looking to convert my 75 gallon freshwater tank to saltwater reef

mididnitdragoon · 02/27/2015, 05:16 PM

currently i have a 23 gallon rimless with two picasso clowns and a goby...some corals amd am loving it!!!!

im looking at my 75 gallon aquarium and am wanting to convert it to a saltwater reef. this tank is not drilled, not looking at getting a overflow/sump.

few questions...

is this light any good long term for growing corals:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=AAPB16Q9ZP35N

is this skimmer any good,i read that it takes some time for it to break in, but the price seems too low:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

can i reuse the sand currently in my freshwater tank and just throw in some live sand?

i will be using rodi to fill up the tank and top off. and will slowly but surely throw live rock into the tank.

any advice on this would be great..want to start strong here.

mcgyvr · 02/27/2015, 05:36 PM

Never used the light..
Heck no on that skimmer.. JUNK.
Look at Eshopps if you want a "lower cost" good skimmer.

I wouldn't use the sand but a good cleaning and it should be alright.. Or you transfer lots of "crap" thats in there to the new tank just asking for trouble

Bluetangclan · 02/27/2015, 07:41 PM

Just clean the sand and you will be fine. ANy bacteria will not survive in the salt water so will deteriorate and aid in your initial cycle.

The light looks fine for mid to low light stuff. You didnt mention what you plan on having in the tank, but it sounds like you are taking your time. Personally I would go with an LED system which you can get a reefbreeder photon for about double. Lighting and rock are the two most expensive parts of this hobby. You can skimp on the rock and go base rock. Skimp on a light and you could be SOL.

Skimmer looks cheap. I wouldnt go with that. Then again, last time I had a HOB skimmer I had a double CPR back Pak. It worked for me great then, I do not know if anything has changed.

mididnitdragoon · 02/27/2015, 07:42 PM

only thing that interest me about that light is that it has a built in timer. i may very well just use new sand...after all i can seed the dry sand with live sand from my 23 gallon. only thing im hating is the thought of waiting to fill the 75 with rodi....

big shame that the skimmer is no good. i dont mind spending a bit more on a decent skimmer...any recommendations?

Bluetangclan · 02/27/2015, 09:56 PM

Bak Pak used to be good, I do not know if they have had any quality issues of late.
Rock can be cheaper, just use 75% base rock and add live rock on top. Tampa Bay Saltwater would be my choice on getting good fresh LR.

rathos · 02/28/2015, 02:45 AM

I always laugh when someone says that skimmer is junk. I bought one at petsmart back in the day when they were clearing them out. I got it for $10 so even with the negative reviews I figured I couldn't really lose. I have used it for the last 4 years and I get better skim then my buddies who spent the big bucks on various skimmers. It took me all of 2 days to get it dialed in. I had it down for about 3 months when the last pump went out. When I plugged it back in it was working perfectly again and I am getting really good skim and my water looks clear again. Another one of my friends ended up with the same skimmer on the same deal and it has also worked flawlessly for the past 4 years, though he hasn't went through any pumps yet (mine is on a 125, his is on a 30 gallon)

I haven't used the light so I can't tell you if that is any good. If you tank is deep the only bulb lights that have worked well for me are halides. The T-5s work great for accent, but never really worked well for me growing anything. I would say though if you are just starting out go with LEDs. Lots of great affordable options out there and the price of bulbs adds up quick when replacing them every 6 months.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Never used the light..
Heck no on that skimmer.. JUNK.
Look at Eshopps if you want a "lower cost" good skimmer.

I wouldn't use the sand but a good cleaning and it should be alright.. Or you transfer lots of "crap" thats in there to the new tank just asking for trouble

mididnitdragoon · 02/28/2015, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rathos

I always laugh when someone says that skimmer is junk. I bought one at petsmart back in the day when they were clearing them out. I got it for $10 so even with the negative reviews I figured I couldn't really lose. I have used it for the last 4 years and I get better skim then my buddies who spent the big bucks on various skimmers. It took me all of 2 days to get it dialed in. I had it down for about 3 months when the last pump went out. When I plugged it back in it was working perfectly again and I am getting really good skim and my water looks clear again. Another one of my friends ended up with the same skimmer on the same deal and it has also worked flawlessly for the past 4 years, though he hasn't went through any pumps yet (mine is on a 125, his is on a 30 gallon)

I haven't used the light so I can't tell you if that is any good. If you tank is deep the only bulb lights that have worked well for me are halides. The T-5s work great for accent, but never really worked well for me growing anything. I would say though if you are just starting out go with LEDs. Lots of great affordable options out there and the price of bulbs adds up quick when replacing them every 6 months.

