in the long term plans. I had three four bar Damsels in my tank for cycling and when I wanted to catch them I had to remove every last peice of rock to catch them. over 250lbs (that was a fun day).

What do you have for equipment? you would be amazed at the equipment people have on this site collecting dust.

[DOMINATOR]

All of that equipment sounds amazing? Do i need all of that?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by DOMINATOR

All of that equipment sounds amazing? Do i need all of that?

Depends on what you want to keep and how easy you want your life to be
Skimmer helps clean water, frequent water changes do the same thing. skimmer is probably cheaper long term.
Lights grow corals, so your choice of coral type will determine what you need for light.
You may or may not need a lot of water movement (pumps/power heads) depending on the coral choice.
Fish also depend on this, as some fish eat some corals/clams/inverts.
As corals grow, they need calcium and associated chemistry. Water changes again, manual addition of supplements, dosing, reactors, all cover the need, so how easy do you want it to be?

Look through the tank journal forum, see what tanks you like and how the people set them up. Then ask more questions.

[DOMINATOR]

thanks for the tip!!!