Need help going from reef to F/O

unclemuskie · 01/27/2007, 06:42 AM

Hi all I have a 125 that I am thinking of changing from reef to fish only to simplify things,but I have a few questions with it and was looking for advice or ideas before I do this.I know that all fish and corals will have to be removed first.
1.The tank has about 180-200 pounds of well established live rock.I would like to keep some of the larger pieces for aquascaping and filteration instead of going all fake coral.Can I do this?? What kind of tank cycle will happen by removing alot of the bio-load?
2.My sump is currently set up as a refugium.Will I have to switch back to the bio-ball tower that I had earlier?
3.If I decide to downgrade my lighting(2 250w metal halides) will the remaining live rock still function?
4. Should I clean or change out my sand bed once everything opens up or will this cause me more problems?
5.Salinity?

sjm817 · 01/27/2007, 07:01 AM

The only thing I would change is lighting. No need to change filtration/LR/sand/fuge. That is all good stuff reef or not.

unclemuskie · 01/27/2007, 07:08 AM

The decision to do this is to simplify which means less water changes and to create space by removing alot of the L/R.I would also like to eliminate the light over the fuge.( homemade setup)

sjm817 · 01/27/2007, 07:24 AM

Can you move the LR from the display to the sump? Have a dark sump with just LR for filtration.

unclemuskie · 01/27/2007, 10:05 AM

Use L/R in the sump instead of bioballs.Could be done and would this work just as good or better.And what about the cheato in my fuge now???

sjm817 · 01/27/2007, 10:49 AM

You posted that you wanted to get rid of the light over the fuge. You cant grow macro without it.

unclemuskie · 01/27/2007, 10:51 AM

So the cheato must go and thats ok.Then a sump full of L/R would be sufficient?

sjm817 · 01/27/2007, 11:27 AM

I think that would be a good plan. You can reuse the LR you have. Since you will have the same amount, the tank wont go inti any sort of shock. It is a good filter and doesn't need any light.

I'd get rid of the halides and get some NO T8 fluorescents in a decent color spectrum to cut down on power use and heat.

unclemuskie · 01/27/2007, 12:41 PM

thank you very much for the suggestions.

01/27/2007, 06:42 AM	#1
unclemuskie Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norridge.Il Posts: 454	Need help going from reef to F/O Hi all I have a 125 that I am thinking of changing from reef to fish only to simplify things,but I have a few questions with it and was looking for advice or ideas before I do this.I know that all fish and corals will have to be removed first. 1.The tank has about 180-200 pounds of well established live rock.I would like to keep some of the larger pieces for aquascaping and filteration instead of going all fake coral.Can I do this?? What kind of tank cycle will happen by removing alot of the bio-load? 2.My sump is currently set up as a refugium.Will I have to switch back to the bio-ball tower that I had earlier? 3.If I decide to downgrade my lighting(2 250w metal halides) will the remaining live rock still function? 4. Should I clean or change out my sand bed once everything opens up or will this cause me more problems? 5.Salinity?

01/27/2007, 07:01 AM	#2
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	The only thing I would change is lighting. No need to change filtration/LR/sand/fuge. That is all good stuff reef or not. __________________ - Scott

01/27/2007, 07:08 AM	#3
unclemuskie Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norridge.Il Posts: 454	what about bio-load The decision to do this is to simplify which means less water changes and to create space by removing alot of the L/R.I would also like to eliminate the light over the fuge.( homemade setup)

01/27/2007, 07:24 AM	#4
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	Can you move the LR from the display to the sump? Have a dark sump with just LR for filtration. __________________ - Scott

01/27/2007, 10:49 AM	#6
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	You posted that you wanted to get rid of the light over the fuge. You cant grow macro without it. __________________ - Scott

01/27/2007, 10:05 AM	#5
unclemuskie Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norridge.Il Posts: 454	Use L/R in the sump instead of bioballs.Could be done and would this work just as good or better.And what about the cheato in my fuge now???

01/27/2007, 10:51 AM	#7
unclemuskie Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norridge.Il Posts: 454	So the cheato must go and thats ok.Then a sump full of L/R would be sufficient?

01/27/2007, 11:27 AM	#8
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I think that would be a good plan. You can reuse the LR you have. Since you will have the same amount, the tank wont go inti any sort of shock. It is a good filter and doesn't need any light. I'd get rid of the halides and get some NO T8 fluorescents in a decent color spectrum to cut down on power use and heat. __________________ - Scott

01/27/2007, 12:41 PM	#9
unclemuskie Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norridge.Il Posts: 454	thank you very much for the suggestions.