Convert Fish only to coral

Hey, any help is appreciated!!

I have a 135 gallon salt tank with 4 Triggers/ 2 Tangs/ Snowflake Eel that I want to convert over to live coral. I will remove the triggers for the conversion. I have had the tank running in my new home for 5 months and haven't had much problems other than figuring out the local tap water is deadly!!

Setup details to follow: Sealife Wet/dry sump for 150 gal, Rio 3100 pump, ASM G1X Skimmer, two 150 watt heaters, crushed coral about 3 inches of tank. I use RO/DO water and Sealife salt mix right at 1.023 ppm. I am planning a new 20 gal sump with Refugium and live rock instead of wet/dry system. Got ideas from Mels Reef, thanks.

Three key questions:
1) I have minimual lighting now, can you recommend a good lighting system? Tank is 18" deep, 25" tall, 72" wide. Soft coral only.

2)How can I seed the rock and sand so I can avoid the huge cost of buying all live rock/sand? How long do I need to wait before introducing coral?

3)I am planning to use a second RIO 3100 pump and overflow, but how should I route the water inside the tank? Squid/wavemaker/multiple heads??

Thanks

 

If your going soft coral only, I would settle for T5 HO's or VHO's, preferably the VHO's. I'm kinda against flourescent now and want to go halide, maybe that would also be an option for you too. You can go 2 250w halide with two VHO's hookups if the halide cost is a concern.

You can buy base rock and rinse it real good. After it's rinsed well, you can simply put it in the tank and let it culture. It will probably take a good 6 months before it is well cultured, may be more. I'm thinking 1 year before it turns into excellent live rock. I dont think I've ever seen non-cultured sand, except for dry crushed coral. I would recommend buying the sand live, you'll be glad you did.

For...?

 

I'm a fan of multiple power heads. I agree with the live sand. Also buy some live rock and it will eventually seed the tank. I would alsotake the wet/dry out of the equation and just use it as a sump/refuge. Best of luck!

 

Rickzter,
The second Rio pump would increase my water flow to the need level for reef. I currently have one Rio 3100 pump which gives me around 490 gph at my current height of 5 ft. The question is how should I route the water outlets in the tank for best circulation? I am considering using a squid between the two upflows and then giving each outlet a four way sepaerator, two near the surface and two near base of tank. Got any ideas??
Thanks,
Critifer

 

Raven,
I am planning on removing the wet/dry system altogether. Thanks for advice, i am gonna need it. The fish are fairly easy and I think this reef thing is going to drive me crazy for a while. Nothing like a new hobby or money pit

 

My water flow is setup with 1 17HF, puts out about 400-500 @4ft of plumb. Somewhere around there and supplemented two Rio 90's on the surface, with one running a bio-flo to help circulate the current, all is good.

I think adding circulation to the top is good, I think if you have two water currents clashing at the top, it will bring circulation to the bottom. The two at top and two in the middle would be good. If it's too rough in the middle, it would probably disturb some corals around that area.