Wooh!i'm Joining The Reefers!

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
I have been doing tonnes of reading closing down tanks moving fish etc. And finally am ready. I have done somuch reading of threads, other people problems/solutions, books and just using the net. And after saving enough money for the stuff. As i know it won't be cheap especaillay for a humble paper boy like me.
At first i was just going to convert my Malawi cichlid set up into a marine tank. (Don't worry haven't got rid of my cichlids they've gone into my bigger tank.) The tank is 30'' long and abotu 25 gallons. So i was just going to buy a skimmer, powerheads, lights etc.
However, i have looked at my bank acount (which will soon be drained) and seen i have enough to buy the tank i have seen at my LFS. It has been reduced as i think it is the last one so i am going to buy it as soon as possible. However, i won't set it up until mid-february as i'm going away.
However, do you think i could get away with setting it up and running it and putting LR in it etc. And no livestock as i am only going away for a week.
What do you think i would like anyones advice, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and maybe even freebies. (once i get going).
Thanks in advance,
Luke

 

[SkiFletch]

to the dark side hope you enjoy your stay

To answer your question, LR will be fine for a week or so without much care so long as there are powerheads in there to provide it with some flow. If you can set even an incandescent fixture over it on a timer that would be good too The real trouble is evaporation, but if you left with an sg of 1.021 and allowed evap for a week you probably wouldnt get over 1.026 and its just LR so you wouldnt be doing too much to it any way you slice it.

 

[steelhealr]

 

[Mr.September15]

Welcome aboard the money draining adventure of Reef Keeping

Just one question, how big is the tank that your LFS is selling?

 

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
I'm not to sur ehow big it is. I am cycling down there after school on Friday and will have mroe details then.
Any more advice.
Thanks Ski Fletch for that it really helped.

 

[Navarre]

Welcome among us.
Keep the info coming so the reefers here can give you the benefit of their knowledge.

 

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
There i didn't go to my lfs to look at that tank as something much beeter happened.
Basically, i was looking through my local paper that i deliver and found a rio 180 marine set up for sale. It comes with everything in eed except a skimmer. It comes with live rock,sponges, 2 fish (yellow tailed damsel and wrasse). And guess what only £100.
The only catch is that it needs new bulbs in the lights. There is nothing else worng and the reasoon they are selling it is that it wo9n't fit in their new house. I am going tommorow to see it and then if it is good i will pick it up on the 24th february.
WOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[Navarre]

Sounds good to me!
My first tank was a Vision 180 (same tank but different front) and I loved that tank most of all!

 

[sianeds]

Wow bargain!!

is always worth looking for 2nd hand tanks....can save a fortune if you're careful what you buy

Hope it all goes well for you

 

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
Thanks guys. Yeah it was a real bargain. Am going to look at it later so i will post some pics for you if i take any of it. (Well i will try if i computer lets me!!!)
Thanks,
Luke

 

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
Well i went to see the tank yesterday. I also got him down to £75. Which i think is a bargain. It comes with a yellow tailed damsel and a moon wrasse. The only thing it doesn't come with is a skimmer.
Just a few questions.
1) Does blue algae turn blue again. It is just hehasn't changed the bulbs so they have gone white and prawn crakery looking.
2) How much would you buy a moon wrasse for in the uk?
Thanks,
Luke

 

[Fighterfish]

Whoops meant blue sponge not blue algae.

 

[Navarre]

Sounds like the spnge is dead. its not like an algae, if a sponge is exposed to air the it usually dies off and goes white.

I have seen the moon wrasse on sale here i nthe uK from between £30 and £60 depending on size and location etc.
Be careful, this fish is not ree safe nor are they very tollerant of newcomers in their tanks. And you cancount ou nearly any form of inverti n the system including cleanup crew.

 

[Fighterfish]

Hi,
The sponge hasnt been exposed to the air it just hasn't had any light for about a month.
And about the moon wrasse i don't want him or the yellow tailed damsel so i am just going to sell them or trade them in at my lfs so i can get a coral beauty.
Thanks
Luke

 

[Lynden]

Moon Wrasse are great fish, but the problem is that they are capable of killing nearly any invertebrate found in an aquarium, including Stomatopods. Definitely not safe with a clean up crew.

P.S. don't get a Coral Beauty though, they are good fish but they are BORING and an incredibly common sight in hobbyists' tanks. Why not a Flasher Wrasse, Fairy Wrasse, et cetera instead?