I have looked into led lighting but am a little iffy about them.. Can you really grow any coral with a led light? Will it really does it light up the tank nice? Which led light would you recommend for a 75 gallon aquarium? There are so many in the net, hard to tell which is good.

asudavew · 02/28/2015, 07:21 AM

Find a good used skimmer in your price range. I would use new sand. Think about drilling your tank and skip the hang on the back skimmer. I've used 2 different ones and IMO they are just so so. And ugly hanging on the back.

Bluetangclan · 02/28/2015, 09:07 AM

I agree, an in sump would be far more efficient but now you are talking more of an investment. But on the other hand, the better more quality equipment you buy up front, the cheaper, more efficient, and enjoyable your hobby will be later. I only know the hob I used in years past so I am sure you can post a thread here on HoB skimmers and likely you will get good replies. I have found on this forum its a good idea to post exact questions in the subject line rather than a group of questions under a total build subject. I know I answered because your subject is something I am doing in a few months.

In the past I have had 8 bulb t-5s over a 75 gallon and grew quite a few SPS, nothing spectacular but they did grow. The cost there is bulbs, at 20 a pics every 9-12 months and the cost adds up. Usually the set up comes with an ok selection of bulbs to get you going and since you are starting out the startup bulbs will work fine. You shouldnt be adding expensive hard core SPS for quite awhile anyway so you have time to work out what you need.

LEDs will grow coral. There are a lot of threads on here about them and I only know the one I am getting. I have seen LED lit SPS tanks and they looked beautiful. You also do not have to replace bulbs. Reefbreeder Photon has some of the best reviews out there, I have been researching them heavily in the last couple weeks. There are others that have pretty good reviews, I just prefer a set up that goes all the way across rather than two smaller set ups.

Halides are ancient technology. But they do still work very well and have had decades to perfect. They still generate massive heat and a good set up is still pretty costly and the bulbs cost a ton, and you will need at least two. Plus you will need supporting T5s or LEDs. They also eat a tone of electricity. Years ago when I had a tank with a single 150w it raised my electric bill by $15 a month and this was back in 2004. Halides would not be the direction I would go these days however they do have very good SPS growth.

rathos · 02/28/2015, 05:41 PM

LEDs can completely grow coral. I can't think of a fish shop in my area that doesn't have a all of their tanks on LEDs and their coral is growing great. There are a lot of different ones out there, with Kessil, Radions and AI as the big boys it seems.

As far as how many you need it depends on the dimensions of your tank. The longer it is the more you need. For example on my 6' tank 3 of the Radion XR30w fixtures would be needed, if I did the AI hydra 52 it would be between 2 and 3. The kessils I haven't looked into.

On my 29 bio cube I just ordered a retro fit kit from Nano Box Reef as it is basically a plug and play unit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mididnitdragoon

I have looked into led lighting but am a little iffy about them.. Can you really grow any coral with a led light? Will it really does it light up the tank nice? Which led light would you recommend for a 75 gallon aquarium? There are so many in the net, hard to tell which is good.

mididnitdragoon · 03/08/2015, 07:32 PM

I did more thinking during my vacation and came to the conclusion that I want to do a fish only and live rock aquarium. I plan on getting a reef octopus skimmer : http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005FG...s=Reef+octopus

Only reason I'm getting that is because I have heard a lot of good things about their quality and performance unless you guys think other wise. As far as lighting goes I won't need to do any fancy t5 combo.

mididnitdragoon · 03/08/2015, 07:35 PM

Only reason I changed my mind is because there weer a lot of nice fish I wanted to for the reef but I didn't in fear of them eating the corals.

I'll still keep the 23 gallon reef.. I love it but I definably want to get that puffer fish one day lol

Thanks for all the replies, sorry if I caused confusion in my posts.

02/27/2015, 05:16 PM	#1
mididnitdragoon Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 16	looking to convert my 75 gallon freshwater tank to saltwater reef currently i have a 23 gallon rimless with two picasso clowns and a goby...some corals amd am loving it!!!! im looking at my 75 gallon aquarium and am wanting to convert it to a saltwater reef. this tank is not drilled, not looking at getting a overflow/sump. few questions... is this light any good long term for growing corals: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=AAPB16Q9ZP35N is this skimmer any good,i read that it takes some time for it to break in, but the price seems too low: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER can i reuse the sand currently in my freshwater tank and just throw in some live sand? i will be using rodi to fill up the tank and top off. and will slowly but surely throw live rock into the tank. any advice on this would be great..want to start strong here.

