My Ocean In A Box :)

[Chris_C]

Hi everyone my name is Chris and i am in the UK (Bolton to be precise) I have kept tropical fish for a few years and after a break i have decided to come back with marine this time.


I have been reading this forum for the last month or so and now i have finally got hold of a tank i thought i would sign up properly and start a journal.

I purchased an Aqua One Regency 100 (220 litre) off ebay. I picked it up yesterday and gave it a clean because it was filthy to say the least haha.

The tank came with a UV sterilizer and i have picked up an Eheim 2327 wet and dry thermofilter for £50 which i thought was cheap as they sell for £200+ new.



Until now i have waited on buying anything else because i wanted some advise off some of you guys on here if its not to much trouble.


I am looking to run fish and live rock to start off with and maybe go into corals further down the line.


I have found somebody local selling 15kgs of Fuji grade A live rock for £60. Does this seem good or should i try and knock him down more? I have a week to sort a deal so wanted to get the tank up and running ready for the rock etc..

So i am looking for advise on the following.


Is sand or crush coral best? and how much will i need to buy for my tank?


How many powerheads and which would you suggest?


Might sound silly but what is the best way to get things going? do i go to my local fish shop and buy 220litres of RO water and then salt it myself or do i buy 220 litres of salted RO water?


Do people suggest getting a skimmer or will i be ok with the UV if im only running fish and LR?


I know i need a refractometer and test kits but other than that have i missed anything else?



Sorry for all the questions but i want to do this right and take in peoples superior knowledge

 

[ALW]

£60 for 15kg of live rock, go for it mate great deal!!! Even better if you can get it for less. Normally from a shop you are looking at £10-£15 per kg. You are still going to need around another 10kg of lr.

IMO u are going to want aragonite sand like this
www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/gravel-substrates-rock/marine-substrates/caribsea-aragonite-oolite-sugar-sand-30lb-p-5005.html

Prob two bags, so it around 6cm deep for all the critters.

Powerhead wise we aim for around 20 times turnover per hour for a reef tank, so on a 200L tank that works out at 4000lph. Coming from two powerheads. Something like Koralias

For fowlr (fish only with live rock) a skimmer isnt required.

I would personally buy sw first and fill the tank before mixing my own water.

 

[seffieuk]

Hi everyone my name is Chris and i am in the UK (Bolton to be precise) I have kept tropical fish for a few years and after a break i have decided to come back with marine this time.

woo hoo.......a new convert, you are most welcome Sir

I have been reading this forum for the last month or so and now i have finally got hold of a tank i thought i would sign up properly and start a journal.

Excellent

I purchased an Aqua One Regency 100 (220 litre) off ebay. I picked it up yesterday and gave it a clean because it was filthy to say the least haha.

Bet that took some elbow grease!

The tank came with a UV sterilizer

Not many of us run a uv anymore

and i have picked up an Eheim 2327 wet and dry thermofilter for £50 which i thought was cheap as they sell for £200+ new.

Do you intend putting in live rock rubble and phosphate remover?

Until now i have waited on buying anything else because i wanted some advise off some of you guys on here if its not to much trouble.

No trouble at all

I am looking to run fish and live rock to start off with and maybe go into corals further down the line.

Cool

I have found somebody local selling 15kgs of Fuji grade A live rock for £60. Does this seem good or should i try and knock him down more? I have a week to sort a deal so wanted to get the tank up and running ready for the rock etc..

Thats a very good price, have you seen a photo?

Is sand or crush coral best? and how much will i need to buy for my tank?

Aragonite is best, and the amount will depend on how deep you want your sand bed?

How many powerheads and which would you suggest?

At least two, look at newaves, koralias, tunze, unless you have mega money then get a vortech

Might sound silly but what is the best way to get things going? do i go to my local fish shop and buy 220litres of RO water and then salt it myself or do i buy 220 litres of salted RO water?

The only silly question is the question not asked my friend well, you can buy an ro unit and make your own water, buy the water from lfs, salted or unsalted. If you salt your own water you can ensure you use a good salt and ensure the sg is correct

Do people suggest getting a skimmer or will i be ok with the UV if im only running fish and LR?

I would suggest all new salties use a skimmer unless their tank is 125 litres or below

I know i need a refractometer and test kits but other than that have i missed anything else?

Water containers, good magnet cleaner, heater x 2, phosphate and nitrate remover (when tank is cycled)


Seffie x

 

[Chris_C]

£60 for 15kg of live rock, go for it mate great deal!!! Even better if you can get it for less. Normally from a shop you are looking at £10-£15 per kg. You are still going to need around another 10kg of lr.

IMO u are going to want aragonite sand like this
www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/gravel-substrates-rock/marine-substrates/caribsea-aragonite-oolite-sugar-sand-30lb-p-5005.html

Prob two bags, so it around 6cm deep for all the critters.

Powerhead wise we aim for around 20 times turnover per hour for a reef tank, so on a 200L tank that works out at 4000lph. Coming from two powerheads. Something like Koralias

For fowlr (fish only with live rock) a skimmer isnt required.

I would personally buy sw first and fill the tank before mixing my own water.

Thanks for the reply mate. Will order 2 bags of the aragonite sand later today. Wouldn't like to do a six foot tank at the price of the aragonite haha.

 

[Chris_C]

The tank came with a UV sterilizer

Not many of us run a uv anymore

Would it do any harm running it anyway?

and i have picked up an Eheim 2327 wet and dry thermofilter for £50 which i thought was cheap as they sell for £200+ new.

Do you intend putting in live rock rubble and phosphate remover?

