Tropical To Marine

[rob_cool1]

Hey guys, i've been thinking about this for a while now. I love my plecs and angels but i keep getting drawn to marines every time i go to my lfs as they ave so much more colour than any tropical fish
I have a 620T 130l 29g with an efx 200 external and a aqua internal 200 filter. I know il need a protein skimmer and change the 18w bulbs to marine ones but is their anything else i would need? 
 
Also what would be a good size for the tank? I know with most fish it will be a case of selling them on when they get too big but is their anything that wont outgrow the tank?
I've been looking at dwarf angelfish like the Centropyge Bispinosa, obviously clown fish, blennies look nice but i dont really know what else.
I dont know much about marine hence why im asking the question lol.
 
I know if i do go ahead with it it would i be able to keep the rock and the sand thats in there currently? i know the plants and the wood would have to go.
 
Would coral be ok in the tank with the 2 18w bulbs? and which one would be suitable for the tank?
 
Thanks
Rob

 

[techen]

Well first off, Welcome to the salty side.
 
I would highly recommend you sump the 130L tank and loose the filter, Although a filter is handy you'd be far better off with a sump so you can store all the gear in there, Grow some cheato in it and have a back up tank if needbe that's not related to the display tank.
 
 
With that being said, you will need a protein skimmer, make sure its one that's suited to the tank size as well.
 
Twin 18Watts are okay but nothing that wonderful for corals, It would do for fish but don't expect great things for corals. I run a 24watt PL marine light on my 60l and am due 40watt leds on tuesday so that gives you an idea for what you can shoot for.
 
Angel fish are a no, I believe mostly all angel fish need a very large tank.
 
Clown fish sure! Make sure you get a nice pair of them, Blennies are also fine, loads of different types of them. A cleaner shrimp, few hermit crabs, Snails, Gobys, Tons of stuff that can go into a 130L tank.
 
When you say rock and sand? What do you mean? More than likely, No. You need live rock for the tank cycle/filter and you need good marine sand as well.

 

[rob_cool1]

How would I make a sump? Could I just take all the filter media out and use the external for that? What's cheato? Ahh man even dwarf angels?
I have a couple of rocks from the beach and sand is normal play sand I think so will that have to come out too?

Is a protein skimmer noisy? It's only because it's in my bedroom so don't really want it to keep me up lol.

More modification to the top to fit a new light in their then haha, will take the old bulbs and glass cover out and fit one underneith it.

Thanks for your help

 

[techen]

There's tons of ways of making a sump, The best bet would be to ask some LFS near you if they can set you up with one. If not try ebay or gumtree etc to see if you can source one.
 
Cheato is a algae that can be grown in the sump which removes a lot of nitrates, No nitrates in a marine tank is a very very good marine tank.
 
Protein skimmers aren't noisy, Best put in the sump in a cabinet where you can't see/hear it anyway.
 
Overall, You could run the tank off the external filter being you removed all the media and repalced it with carbon, Rowa etc. Things that would benafit the tank but it means the protein skimmer, heaters etc are going to be in/around the display tank and it just makes it look ugly.

 

[CezzaXV]

I made my own sump. I got my LFS to custom build me a tank, as my cabinet is a funny size, but if you had a reasonable amount of space you could easily use a premade tank. Then I got some 6mm glass cut for me at a local glass cutters and siliconed them in with marine safe silicone. Incredibly easy to do.