Juwel Lido 120 Marine Conversion

[wayne1421]

Okay I am looking for advice on this project (sorry this is very long with a ton of questions). I have the Lido 120 tank and have been running this as a tropical tank for about 3 years, recently my rather large Plec died, he was old and had been in a number of tanks before my tank but there was much water testing to see if it was my fault. There were a number of very upset people in my house about the demise of this Plec. The tank now looks very empty and I have decided to convert the tank to marine, something I have wanted to have a go at since I first got a tank but I thought tropical was the way to go initially. Anyway I have been doing as much reading on the subject as I can but I of course have more questions than answers. I don't intend on doing the conversion just yet as there is still a handfull of fish in the tank and I plan to collect the equipment when I see offers or have a bit of extra cash.

I have the Lido 120 tank with the standard Juwel filter in the corner of the tank and the juwel light reflectors installed, the 200w heater that came with the tank and a simple timer switch for turning the lights on and off.

My initial thought was to remove the Juwel filter and replace this with the Juwel protein skimmer as they are roughly the same size. If I did this would I need an external filter or would the use of Live Rock and the Protein skimmer be enough? Juwel appear to recommend that the protein skimmer is installed at the other side of the tank but I really don't want to large juwel boxes in the tank.

I did some reading about sumps, but I don't think I want to go that route as it confuses me, the thought of drilling a hole in the tank scares me and the Juwel cabinet that it came with isnt very big.

For water testing i have the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, are there any additional testers I need for Marine?

I intend to replace the current lamps with one marine and one blue light from Juwel. I also intend to remove the terrible backing picture I have and paint the back of the tank either black or blue

From reading I think I will also need a refractometer and the salt (any recommendations for either?)

As far as I understand the circulation of the water is of high importance so I intend to get at least one powerhead, when calculating the amount of flow required do you include the 1500 l/p/h pump of the juwel protein skimmer?

Beyond that I will obviously need sand and live rock (I was guessing at 10kg of live rock?) and at some point in the distant future some fish.

Any advice would be greatly received on recommendations or equipment that I have not realised I need

I will keep this updated as I go with this project, because no doubt I will have a lot more questions as I embark on this adventure.

Thanks in advance

 

[Xraymark]

I have a lido converted to marine. Check out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/399448-my-puddle/

You can keep the internal filter and put chemical media in it. A lot do. Some even put cheato into it with a light like a refuge. The internal or canister filter are only used for chemical and mechanical filtration. Some don't use these at all.

I've not heard great reports about juwels own protein skimmer. You can get a HOB skimmer which will leave more room in the rank.

Live rock is your biological filter and needs at least 20 x turnover of flow in your tank. More would be better. 10 kg of live rock is probably fine. Every time you buy coral its attached to live rock so you end up adding to the tank.

I use a DD ocean refractometer and is good. I used about 8kg of TMC fine sand.

For lighting just change to marine bulbs.you could put reflectors on for extra punch. With the lido there are so many options.

 

[Aquascaper]

Second the 'no to Juwel skimmer'.

I have a Trigon 190 and looked at getting one but couldn't find any favourable reviews so a HOB skimmer would be the way to go.

Also, an external can be crammed full of LR rubble to increase your biological filtration without taking up more room in the tank.

 

[wayne1421]

Thanks for the response, I had a read of the Lido 120 thread, great looking tank.

I was really only thinking about the Juwel Skimmer for simplicity but judging by your responses and a few of the reviews I might be better with an external version (Any recommendations for a tank my size)

I'm thinking that I have two options here I keep the juwel filter box which will act as housing for the heater and the 600 l/p/h pump and use a HOB skimmer. Fill the filter box with chemical/mechanical filters, I assume this would include carbon, what other products would I need in the filter.

The other option is again with external skimmer and take out the filter and use a external/canister filter (any recommendations on this), obviously this will be a bit more expensive, while I'm don't mind the internal filter box I do think it would look better without it. It would however mean the heater is attached to the tank using the clips/suction cups.

In regards to the flowrate of the tank if I need at least 20x the tank size I will need at least 2400 l/p/h. When you works this out do you include the pumps from the filter and skimmer? If I ignore these pumps I was looking at the Hydor Koralia Nano pumps where I could have either a single 2800 lph or two 1600lph version. I assume that it is better to have multiple circulation pumps rather than the single version.

 

[Aquascaper]

Flow rate is the combination of everything but bear in mind that stated flow rates of filters (internal & external) are reduced with media in them in most cases. Multiple powerheads are much better as you get more complex flow patterns and, if keeping corals, you can get timers to increase the complexity of flow.

