beginner 60 gallon reef advice

Fluidmovement · 11/10/2008, 12:42 PM

Hello everyone! I am new to the hobby but am optimistic towards my future in it. I could really use some advice over the next couple weeks as I get started with my new tank. For now I have two vague questions.

1) I am moving a 60 gallon set-up tomorrow. I will save the water, live rock, sand, one fish, zoos, etc. Are there any special steps that I should take to avoid a disaster in the water chemistry? Is it possible to cause the tank to start a new cycle?

2) This tank is currently running on a canister filter. My plan is to keep it that way for a month at most, and then set-up a sump with a skimmer. Can somebody please ID the skimmer in this photo and tell me if it is good enough for a 60 gallon reef tank? The only supplies that I have for the conversion are those pictured (sump, rio 1100 pump, skimmer). What else do I need to make a functioning sump? I am not going to drill this tank, I will use a overflow box instead.

Thank you all very much for your time, patience and advice!

I will add many pictures once I set the tank up in my house.

SEAFROG · 11/10/2008, 01:31 PM

HI
To help it from going in to new cycle clean the sand in warm water
to clean out all the fish dodo.The warm water will not kill off the bacteria the rest should be fine. The fish you should re acclimate
Them so they don't go in to shock. Just do it the same way if you
just bout the fish. Good Luck

greggnyce · 11/10/2008, 03:04 PM

If you use warm water wont the copper and antibacterial agents kill the bacteria. This seems like it would cause a new cycle.

It is a coralife superskimmer. Junk IMO. If you are going with a sump use the skimmer you have for know but when the sump is ready upgrade to a good in sump skimmer. It willbe worth it in the long run.

The pump is the feed pump for that model of skimmer. You are slao goint to need a return pump when you set your sump up. A mag 7 or 5 should be good. You will also need pumps for the circulation of water inside the display. You can go about this in two ways closed loop or powerheads.

Sammy123 · 11/10/2008, 09:28 PM

Your rock should be fine during the move. To keep the tank from cycling, try to keep your live rock damp (even a paper towel moist with tank water over them will do). So long as it does not dry up you should be fine.

Good Luck!

Fluidmovement · 11/11/2008, 06:07 PM

It wasnt a very fun day but everything is set-up now! I hooked up the Rena canister filter that the set-up came with. Plus, I set-up my coralife super skimmer on the side. Now I will wait for everything to settle and eventually test the water. Pictures are far from impressive right now so I only have a few.

I am dying to build a sump but that is still a few weeks away.

Wish list:
-MAG 7 pump
-2 powerheads
-overflow box
-New skimmer
-refugium

A couple more questions:

1) Is a canister filter and the hang on skimmer enough filtration to support coral?

2) I now own 2 of the same 4 bulb t-5 fixtures. If I ran both of them on a 60 gallon aquarium would that be too much light? Or... Amazing?!

Thanks for the advice so far. It has helped me more than you think. I look forward to more!

greggnyce · 11/11/2008, 06:12 PM

I do not think it will be too muchlight, with that amount you can find a good spectrum of bulbs to get really nice results. Ask i the lighting forum about different t5 lighting combonations.

The skimmer looks like it is going nuts , you should dial it down. You do not want the skimmate to be too watery, that means it is pulling out mostly water. Dial it down and it should settle in a few days. You really want nice dark skimmate, dark brown to black in color, and it should smell worse than lowtide.

greggnyce · 11/11/2008, 06:14 PM

You should be ok with the cannister filter if you keep it clean on the inside thats where the problems lie with them. I would run carbon and phosphate remover(gfo) in it. Make sure it does not have those ceramic rings in there, they only trap detritus.

