I Think I Have The Bug

[guidedbyechoes]

So a few of you know that I already have a 29 gal that is set up and running. I just added 5 inverts this week. 4 are doing great, I haven't seen the nassarius today, but it likes to pop out after I turn the lights out. Any way I have a 55 gallon cichlid tank and are starting to grow bored with them. I've done all I can with them. I can get a bigger tank and add more river stones and I could get more of the same fish but thats it. So I'm debating taking them to my favorite lfs. They are great fish but seriously lacking diversity.

Anyway to make it work I would have to upgrade a few things. First off the power heads, I would need another power head or two to get me the 500 gph I would need. I would need to purchase more live rock( not a huge deal) I need to buy new bulbs for my power compact fixture so I would need supplemental lighting or a new fixture. I want to avoid mh, because of the electricty bill. I was pondering diy leds but was unsure exactly how many and of what wattage would I need to keep zoas, mushroom and other softies. There are a few lps and sps I like but it would be a long time before I attempted them. I also would turn the 29 in a sump and would need a skimmer and what ever other reactor I need.

IT would also open up a lot of new stocking options.

 

[fishy55599]

im the same, havent looked at my tropical in the same way since (and it only has rock in)
i have thought, maybe i can make it a small saltwater tank for a shrimp and goby pair or something.
but that wouldnt be for a while

 

[guidedbyechoes]

im the same, havent looked at my tropical in the same way since (and it only has rock in)
i have thought, maybe i can make it a small saltwater tank for a shrimp and goby pair or something.
but that wouldnt be for a while

I blame the coral personally. If they could have learned to be more like plants big ones in the back smaller ones in the front I would need less room. The only downside would be the frags would look much smaller in a 55 opposed to a 29. Only a foot difference but thats the way it seems.

edit- frogspawn was the one that one that made me want to start thinking about a new tank with its 6 in sweepers. But I never stopped to thing how big it would have to get to have sweepers that long.

 

[seffieuk]

Oh yes, I think you two are well and truly in the keep net

 

[fishy55599]

Oh yes, I think you two are well and truly in the keep net

most defenetally!

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Oh yes, I think you two are well and truly in the keep net

I actually wanted to be a marine biologist growing up. I couldn't do that because of financial reasons so I am dead set on having a small reef. If a 6 foot tank is considered small. I just like the idea of having more swing room as looking at fish the 25 gallons really didnt add too much more fish-wise I want. But it would give me the chance to use leds near the rock summits. Sice I tend to stack highest near the rear.

 

[weezawoo]

Seeing people wanting to upgrade makes me happy I went big from the off! I was awful for upgrading when I started with freshwater, upgraded 4 times in 6 months!
It gets so addicting! I would say upgrade to a size you know you will be happy with for a long time!

 

[fishy55599]

lol, if it was up to me i would.

but ill probbaly make my 60l a marine tank also

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Seeing people wanting to upgrade makes me happy I went big from the off! I was awful for upgrading when I started with freshwater, upgraded 4 times in 6 months!
It gets so addicting! I would say upgrade to a size you know you will be happy with for a long time!

Well I would but in the last 10 years I've moved 8 times and moving the 200 pounds of rock I have in my cichlid tank is bad enough. Imagine trying to move all of that live rock with fear of it having die and out doing a cycle on you.

But about those things lighting extra power heads... skimmer any ideas?

 

[seffieuk]

deltec mce 300?

 

[dayzofspeed]

Oh yes, I think you two are well and truly in the keep net

I actually wanted to be a marine biologist growing up. I couldn't do that because of financial reasons so I am dead set on having a small reef. If a 6 foot tank is considered small. I just like the idea of having more swing room as looking at fish the 25 gallons really didnt add too much more fish-wise I want. But it would give me the chance to use leds near the rock summits. Sice I tend to stack highest near the rear.

me too from watching jaques cousteau on the tele, but it wasn't financial reasons that i couldn't do it, it was because i was too stupid