Starting A 155gal Bow Front Marine Tank - Help Please

[SouthSideReefs]

I have a 155 gallon bow front tank and a new Fluval FX5 filter still in the box. I had pretty much given up on the whole saltwater idea but I'm giving it another shot. I have been reading and reading and reading and everything seems to contradict itself. I have a friend with a 55 gallon tank who is willing to give me his live rock (about 50lbs) his Anemone, and his skimmer etc.. but most I do not think will be big enough for my tank. Basically the information I'm looking for and I'm a good do it yourselfer so if there is anything I can build or do myself I'm up for it. What else am I going to need? Protein skimmer, sump, heaters, lights, sand..?? I am not set on making this a full blown reef tank right now if I can get away with just being a marine tank for now and then upgrading later..

thanks for any input!

ps. I'm not a newbie to aquariums I've had them since I was about 10 and have a 100 gallon fresh tank now with two 10-12 inch Oscars in it, but the whole saltwater thing has always had my attention and I'm ready to start!

 

[ben1987]

usually you have 1 LB of live rock per gallon, or 1 kilo to 2.2 gallons.

It is possible to DIY your own live rock, if your very patient.

Sands - aragonite or crushed coral sand.

You will need marine test kits, refractometer, powerheads

leave the anenome where it is or take it back to teh fish shop. They should be in mature tanks over a year old, with very good lighting and protected powerheads, not one that you are just setting up

 

[seffieuk]

I have a 155 gallon bow front tank

to the salty side - excellent sized tank

and a new Fluval FX5 filter still in the box.

Sell the filter to buy salty stuff

I had pretty much given up on the whole saltwater idea but I'm giving it another shot.


I have been reading and reading and reading and everything seems to contradict itself.
patience and research is the name of the game over here

I have a friend with a 55 gallon tank who is willing to give me his live rock (about 50lbs)

Excellent start, you will need about 75 kilos or so

his Anemone,

As Ben said, this is a non starter

and his skimmer etc..
what skimmer is it?

but most I do not think will be big enough for my tank.
You never know, some people run massive skimmers, find out what it is

Basically the information I'm looking for and I'm a good do it yourselfer so if there is anything I can build or do myself I'm up for it.
That sounds good - you can actually build a skimmer and the light unit yourself. Rabbutt has a great thread going about LED lights and if I remember correctly Barney made his own skimmer. And as Ben says you an make your own rock, not many people on here do that though as you have to have the patience of a saint - you can get live rock for about £5 a kilo


What else am I going to need? Protein skimmer, sump, heaters, lights, sand..?? I am not set on making this a full blown reef tank right now if I can get away with just being a marine tank for now and then upgrading later..

Many have a sump, many don't, yes you will need a skimmer with a tank that big, heaters - 2 x 200 w, lights, well the world is your oyster, all according what your plans are, what lights does the tank already have? Sand - aragonite, how much depends on what you want to keep in your tank?

You will also need:
refractometer
buckets for water change and mixing
maybe an ro unit
powerheads for the display tank
test kits
syphon -which you probably already have
plastic stackable type box for emergency fish keeping (hospital type tank)

thanks for any input!

ps. I'm not a newbie to aquariums I've had them since I was about 10 and have a 100 gallon fresh tank now with two 10-12 inch Oscars in it, but the whole saltwater thing has always had my attention and I'm ready to start!

woo hoo, remember, patience is a virtue and the only stupid question is the one not asked - good luck

Seffie x

 

[SouthSideReefs]

my huge swimming pool looking filter is no good for me?

he is taking his salt tank down and doing fresh so the anemone has no home, he wouldn't survive in my tank? how about if I transported his water and added it to my tank? that might sound dumb but I didn't know if it would help..

he doesn't know what skimmer it is just said 200gph

it just has 4 small sit on top lights right now.. I'd really like to buy a hood like I have on my 100 gallon tank that looks better than the glass tops I have for this one.. any clue where to start looking or will I have to make this as well? I was hoping I could find one with the lights I needed in it already..

would it be any easier to just do a saltwater tank without the live rock and reefs?

 

[SouthSideReefs]

Fluval does make a skimmer that hooks up to the intake of my FX5 Fluval Surface Skimmer for FX5 will that work for my skimmer? I just don't want to sell it if I can use it because I would be losing money on it..

 

[seffieuk]

my huge swimming pool looking filter is no good for me?

Well, you could use it for keeping phosphate remover in and live rock, if you insist

he is taking his salt tank down and doing fresh so the anemone has no home, he wouldn't survive in my tank? how about if I transported his water and added it to my tank? that might sound dumb but I didn't know if it would help..

There are no dumb questions - right lets just think about this, are you taking all his live sand and rock? and will you be able to put these in something whilst you get the water into the tank and up to heat and can you transport the rock in water and is it far? And would you have been able to get the rest of the live rock before all the the other stuff and make sure it has cycled (you could put it in any container, as long as it has heat and light)? IF you have all his sand, all his rock and your own rock fully cycled then it would be possible as really you are just cloning a tank

he doesn't know what skimmer it is just said 200gph

Can you get us a picture?

it just has 4 small sit on top lights right now.. I'd really like to buy a hood like I have on my 100 gallon tank that looks better than the glass tops I have for this one.. any clue where to start looking or will I have to make this as well? I was hoping I could find one with the lights I needed in it already..

Can you get us a photo of the lights if he doesn't know what they are - although it seems a little odd he doesn't know?

would it be any easier to just do a saltwater tank without the live rock and reefs?

Well, you can do a fish only tank but imo that doesn't look great and it will only be a matter of time until you regret it

Fluval does make a skimmer that hooks up to the intake of my FX5 Fluval Surface Skimmer for FX5 will that work for my skimmer? I just don't want to sell it if I can use it because I would be losing money on it..

Skimmer is no good i'm afraid

Seffie x