Fluidmovement · 11/11/2008, 06:21 PM

Thanks Greg! This was my first attempt at running a skimmer. I knew I had to be doing someting wrong. I find that as a beginner, it is a good idea to take a lot of pictures and let you guys point out my mistakes. Ill adjust it and see what happens. New pics coming soon

11/10/2008, 12:42 PM	#1
Fluidmovement Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 13	beginner 60 gallon reef advice Hello everyone! I am new to the hobby but am optimistic towards my future in it. I could really use some advice over the next couple weeks as I get started with my new tank. For now I have two vague questions. 1) I am moving a 60 gallon set-up tomorrow. I will save the water, live rock, sand, one fish, zoos, etc. Are there any special steps that I should take to avoid a disaster in the water chemistry? Is it possible to cause the tank to start a new cycle? 2) This tank is currently running on a canister filter. My plan is to keep it that way for a month at most, and then set-up a sump with a skimmer. Can somebody please ID the skimmer in this photo and tell me if it is good enough for a 60 gallon reef tank? The only supplies that I have for the conversion are those pictured (sump, rio 1100 pump, skimmer). What else do I need to make a functioning sump? I am not going to drill this tank, I will use a overflow box instead. Thank you all very much for your time, patience and advice! I will add many pictures once I set the tank up in my house. __________________ To some it is saltwater.... To others it is holy water. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon cichlid tank, and 60 gallon reef

11/10/2008, 01:31 PM	#2
SEAFROG Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: OHIO BELLEFONTAINE Posts: 54	cycle HI To help it from going in to new cycle clean the sand in warm water to clean out all the fish dodo.The warm water will not kill off the bacteria the rest should be fine. The fish you should re acclimate Them so they don't go in to shock. Just do it the same way if you just bout the fish. Good Luck

11/10/2008, 03:04 PM	#3
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	If you use warm water wont the copper and antibacterial agents kill the bacteria. This seems like it would cause a new cycle. It is a coralife superskimmer. Junk IMO. If you are going with a sump use the skimmer you have for know but when the sump is ready upgrade to a good in sump skimmer. It willbe worth it in the long run. The pump is the feed pump for that model of skimmer. You are slao goint to need a return pump when you set your sump up. A mag 7 or 5 should be good. You will also need pumps for the circulation of water inside the display. You can go about this in two ways closed loop or powerheads. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

11/11/2008, 06:07 PM	#5
Fluidmovement Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 13	It wasnt a very fun day but everything is set-up now! I hooked up the Rena canister filter that the set-up came with. Plus, I set-up my coralife super skimmer on the side. Now I will wait for everything to settle and eventually test the water. Pictures are far from impressive right now so I only have a few. I am dying to build a sump but that is still a few weeks away. Wish list: -MAG 7 pump -2 powerheads -overflow box -New skimmer -refugium A couple more questions: 1) Is a canister filter and the hang on skimmer enough filtration to support coral? 2) I now own 2 of the same 4 bulb t-5 fixtures. If I ran both of them on a 60 gallon aquarium would that be too much light? Or... Amazing?! Thanks for the advice so far. It has helped me more than you think. I look forward to more! __________________ To some it is saltwater.... To others it is holy water. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon cichlid tank, and 60 gallon reef

11/11/2008, 06:12 PM	#6
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	I do not think it will be too muchlight, with that amount you can find a good spectrum of bulbs to get really nice results. Ask i the lighting forum about different t5 lighting combonations. The skimmer looks like it is going nuts , you should dial it down. You do not want the skimmate to be too watery, that means it is pulling out mostly water. Dial it down and it should settle in a few days. You really want nice dark skimmate, dark brown to black in color, and it should smell worse than lowtide. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

11/10/2008, 09:28 PM	#4
Sammy123 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 19	Your rock should be fine during the move. To keep the tank from cycling, try to keep your live rock damp (even a paper towel moist with tank water over them will do). So long as it does not dry up you should be fine. Good Luck!

11/11/2008, 06:14 PM	#7
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	You should be ok with the cannister filter if you keep it clean on the inside thats where the problems lie with them. I would run carbon and phosphate remover(gfo) in it. Make sure it does not have those ceramic rings in there, they only trap detritus. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

11/11/2008, 06:21 PM	#8
Fluidmovement Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 13	Thanks Greg! This was my first attempt at running a skimmer. I knew I had to be doing someting wrong. I find that as a beginner, it is a good idea to take a lot of pictures and let you guys point out my mistakes. Ill adjust it and see what happens. New pics coming soon __________________ To some it is saltwater.... To others it is holy water. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon cichlid tank, and 60 gallon reef