Newbie that needs opinions

CrackerBlack · 12/02/2015, 01:24 AM

I am new to saltwater tanks but I have had plenty experience with freshwater. I had a 300gal with stingrays and silver arowanas which I no longer have. I now have 150gal and I am wanting to give a saltwater reef tank a try. I just want some opinions on the stuff I got to see if it is good enough to to start with. Anyone with any opinions would be greatly appreciated. I have a150 gal, 2 canister filters @525gph, 2 circulation pumps @950gph, 2 uv 9wat, 2 300wat external return line heaters, 50lbs of live rock, 50lbs of dry rock, 20lbs of live sand, 80lbs of dry sand, Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 Dual Lamp Fixture. Anything else I must have to start with and what I can get later, please let me know and thanks in advance. Please keep in mind I know it's a money investment for a successful tank but I am on a beginner build budget.

adambom · 12/02/2015, 02:17 AM

Welcome!

In order to help you it would be great if you could tell us a bit more about what you're trying to accomplish. Are you planning on a reef tank or fish only? If it's the former, do you know what types of corals you want to try and keep?

There's a lot of options out there for equipment, but your goals will ultimately determine what you'll need. Sounds like you have many of the basics in place, so congrats on taking the plunge!

Reef908 · 12/02/2015, 08:37 AM

Like you, I converted from a freshwater setup to salt and I reused a lot of my equipment. In my opinion, I would substitute the canister filters for a sump and skimmer. I ran a 35 gallon FOWLR for a few years with a canister filter and my nitrates were extremely high since I could not keep up with keeping the filter clean. As soon as I converted to a sump using a hang on back eshopps overflow box and a skimmer, nitrate levels were way down and this allowed me to try my hand at corals. If prices is a factor, you can always search craigslist for a used tank (I would say 40 gallon breeder for your size tank) and create one yourself on the cheap. I would check out the DIY forum for some helpful insights. Also, if you are trying to keep corals, you may want to increase the water movement within the tank with some additional powerheads or upgrade once the funds allow. Good Luck!

CrackerBlack · 12/02/2015, 10:11 AM

I want to do a reef tank with corals and some reef safe fish and won't corals help keep nitrates down? If I have to convert to a sump I guess I will, I have everything I need to convert to a sump, I had one on my 300gal, just need the skimmer. I just did not want to messing with plumbing it.

e048 · 12/02/2015, 10:27 AM

Need a skimmer and better lights depending on the corals you want ditch the canisters

gone fishin · 12/02/2015, 10:31 AM

Just off the top of my head I would say the canisters are not needed. For that size tank I would look into getting a skimmer, some powerheads and adding a sump onto the system. Depending on what you want to keep lights as well

Reef Frog · 12/02/2015, 01:42 PM

In a 150g aquarium, a 2 bulb T5 is unlikely to give you success if your goal is to keep stony LPS and/or SPS corals. But you can address that later and it should be fine for viewing fish. It may also be fine for certain corals if they are kept directly underneath the bulbs. Just be sure to add the price of a new or supplemental light fixture to the future budget!

Fine Point: Corals don't really keep nitrates down, although they can utilize NO3 directly. They eat and expel waste, and cellular material on the surface falls away like skin cells on a person so they are actually adding to disolved organics, but to a minor degree. Nitrates orginate primarily from fish waste & decomposing plant matter and dead fish & snails for example.

12/02/2015, 01:24 AM	#1
CrackerBlack Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 2	Newbie that needs opinions I am new to saltwater tanks but I have had plenty experience with freshwater. I had a 300gal with stingrays and silver arowanas which I no longer have. I now have 150gal and I am wanting to give a saltwater reef tank a try. I just want some opinions on the stuff I got to see if it is good enough to to start with. Anyone with any opinions would be greatly appreciated. I have a150 gal, 2 canister filters @525gph, 2 circulation pumps @950gph, 2 uv 9wat, 2 300wat external return line heaters, 50lbs of live rock, 50lbs of dry rock, 20lbs of live sand, 80lbs of dry sand, Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 Dual Lamp Fixture. Anything else I must have to start with and what I can get later, please let me know and thanks in advance. Please keep in mind I know it's a money investment for a successful tank but I am on a beginner build budget.

12/02/2015, 02:17 AM	#2
adambom Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 108	Welcome! In order to help you it would be great if you could tell us a bit more about what you're trying to accomplish. Are you planning on a reef tank or fish only? If it's the former, do you know what types of corals you want to try and keep? There's a lot of options out there for equipment, but your goals will ultimately determine what you'll need. Sounds like you have many of the basics in place, so congrats on taking the plunge! __________________ Current Tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 (73g Display, 18g Sump) Mixed Reef

12/02/2015, 08:37 AM	#3
Reef908 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Atlanta Posts: 224	Like you, I converted from a freshwater setup to salt and I reused a lot of my equipment. In my opinion, I would substitute the canister filters for a sump and skimmer. I ran a 35 gallon FOWLR for a few years with a canister filter and my nitrates were extremely high since I could not keep up with keeping the filter clean. As soon as I converted to a sump using a hang on back eshopps overflow box and a skimmer, nitrate levels were way down and this allowed me to try my hand at corals. If prices is a factor, you can always search craigslist for a used tank (I would say 40 gallon breeder for your size tank) and create one yourself on the cheap. I would check out the DIY forum for some helpful insights. Also, if you are trying to keep corals, you may want to increase the water movement within the tank with some additional powerheads or upgrade once the funds allow. Good Luck! __________________ Tank: 180 Gallon Mixed Reef; Fish: Hoeven's Wrasse, Red Sea Regal Angel, spot breast angel, Green Wrasse, Juvi Aussie Harlequin Tusk, tangs: powder blue, desjardini, purple, tomini

12/02/2015, 10:11 AM	#4
CrackerBlack Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 2	I want to do a reef tank with corals and some reef safe fish and won't corals help keep nitrates down? If I have to convert to a sump I guess I will, I have everything I need to convert to a sump, I had one on my 300gal, just need the skimmer. I just did not want to messing with plumbing it. Last edited by CrackerBlack; 12/02/2015 at 10:16 AM.

12/02/2015, 10:31 AM	#6
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Just off the top of my head I would say the canisters are not needed. For that size tank I would look into getting a skimmer, some powerheads and adding a sump onto the system. Depending on what you want to keep lights as well __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/02/2015, 10:27 AM	#5
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	Need a skimmer and better lights depending on the corals you want ditch the canisters

12/02/2015, 01:42 PM	#7
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	In a 150g aquarium, a 2 bulb T5 is unlikely to give you success if your goal is to keep stony LPS and/or SPS corals. But you can address that later and it should be fine for viewing fish. It may also be fine for certain corals if they are kept directly underneath the bulbs. Just be sure to add the price of a new or supplemental light fixture to the future budget! Fine Point: Corals don't really keep nitrates down, although they can utilize NO3 directly. They eat and expel waste, and cellular material on the surface falls away like skin cells on a person so they are actually adding to disolved organics, but to a minor degree. Nitrates orginate primarily from fish waste & decomposing plant matter and dead fish & snails for example.