new 90g

[mikeT]

I just picked up a 90G tank from Bigals over boxing day. Im currently upgrading from my 55G planted freshwater. I would like to change to reef setup.

So I need some advice....

can I use any of my existing equipment like the AQ500 filter, Emporer biowheel filter, florescent lighting(4 powerglow t8 tubes 10000k), heater, power head.

I want to make a sumpless setup .... any suggestions on equipment and or lighting ..... i want to stay on a reasonable budget and keep it as simple as possible.

sorry for the newbie questions. Ive searched the site and read what i can but get more confused the more i read. so im looking for the readers digest version.

thanks
mike

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Welcome!

As for your existing equipment, I'd honestly say the only thing that *could* work for a saltwater aquarium would be your lighting, and then only if you were doing a fish-only system. Corals will require much more lighting!

In addition, you will want a skimmer (HOB - hang on back) and some powerheads/pumps for water movement as a bare minimum.

What are you hoping to keep, exactly? Do you have some live rock?

[mikeT]

I dont have anything yet ... just getting a plan together.

I hope to start off small and build it up over time, maybe a clown fish or two and anenome and some other beginner freindly corals.

does the protein skimmer act as the 'mechanical filter' and the live rock acts as the 'biological filter'???

how much live rock would be needed for a 90G or does that all depend on the load? I would like a white sandy bottom so I will use the 'live sand' or crushed coral as well.

I know its about 10gallons per fish, what about crabs and other invertabrites?

[Slipstream]

Its about 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon of water. And that varies slightly depending on the type of live rock, but thats probably your best guideline to follow. Live rock acts as a Bio filter.

I suggest ya start with a FOWLR (Fish Only with Live Rock) system, as its a bit easier to set up and get running, than ya can add equipment and corals in the future once it gets established. Now, im SURE that somebody is gonna disagree with me, but in MY EXPERIENCE, a FOWLR is a lot easier to successfully set up.

Also, i suggest ya look at a couple charts chart that shows ya what fish are compatible with other fish if you plan on having more than just clowns. Heres one that looks fairly decent. But you might want to find another one to compare them.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1830&articleid=2605

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Indeed, a FOWLR is a much simpler endeavor.

I will disagree with the 1.5lbs rock/gallon, though. I honestly don't think there's a magical number you can come up with. In reading certain threads on ReefCentral, it also seems as though some people are moving toward the "less is more" philosophy.

Certainly, aesthetics is something to consider as well. If you don't just want a tank stacked full of rock, you don't buy that much. Simple as that.

I would say, buy what you can afford (as far as live rock is concerned), and go from there. You can always add more later.

[Doug]

I just picked up a 90G tank from Bigals over boxing day. Im currently upgrading from my 55G planted freshwater. I would like to change to reef setup.

So I need some advice....

can I use any of my existing equipment like the AQ500 filter, Emporer biowheel filter, florescent lighting(4 powerglow t8 tubes 10000k), heater, power head.

I want to make a sumpless setup .... any suggestions on equipment and or lighting ..... i want to stay on a reasonable budget and keep it as simple as possible.

sorry for the newbie questions. Ive searched the site and read what i can but get more confused the more i read. so im looking for the readers digest version.

thanks
mike


Hi Mike,

Welcome to Canreef

My 90g is sumpless. I run powerfilters and use a Tunze in tank skimmer. Here is my review of it.
http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=30063

Its a good skimmer but certainly not as good as many of the larger sump models the guys use but works good for my situation. It is in the way of my T-5 lights and would be better in a duel halide design. Your current 4 bulb fixture may be fine for growing a few easier corals. Perhaps mushrooms and a few others, higher up in the tank.

Lost of good threads and info in our reference library if that helps.

[Myka]

can I use any of my existing equipment like the AQ500 filter, Emporer biowheel filter, florescent lighting(4 powerglow t8 tubes 10000k), heater, power head.

You can use your heater I bet! :D

By AQ500 do you mean an AquaClear 500? If so, you can use that to run carbon (buy a good brand and put it in a filter bag instead of the AquaClear carbon), and a phosphate absorbing media (buy one that is brownish red, not white).

Do not use the Emperor biowheel filter. It will be a nitrate factory, and you don't want that in a saltwater aquarium.

