switching over from cichids

nick96ss · 04/08/2007, 08:25 AM

i decided to turn my 75 gallon into a reef tank,i'm a real newbie when it comes to salt
i spoke to a lps guy and he told me to go with the fluval fx5 filter and a skimmer which i can't remember the name i knew it cost 300 bucks. he also said the light fixture i have is good (current nova extreme t5 265 watts ) i also have 2 heaters and 2 power heads (aqua clear 50) and an eihiem 2217 which i can use as a polisher
now my question to you all is can this set up he said work ?
having 2 canister filters do the right job
also my biggest concern is the light fixture will the one i have be good enough ?
any help would be great ......thanks !

Twisted · 04/08/2007, 10:01 AM

T5 lighting is good, but only if you have indivdual reflectors behind each bulb. The T5's work great. If yours doesn't have the reflectors, then you can buy after market ones to put in, not sure how to do it on a fixture though, unless that company makes them.

Your filtration will work, especially for cycleing, and getting your tank established, on a 75 gallon I would imagine even one canister would be sufficent as long as it was cleaned regularly.

You will need the skimmer though, you can by pass the skimmer by doing more water changes, but it will cost you more in salt for the year then the skimmer will cost you, and the skimmer cuts that job way down.

You might also want to clean the tank really good, and wipe down the inside with some white viniger, it seems it does a great job of cleaning out any thing you don't really want in the tank.

Since it was a freshwater tank, you may also want to make sure there is no residual copper traces in the tank before you set it up, that is one thing that will wipe out a reef in no time, and if you ever treated for ich in that tank, you most likely used a copper based product.
I was told after a good cleaning, and a viniger wipe down to fill it up with water and let it sit for a day or two, the check the water in the tank with a copper test kit, if it doesn't register anything, then you are clear.
If you never had ich, or used ich treatment without copper, then you should also be fine.

nick96ss · 04/08/2007, 10:06 AM

never had ich
i'll look into that relection thing
also i have blue and white bulbs is that good or do i need different bulbs ?
i am getting a skimmer
does anyone know or have the fluval fx5 filter

nick96ss · 04/08/2007, 04:25 PM

wow only 1 response
thanks for the help guys

04/08/2007, 08:25 AM	#1
nick96ss Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 71	switching over from cichids i decided to turn my 75 gallon into a reef tank,i'm a real newbie when it comes to salt i spoke to a lps guy and he told me to go with the fluval fx5 filter and a skimmer which i can't remember the name i knew it cost 300 bucks. he also said the light fixture i have is good (current nova extreme t5 265 watts ) i also have 2 heaters and 2 power heads (aqua clear 50) and an eihiem 2217 which i can use as a polisher now my question to you all is can this set up he said work ? having 2 canister filters do the right job also my biggest concern is the light fixture will the one i have be good enough ? any help would be great ......thanks ! Last edited by nick96ss; 04/08/2007 at 09:17 AM.

04/08/2007, 10:01 AM	#2
Twisted Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 1,221	T5 lighting is good, but only if you have indivdual reflectors behind each bulb. The T5's work great. If yours doesn't have the reflectors, then you can buy after market ones to put in, not sure how to do it on a fixture though, unless that company makes them. Your filtration will work, especially for cycleing, and getting your tank established, on a 75 gallon I would imagine even one canister would be sufficent as long as it was cleaned regularly. You will need the skimmer though, you can by pass the skimmer by doing more water changes, but it will cost you more in salt for the year then the skimmer will cost you, and the skimmer cuts that job way down. You might also want to clean the tank really good, and wipe down the inside with some white viniger, it seems it does a great job of cleaning out any thing you don't really want in the tank. Since it was a freshwater tank, you may also want to make sure there is no residual copper traces in the tank before you set it up, that is one thing that will wipe out a reef in no time, and if you ever treated for ich in that tank, you most likely used a copper based product. I was told after a good cleaning, and a viniger wipe down to fill it up with water and let it sit for a day or two, the check the water in the tank with a copper test kit, if it doesn't register anything, then you are clear. If you never had ich, or used ich treatment without copper, then you should also be fine.

04/08/2007, 10:06 AM	#3
nick96ss Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 71	never had ich i'll look into that relection thing also i have blue and white bulbs is that good or do i need different bulbs ? i am getting a skimmer does anyone know or have the fluval fx5 filter

04/08/2007, 04:25 PM	#4
nick96ss Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 71	wow only 1 response thanks for the help guys