Starting Tropical Set Up In A Red Sea Max C-130

[MissusHazel]

Hey guys, 
 
So I've not had fishies for a few years but now I'm in a new flat and a friend has kindly donated her Red Sea Max C-130. I may have a few n00b questions over this next week or two, so bare with me.. First time setting up on my own!
 
Will a Red Sea Max C-130 be fine to set up a tropical environment? I know it is built for marine and am struggling to find results of anyone who's tried?
 
I'll be cleaning it all and checking it all works tonight, then setting up a fishless cycle this week, planning on a sandy substrate with live plants. Hopefully I can get hold of some water from a local fish place to get the bacteria going...
 
Over the months I plan to acquire some guppys, shrimp, tetra and corys. Starting simple!
I was thinking about getting some snails to go through the sand but I was worried about them eating my fresh plants?
 
Can't wait to get going again!!
Any comments and suggestions are welcome, I've been reading up all I can!

 

[nic1]

hey, first of all before making a decision about what fish to get you should check what kind of water you have, that way you wont be running in to any trouble in the long run with fish disease, stress etc.
guppys require hard water, corys soft with a lower ph than guppys. also some corys like the peppered like cooler temps, and snails do better in hard water.
not all snails will eat plants, trumpet snails are good for sifting through sand, they wont eat healthy plants, only decaying matter.
shrimp are also the same, they will clean up uneaten food and dead plant matter.
 
tetrAS need alot of room to dart about.
 
good on you for going down the non fish cycle route   sorry but i cant comment on the tank as i dont know.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Will a Red Sea Max C-130 be fine to set up a tropical environment? I know it is built for marine and am struggling to find results of anyone who's tried?
 
I know nothing of saltwater, but this tank seems to be built with the lighting, filters, and circulators for saltwater. Not sure of the compatibility for freshwater, hopefyllu someone else will chime in.
 
I'll be cleaning it all and checking it all works tonight, then setting up a fishless cycle this week, planning on a sandy substrate with live plants. Hopefully I can get hold of some water from a local fish place to get the bacteria going...
 
That's great! Just a warning though, seasoned water will do nothing for a cycle, you'd be better off getting substrate.
 
Over the months I plan to acquire some guppys, shrimp, tetra and corys. Starting simple!
I was thinking about getting some snails to go through the sand but I was worried about them eating my fresh plants?
 
I believe you're talking about assassin snails, which do not eat plants.
 
Can't wait to get going again!!
Any comments and suggestions are welcome, I've been reading up all I can!
Any chance you could get a hardness (or dH) reading?

 

[MissusHazel]

I haven't had a proper look at the tank since it got dropped off as I was leaving for work this morning, but I THINK there are different switches for various functions, like the circulator and stuff. As far as I can tell I should be able to just have the heater and filter on? I really need to get inside and have a look at what is in there...
 
EDIT: I shall be ordering a water testing kit and various accessories and bits tonight... (Nursery, air stone, sand), anything else to get online in advance?
 
I think the water out of my taps is hard, are there any products I will need to manage this at all? 

 

[Brilly91]

Youll be fine with the rsm c-130 just make sure you thoroughly clean it out.
 
obviously the lights wont be the right spectrum so it may be worth doing some diy to replace the light in the hood with something more suitable.
 
You wont need the skimmer anymore either.
 
Its an expensive tank to waste on trops though

 

[MissusHazel]

Oh, interesting point about the lights, can you recommend a correct type? It looks quite easy to replace.
 
It is a bit of a fancy tank (and bloody heavy) but I much prefer a lush tank of plants and tropical fish. Looks like its going to take a bit of cleaning though, so will get all the bits tomorrow I reckon and start putting it all together from there....
 
I'm currently enjoying taking it all apart and trying to find a manual for it online, can only find really recent ones for the current model but I think my one is a little older...

 

[gregswimm]

I haven't had a proper look at the tank since it got dropped off as I was leaving for work this morning, but I THINK there are different switches for various functions, like the circulator and stuff. As far as I can tell I should be able to just have the heater and filter on? I really need to get inside and have a look at what is in there...
 
EDIT: I shall be ordering a water testing kit and various accessories and bits tonight... (Nursery, air stone, sand), anything else to get online in advance?
 
I think the water out of my taps is hard, are there any products I will need to manage this at all?

There isnt a whole lot of need to manage the hardness of your water unless you are keeping really sensitive riverine fish like orinoco Altum angels, Otos, Discus etc.
Test the KH/GH of your water before you decide to stock it. Getting fish that like the water that comes out of your tap is a LOT cheeper than fixing your water for your fish. Really the only good way to reduce the hardness of your water is to start with RO/DI water and add buffers back into it.

Also, you really do not need an airstone and should avoid one if you plan to have live plants.
 

Youll be fine with the rsm c-130 just make sure you thoroughly clean it out.
 
obviously the lights wont be the right spectrum so it may be worth doing some diy to replace the light in the hood with something more suitable.
 
You wont need the skimmer anymore either.
 
