Fluval Roma 200 Aquarium

[Ed Green]

Hi

I hadn’t intended on doing it just yet ( still in early stages of setting up two planted tanks!) but have been offered a new roma 200 tank and think it would be perfect for a marine tank I am planning.

I need to know if the lighting provided - Fluval GLO lighting, one of each 30watt PowerGlo & AquaGlo ( T8??) is good enough to work in a marine reef tank - i would want soft corals etc.

If it is not enough has anyone had one of these and if so are they upgradeable? What is involved in that cost/work wise?


Any help would be greatly appreciated before I think about buying it.

Thanks!

Ed

 

[rabbut]

Most softies are filter feeders and hence not fussed about light levels, however, there are many exceptions to the rule... Any specific softies you have your eyes on?

 

[MHunt]

The Roma 200 would be a great marine tank, and if you're getting the stand too there's pleanty of space for a sump filter if required. Are you getting it with the Fluval filter too? Upgrading the lighting may be tricky unless you're prepared to do without the hood.

 

[Ed Green]

Most softies are filter feeders and hence not fussed about light levels, however, there are many exceptions to the rule... Any specific softies you have your eyes on?

Oh ok, i had it in my head that marine tanks required brighter lighting. No, I had no examples in mind at this stage but would include things like Mushroom Corals, Xenia Zooanthids, that sort of thing. I probably would eventually want some LPS and SPS, would this tanks lighting be too low for that?

Thanks for the reply!

Ed

The Roma 200 would be a great marine tank, and if you're getting the stand too there's pleanty of space for a sump filter if required. Are you getting it with the Fluval filter too? Upgrading the lighting may be tricky unless you're prepared to do without the hood.

Thanks for the reply!

I will be using the filter that comes with it -Fluval U4 Internal Filter, although this is much easier to upgrade if neccessary. The lighting is what worried me, but if a reef doesnt need anything more than what this tank comes with im sorted

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I would have to disagree with Rubbut. Most of the common soft corals you will see are photosynthetic and will require at least halfway decent lighting.

The roma 200 is running T8s (and the tubes are not marine ones so these would need to be replaced). two T8 tubes might be fine for the soft corals you are looking at but I would seriously consider either ditching the hood and building a new one with T5's or seeing if you can remove all the guts of the hood and fit it with T5's.

The T5's will give you a lot more options with stocking and even though softies will survive under lower lighting you will see much better growth when they have better lights. With 3 or 4 T5 tubes in there with individual reflectors you could probably keep most softies and LPS and a few SPS in higher parts of the tank as well.

 

[rabbut]

If LPS are on the list for later, T5's should be considered as Barney says. For many SPS corals, you will require Halides.

Zooanthids and mushrooms are photosynthetic and require reasonable light as Barney says. Xenia can be both synthetic or filter feeding, depending on which you look at. Pulsing Xenia, the ones you see most often, are filter feeders, but things like carpeting Xenia are photosynthetic again...

Gorgonias (though not a beginner coral), Pussy Corals, Sponges (not too good survivability in captivity with those) and all filter feeding, either wholey or in part and can be OK under dimmer lights

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Ed Green]

I would have to disagree with Rubbut. Most of the common soft corals you will see are photosynthetic and will require at least halfway decent lighting.

The roma 200 is running T8s (and the tubes are not marine ones so these would need to be replaced). two T8 tubes might be fine for the soft corals you are looking at but I would seriously consider either ditching the hood and building a new one with T5's or seeing if you can remove all the guts of the hood and fit it with T5's.

The T5's will give you a lot more options with stocking and even though softies will survive under lower lighting you will see much better growth when they have better lights. With 3 or 4 T5 tubes in there with individual reflectors you could probably keep most softies and LPS and a few SPS in higher parts of the tank as well.

Thanks, very useful. I would happily replace the T8s with T5s but dont know how. I dont have the time or skills to build my own hood - does anyone know if I can simply replace the tubes or if that isnt possible???

