Thinking About Starting A 55Usg Reef

[ChilliPepper]

Been reading some journals, and my mind has started whirring

I currently have a 190L freshwater and am going to order a 5ft freshwater today. I am thinking about converting my 190L into a marine/reef next year or even later on this year.

Could I pllllease ask for some ideas on cost/equipment, plus monthly/weekly maintenance costs, so I have a full idea of what/if I could afford one. I was thinking of trying a nano, but don't really want a 4th tank to maintain (also got a betta tank), plus I think a larger tank would be more stable plus give me more space for stocking - am I right?!

Equipment
Protein skimmer
Live rock - how much approx to fill a 190L? Bare minimum for a nice pile in the middle, then could add at a later date.
Live coral sand
Salt
RO water
External filter? Could my current Aquis CF1000 be used with new media?
Lights - could I just use my existing T5 lights? They are really good, bright lights. Would get some LEDS/moonlights.
Water testing kit
Thermometer

Fish I'd LOVE to keep would be
5 x Chromis Viridis
1 x Yellowtail Damselfish
2 x Clownfish
1 x Scooter Blenny/ 1 x Bicolour Blenny/ 1 x African Midas Blenny (am I right in thinking I could only have one Blenny?)
1 x Emperor/Pyjama Cardinal
1 x Cleaner Wrasse
1 x Purple Firefish
1 x Regal Tang or 1 x Yellow Tang

Corals
Kenya Tree Coral
Devil's leather finger
Mushroom
Toadstool
Star polyps
Button polyps
Some sort of anenome for the clowns

Clean up Crew
Crabs
Shrimps
Snails

Anything I've missed? And ideas on the stocklist please. I have NO idea how stocking works for marines, so have just listed some fish I like the look of I'd definitely like a Blenny of some sort and the Chromis Viridis though.

Thanks for anyone's help/advice... Off to read some more journals now... Or do some work

 

[ChilliPepper]

I'd really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. I am considering moving the marine project forward, but need to know the costs involved and what kind of stock I could have in the 190L.

 

[Harry1996]

you cannot have a tang in that tank. you need atleast 240 liters +. for a yellow and 400L + for a regal.
you will need atleast 19 kilos but better would be 25k
you dot need the filter because your live rock is the filter. you can fill it with live rock rubble and rowa phos tho
you can have your t5s but its better to replace them for marine t5 ones.
you dont have to have live sand but i used live sand because i cba to wash normal sand
you will need a refractometer to measure the sg.
i was told 5cm of fish per 20L
well you will need fresh ro water for topping off evapouration loss.

 

[ChilliPepper]

you cannot have a tang in that tank. you need atleast 240 liters +. for a yellow and 400L + for a regal.
you will need atleast 19 kilos but better would be 25k
you dot need the filter because your live rock is the filter. you can fill it with live rock rubble and rowa phos tho
you can have your t5s but its better to replace them for marine t5 ones.
you dont have to have live sand but i used live sand because i cba to wash normal sand
you will need a refractometer to measure the sg.
i was told 5cm of fish per 20L
well you will need fresh ro water for topping off evapouration loss.

Thanks very much for your reply, Harry.

Pity about the tang, but plenty of other fish I like.

OK, so the most expensive thing is the live rock.

How many smallish fish could I have, do you think?

 

[seffieuk]

Been reading some journals, and my mind has started whirring

Grumpy, so we are slowly pulling you in then

I currently have a 190L freshwater and am going to order a 5ft freshwater today. I am thinking about converting my 190L into a marine/reef next year or even later on this year.

Good sized tank for your first salty adventure

Could I pllllease ask for some ideas on cost/equipment, plus monthly/weekly maintenance costs, so I have a full idea of what/if I could afford one. I was thinking of trying a nano, but don't really want a 4th tank to maintain (also got a betta tank), plus I think a larger tank would be more stable plus give me more space for stocking - am I right?!

you are right

Equipment
Protein skimmer anything from £20 to £200
Live rock - how much approx to fill a 190L? Bare minimum for a nice pile in the middle, then could add at a later date.

Nah, add it all at once to avoid mini cycles about 22 kilos, remember this is the heart and lungs of your tank, so don't skimp. from £5 a k to about £12 a k
Live coral sand

No, dont get live (the stuff in packets - how live do you think it could be stuck in a packet for months! - Get aragonite, about a 20lb bag

Salt
Big tub about £50

RO water

Are you going to have your own RO unit - with a tank your size it would pay to have one - you soon get fed up hauling water from the lfs - £100

External filter? Could my current Aquis CF1000 be used with new media?
You could use this to run rowaphos or carbon - but not much use for anything else

Lights - could I just use my existing T5 lights? They are really good, bright lights. Would get some LEDS/moonlights.

Yes you can - then when bulbs need changing, change to marine tubes

Water testing kit - Salifert, about £10 each

Thermometer

Dont forget a good magnet, syphon and two powerheads - about £70

Anything I've missed? And ideas on the stocklist please. I have NO idea how stocking works for marines, so have just listed some fish I like the look of I'd definitely like a Blenny of some sort and the Chromis Viridis though.