That was my thinking yeah.. can you get the live rock rubble and phosphate remover easily enought from any aqua shop?




I have found somebody local selling 15kgs of Fuji grade A live rock for £60. Does this seem good or should i try and knock him down more? I have a week to sort a deal so wanted to get the tank up and running ready for the rock etc..

Thats a very good price, have you seen a photo?

Not seen any pics yet .. is there anything i need to look out for? bad rock etc..



How many powerheads and which would you suggest?

At least two, look at newaves, koralias, tunze, unless you have mega money then get a vortech

Thanks for this i will get straight on the case.

Might sound silly but what is the best way to get things going? do i go to my local fish shop and buy 220litres of RO water and then salt it myself or do i buy 220 litres of salted RO water?

The only silly question is the question not asked my friend well, you can buy an ro unit and make your own water, buy the water from lfs, salted or unsalted. If you salt your own water you can ensure you use a good salt and ensure the sg is correct


I was thinking of getting 220 litres of RO and salting myself so i know what is in my water. How much will that amount cost roughtly? and any suggestions on buying water containers?

Do people suggest getting a skimmer or will i be ok with the UV if im only running fish and LR?

I would suggest all new salties use a skimmer unless their tank is 125 litres or below

Any you would recommend for my size tank? and would i be ok adding this a few weeks down the line?

I know i need a refractometer and test kits but other than that have i missed anything else?

Water containers, good magnet cleaner, heater x 2, phosphate and nitrate remover (when tank is cycled)


The filter has a built in heater and i also have a spare one.


Seffie x
[/quote]

 

[seffieuk]

Would it do any harm running it anyway?

Not at all, I ran one on my 550 orca

Do you intend putting in live rock rubble and phosphate remover?

That was my thinking yeah.. can you get the live rock rubble and phosphate remover easily enought from any aqua shop?

Yes indeed

Not seen any pics yet .. is there anything i need to look out for? bad rock etc..

Yes, you dont want it completely smothered in purple coraline, pest anemones, rock from a tank that has been neglected and it should smell like the sea


I was thinking of getting 220 litres of RO and salting myself so i know what is in my water. How much will that amount cost roughtly? and any suggestions on buying water containers?

Camping shops are good for water containers, i'm afraid i'm a bit out of the loop for ro water, I make my own

Any you would recommend for my size tank? and would i be ok adding this a few weeks down the line?

Yes, it can certainly be added later, look for a deltec mce 300/600

I know i need a refractometer and test kits but other than that have i missed anything else?

The filter has a built in heater and i also have a spare one.

Ensure they are suitable for salt water

Seffie x

 

[ALW]

My lfs charge 50p per gallon of ro and £1 per gallon of sw.

 

[Chris_C]

Sorry for the delay in replying, The person i am buying the live rock off is breaking his established tank down due to going travelling so has offered me his live sand and water to get me going quicker. So i'm getting over 15kg of live rock, 2 wave makers and a refractometer off him along with all the water and live sand i need for £80 which seems like a fantastic deal to me.


Hopefully by the end of today i will have the tank up and running with live rock etc.. so will get some more pics up later i need some aqua seal because the trim piece at the top of the tank is loose so need to fix that in place and will pick up a test kit whilst i am out and about as well.

 

[Chris_C]

Also forgot to ask .. if i am only doing fish and live rock what do i need to test for? am i right in thinking calcium and a few others only need to be tested once i have corals in the tank?

 

[Chris_C]

Well after a long stressful afternoon i finally got the tank filled with live rock in aswell.

It was a hard afternoon shifting 220 litres of water and live rock but it was worth it feels better now i have the water and rock in and dont have to look at an empty tank.


I have a powerhead going directed onto the rock .. is this right? i have 2 powerheads but one is playing up and is firing water out of the back instead of the front any ideas anyone? also they both fire at 3000lph so that is plenty i would think once both are working?


There is between 15 and 20kg of live rock in there at the moment .. how much more would you say i need to get?


Gunna let everything settle overnight and then will scape tomorrow and run some tests ... some of the rocks have frags on of soft corals which i wasnt planning on having yet. The guy said they are easy to keep they just feed on light, is this right?

 

[seffieuk]

feels better now i have the water and rock in and dont have to look at an empty tank.

Let the pet rock watching begin - woo hoo

I have a powerhead going directed onto the rock .. is this right?

dont forget surface aggitation is very important
any ideas anyone?

Give it a good clean in vinagar

also they both fire at 3000lph so that is plenty i would think once both are working?

you want approx x20 flow an hour, so 20 x 220 = 4400

There is between 15 and 20kg of live rock in there at the moment .. how much more would you say i need to get?

you need approx 25K

The guy said they are easy to keep they just feed on light, is this right?

Many softies use light as a food source, so probably

 

[Chris_C]

Now the tank has settled i am able to see the rock better .. can somebody help me out. The hair type stuff on the rock .. can i clean that off? and any idea's what the small coral frags are? they show up white on the picture but are a purple/pink type colour.

 

[ben1987]

thats xenia! it will grow like mad in the right conditions!

nice start! but cricket on the tv? come on!

 

[Chris_C]

thats xenia! it will grow like mad in the right conditions!

nice start! but cricket on the tv? come on!

Thanks mate .. what about the stuff all over the rock? hairy stuff!! do i clean that off or leave it alone?


As for the cricket, i always follow england whatever the sport during world cups etc

 

[seffieuk]

Cuc will get rid of the hairy stuff

And cricket, you really watch cricket <yawn>


Seffie x