Equipment choices...

mcgyver74 · 05/18/2006, 03:01 PM

Hey Everyone

I currently have a 24 gallon Aquapiod with 2 Leather Corals, 1 Clownfish, a few snails and blue legged crabs...
It's got about 20 lbs of Liverock and 10 lbs live sand.

However, this setup is proving to be less tehn ideal for me. So I want to convert my freshwate *(29 gallon traditional tank)* to salt and move the reef into there so I can add mORE LR and Corals etc....

BUT,
I'm at a loss for what to buy. I know I need at least 2 powerheads (I want one on either side of the tank,) and I can reuse the heater, but do I need to reuse my filter (biowheel) or is the LR going to be enough biofiltration,

I don't have enough room to run a sump or overflow or Fuge, so I need to be carefull..

What lights do you all reccomend? (Wattage is not important, I can figure that out later) What pumps etc should I look at.. Is a HOB protein skimmer goign to do the job
?

I guess I got spoiled by the all in 1 unit

Thanks in advance

NEEDMONEYFORMORESALT · 05/18/2006, 03:35 PM

would highly recommend a skimmer a HOB would be fine, if you can do it get at least a Remora. Can you use the 24 as a sump/refuge, Lights depend on future corals, for the leathers, shrooms, zoa's Pc's or T5's will work fine. 2 powerheads sound good, heater. Personally i would dump the biowheel and figure out a way to set up a refuge due to nitrate problems later from the biowheel. Your going to have to also have a mind set to do at least weekly 10-20% water changes which means a RO/DI setup especially with a small tank. Test kits. You can buy alot of equipment used on this site for good prices.

Just as a side note it seems like alot of work to go from a 24 to only a 29.

TekCat · 05/18/2006, 03:37 PM

Fist and foremost you need at least 1lbs per gallon of LR to successfuly get rid of bio-wheel. So, minimum of total 30lbs, and good buy bio wheel

I suggest AquaC Remora hang on back skimmer. (Backpacks and seaclones have "shady" reputation)

Heater and other equipment from freshwater world that you have must be "certified" for salt water, otherwise salt will damage them. So, look up your heater model on the net or in LFS and see if it can handle salt.

Granted that MH lights produce amazing lighting for the tank, however, I strongly stand by T5 lights, they produce light quite nicely, and compared to MH do no generate too much heat. In addition to MH most still suplement actinic light in form of T5 or PC. I never had PC lights but from what I've read that they don't bring out colours in tank as much as other types of lights. But, Of course, it is up to individual's taste.

TekCat · 05/18/2006, 03:41 PM

NEEDMONEYFORMORESALT beat me to it

mcgyver74 · 05/19/2006, 08:16 AM

Thanks for the advice,

I'm going to start slowly obtaining equipment, I figure I'll be ready to start the transfer by August

(I'm going to buy all the stuff I need FIRST then set it up and do the transfer,

I know it's a small gain, but the main reason I'm going from the 24 to the 29 is because the 24 is a NanoCube (aquapod) enclosed system and the 29 is a standard tank (with stand)

Looking back on it the nanoreef was a mistake, First off the pump it comes with is wimpy (I had to add a 2nd powerhead just to cope) and you can't hang anyting on the back without cutting it. Add to that an extremely noisy fan and it's annoying me to no end.

Also the only skimmer I can use is the Fission, which without modding isn't the greatest (I can't run it do to the bubbles issue) and it has to sit in the main display area where it looks like poop. I plan on running 1 to 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon so I should be able to dump the biowheel easily

and my heater is good for Salt, so that shouldn't be a problem

I'd like to upsize, believe me I'd LOVE to have a 55 gallon tank so I can have a REALLY nice display tank and use the 29 as a sump/fuge but unfortunatly the largest tank my landlord will let me have is a 30, and since my apt is cramped, I dont have room for another tank underneath

SO, so far my shopping list is as follows:

1) AquaC Remora HOB skimmer

2) Lights (I'm going to go MH only cause I like the "Look" of the light better

3) 2 Powersweep powerheads

4) Plexiglass top for the tank

I'm goning to assume that I don't need my Air Pumps or Airstones, or my biowheel..(More stuff for Ebay

)

Let me know hwat you all think...

