mgscott

I just moved back to the PNW after being gone since the late 80's. We've relocated to Beaverton, and am just now getting back into the hobby. In the 90's, I had 3 tanks. A 20 gal glass fresh that I kept on my desk at work, a 55 self-contained Wet/Dry Marine that I only kept fish (and a snowflake Moray Eel), and a 100 gal fresh at home. I had to give it up in the mid 90's as I had to move out of state. Now that we're back in the PNW, I just got a BioCube 29, and am taking my first stab at a mini-reef. I set it up about a month ago. I added the suggested CoralLife Protein Skimmer, an Eheim Jager 100w heater, and bought the suggested CoralLife UV Sterilizer, but not sure if I want to add it. I also added the CoralLife circulation pump. So far, I let it cycle for a week, then added about 15 lb of live rock. I let it cycle for another week, then added 2 coral fragments, a peppermint shrimp, and a cleaner crew (3 snails, 3 hermit crabs, and a sand sifter star fish). I let that cycle for a week, then once I made sure my salinity, ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites were good, I got 2 more coral fragments, and 2 small clown fish. So far that is it. Once everything cycles there, and I stop battling brown algae, I'll start experimenting with other corals. I know it's been suggested elsewhere that I upgrade the pump to a Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200, upgrade the CoralLife Protein Skimmer to a ComLine DOC 9001 Protein Skimmer, and replace the bio-balls with the 9001 and a Media Basket. The Media Basket sounds like my old Fluval canister filter, so I'm not entirely sure if it's worth replacing the balls with the basket, or just get a canister filter in addition to what I already have (it's easier to clean a canister filter, than get in back of the tank). So... my questions are... 1. What are good places locally for equipment, fish, coral, and live rock 2. Are there better online resources than Amazon I prefer to buy locally for the most part, as I feel if I'm going to ask you (the store owner) questions, I should also provide you with my business, even though it may be cheaper online. But the stores I've gone to so far don't HAVE much equipment. I intentionally bought my tank locally for that reason. I also play on getting a 2nd take in the 150gal range if all goes well. Also, unlike in the past, where I mixed tap water with marine salt in 5 gallon jugs, there is all this talk these days about RO, and the store I bought my tank even supplies it. Is it worth it? I'm just making my salt water a day ahead of time, and will replace 5gal every 2-3 weeks. Can I set up my own RO? Or is it worth buying it from the store, or... Thanks for your time, Michael