Rhy's Juwel Rio 125L Tropic To Marine Attempt!

[GGtank]

Hi guys,

So I have a Juwel Rio 125l freshwater tank that I love but recently have decided that I really want to make the move to a Reef tank. I've been doing some reading but I don't really want to buy a new tank.

I would love some advice on getting a saltwater tank started. I'll be giving away my freshies and plants by the end of the week most likely. Its seems from what I've read that it's best to remove the corner filter as it's useless once you get the live rock in there. My main concern really though is the lighting. I'd love to have a reef tank but the whole lighting thing confuses me no end. Obviously I won't be chucking coral into a new tank at any rate, maybe just live rock at first, then CUC, then a fish or two and then coral BUT I dont want to start on a marine tank if lighting in the end won't let me go reef.

Soooo I have the original hood in currently with the two original light tubes that come with the tank and I was wondering is there anyway to make that hood work for a reef tank? I've read around that the lights shouldn't be so close to the surface etc or that I'd need 4 lights instead of the 2 that my hood can hold... I know there are a few ppl here with marine Juwel Rio 125l's, so any advice I could get on lighting would be GREATLY appreciated and once I know its a possibility then I think I'll plough forward with my changeover to the salty side of things


Hope to hear from ye soon!

Here is My tank as it currently is

 

[simonas]

hello mate

welcome to the forum

ask lots of questions and you will soon get the knowledge to crack on with it

what kind of tunes are in the tank currently?

read through the journals in here and theywill give you plenty of ideas to help you plan what direction you want your tank to go in?

Simon

 

[GGtank]

hello mate

welcome to the forum

ask lots of questions and you will soon get the knowledge to crack on with it

what kind of tunes are in the tank currently?

read through the journals in here and theywill give you plenty of ideas to help you plan what direction you want your tank to go in?

Simon

Cheers Simon!

Lights, the 28w Juwel high lite day and the 28w Juwel high lite nature (590cm) are what's in the hood at the mo.

Yeah I've been reading for a few days now, everything seems a bit overwhelming on the marine side of things though; sumps, refugiums, protein skimmers and the lot and it all seems like a bit too complicated from the DIY perspective as well (I can't seem myself drilling a hole in the bottom of the tank with any great success lol), but I'm still hoping that there are perhaps two light tubes that can fit into the hood that will let me keep coral!

On the Juwel website it says these 'High lite' tubes are T8 length but with T5 technology. If I change to the high lite marine and high lite blue (15000K and 20000K) (590mm, 28W) will that be sufficient for coral keeping? Maybe if I add two reflectors as well?? Also, will the heater that I currently use be ok? Its a 100W heater that again came with the tank.

I just wanna make sure the lighting won't be a problem if I definitely go marine next week. I know I will need 2 small powerheads to get x20 flow, and probably a protein skimmer (though I assume a hang over the back kind of one - anyone know any good ones?), plus live rock and perhaps some live sand. I already have test kits etc from my freshwater keeping days (though just for NO3, NO2, NH3 and pH)

Thanks for all the advice in advance

Rhy

 

[-Nemo-]

Hello Rhy and welcome to the salty side.

For your lighting, you should be able to get away with some hardy soft corals (like mushrooms and zoas) but not much else. I would definitely suggest lookjng at some T5 fixtures if you want a reef.

Go with aragonite sand instead of 'live' sand. 'live' sand is really just a waste of money.
You look like you're on the right track.
Any specific things you've seen and want to keep (fish, inverts etc.)?

 

[Harry1996]

i have the same tank if you have 2 t5 lights so it will be fine for soft corals and a few lps corals. but i would add 2 reflectors

 

[seffieuk]

On the Juwel website it says these 'High lite' tubes are T8 length but with T5 technology. If I change to the high lite marine and high lite blue (15000K and 20000K) (590mm, 28W) will that be sufficient for coral keeping? Maybe if I add two reflectors as well??

Also, will the heater that I currently use be ok? Its a 100W heater that again came with the tank.

Rhy to the Salty side of the forum, nice to have you onboard

The lighting you have is T5, which is more than good enough for almost all soft corals and several hard corals - It would be a very good idea however to put reflectors on the tubes and in the future consider buying a remote ballest and adding two more tubes (but that can wait).

The 100w heater is fine, but ensure you have a spare!

One question, have you ever used copper in your tank?

Seffie x

ps have a read of Harry's journel, he has the same tank as you

 

[GGtank]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Nemo - Yup I've got loads of stuff I want (mostly on the coral side of things lol): button polps, kenya tree, mushroom or two etc (everytime I go to my LFS I see more coral that I want!
For CUC - a few turbo snails (2-3),
a fire/blood shrimp,
a cleaner shrimp,
2-3 hermit crabs (red or blue, not sure yet)
Others - a feather duster or two (unless I find some surprise feather dusters in my live rock)
- Mated pair of clownies or just two juvi's (only cause they are hardy)
- Maybe a damsel fish
- and a Goby

I have to look around some more, I'm very well versed on the freshwater side of things, but the marine thing is completely new territory to me!

Harry - thanks mate, had a LONGGG read of your entire journal last week! Well done btw! I was like ''yes, he's got the same tank!'' I saw the issue with the sump/refugium. I really don't think I want to go down the drilling my tank route, I'm not as hands on/DIY lol. I know you said if you had to do it over you'd go for the drilled sump in the first place right? Will definitely get two reflectors!