Thanks again

TekCat · 05/19/2006, 11:40 AM

With MH lights producing lots of heat plexiglass cover might have to come off so the water cools via evoporation, or you might even have to mount small fan blowing across water surface.

mcgyver74 · 05/19/2006, 01:21 PM

Hmmm
that's a good point.

I'm wondering if I should find a used 40 gal (Landlord won't know the diff if I tell him it's a 30 LOL ) drilled tank and install a chiller...would be cheaper then running the AC all summer long

Out of curiosity, with drilled tanks, how prone are they to leaking?

Randall_James · 05/19/2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcgyver74
Out of curiosity, with drilled tanks, how prone are they to leaking?

They are not prone to leakage at all. They CAN leak but it is highly unusual to see this.
On a side note: the drilling usually occurs in the "overflow" and "Should" a leak develop, you can simply loosen the fitting (perhaps a quart or 2 of water will leak out) and you can reseal the fitting as the overflow isolates the fittings from the main tank.

mcgyver74 · 05/19/2006, 05:32 PM

AH gotcha, the overflow prevents too mcuh water coming out.

Now if I wanted to add a chiller to this, wouldn't that have to be plumbed into the bottom of the tank?????

Randall_James · 05/19/2006, 09:47 PM

the overflow is basically a "dam" in the tank so that the majority of water removed is "top" water. This is where the most proteins are going to be and what you want out of the water column.

Depending on the chillers flow rates (mine is 495Gph) you can in some cases run your sump return thru the thing. I have a simple closed loop on my system where water is moved from the last chamber of the sump/refuge, to the chiller and then back to the sump/refuge. It discharges into my carbon filter canister.

So in short no, the chiller can virtually go anywhere in the system where you can add/remove water. I just have mine doing a bit of double duty

05/18/2006, 03:01 PM	#1
mcgyver74 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 40	Equipment choices... Hey Everyone I currently have a 24 gallon Aquapiod with 2 Leather Corals, 1 Clownfish, a few snails and blue legged crabs... It's got about 20 lbs of Liverock and 10 lbs live sand. However, this setup is proving to be less tehn ideal for me. So I want to convert my freshwate (29 gallon traditional tank) to salt and move the reef into there so I can add mORE LR and Corals etc.... BUT, I'm at a loss for what to buy. I know I need at least 2 powerheads (I want one on either side of the tank,) and I can reuse the heater, but do I need to reuse my filter (biowheel) or is the LR going to be enough biofiltration, I don't have enough room to run a sump or overflow or Fuge, so I need to be carefull.. What lights do you all reccomend? (Wattage is not important, I can figure that out later) What pumps etc should I look at.. Is a HOB protein skimmer goign to do the job ? I guess I got spoiled by the all in 1 unit Thanks in advance

05/18/2006, 03:35 PM	#2
NEEDMONEYFORMORESALT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 420	would highly recommend a skimmer a HOB would be fine, if you can do it get at least a Remora. Can you use the 24 as a sump/refuge, Lights depend on future corals, for the leathers, shrooms, zoa's Pc's or T5's will work fine. 2 powerheads sound good, heater. Personally i would dump the biowheel and figure out a way to set up a refuge due to nitrate problems later from the biowheel. Your going to have to also have a mind set to do at least weekly 10-20% water changes which means a RO/DI setup especially with a small tank. Test kits. You can buy alot of equipment used on this site for good prices. Just as a side note it seems like alot of work to go from a 24 to only a 29. __________________ Things i tell me wife that i shouldn't. (I think she's catching on) "what new coral, oh it must have spawned" "I promise, this will be the last piece of equipment I'll need" Current Tank Info: just moved and starting over

