just watching the 4th celebrations and viewing the forum.i have had a salt tank for several years lets call it beginners luck and good advise with great equipment.i now would like to have some corals or more corals than fish how do i make the transition ie equipment less fish? looking for advice.
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newbee to the forum
- Thread starter chandler
- Start date
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
Hey chandler,
to the Boston Reefers' Society!
Do you have live rock? What's your substrate?
What fish are in the tank now?
Keys to keeping a successful reef tank are: good lighting, great water quality, and coral friendly inhabitants.
Keys to good water quality: excellent protein skimmer to export nutrients, low bioload, use of Reverse Osmosis (RO) or RO+De-ionized (RODI) water for top offs and water changes (no nutrients going into the system), and keeping supplements to a minimum (probably just calcium and carbonate).
You're probably not going to want to use the cannister filter on a reef tank.
to the Boston Reefers' Society!
Do you have live rock? What's your substrate?
What fish are in the tank now?
Keys to keeping a successful reef tank are: good lighting, great water quality, and coral friendly inhabitants.
Keys to good water quality: excellent protein skimmer to export nutrients, low bioload, use of Reverse Osmosis (RO) or RO+De-ionized (RODI) water for top offs and water changes (no nutrients going into the system), and keeping supplements to a minimum (probably just calcium and carbonate).
You're probably not going to want to use the cannister filter on a reef tank.
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
Go for it!
Sounds like a nice reef in the making.
pillowfish
#2
Hi and Welcome to the BRS!!!!
Gina McReeferson
My sweet Baby David
Hello and welcome to the club!
-Gina and Dave
-Gina and Dave
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
People seem to like the following brands of skimmers: ASM, Euro Reef, Ocotopus, and others that escape me.
Do not get the Sea Clone. Do not get the Prizm.
Spend your money on a good skimmer - not an area you want to cheap out.
The best fit skimmer will depend on whether or not you have a sump, and the total amount of water in your system (display tank + sump + refugium).
Chandler,
I can see from your sig that you have a 75 Gallon tank and a wet/dry filter. Do you plan on putting a sump/fuge under the current tank or in a different room/basement? there are a lot of things that you can do to add the stuff you're asking for but the question is a bit vague. I'm sure that there are plenty of people on the forums that are more than willing to help, we just need to know what you want first.
That being said, welcome to the club
pillowfish
#2
Hello and welcome to the BRS!
To give you a better idea what a sump/refugium with a skimmer set-up looks like check out the photography forum here and perform a search-I'm certian you will see many different styles/sizes. Most here make there own sump with a fuge and the protein skimmer is place in the sump chamber..Easy way to think of it:
(rough example)
-30 gallon tank-divided with 2 main partitions..to create 3 chambers...water goes from my overflow to the first(fuge) and last chamber(sump containing live rock with a protein skimmer and heaters set inside of it) -the water coming from the tank into these chambers is controlled by a ball valve-again one to fuge and one to sump..and ultimately ending in the middle chamber where the return pump returns it to the display(over and over and over and over again) Easy to make..just follow Moe's advice-don't skimp on the skimmer-research ask about and dole out a fair bit for a really good one to start!
God Luck, BTW, sorry if this is more confusing than helpful.
To give you a better idea what a sump/refugium with a skimmer set-up looks like check out the photography forum here and perform a search-I'm certian you will see many different styles/sizes. Most here make there own sump with a fuge and the protein skimmer is place in the sump chamber..Easy way to think of it:
(rough example)
-30 gallon tank-divided with 2 main partitions..to create 3 chambers...water goes from my overflow to the first(fuge) and last chamber(sump containing live rock with a protein skimmer and heaters set inside of it) -the water coming from the tank into these chambers is controlled by a ball valve-again one to fuge and one to sump..and ultimately ending in the middle chamber where the return pump returns it to the display(over and over and over and over again) Easy to make..just follow Moe's advice-don't skimp on the skimmer-research ask about and dole out a fair bit for a really good one to start!
God Luck, BTW, sorry if this is more confusing than helpful.
Leroy
Pres. NE Matchcover Club
Welcome aboard.
I would not eliminate the canister so quickly. What you want to eliminate is the sponge media which you are well aware has been quoted as a "nitrate factory". Use the canister to run media such as carbon, or if phosphates become an issue use a phosphate media and the same would apply to nitrates. Pick up a couple of media bags at PetSmart to keep on hand due to some media may be of fine particle. If the canister is taking up room you need then remove it.
Moe K asks a good question, Keys to keeping a successful reef tank. Maturity of the tank as you say tank is 5 yrs old? Test your water.
Location........do you have room for a sump/refugium under your tank, inside the stand and it's going to be asked, is your tank drilled with overflow or will you be using a (HOB) hang on back. Skimmer............the sky is the limit, provided room for the skimmer and pump. True don't buy cheap, you'll not be satisfied and in a month will be out looking for a replacement.
Shop around, make calls, BRS has sponsors, give them a call see what can be combined but please make sure you have the location for it to fit. If you're ok with seeing it on the side of your tank then go for it. If not then plan on where. If you're a good (DIY'r) do it your selfer then it could be easier on you or have a family member that has the experience. Lots of information at your finger tips. Good luck, welcome to the hobby, a new experience.