02/28/2015, 07:21 AM	#8
asudavew Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Angelo, Texas Posts: 1,010	Find a good used skimmer in your price range. I would use new sand. Think about drilling your tank and skip the hang on the back skimmer. I've used 2 different ones and IMO they are just so so. And ugly hanging on the back. __________________ Be nice. Current Tank Info: 180, 125, 75

02/27/2015, 05:36 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Never used the light.. Heck no on that skimmer.. JUNK. Look at Eshopps if you want a "lower cost" good skimmer. I wouldn't use the sand but a good cleaning and it should be alright.. Or you transfer lots of "crap" thats in there to the new tank just asking for trouble

02/27/2015, 07:41 PM	#3
Bluetangclan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando(Wedgefield), Fl Posts: 555	Just clean the sand and you will be fine. ANy bacteria will not survive in the salt water so will deteriorate and aid in your initial cycle. The light looks fine for mid to low light stuff. You didnt mention what you plan on having in the tank, but it sounds like you are taking your time. Personally I would go with an LED system which you can get a reefbreeder photon for about double. Lighting and rock are the two most expensive parts of this hobby. You can skimp on the rock and go base rock. Skimp on a light and you could be SOL. Skimmer looks cheap. I wouldnt go with that. Then again, last time I had a HOB skimmer I had a double CPR back Pak. It worked for me great then, I do not know if anything has changed.

02/27/2015, 07:42 PM	#4
mididnitdragoon Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 16	only thing that interest me about that light is that it has a built in timer. i may very well just use new sand...after all i can seed the dry sand with live sand from my 23 gallon. only thing im hating is the thought of waiting to fill the 75 with rodi.... big shame that the skimmer is no good. i dont mind spending a bit more on a decent skimmer...any recommendations?

02/27/2015, 09:56 PM	#5
Bluetangclan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando(Wedgefield), Fl Posts: 555	Bak Pak used to be good, I do not know if they have had any quality issues of late. Rock can be cheaper, just use 75% base rock and add live rock on top. Tampa Bay Saltwater would be my choice on getting good fresh LR.

02/28/2015, 09:07 AM	#9
Bluetangclan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando(Wedgefield), Fl Posts: 555	I agree, an in sump would be far more efficient but now you are talking more of an investment. But on the other hand, the better more quality equipment you buy up front, the cheaper, more efficient, and enjoyable your hobby will be later. I only know the hob I used in years past so I am sure you can post a thread here on HoB skimmers and likely you will get good replies. I have found on this forum its a good idea to post exact questions in the subject line rather than a group of questions under a total build subject. I know I answered because your subject is something I am doing in a few months. In the past I have had 8 bulb t-5s over a 75 gallon and grew quite a few SPS, nothing spectacular but they did grow. The cost there is bulbs, at 20 a pics every 9-12 months and the cost adds up. Usually the set up comes with an ok selection of bulbs to get you going and since you are starting out the startup bulbs will work fine. You shouldnt be adding expensive hard core SPS for quite awhile anyway so you have time to work out what you need. LEDs will grow coral. There are a lot of threads on here about them and I only know the one I am getting. I have seen LED lit SPS tanks and they looked beautiful. You also do not have to replace bulbs. Reefbreeder Photon has some of the best reviews out there, I have been researching them heavily in the last couple weeks. There are others that have pretty good reviews, I just prefer a set up that goes all the way across rather than two smaller set ups. Halides are ancient technology. But they do still work very well and have had decades to perfect. They still generate massive heat and a good set up is still pretty costly and the bulbs cost a ton, and you will need at least two. Plus you will need supporting T5s or LEDs. They also eat a tone of electricity. Years ago when I had a tank with a single 150w it raised my electric bill by $15 a month and this was back in 2004. Halides would not be the direction I would go these days however they do have very good SPS growth.

03/08/2015, 07:32 PM	#11
mididnitdragoon Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 16	I did more thinking during my vacation and came to the conclusion that I want to do a fish only and live rock aquarium. I plan on getting a reef octopus skimmer : http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005FG...s=Reef+octopus Only reason I'm getting that is because I have heard a lot of good things about their quality and performance unless you guys think other wise. As far as lighting goes I won't need to do any fancy t5 combo.

03/08/2015, 07:35 PM	#12
mididnitdragoon Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 16	Only reason I changed my mind is because there weer a lot of nice fish I wanted to for the reef but I didn't in fear of them eating the corals. I'll still keep the 23 gallon reef.. I love it but I definably want to get that puffer fish one day lol Thanks for all the replies, sorry if I caused confusion in my posts.