05/19/2006, 09:47 PM	#10
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	the overflow is basically a "dam" in the tank so that the majority of water removed is "top" water. This is where the most proteins are going to be and what you want out of the water column. Depending on the chillers flow rates (mine is 495Gph) you can in some cases run your sump return thru the thing. I have a simple closed loop on my system where water is moved from the last chamber of the sump/refuge, to the chiller and then back to the sump/refuge. It discharges into my carbon filter canister. So in short no, the chiller can virtually go anywhere in the system where you can add/remove water. I just have mine doing a bit of double duty __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

05/18/2006, 03:37 PM	#3
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	Fist and foremost you need at least 1lbs per gallon of LR to successfuly get rid of bio-wheel. So, minimum of total 30lbs, and good buy bio wheel I suggest AquaC Remora hang on back skimmer. (Backpacks and seaclones have "shady" reputation) Heater and other equipment from freshwater world that you have must be "certified" for salt water, otherwise salt will damage them. So, look up your heater model on the net or in LFS and see if it can handle salt. Granted that MH lights produce amazing lighting for the tank, however, I strongly stand by T5 lights, they produce light quite nicely, and compared to MH do no generate too much heat. In addition to MH most still suplement actinic light in form of T5 or PC. I never had PC lights but from what I've read that they don't bring out colours in tank as much as other types of lights. But, Of course, it is up to individual's taste.

05/18/2006, 03:41 PM	#4
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	NEEDMONEYFORMORESALT beat me to it

05/19/2006, 08:16 AM	#5
mcgyver74 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 40	Thanks for the advice, I'm going to start slowly obtaining equipment, I figure I'll be ready to start the transfer by August (I'm going to buy all the stuff I need FIRST then set it up and do the transfer, I know it's a small gain, but the main reason I'm going from the 24 to the 29 is because the 24 is a NanoCube (aquapod) enclosed system and the 29 is a standard tank (with stand) Looking back on it the nanoreef was a mistake, First off the pump it comes with is wimpy (I had to add a 2nd powerhead just to cope) and you can't hang anyting on the back without cutting it. Add to that an extremely noisy fan and it's annoying me to no end. Also the only skimmer I can use is the Fission, which without modding isn't the greatest (I can't run it do to the bubbles issue) and it has to sit in the main display area where it looks like poop. I plan on running 1 to 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon so I should be able to dump the biowheel easily and my heater is good for Salt, so that shouldn't be a problem I'd like to upsize, believe me I'd LOVE to have a 55 gallon tank so I can have a REALLY nice display tank and use the 29 as a sump/fuge but unfortunatly the largest tank my landlord will let me have is a 30, and since my apt is cramped, I dont have room for another tank underneath SO, so far my shopping list is as follows: 1) AquaC Remora HOB skimmer 2) Lights (I'm going to go MH only cause I like the "Look" of the light better 3) 2 Powersweep powerheads 4) Plexiglass top for the tank I'm goning to assume that I don't need my Air Pumps or Airstones, or my biowheel..(More stuff for Ebay ) Let me know hwat you all think... Thanks again

05/19/2006, 11:40 AM	#6
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	With MH lights producing lots of heat plexiglass cover might have to come off so the water cools via evoporation, or you might even have to mount small fan blowing across water surface.

05/19/2006, 01:21 PM	#7
mcgyver74 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 40	Hmmm that's a good point. I'm wondering if I should find a used 40 gal (Landlord won't know the diff if I tell him it's a 30 LOL ) drilled tank and install a chiller...would be cheaper then running the AC all summer long Out of curiosity, with drilled tanks, how prone are they to leaking?

05/19/2006, 05:32 PM	#9
mcgyver74 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 40	AH gotcha, the overflow prevents too mcuh water coming out. Now if I wanted to add a chiller to this, wouldn't that have to be plumbed into the bottom of the tank?????