If LPS are on the list for later, T5's should be considered as Barney says. For many SPS corals, you will require Halides.

Zooanthids and mushrooms are photosynthetic and require reasonable light as Barney says. Xenia can be both synthetic or filter feeding, depending on which you look at. Pulsing Xenia, the ones you see most often, are filter feeders, but things like carpeting Xenia are photosynthetic again...

Gorgonias (though not a beginner coral), Pussy Corals, Sponges (not too good survivability in captivity with those) and all filter feeding, either wholey or in part and can be OK under dimmer lights

All the best
Rabbut

Thanks very much for that, very useful

 

[hollanda88]

Thanks, very useful. I would happily replace the T8s with T5s but dont know how. I dont have the time or skills to build my own hood - does anyone know if I can simply replace the tubes or if that isnt possible???

Can't just replace the tubes the balast is different, it woudn't be difficult to get two t5 twin bulb balasts and make a really simply hood. Or arcadia make custom hoods or ones which fit most tank sizes,

andrew

 

[Ed Green]

Thanks, very useful. I would happily replace the T8s with T5s but dont know how. I dont have the time or skills to build my own hood - does anyone know if I can simply replace the tubes or if that isnt possible???

Can't just replace the tubes the balast is different, it woudn't be difficult to get two t5 twin bulb balasts and make a really simply hood. Or arcadia make custom hoods or ones which fit most tank sizes,

andrew

Hmm yes I quite like those arcadia hoods. Im not really a fan of solid hoods anyway. I have no idea how much extra cost that would involve - will have to do some research.

The mistake I have made on previous (Tropical) tanks is accidently setting limits which meant that I couldn’t expand or upgrade at a later date, so want this marine tank to start off with everything I will need later down the line.

Thanks for your help.

 

[rabbut]

If SPS are an option later, I'd probibly look at a 150W halide pendant/luminare with twin T5 Actinics. This "futureproofs" your tank should you go SPS later. If you scratch the SPS corals though, 4 T5's will allow you to keep pretty much all softies and LPS corals

Arcadia are the dogs nuts of florescent lighting units, but the dog's s@?% of Halides. If you look at 2nd hand Arcadia T5 units, you likely be looking at £50 if you can wait, or £100 maximum in a hurry For a Halide Unit, I'd look at Silversun if you can get them away from Ebay, otherwise Aquamedic, Deltec, Guissmen all do good units for halides, the latter widely regarded as the dogs nuts for halide units A second hand halide unit will set you back about £50 to £100 again, so not much in it price wise, just more stocking options later

This said, if you get loads of T5's, like 6-8 tubes in the unit, you can keep SPS without halides. Just imagine the cost of replacing 8 tubes at £30 each every 6 months though, when you can get good halide lamps for about £10 that will last about 18 months... 8 T5's will burn the same as a 150W halide on wasteful Magnetic ballasts also, so no power saving in having T5's, you may as well get a halide from a cost perspective

HTH
Rabbut

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah the arcadia units are brilliant. I have two of them and have been using them for a few years now, first on planted tanks and then on reef tanks.

Rabbut is completely right on the T5 VS MH lighting. Once you go over 4 or 5 tubes of T5 lighting you really are better off going for MH, inital cost my be more but once you consider the cost of tubes the MH will work out cheaper eventually.

Can you get some pictures of the hood? it might be really easy just to remove what is in there and put some T5 units in.

Sorry to go off topic in your thread but Rabbut where have you seen pulsing xenia is a filter feeder? Everything I have read on it says that it is suspected that their pulsing action may be for filter feeding but they have very poorly developed structures for filter feeding. (by the way im not arguing just curious ).

 

[rabbut]

Well, pretty much everything I've read on them and every one "in the know" that I've asked has said they are a filter feeder. I can't really give sources though, as it was mostly on-line research and personal opinions. The on-line links I don't have any more now.

