Getting Ready For Salt

[TigerIssey]

If you get halides with electronic ballasts they are pretty efficient. A pair of 150's over a 4' tank would be fine for softies and lps, then probably some sps up at the top. That will run at just over the 300W So its not as bad as you think. You could easily use 300W worth of tubes above that tank.

Do these run hot, would they affect the temperature in the tank and need fans to cool them? Otherwise I will have a look at them. That sounds good for the types of corals I could keep anyway.

 

[ben1987]

They run hotter than other lighting yes. But actually work out good value compared to others in a way. LED's cost thousands to buy. When buying a tube set up you have to buy, then replace all the bulbs quite often. When its 4-6 tubes its quite expensive. Halides always pop up on the for sale sections on different sites for a fraction of their origional cost.
When the rooms hot and my tank sneeks up a bit, i aim a fan over the surface of the water under the halides and that stops the heat from becoming an issue

 

[TigerIssey]

Hi

Would this kit work, if it would, I would have no problem paying that price in a couple of years when it comes to setting up the tank.
It is the 915mm

Halide retro kit

The temperature does fluctuate in the room as we have a wood burner, not easy to control temperature in the room.
This kit would hopefully mean I could use the existing hood as the tank has moulded front glass.

Not sure if you can see from the picture, otherwise I am not sure what to use, I may be able to get the Arcadia classic pendant to fit by modifying the hood.

Any suggestions are welcome, and thanks

 

[ben1987]

I wouldnt build a halide into a hood, too close to the water surface, no air movement. You would need osme big PC fans in there.

That kits also way expensive. Ive just sold one 150W halide for £40

 

[TigerIssey]

I think I will worry about the lights on the 55g when I am nearer to swapping over. May have to see if the other half can come up with something to raise the hood.

Can you give me an idea on stocking levels for the 55 though, if we had one larger fish (5-6") and smaller fish with it how many could we look at fitting in. Then I will look at what we want and ask which ones will be ok in the 20g.

Thanks again

 

[ben1987]

Well when the time comes for the switch over id look at a sump. Then its not how many fish you can fit in, its the compatability. Some will get on and others wont, theyre all individual. You can gauge it best when stocking the tank for real. Then theres the water quality to consider, especially in a reef.
I bet you could get 8-10 fish in a 55 with a sump. Would be a mixture of sizes.

 

[TigerIssey]

I am thinking at looking at a sump, only thing is when stocking the 20g I don't want to make any mistakes that I will regret compatibility wise when it comes to stocking the 55g, that was why I was considering the long term stocking of the 55g before stocking the 20g. The only problem I have with the sump is the size and shape. The sump wiill need to be tall rather than long in order to fit equipment in as well. I will definately get 2 clownfish for the 20g just not sure what to put in with them.

 

[ben1987]

dwarf angel, small reef safe wrasse, purple fire fish, blenny, gobie, dottyback, royal gramma theres loads.

 

[TigerIssey]

Great thanks, thats what I will be getting andrew to look at tommorow when we go looking, I think its best if he gets to see the actual fish we can keep, it makes my life easier.

By the way you remember I said he would at some time mention getting a bigger tank than the 55g, he mentioned it tonight, we have to move house first though, it probably is not a good idea to go any bigger on the first floor of the house than we already have (house is upside down living areas upstairs, bedrooms downstairs) had to check under the floor boards as it was!!

If he sees anything not on the list that he likes, I will ask about them.

Thanks alot

 

[TigerIssey]

We went to 5 lfs over the weekend and were very disappointed at the stock in 4 of them. All fish stocked apart from the clowns were either way too big for both tanks, damsels (one store even had an evil damsel tank offering them free to good home) or the fish were not reef safe.
There are 2 more shops we need to go and have a look in but both require a longer journey otherwise I am going to have to use mail order and I really wanted to be able to choose the fish myself and see them feeding.

On a brighter note, the time to start is getting closer, I have decided which angelfish are staying in the 55g and the 2 for rehoming are residing in the 20g now. I have split the rams up aswell however I am unsure about one male decision I made, I will keep them for another couple of days and reassess the decision tuesday night. On wednesday the fish that are going will be gone then I have an empty tank.

Orders will be placed hopefully tomorrow night for the equipment so hope to be able to start by the end of the week!!

 

[ben1987]

Its all down hill from here...no money...hours sat watching pet rocks. my mates nearly had me locked up!

 

[TigerIssey]

Its all down hill from here...no money...hours sat watching pet rocks. my mates nearly had me locked up!

The really sad thing is I am really looking forward to watching my pet rocks, this is a part of salt keeping that is not required in fresh water. We have visitors coming to stay at the weekend, if I have the LR by then they probably will want to lock me up. Hoping to get some good hitchhikers, hoping live sand will help with that aswell. We have an led torch I will be using to rock watch at night, good job it is a wind up one, will save a fortune on batteries.

Not looking forward to eliminating any pest hitchhikers. Will be ordering joes juice just in case, a bit worried about nasty crabs though.

Only good thing about the lfs we visited was that the coral stock in all visited was actually way better than the fish stock so long term they won't be too bad. All had decent invert stock aswell although I think my CUC will be ordered via the internet as you seem to be able to get reasonable packages that way.

 

[ben1987]

Thing is with LFS, best to go the day after they get their new stuff in. Have a chat and find out ehn they do their live stock runs

 

[TigerIssey]

Cheers Ben, hoping to go back to the best of the lot tomorrow, they are alot quieter in the week so will get chance to natter. Reliant on a lift from mom as I have not been able to drive for 4 months now (got hit by a machine at work weighing 1/4 tonne, been using crutches to walk for 2 months now). Will talk to them about livestock deliveries etc, they also have one of your flasher wrasses in the display tank, I really liked the look of that. I know the stock comes from TMC she told me that a few weeks ago so just need to find out the day, they are closed thursdays so possible they collect then.

Have ordered all my equipment, have not ordered LR yet, will wait until I have stuff I need to get going. Just need to pick up Salt and RO water which will be done once the water containers arrive. Unfortunate thing is I need to make sure I am up for post man from Wednesday onwards till everything has arrived. Will take pictures of everything as I go, our visitors over the weekend will probably think the morphine I am on has sent me loopy juice but hey who cares.

The other thing I need to get is containers for acclimatising livestock, what size container should I go for, buckets may be too big for storing and will a smaller tank my livestock will not be too big. Have a few weeks to get them though as I need to wait for parameters to be ok after LR addition.

 

[TigerIssey]

Been to lfs again today, livestock deliveries are Wednesdays and they are closed on Thursdays. Fishes currently residing in 20g are going to the shop on Friday for which I will get a large tub of TMC reef salt in exchange. Will pick up RO water at the same time and clean out and get as far as I can over the weekend.

By middle of next week I should be watching my pet rock!!