Skimmer will depend on space and tank requirements

Filter media again depends on what your planning on keeping but the basics are ceramics, bioballs, LR, etc.

 

[Xraymark]

A third option is to sump. It provides more options. The heater and skimmer can be placed there. Also gives more options on skimmer as it not confined to a HOB. To be fair it probably wouldn't cost much more than buying a new canister. If I hadn't just bought my external I would have went this route.

If you go with an external canister you could attach an inline heater to it, if it annoys you. But then the extra cost. Canisters can become nitrate traps if not cleaned regularly.

Other options

Some people don't use a sump or external canister. Just do larger water change a week. Say 25%.

The deltec MCE 600 hob skimmer has a compartment for media like carbon or phosphate remover if needed. Something like that would lesson the need for an external. I have the deltec mce300 which I find a we bit noisy.


You can also get fluidised reactors that can go in sump or be HOB to put media in if your water parameters are off. Not a thing to buy initially but is an option later if necessary.

There are daily liquid additives which can be added to the water column to control phosphate and nitrate if they become an issue.

Yeah its a bit mind boggling the different ways to manage your tank. Put a bit of thought into it now at the start. There's nothing more annoying spending money on something, then changing your mind a few months later. Which a lot of salties do.

 

[Aquascaper]

OP already stated that a sump wasn't an option

 

[wayne1421]

There really does appear to be a lot of options,

The presence of the juwel filter box has never bothered me much until I thought about taking it out and looked at some similar tanks without one in, now when I look at my tank all i see is that box

I've been looking at a few other journals on this type of conversion and quite a few appear to go without a filter (internal or external), I'm thinking that I might go without to start with and keep testing the water and if i start to have a problem then look at external options. Reading around the opnion does appear split on the need for extra filtration beyond a skimmer and live rock.

Anyway I'm on holiday next week, book on marine fish/aquariums downloaded on to the ipad, that should keep my busy

 

[Xraymark]

Yeah the box is a bit of an eyesore and takes up valuable room, though does provide some options concerning a marine tank.

I'll pm you a link.
Edit, Can't message you. Think you need a few more posts under your belt.

 

[wayne1421]

I guess I'll just have to post more

I see you have the MCE 300 is that a good skimmer, I have seen it mentioned a number of times. I know there are a number of cheaper skimmers but I'm guessing this could be one of those you get what you pay for situations.


And to really start the journal I picked up my first bit f equipment yesterday, I have the replacement Juwel lights to make it a marine tank, I went to my lfs and they had them as buy one get one free, so basically £11 a lamp

 

[Aquascaper]

What light bar do you have T5? T8?

If you're going done the route of FOWLER then T8's are fine, Reef with soft corals only would require T5's and anything more will require an upgrade to LED/MH

 

[wayne1421]

What light bar do you have T5? T8?

If you're going done the route of FOWLER then T8's are fine, Reef with soft corals only would require T5's and anything more will require an upgrade to LED/MH

The lighting is two T5's with the reflectors above each light

 

[wayne1421]

Continue to pick up bits of equipment I need for the conversion.

Yesterday i got 2 Hydor Koralia 1600 powerheads, ordered these and was surprised when I got them, physically a lot smaller than I expected. For some reason I thought they would be bigger and would look a bit obtrusive in a smaller tank but these should look fine. And I got a new refactormeter off ebay.

I think the only significant equipment that I need (that I can buy early in the process) is the protein skimmer, I'm taking my time with this one to make sure I get the right one. There just appears to be such a range in them with a big range in opinion about them. I have been looking at the mce300 this appears to get good reviews although I have read a couple of people say it can be a bit noisy. This skimmer appears a bit more a expensive but given the good reviews I'm contemplating it. I looked the dimensions on the manufacturers website and the space behind the tank for the skimmer isn't a issue but I think I will need to cut down the pipes extending into the tank otherwise they will be a long way into the tank.

Slowly getting there

 

[Xraymark]

The Deltc MCE300 was very noisy initially. It has quietened down a good bit but is still noticable. Its in my TV room so it must not be too bad. The external outflow will touch your T5 so cutting the pipes is probably a good idea.

 

[wayne1421]

Okay we have some equipment

and the protein skimmer MCE 300

I looked into getting a R/O filter but decided to use the local shop to start with, that might be a Christmas present

Will be a bit of time while I find the small number of tropical fish a new home.

Think its a bout time I did some research into the actual fish I intend to get are there are any particular rules on amount of fish or size of fish for a tank