I'd say keep your lighting for now, and do as already suggested...setup up a FOWLR, and upgrade as you go. Your lighting will be sufficient to have some low light corals like mushrooms, maybe some polyps/zoos.

For a protein skimmer...buy the best you can afford. Seriously. Spend the money on your skimmer!! The only two HOB skimmers I would recommend would be the AquaC Remora Pro ~$200 (you'd need the Pro, not the regular model), or the Deltec MCE-300 ~$300.

If you can afford it, spend the $4-500 on drilling your tank, plumbing, a sump, and a return pump. You can buy protein skimmers that are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better. Like the EuroReef skimmers.

I'd say with about 50-75 lbs of some nice live rock (look for funky shapes, not round pieces). Tonga tends to be nicer than Fiji. Fiji is usually about $5/lb, and Tonga around $6.50/lb, but Tonga is more porous so you get bigger pieces for less cost. This will be enough live rock to "do the trick" (nitrate "removal" among other things).

I would suggest that you get 3-4 powerheads that when combined have a total flow of at least 1800 gph. Say...3 that push 600 gph or more. You could use MaxiJets, but you'd have to buy Maxi-Jet mod kits for them to boost their flow. You have to buy the mod kits online. Just Google it. Or try the Hydor Koralia's. They are good and relatively cheap. You could easily use one Koralia 2, and two Koralia 3s. They have a higher flow rate, but their flow is dispersed, so you need to buy a higher flow than it's rated. The Koralia's would probably be your best bet.

For sand, I wouldn't bother with "live". You're putting live rock in there, so I see no point in using live sand.

When you're curing your live rock (this will be about 4-6 weeks of just rock in your tank, no inhabitants) don't put your sand in until your rocks have cycled the tank (Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, and Nitrate <10). Then set up the rocks the way you want them, and put the sand around the rocks (don't put the rocks on the sand). That way when your fish dig the sand around they won't topple your rocks.

After your cycle, and you sand has settled for a few days, then you can buy a cleanup crew (snails, shrimp, etc). I suggest you buy 1/4 of what the pet store will tell you to buy in their "clean up crew packages". HAHA! They always tell you to buy WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much, and half of it will die from starvation.

After a couple weeks of cleanup crew action, then you can add your first fish. Don't add too many at once. Just a couple at a time/per week. That "one fish per 10 gallons" is BS, don't listen to that. So don't expect to have fish in your tank for at least 6-8 weeks after your rock goes in.

J&L Aquatics in Burnaby is a very good place to go. The staff is very knowledgable there, and will help you out. Just make sure you ask lots of questions.

Oh, and remember this: Nothing good happens fast in a marine aquarium. So have patience. :)

[michika]

Welcome to Canreef!

What kind of 90g tank did you pick up? Bowfront, rectangular, cube?

[mikeT]

Thanks guys for the tips.

The 90G i picked up is rectangular in shape.

[Myka]

Thanks guys for the tips.

No questions or comments after that book I wrote for you?

[Drock169]

I disagree with the comment that the AC500 is useless, with a little modding it becomes a great HOB fuge.

[michika]

Thanks guys for the tips.

The 90G i picked up is rectangular in shape.

Does your tank have an overflow, or is it drilled?

Its a great size tank to start out with! You have lots of options for livestock combinations.

Have you made any decision about what type of tank you want to keep? Fish only, reef? I ask because it may impact what type of information you need, and what type of equipment may best suit your needs.

[Myka]

Have you made any decision about what type of tank you want to keep? Fish only, reef? I ask because it may impact what type of information you need, and what type of equipment may best suit your needs.

He said:

I hope to start off small and build it up over time, maybe a clown fish or two and anenome and some other beginner freindly corals.

:D

Oh Mike, that reminds me, I forgot to mention that most anemones will need Metal Halide lighting, there are a few that will do ok under strong T5 lighting, but your T8 lighting is definately not sufficient for an anemone long-term.

[michika]

Actually I was asking about his future plans above and beyond what he had already mentioned.

[mikeT]

Sorry 'Myka' I do appreciate the long post you wrote but it was mostly straight forward and I understand it ..... except the empty tank for 6-8 weeks allowing the cyle period, thats along time.