Thanks for anyone's help/advice... Off to read some more journals now... Or do some work

Corals are good for a starter tank, but as already said, the Tangs are a no, no. A nem in the future may be possible, but clowns don't need them, they host with all sorts of things. Stay away from the damsels, except of course the clowns

This is an expensive hobby, most of us have to collect things and many of us buy second hand - there are bargains out there

Good luck with your journey

Seffie x

 

[ChilliPepper]

Been reading some journals, and my mind has started whirring

Grumpy, so we are slowly pulling you in then

I currently have a 190L freshwater and am going to order a 5ft freshwater today. I am thinking about converting my 190L into a marine/reef next year or even later on this year.

Good sized tank for your first salty adventure

Could I pllllease ask for some ideas on cost/equipment, plus monthly/weekly maintenance costs, so I have a full idea of what/if I could afford one. I was thinking of trying a nano, but don't really want a 4th tank to maintain (also got a betta tank), plus I think a larger tank would be more stable plus give me more space for stocking - am I right?!

you are right

Equipment
Protein skimmer anything from £20 to £200
Live rock - how much approx to fill a 190L? Bare minimum for a nice pile in the middle, then could add at a later date.

Nah, add it all at once to avoid mini cycles about 22 kilos, remember this is the heart and lungs of your tank, so don't skimp. from £5 a k to about £12 a k
Live coral sand

No, dont get live (the stuff in packets - how live do you think it could be stuck in a packet for months! - Get aragonite, about a 20lb bag

Salt
Big tub about £50

RO water

Are you going to have your own RO unit - with a tank your size it would pay to have one - you soon get fed up hauling water from the lfs - £100

External filter? Could my current Aquis CF1000 be used with new media?
You could use this to run rowaphos or carbon - but not much use for anything else

Lights - could I just use my existing T5 lights? They are really good, bright lights. Would get some LEDS/moonlights.

Yes you can - then when bulbs need changing, change to marine tubes

Water testing kit - Salifert, about £10 each

Thermometer

Dont forget a good magnet, syphon and two powerheads - about £70

Anything I've missed? And ideas on the stocklist please. I have NO idea how stocking works for marines, so have just listed some fish I like the look of I'd definitely like a Blenny of some sort and the Chromis Viridis though.

Thanks for anyone's help/advice... Off to read some more journals now... Or do some work

Corals are good for a starter tank, but as already said, the Tangs are a no, no. A nem in the future may be possible, but clowns don't need them, they host with all sorts of things. Stay away from the damsels, except of course the clowns

This is an expensive hobby, most of us have to collect things and many of us buy second hand - there are bargains out there

Good luck with your journey

Seffie x

Thanks very much Seffie!

So, price list:

Aragonite sand: £20
Live rock: £250-300 (Charterhouse do a pack of fully cured rock for a reasonable price. Anyone tried theirs?)
Protein skimmer: £80
2 Powerheads: £40-50
Salt: £50 (how long would this last?)
Test kits: £40?
Marine tube: £20?
RO unit: £80

So before adding any sort of livestock, initial start up costs would be about £600?
Though that is buying brand new, so possibly could get it down a bit.

I went to Swallow Aquatics yesterday and they had some nice Fiji rock for £12 a kg, my more LFS does it for £9 per kg.

 

[seffieuk]

I wouldnt buy live rock from a shop - i would wait and buy from a reefer breaking a tank - where abouts do you live Grumpy?

Seffie x

skimmer

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Deltec-MCE300-MCE-300-Protein-skimmer_W0QQitemZ180465163141QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item2a048fdb85

 

[ChilliPepper]

I wouldnt buy live rock from a shop - i would wait and buy from a reefer breaking a tank - where abouts do you live Grumpy?

Seffie x

skimmer

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Deltec-MCE300-MCE-300-Protein-skimmer_W0QQitemZ180465163141QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item2a048fdb85

Thanks, that's no prob as I can't buy any now anyway. Thanks for the link to that skimmer, so that's a good recommended one for a 190L?

Unfortunately I've got to buy two new tyres and pay for my car's tracking to be done, so things could be on hold for longer. However, gives me moe time to research

I live in Suffolk/Ipswich area Seffie

 

[ChilliPepper]

Also, why would I not be able to have a damsel?

I'd like to have:

1 x Yellow Watchman Goby 2"
1 x Firefish 2.5"
1 x Royal Gramma 3"
1 x Yellowtail Damsel 2"
2 x Clownfish 3"
1 x Flame Angelfish 4"

Could I have all these?

Also, is there a limit on the amount of soft corals I could add?

 

[ChilliPepper]

Also, with regards to the live rock, if I found a bargain before my tank was ready, would it be OK to put it in a bucket of RO water with maybe a heater and powerhead running until I got the tank set up?

 

[ChilliPepper]

OK, found out why damsels are a bad idea... Is the rest of the stocking OK?

 

[sorgan]

if you can get a fair amount of water in the bucket with the rock you should be ok.

out a heater and a powerhead in to keep the LR, well, live and a small light if you want your purple to stay (and to help any criiters that are in the rock survive)

make sure the water is at 25ish degrees C and is about 1025 salinity

 

[seffieuk]

Many of us see a bargain of live rock, keep it in a large holding vat etc - as long as it has heat and flow it will be fine

I kept mine in an old tank I had

Seffie x

 

[ChilliPepper]

Thanks, will keep an eye out then. Unfortunately don't think I can afford anything this month as had to get 3 new tyres plus tracking done on my car. Oh well, that's what credit cards are for I suppose