Fish Only Tank Changing to Reef

Hi guys!! I have a 72Gal bowfront that I am wanting to change to a reef system. I am going to go with a compact light system with moonlights because I cannot hang MH from my ceiling (wife issue=) I believe the system has 4 65watt bulbs. I also have a Berlin Pro Skimmer and a Fluvel Canister Filter. I haven't bought anything so I am up for ideas. I would like to keep anemone because I have had a clown fish in my tank for 2 years that would love to play in one. Please guide me so I can do this change-over as painlessly as possible. Thanks in advance!!

Jeremy

 

Hi, welcome to 3REEF! sounds like youve already got most of your filtration down....all you need is 2-3" of livesand and a healthy amount of LR (if you dont have theses already) and youll be good togo IMO. with that light system youll be giving your inhabitants about 3.6 watts per gallon, good for keeping most soft corals, mushrooms, zoo polyps, bubble tip anemones, and perhaps a decent sized white carpet anemone if you get them close to the light. The transition should be smooth if you have not used any harsh medications and your water quality is good (no or very low nitrate, good ph, alk, no ammonia or nitrite). I work @ a shop in Fairfield not to far from you, small web!

 

and make sure you never used copper in that FO tank. otherwise the residue will kill any invertebrate. running a carbon filter a few days before dropping any inverts may be a good idea.

as with SeA_SpLeNdEr ..... add 2-3" LS, around 100 lbs LR (if your not using any) but do it slowly. Good luck!

 

and one more thing "have fun doing it"

 

Hi Slakeyman!

Have you considered MH retrofits for a canopy? You don't need to hang those....Here is a pic of my tank, and canopy with MH in it ;D

http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?photo=birdlady/Almost_Ready.jpg

Sorry, it is one when I was just setting up... a pic of the MH light shining through the water here....

http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?photo=birdlady/Rocks_MH.jpg

Mine is only a 175 watt. With MH, you have a better chance with the anemones, altho it can be done without if you select the right species, like SeaSplender says....

 

I also heard about a Coralife lighting system that you can put above your tank with the legs. I think it will put it about 4 inches above the water. The thing is I am worried about the heat levels. I don't want roasted fish and corals=) I was wondering if I leave the glass on will that help with the light. I still have not bought any lighting system, but I did just put the sand in last night. That was a fun time!=) It looked like a storm was going on in my tank. I did put a bunch of the old substrate in a nylon and buried that underneath the sand. Anyways I just want to make sure I get the right lighting system. Thanks for the help!!

Jeremy

 

I personally have not had heat problems, but I do run AC in the summer where my tank is.

It 's a decision you will have to make yourself..it's a tough one. The better the light system, the greater potential for heat, that is true. But you will not be limited in choice of animals. Personally, I don't have any particular affinity for SPS corals so, that is not a big deal for me. But I do like clams, so I am happy I have the MH.

That light with the legs looks very nice as well. That would be a nice compromise with the wife, she is happy, then you are happy! ;D

Feel free to post any other questions regarding the lighting...wish I could tell you what to get, but there is no "right" or "wrong" light. It depends what you want to keep and where in the tank you will place it ;D

 

Alright well here is the next question....I am waiting for everything to balance out in my tank after changing over to the argonite sand. After that happens I am wondering what is the next items are to get. Should I get the lights first or start collecting my live rock? I keep going back and forth on lighting but I just cannot decide. I heard that you CAN keep clams and anemone with power compact but I am just not to sure about that. What do you all think?! Thanks in advance for the info!!

Jeremy

 

OK, well, this system has fish in it already, yes?

Questions for you are...

Are you going to cure the rock in a separate bin? or in the tank with the fish.

If in the tank, I would only get a couple pieces at at time and get them as fresh or as cured as possible. Get a few pieces every couple , few weeks and add slowly. That way, the fish won't suffer great ammonia spikes, etc. while the rock cycles in.

You have lights of some sort already for the fish...right? If so, I would go ahead and begin to add rock. Rock does not need intense lighting . When you are finished adding rock, you can upgrade the lighting. IMO

;D

 

Thanks for the quick response!!=) Anyways I do have fish in my tank. I will be using the tank to put my live rock in. I also have just a standard lighting system. It has 2-40watt bulbs. Sounds like a good plan of adding the rock so I think I will do that. Thanks again for the info. Oh yeah and just so you know I have a Niger Trigger, Mustard Tang, Melanopus Clown (spelling), and lastly a Emporer Angel.

Lastly...about 100lbs of live rock for my tank? I was thinking about adding about 15 - 20 lbs of rock each time I buy some. Thanks again and by the way...this web site is awesome!=)