Help!

[Hawkins]

Just wondering what you could reccommend to someone interested in converting to marine.
I have a Juwel Rio 125, which is about 33UKG and 38USG..

I was hoping to change it to marine and have a few fish and other things in it.

Could anyone suggest how I do it.. It's really different from tropical and ive heard people mentioning "protein skimmers" and "reflectomers" (or something)

What would i need to convert, apart from coral sand and 16kgs of live rock.

thanks

 

[Hawkins]

Hey, i have done a bit of research and found that i need these:

hydrometer or refractomer..

protein skimmer..

a powerhead..

surge controller..

automatic top-up.. ?

heater/chiller ..

denitrator..

im guessing that looking at the list i dont need some of that, else there wouldn't be so many people interested in marine set-ups, just for the cost of the damn things!

can anyone tell me what i REALLY need, and suggest a good/cheap make of them?

 

[Hawkins]

thanks for the help

 

[john.o]

Hi
well its all depends on what your going to be keeping really, fish only with live rock or corals as well?

 

[john.o]

Shopping list….

Test kit - which one Salifert there really is a difference between a good test kit and well a middle of the road
Heater 200w x2 set one at slightly lower temp so if the main one fails then the second will take over
Chiller don’t really need here in the UK
Digital temp monitor with high and low alarm £10 or so but could just save the tank from boiling if a heater fails
Lights -depending on what you’re going to keep you mite have to up grade them
Protein skimmer- not needed at this stage small regular water changes will do the job
live rock - cured live rock Indonesian / Fiji or tonga which ever one you like the look of really {or a mix}
live sand - just get coral sand it will become seeded soon enough
salt - I use RED SEA CORAL PRO salt priced around about 7 kilo bucket for £19.95 or 22 kilos for £55 and I mix with RO water which most aquatics shops sell {about 30p per gallon} if not you mite want to consider buying a ro unit {about £75 for a ro man 50gpd unit} depends on what your keeping really Fish Only WLR or Fish & Corals WLR
hydrometer – get a refractometer you can get a really good quality one for £30 including delivery from a uk supplier here’s the link

http/www.reefstore.co.uk/deltec_refractometer.shtml
You will also have to add water flow in the tank and even more so if you are going to be keeping corals. Possibly some thing like a hydor koralia 1 at (400 gallons per hour) and a mj 1200 power head with a hydor flow deflector that would give you plenty of random and chaotic flow or 2 hydor koralia nanos @ {240 gallons per hour each} at opposite ends of the tank that would do the same thing
Hope this helps best regards

 

[Hawkins]

thank you that is helpful!

well i wanted fish, coral and some hermits

 

[badlandz]

Over at the Marine and Reef Chit Chat section there is a real nice guide you should start reading through.

http/www.fishforums.net/content/Marine-a...A-Marine-Tank-/