Hi , New to the area , new member, new to salt/reef life !

[JazAnt]

Hello ,

 

We are new to the area as well as hobby very excited to be a member of this group .

 

We have a used 125 gallon glass aquarium with a sump, return pump and protein skimmer currently in the process of building the setup .

 

Suggestions on equipment or steps we should do next would be so helpful. In turn we will also do our due diligence in reading posted threads, thanks for the support and community !

 

 

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[YHSublime]

Hello, welcome to the club! 

 

It's wild to think about, but a lot of planning happens before you even setup a tank! What kind of reef are you going for? Fish only with live rock (FOWLR), mixed reef, softies & LPS, SPC/Acropora dominated? Do you want sand, or bare bottom? Does all of that sound like jargon? Do you have a budget in mind, know where it's going to go in the house? Do you have a RO/DI to make water, and a place to mix synthetic salt for the tank? 

 

A book I really enjoyed that I believe details out all the questions you are asking yourself right now is Tony Varga's "The Coral Reef Aquarium: From Inception to Completion"

 

Personally, I would start by figuring out where the tank will go, how the tank will be plumbed, and then focusing on getting an aquascape (rock and sand) and some saltwater so you can start cycling. And reading everything and anything you can along the way. A really good way to do this is by finding a build that you like that is documented, and reading about the journey along the way. I'd be remiss if I didn't post mine, which you can find here. I'd also suggest starting a build, so you can document and watch the growth! 

 

Lastly, I'm glad you found WAMAS, we're a great local club with a lot of knowledge bouncing around. The $20 annual membership will pay for itself with the Buy/Sell/Trade forum section, and you'll be able to solicit advise from some old heads and wicked smart folks! 

[howaboutme]

I echo the above. If you're not in a hurry (which you shouldn't in this hobby) then continue to browse and monitor the For Sale threads. You can likely get some good deals of excellent equipment. Since it's local pickup (most of the time) transactions are so much easier. Also don't forget to visit our LFS. We have lucky to have a good amount of dedicated saltwater stores in our area. Good luck!