Converting My Tank - Need Help!

[Hawkins]

Hello, I am hoping to convert my freshwater tank into a marine tank.

I do not know any of the terminology used in marine fishkeeping, so i apologise in advance.

I currently have:
Juwel Rio 125 tank, with T5 High-Lights. They are 28w x2.
A 9 gallon tank which could become the sump


And this is the shopping list so far:

Skimmer - £71 - TMC V2 Skim 400

Refractometer - Please suggest one!!

Powerheads - £50 - 2 Hydor Koralia 1's

Light unit, bulbs, and reflectors - £112

Testing kit - Please suggest one!


I am not including the fish, live rock or corals on the list yet as I would like to get equipment sorted first.

Thank you

 

[seffieuk]

Hello, I am hoping to convert my freshwater tank into a marine tank.

to the salty side

I do not know any of the terminology used in marine fishkeeping, so i apologise in advance.

We all have to start somewhere
I currently have:
Juwel Rio 125 tank, with T5 High-Lights. They are 28w x2.

A really good starter tank and with t5 lights you will be able to keep most softies and a few hard corals

A 9 gallon tank which will become the sump

Are you going to drill the tank or have an overflow?


And this is the shopping list so far:
Skimmer

I would buy the deltec mce 300, you can pick up a good second hand bargain on these
Refractometer



Powerheads

I would get 2 Koralias or tunze - you are looking for at least 20 x turn over

Reflectors to make the lights more efficient. Hopefully this will allow me to keep corals aswell as the fish and live rock.

Yes indeed

I am not including the fish, live rock or corals on the list yet as I would like to get equipment sorted first.

You will need approx 15k of live rock to filter the tank - dont buy from a lfs, buy from a reefer breaking down a tank

If anyone can reccommend anything else I may have missed, or reccommend a reliable brand for any of the equipment, then I would be very thankful.

Heater 1 for tank
heater 2 for heating salt water in bucket/container
powerhead for mixing salt water
containers
salifert test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph (to start with)
good brand of salt (unless you are going to buy your RO water salted)
RO unit - unless you are going to buy your water
syphon
rowaphos

Patience and a willingness to share everything with us

Thank you

Seffie x

 

[Hawkins]

Thanks for the reply! Have been waiting for one for an hour.

The deltec skimmer seems quite expensive. I have found this "CLICK HERE" It's a TMC V2 Skim 400. I know this one is expensive, it's just an example

I already have a heater from my tropical tank, unsure of the wattage, but it works well in the tank now so I assume it will be ok in marine. I also have a 25w heater from another small tropical tank I am breaking down.

The powerheads I had Koralia in mind, 2 of them, equating to 2500LPH ?

I will have an overflow. I have heard people saying their tanks are drilled, but I dont know how they work. I dont know how overflows work either

I will look for live rock locally on eBay and other places, will also check price in my LFS. Will also check the price of the mixed water in my LFS as it would help. If I do have to mix it myself, then I have an air pump which could be used instead of another powerhead?


Thanks Seffie, I really like the way you presented your reply. It helps!

 

[-Nemo-]

I don't know enough about protein skimmers to help you with them.

Those powerheads should give enough flow

Overflow boxes just basically siphon water from your tank into your sump (sometimes they have additional filtering media in them, but it's not necessary).
Here's an example of one: http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18358

The black part with the slits sits in your tank and as water goes into it, it will get siphoned into the side with the two black foam cylinders. The water then goes through those cylinders into tubing connected to them and then into your sump.

 

[Hawkins]

So it goes through them sponges down 2 pipes into the sump?

Then how is it pumped back into the tank?

 

[-Nemo-]

Once it goes into your sump, it would usually go through your protein skimmer and then a refugium (if you're having one), and then on the other side of the tank it is pumped back up.

Here's my quick and silly illustration:

Water comes in on the left from your overflow box and enters the the first chamber (which I indicated using red). In this first chamber will be your protein skimmer. The water then goes in to the second (green) chamber which could be used as a refugium. The water could then go through the orange area which would be used as baffles. Baffles are basically just dividers in the sump which help to control microbubbles. Then it would go into the pink section where your return pump would bring it back up into your tank.

 

[Hawkins]

Thanks lol you are too kind so what would i use as a return pump?

 

[-Nemo-]

Just a regular water pump.
Such as: http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4587+4590&pcatid=4590

 

[Hawkins]

Ok that looks good.
I was hoping to have minimum sockets plugged into the electricity, as I have had 4 tropical tanks with 3 sockets each, and my dad was complaining about that. oh well!

and what goes in the refugium? ty

 

[-Nemo-]

Usually some sand, small piece/s of live rock and some macroalgae. Some people throw hermits or nassarius snails down there to keep it a little more clean as well.

 

[Hawkins]

will that macroalgae need light? i dont really want to light the sump as its in a cabinet

 

[-Nemo-]

will that macroalgae need light? i dont really want to light the sump as its in a cabinet

Yes, the macro would need a light, not necessarily a sophisticated one, however.

 

[Hawkins]

good point. the tank i was going to use as the sump has a hood with built in light. hmm. do i need a refugium with algae? can i just have the sump without a light?

 

[-Nemo-]

Yes, you don't necessarily need the macro, it's just good because it takes even more toxins out of the water and will over compete nuisance algae.

 

[Hawkins]

cant think of what else to ask.

have i missed anything?
can you suggest anything else?