Its an expensive tank to waste on trops though

 
 
The spectrum is largely irrelevant.  If it can grow corals it can grow plants.  The biggest issue with the lights is that they will be way too strong for freshwater.  You are going to grow loads of algae without CO2 injection (not something i recommend for a beginner).
 
Also, if the skimmer is there and there is a sump i would definitely use both of them.  Sumps really clean up your display (gives u a place to put all the equipment/filtration).  Skimmers can work in freshwater https/youtu.be/UuOdH7IsaiE?t=18
 
If trops = tropheus, then that tank is way too small for them 

 

[MissusHazel]

 

Also, you really do not need an airstone and should avoid one if you plan to have live plants.
 

Youll be fine with the rsm c-130 just make sure you thoroughly clean it out.
 
obviously the lights wont be the right spectrum so it may be worth doing some diy to replace the light in the hood with something more suitable.
 
You wont need the skimmer anymore either.
 
Its an expensive tank to waste on trops though

 
 
The spectrum is largely irrelevant.  If it can grow corals it can grow plants.  The biggest issue with the lights is that they will be way too strong for freshwater.  You are going to grow loads of algae without CO2 injection (not something i recommend for a beginner).
 
Also, if the skimmer is there and there is a sump i would definitely use both of them.  Sumps really clean up your display (gives u a place to put all the equipment/filtration).  Skimmers can work in freshwater https/youtu.be/UuOdH7IsaiE?t=18
 
If trops = tropheus, then that tank is way too small for them 

 

 
I assumed trops meant tropical... ?
 
I've had a dip in the Red Sea forum and have been advised to just run everything in the tank as if it were marine (with a slight addition of a filter rack and obviously no salt)
 
I've bought a pack of water testing strips and am waiting on things like ammonia and filter bits to arrive before I start filling up the tank now that its all clean. Probably clean sand tonight, then at the weekend I'll pick up my plants , fill up the water and start running fishless cycle..
 
So do you recommend I just replace the bulb with something of a lower wattage? I think it currently has 2x55 (with one bulb currently missing). I wasn't sure if the actual colour of the light mattered?
 
Luckily I didn't pick up an airstone!

 

[MissusHazel]

[SIZE=14.6666669845581px]There's quite a bit of salt that's built up in the back under the circulator pumps, I'm rinsing it with warm water and sponging it out but its taking forever.... quite far down for little arms too >_< Any suggestions on cleaning solid salt or is it ok to just leave it to run through the cycle? Worried about it damaging my tropical fishies![/SIZE]

 

[MissusHazel]

Shear perseverance got through the salt.. and a little hot water!
 
So I'll be starting my fishless cycle with plants in this weekend and now starting to think about what fish to get after..
 
I want some shrimp for definite and would like guppies/endlers.
I want something to snuffle along the sand like corys or pleco/catfish.
I want some guys to school like tetra or rasboras.
I want some snails to go through the sand.
 
I have quite hard water and want to make sure every fishie is happy in a freshwater, planted, sandy bottom 130L/34G tank
 
Obviously I'll be adding fish gradually, any suggestions on who to get first when the cycling is done?

 

[MissusHazel]

I've got some plants and started the cycle! I'm not sure if my thermometer is working though sooo we'll see tomorrow I guess..
 
Neither of the lightbulbs are working so I need to replace them but I think I will only use one at a time because someone once mentioned that the 55W are quite strong and will boost plants like crazy? Unless someone can recommend something that will fit the same and be less strong. Currently its 2x 55W Compact 5T 10 000K.
 
Only one of the circulator pumps is working too, I think just one is keeping enough movement though.
 
Joys of a second hand tank!
 
I did a test strip and my results are:
Cl2 0
PH 7.5
KH 8.2
GH 16
NO2 0
NO3 50
 
I haven't added any ammonia or dechlorinate yet as they haven't been delivered yet

 

[gregswimm]

So do you recommend I just replace the bulb with something of a lower wattage? I think it currently has 2x55 (with one bulb currently missing). I wasn't sure if the actual colour of the light mattered?
 
Luckily I didn't pick up an airstone!

 
I should probably clarify.  Color/spectrum/kelvin temp of the light is important, but if what you have can grow coral then it can run grow plants too.  Most people who run planted tanks run 6500k bulbs; most SW tanks run 10,000k to 20,000k bulbs (higher kelvin temp = more blue light).

Here is some lighting data to help you out.  Remember that any lighting 50 PAR or more makes it absolutely necessary to run compressed CO2 (you probably don't want to go over 35-40 PAR to be honest and not under 20 PAR).
Edit: A link that might help you out http/www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368

Spoiler

 

[MissusHazel]

I'm starting to really plan my stock now as I'm a week or two away from introducing fish in.
I've noticed this week that a few snails have snuck in and are already breeding, I think they're physia snails. I'm going to leave them for now but probably tempt them out with some lettuce just before I stock.

I want some snail to sift through the sand but not breed like crazy. I'm seeing suggestions of Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Mystery Snails, I like the look of MTS but don't want a million after a week... Are there any good sand sifters that won't multiply a tonne? I don't want them to eat any possible fish eggs either.... Any suggestions?