Looking To Convert To Marine!

[phishyphil]

As the title implies, I am contemplating converting my tank over to a marine set up, What I would like to know is what I will need in order to do so, and can I recycle any of my current Tropical Equipment?

Current Setup
Tank Size : 48" (4ft) x 18" (1.5ft) x 29"
Tank Volume : 330 Litres
Lighting : Currently 3 x 39w T5 (2 x White, 1 x Red)
Filtration : TetraTec EX1200 = 3.6 x Turnover

Please could you answer the following?

1) Will the lighting suffice or will I need to upgrade? Im looking at using mainly live rock, with a few low light corals.

2) Will the External filter be of any use as a form of power head? How much turnover will I need for adequate filtration?

3) Is a tank of this size good for a first marine set up?

4) What kind of sand will I require?

5) How much live rock will be needed?

6) Suitable tank mates for a tank of this size?

Thanks in advance, i will continue to check through the forum

 

[ainsy]

A good place to start is MARC. There is a wealth of brilliant info there.

Anything that you can't find the answer to then just ask!

 

[phishyphil]

A good place to start is MARC. There is a wealth of brilliant info there.

Anything that you can't find the answer to then just ask!

Ah okay, will check this out.

would this be okay do you know? was thinking of purchassing 2x to increase movement to 6000lph, plus the tetratec 1200?

 

[phishyphil]

After reading the guides, it says to buy around 1.5lbs live rock per gallon, this means ill require nearly 33 kg of live rock, so would this cost around the £200 mark?

 

[ainsy]

If you buy it from a LFS it might cost that or more.

Other options are to look around for someone who is breaking a tank down or buy 'reef bones' which is dead live rock - place it in tank and after a wee while it will become live again. Both of these options are much cheaper than the LFS.

As for using the canister filter - I never do this so may be better waiting for someone else who does.

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

for live rock cured and ready to roll heres where my friend got his rock from... brilliant stuff full of life/critters (no bad 1s either ) http/live-rock.co.uk/live_rock_shop.html#ecwid:category=1524557&mode=category&offset=0&sort=priceAsc and then just add powerheads to your tank for brilliant biological filtration

(ill post what my powerheads are in your other thread)


question 2: i use a canister filter and aslong as you keep them clean theyre brilliant for keeping water crystal clear you can just cram it with sponges/floss and chemical media (you do have to maintain them to get rid of nitrates)

question 3: yes my tank is 180 litres so you got a lot more choice than me

question 4: i have 1mm live coral sand few examples of sand here

question 5: answered

question 6: go look around some fish shops write a list of fish you personally like and come back im sure there will be people around to help u with compatability

you could even start a journal like most and people will follow it and all my questions have always been answered in my journal

 

[phishyphil]

for live rock cured and ready to roll heres where my friend got his rock from... brilliant stuff full of life/critters (no bad 1s either ) http/live-rock.co.uk/live_rock_shop.html#ecwid:category=1524557&mode=category&offset=0&sort=priceAsc and then just add powerheads to your tank for brilliant biological filtration

(ill post what my powerheads are in your other thread)


question 2: i use a canister filter and aslong as you keep them clean theyre brilliant for keeping water crystal clear you can just cram it with sponges/floss and chemical media (you do have to maintain them to get rid of nitrates)

question 3: yes my tank is 180 litres so you got a lot more choice than me

question 4: i have 1mm live coral sand few examples of sand here

question 5: answered

question 6: go look around some fish shops write a list of fish you personally like and come back im sure there will be people around to help u with compatability

you could even start a journal like most and people will follow it and all my questions have always been answered in my journal

Big thanks, Need to take the plunge Don't I. I have had a brief look at what I want and here's my initial thoughts:

FOWLR Set up
Fish I would like:

Ocellaris clownfish x 2 : Male and Female - No anemones as I dont really know much about these and I here they require alot of lighting???

Yellow Tang -(Zebrasoma flavescens) x 1 (as I read a few times more than this would be a bad idea

Pacific cleaner shrimp

and thats all i know

 

[ainsy]

Clownfish

The nem is not suitable they require high light, a mature tank & stable water conditions.

Also the tang isn't a good idea - they require a lot of horizontal swimming room (even the smaller ones) and 4 foot just isn't long enough

 

[phishyphil]

ahh okay, ditch them then lol what would be a suitable fish for the clowns ?

 

[ainsy]

Dwarf angels are nice - either a flame or a coral beauty.

plenty of scope for bottom dwellers like gobys

Royal Gramma

Dwarf wrasse

Firefish (I prefer the purple ones)

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

heres the rough guide i go by Live aquaria compatability chart... dont take this is as law tho its just 1 website i do lots of research and ask my LFS plenty of questions before i purchase fish.

i have a pair of the clownfish you mentioned, super cool fact i found out on here... you will have 2 males but 1 will become female out of the pair
they do belong to the damsel family and ive read that if u get blue finned damsels or any other varieties they will fight each other, although i cant see the clowns winning as damsels can be agressive

do you mean this Cleaner shrimp? if so i have 2 and theyre awesome they like to clean my hand when i put it in the tank, making me think im dirty lol

Dwarf angels are nice - either a flame or a coral beauty.

plenty of scope for bottom dwellers like gobys

Royal Gramma

Dwarf wrasse

Firefish (I prefer the purple ones)

youve just listed all the fish i have or am getting great taste sir! lol especially the flame angel and firefish

 

[phishyphil]

heres the rough guide i go by Live aquaria compatability chart... dont take this is as law tho its just 1 website i do lots of research and ask my LFS plenty of questions before i purchase fish.

i have a pair of the clownfish you mentioned, super cool fact i found out on here... you will have 2 males but 1 will become female out of the pair
they do belong to the damsel family and ive read that if u get blue finned damsels or any other varieties they will fight each other, although i cant see the clowns winning as damsels can be agressive

do you mean this Cleaner shrimp? if so i have 2 and theyre awesome they like to clean my hand when i put it in the tank, making me think im dirty lol

Dwarf angels are nice - either a flame or a coral beauty.

plenty of scope for bottom dwellers like gobys

Royal Gramma

Dwarf wrasse

Firefish (I prefer the purple ones)

youve just listed all the fish i have or am getting great taste sir! lol especially the flame angel and firefish

yeah there the shrimps the LFS recomended, had them labelled as pacific Cleaner shrimp i think.

 

[ainsy]

No clowns and damsels don't mix - It would be hard to say who would win the fight though. I used to have a pair of clowns who were so pugnacious that it was hard to put your hand in the tank for maintenance as they would rush up and bite you!

 

[phishyphil]

So in my set up, would I get away with :

1 x Flame Dwarf Angel

2 x Clown Fish (Ocellaris)

2 x Cleaner Shrimp

1 x Kaudern's Cardinal

???

 

[phishyphil]

So in my set up, would I get away with :

1 x Flame Dwarf Angel

2 x Clown Fish (Ocellaris)

2 x Cleaner Shrimp

1 x Kaudern's Cardinal

???