I won't be drilling the tank so a HOB skimmer would be my best option. I think I'll be looking in the DIY section to see about lighting, a good light will break the bank so soon after Xmas.

Can I start the tank as a fish only with live rock, add more live rock over time slowly building up to a small reef. I know I would need to get reef safe fish , but could those reef safe fish survive with only some live rock in the tank?

[michika]

Can I start the tank as a fish only with live rock, add more live rock over time slowly building up to a small reef. I know I would need to get reef safe fish , but could those reef safe fish survive with only some live rock in the tank?

Yes of course you may start a tank out that way! The same type of rock applies regardless. Some of the things that change between fish only reef is flow and lighting.

Good choice to look through the DIY and buy/sell forums for equipment. It makes setting up a system considerably cheaper. Do you know how deep your tank is offhand?

[mikeT]

I believe my tank is 48"long x 18"wide x 24"tall (I think), I'll go measure it.

[michika]

I believe my tank is 48"long x 18"wide x 24"tall (I think), I'll go measure it.

I only ask because the depth (24" as you stated) impacts what lighting options you can consider.

Sounds like a nice size system. Have you started assembling other equipment yet, or are you still in the research stages?

[mikeT]

Still in the research stage... I currently have a 55g planted community that I havent decided what to do with , whether or not I should just transfer it for now or set up a reef(I've always wanted a reef tank). I only want to have one tank set up.

I'm just building a cabinet for the 90g tank now, so it will be a couple weeks at the speed I'm going to even get water in the tank

[Myka]

Sorry 'Myka' I do appreciate the long post you wrote but it was mostly straight forward and I understand it ..... except the empty tank for 6-8 weeks allowing the cyle period, thats along time.

I won't be drilling the tank so a HOB skimmer would be my best option. I think I'll be looking in the DIY section to see about lighting, a good light will break the bank so soon after Xmas.

Can I start the tank as a fish only with live rock, add more live rock over time slowly building up to a small reef. I know I would need to get reef safe fish , but could those reef safe fish survive with only some live rock in the tank?

Your tank wouldn't be empty. It will have the live rocks, then the cleanup crew. Not to mention all the little critters that will start popping up on the rock, in the water, one the sand, and in the sand. It seems like a long time, but it will go by soon enough. My tank didn't even see a fish until it was 8 months old. Haha! Mostly just because I couldn't decide what to put in it. I had lots of corals though. I think the first coral went in around week 8.

If you want to add live rock to an existing tank the best idea is to put the new rock in a bin with a heater and a powerhead for 4 weeks to cycle it before you put it in your tank, otherwise you'll have a mini cycle from the die-off on the rock. You can buy "cured" live rock, but there will still be some die-off, and it will cost you more.

The reef safe fish will be just fine without corals. :)

Spend as much money as you can afford on a skimmer. There are only two brands of HOB skimmers I recommend, AquaC Remoras and the Deltecs. The Deltecs are faaaaaaaaaaar superior to the AquaCs, but also cost quite a bit more. I don't think any other brand of HOB skimmer is worth the cost of taking them to the dump. For your tank, you'd need the Remora Pro (~$265), or for Deltec the MCE300 ($290) would be sufficient if you don't plan to stock heavily. The Deltec MCE600 ($495) would be a better choice and would help to buffer the newbie mistakes you will make. :D Deltec also makes a skimmer that sits inside your aquarium called the MC500 ($450), but you lose tank space.

I would recommend you use T5 lighting because it is strong enough that you could try some lower light corals like mushrooms, polyps, and maybe zoos without having to upgrade your lighting. As well, if you do eventually want to keep higher light corals and want to upgrade your lighting to MH you can still use your T5s for actinics. You can buy retrofit kits for fairly cheap, and the bulbs are all fairly cheap as well. T5s run fairly cool, and have really nice color as well as lots of bulb selection.

[michika]

I respectfully disagree with Myka on the lighting front. If you eventually want to go into SPS, or possibly clams, I would recommend you go to MHs. If you jump from lighting set up to lighting setup it will cost you more in the end rather then just biting the bullet once. However, if you think a tank with mostly soft corals is what you want then consider T5s. The initial purchase cost for T5s is also up there though, and in the long run they work out to be about just a much as MHs to maintain in terms of lighting replacements etc.