It certainly seams to fit though. When you add marine snow near them, you can see them grabing the particles (if you have an older bottle where you can actually see the particles once they hit the water)...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Ed Green]

If SPS are an option later, I'd probibly look at a 150W halide pendant/luminare with twin T5 Actinics. This "futureproofs" your tank should you go SPS later. If you scratch the SPS corals though, 4 T5's will allow you to keep pretty much all softies and LPS corals

Arcadia are the dogs nuts of florescent lighting units, but the dog's s@?% of Halides. If you look at 2nd hand Arcadia T5 units, you likely be looking at £50 if you can wait, or £100 maximum in a hurry For a Halide Unit, I'd look at Silversun if you can get them away from Ebay, otherwise Aquamedic, Deltec, Guissmen all do good units for halides, the latter widely regarded as the dogs nuts for halide units A second hand halide unit will set you back about £50 to £100 again, so not much in it price wise, just more stocking options later

This said, if you get loads of T5's, like 6-8 tubes in the unit, you can keep SPS without halides. Just imagine the cost of replacing 8 tubes at £30 each every 6 months though, when you can get good halide lamps for about £10 that will last about 18 months... 8 T5's will burn the same as a 150W halide on wasteful Magnetic ballasts also, so no power saving in having T5's, you may as well get a halide from a cost perspective

HTH
Rabbut

HI rabbut, thanks - you clearly know your stuff.

Lighting has never been something I was great with ( at the moment I have 2 planted nano's which I have some arc pods on. I had assumed that T5 was more powerful than Halide. So going from what you said I want a halide, how many tubes would a 200 ltr tank need? And are you saying that arcadia make rubbish halide hoods?

I will look around - other than ebay is there anywhere you would recommend for finding a cheep second hand halide hood unit?

Thanks again, your advice is great.

Yeah the arcadia units are brilliant. I have two of them and have been using them for a few years now, first on planted tanks and then on reef tanks.

Rabbut is completely right on the T5 VS MH lighting. Once you go over 4 or 5 tubes of T5 lighting you really are better off going for MH, inital cost my be more but once you consider the cost of tubes the MH will work out cheaper eventually.

Can you get some pictures of the hood? it might be really easy just to remove what is in there and put some T5 units in.

Sorry to go off topic in your thread but Rabbut where have you seen pulsing xenia is a filter feeder? Everything I have read on it says that it is suspected that their pulsing action may be for filter feeding but they have very poorly developed structures for filter feeding. (by the way im not arguing just curious ).

Hi Thanks for the reply. I cant find any pics of the hood no. The internet recons changing the tubes in the roma 200 isnt easy though, and who am I to argue with the internet?

 

[MHunt]

I think you'll need to change your filtration idea. You'll certainly need to increase the flow with some powerheads as a single internal simply isn't going to pump the water fast enough to keep your marines happy. The other problem with a conventional filter is the gradual buildup of nitrates over time, which isn't so much of a problem with tropicals, but marines are much more sensitive. You could just use it to house nitrasorb or rowaphos to do your chemical and mechanical filtration I guess, and leave your live rock to do the bio. Are you planning on using a skimmer, as i'd consider putting a sump in the cabinet for your equipment.

 

[Ed Green]

I think you'll need to change your filtration idea. You'll certainly need to increase the flow with some powerheads as a single internal simply isn't going to pump the water fast enough to keep your marines happy. The other problem with a conventional filter is the gradual buildup of nitrates over time, which isn't so much of a problem with tropicals, but marines are much more sensitive. You could just use it to house nitrasorb or rowaphos to do your chemical and mechanical filtration I guess, and leave your live rock to do the bio. Are you planning on using a skimmer, as i'd consider putting a sump in the cabinet for your equipment.

Hi there, thanks for the advice.

At this stage I am not thinking these things too much - it was really the lighting I was concerned with.

I wanst planning on using a skimmer - probably LR only, although that could change. Also my knowledge of sumps is very limited so hadnt thought that far yet - a possibility though ofcause.

Yes, I would get powerheads> Marines are new to me and as I am sure you can tell am at the early stages of planning.