Buying a Waterbox or Redsea Reefer, What Else is Needed?

One of the most common questions we get is, I would like to buy a Reefer or Waterbox. What else do I need to get this thing setup and going?

Well, that's a loaded question. But here are the basics:

You Must Have

Heater - Warms the water. Make sure it's rated to or above the total gallons including sump.
Skimmer - Takes out the fish poop. Make sure it's rated to the load (light, medium, heavy) you plan on keeping and it will fit in the sump.
Return Pump - The return pump is the heart of you system. Spend some money here and get a good one, and possibly a second one as a backup. Make sure it's rated for the amount of gallons you want to move through you system and make sure to count head pressure (pumps pump less at different heights)
Lights - Make sure your lights are powerful enough to keep/grow the corals you want to keep. All lights will keep fish. Fish don't even need lights, it just makes the fish easier to see. Lots of options kia, honda, BMW again.

That will get your tank started. Water flowing, leak testing, stuff going on.

You Should Also Buy at the Start

Salt - If you plan to mix your own salt water, you could also just buy saltwater at a local fish store.
Refractometer to measure salinity - A must to measure how salty your water is. This is key to any saltwater tank and you will use it a ton. Don't skimp on a refractometer. Hydrometers in general are a terrible idea.
Sand - Completely optional, but most customer prefer sand on the bottom.
Rocks - Optional but a good liferock or liverock and help you keep a stable environment by allowing good bacteria to live/thrive on it.
RODI System - If your going to make saltwater, this will purify your tap water and make it perfect for creating a tank.
Flow/Wave Pump - Ton's of options. This is like picking a kia, honda or BMW. They all move water.

Now you're off and going.

Oct 24, 2018 Ken Brown

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