Seff - thats great news that the lights will be ok! I assume thats if I change from these tropical lights to the marine white and marine blue right? (15000K and 20000K)or do I need two marine whites (like what Harry had initially done?). Never used any copper, fish have never really been unwell

Cheers,
Rhy


UPDATE: Called my LFS, he said he'd take my lovely freshies off me for store credit towards a marine tank! Sooo I'm off to empty my tank NOW and head over to him to get my saltwater, small bit of live rock (just for the cycle) and sand.

Saying goodbye to 2 dwarf gouramis, 2 sailfin mollies, 5 tiger barbs (2 are green), 6 zebras, 2 golden panchanx killifish, 2 chocolate killifish, 1 red claw crab, 2 guppies and 2 corys

Qucik question - is there any use in using my freshwater filter on the saltwater for the first week (just cause of the beneficial bacteria in there etc???) or should I just take it out right away?

 

[seffieuk]

I assume thats if I change from these tropical lights to the marine white and marine blue right? (15000K and 20000K)or do I need two marine whites (like what Harry had initially done?). Never used any copper, fish have never really been unwell

small bit of live rock (just for the cycle) and sand.
Qucik question - is there any use in using my freshwater filter on the saltwater for the first week (just cause of the beneficial bacteria in there etc???) or should I just take it out right away?

Ok, there are a few things here that need answering quick, before you head out the door

You can actually keep the tubes you have for the moment and then change them once you start adding coral - however if you choose to do it now, the fish colours and rock will probably look nicer

If you are going to go with mushies and the like for your first corals, I would go with a marine white and actinic, then buy the remote ballest and add a couple more tubes for the hard corals, like euphyllia etc.

Live rock - buy it all at once, a common mistake is to buy it in bits and pieces, this can often lead to several mini cycles, which lengthens the whole process You need approx 14/15K - I wouldnt buy from lfs but source from an old salty breaking down a tank, will cost approx £5 a kilo that way.

You will also need to buy your test kits, refractometer etc.

Patience is a virtue and so is good planning on the salty side of the hobby

Seffie x

 

[GGtank]

I assume thats if I change from these tropical lights to the marine white and marine blue right? (15000K and 20000K)or do I need two marine whites (like what Harry had initially done?). Never used any copper, fish have never really been unwell

small bit of live rock (just for the cycle) and sand.
Qucik question - is there any use in using my freshwater filter on the saltwater for the first week (just cause of the beneficial bacteria in there etc???) or should I just take it out right away?

Ok, there are a few things here that need answering quick, before you head out the door

You can actually keep the tubes you have for the moment and then change them once you start adding coral - however if you choose to do it now, the fish colours and rock will probably look nicer

If you are going to go with mushies and the like for your first corals, I would go with a marine white and actinic, then buy the remote ballest and add a couple more tubes for the hard corals, like euphyllia etc.

Live rock - buy it all at once, a common mistake is to buy it in bits and pieces, this can often lead to several mini cycles, which lengthens the whole process You need approx 14/15K - I wouldnt buy from lfs but source from an old salty breaking down a tank, will cost approx £5 a kilo that way.

You will also need to buy your test kits, refractometer etc.

Patience is a virtue and so is good planning on the salty side of the hobby

Seffie x

Great stuff, I'll see if I can get the rock all at once and will defo get the refractometer etc today. Should I leave my freshie filter running when I get the saltwater in as my tank was already cycled with freshwater (so lots of good bacteria lurking in my filter at the moment) or just yank it out now?

 

[seffieuk]

Should I leave my freshie filter running when I get the saltwater in as my tank was already cycled with freshwater (so lots of good bacteria lurking in my filter at the moment) or just yank it out now?

Yank it out now, whilst the tank is empty - salty bacteria is different to tropical fresh mind you, some people leave the box in to hide their heater and hold the small juwel pump along with a media bag of phosphate remover

Seffie x

 

[GGtank]

Hmmmmm might just do that then seeing as I wont have a sump to put a phosphate/carbon remover in! I don't mind the black box in the corner, plus I'll be painting the back black today so it wont even be that noticeable! Thanks for that! Think I'll leave it in and just yank out the filter media!
Right so I'll add phosphate remover to my shopping list!

here's me emptying the tank

 

[GGtank]

So I got my live rock today! Woot!

I have 15.5kg live rock (been fiddling with it for the last 2 hours and still can't figure out how I want to put it, trying to make it look natural)

Got my powerhead (2600l/hr), still got the internal filter in (but haven't bought the phosphate remover yet). Got my new lights and some aquascape epoxy for when I decide on a nice layout for the rock!

The girl at my LFS tried to sell be a V2 skimmer, not sure but it looked way too big so I left it, anyone have any recommendations on protein skimmers for my 125L?

 

[GGtank]

Here's my two final aquascapes!

I like this one

But I LOVE this one

Gonna take out the rocks and Epoxy them in place I think!!! Wish me luck!


Rhy

 

[jaylam]

looking good, will be following the progress of this one.

 

[jameshughes1989]

That rockwork looks ace to me m8! Well done!