Tank setup questions... help please!

[sothardw]

Tank #1.

Currently a 10gal All Glass basic tank with some dead bleached coral and substrate. It has a AquaClear filter ( http://www.petmountain.com/product/power-filters/501414/aquaclear-150-aquaclear-30-filter.html ) on it right now. I would like to turn this tank into a small reef tank. What do I need to do to convert it over? I wanted to start off with a small reef and build my way up to my 150 eventually. I am fully proficient in DIY projects. So whatever I can build I want to because I think it is more fun and save money doin it that way.

Also, I have a 30gal extra tall I put in a wall. It had a single 12 lbs piece of live rock with fether dusters on it. The tank has a substrate bottom as well. It is the home of a Sailfin Tang (Red Sea), a Lettuce Nudi, and a Manderine Dragonet. Currently all I have for filtration on this tank is a http://www.petmountain.com/product/power-filters/501421/aquaclear-300-aquaclear-70-filter.html for filtration. I was wondering if I should change my setup on it. I have never had any tank other than just fish and live rock with a simple filter. I have never had any probs. I was just wondering about this stuff to see if I could gain any benefits or if there was something that I didn't know about since I have basic knowledge of marine tanks.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!

 

[chrisc]

You just need something to seed the rock and sandbed. A few more pieces of liverock maybe? And lights of course...

Edit: oh you just have dead bleached coral... I read that as dead LR. You need Live Rock.

First thing, paint the back glass (outside) black or a shade of blue. There are too many 10 gallon tanks out there that look like poo because you can see all the wires and stuff hanging over the back.

Take the sponge out of the filter, it will just turn into a nitrate farm eventually. You probably don't need the ceramic rings in there either. I just run filter floss in mine (changed weekly), sometimes I run cheato in them, or carbon, or phosban... it's a convenient place to put that stuff

Check out nano-reef.com and look up "aquaclear fuge", there will be DIY discussions on how to mod it for a nano reef tank. Basically cutting up the basket and turning it into a screen so cheato can't get out, and compartmentalizing it so you have a place to put a bag of carbon or what have you.

What were you thinking about for lights? 48w of PCs would be cheap and good for that size tank. Perfect for zoas and shrooms. No heat issues.

It's too short for T5s. But If you want to deal with heat problems and a high rate of evaporation you could opt for a 70w or 150w metal halides. Lights will be your biggest expense and will drive you nutty, since your lights will dictate which corals you can keep.

Since you already have a FOWLR tank I assumed you have all the test kits and other goodies required for water maintenance I assume?

Also... you may or may not want a protein skimmer. I have run a 12 gallon for over 2 years with no skimmer. Of course, I am in the midst of breaking it down right now because I think the sand bed is about to crash, but it did great for tow years, and was still doing good when I broke it down.

 

[sothardw]

I haven't had a protein skimmer on any tank I have ever owned. There is one coming with my 150 I just got. I pick that dude up this Friday.

My 30 gal tank has been setup for two years with the same substrate and rock. It is lace rock and my snowflake loves the stuff cause he cruises through all the holes in it. Only other thing it has is that bigger small filter.

As for lighting... all I have on all three tanks are the regular flourecent lights. My 150 has 8 95w bulbs 4 white, 4 blue.

I figured I would build a tall stand to incase my 10 gallon in. That way I could also hide all the PVC plumbing I figured I would have to use. Would my tank be more stable having a wet/dry sump or am I fine with what I have on it now?

Also, how much are those light you were saying would be fine for my tank. I am trying to setup the 10 gal the best I can, without spending a billion dollars all at once. Tryin to go as least expensive as possible without doing a crappy job on the setup.

Thanks for the help!

 

[chrisc]

It depends on what kind of corals you want in it. For basic corals that are hardy and perfect for beginners you do not need very intense light, but you do need much better light than what you would have in a FOWLR tank.

This is a decent fixture: $55, 40 watt PC.

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CU01002

or 96w for $90:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=ES53101

Or a 70w MH for $150:
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=JB9111

Not cheap, but you need some decent lighting.

You also don't *need* to have a sump. As long as you do regular water changes (2 gallons every week or so), and stay on top of your top-offs, then things should be plenty stable if you don't put a huge bio-load in there.

Check out nano-reef.com That site has TONS of info on 10 gallon tanks. The reefcentral.com and reefs.org sits also have good sections on nano tanks (under special interest I think).

 

[BrianMac]

I hope your Mandarin is eating frozen foods. I starved mine to death many years ago.

 

[sothardw]

My manderine is a crazy man. Everyone tried to get me not to buy it because of how "hard" they are to care for. True it took me a while to get him to eat. I just stuck him in my 10 gallon and turned the pump on full blast and would shave a corner off of a brine cube and take some of his water and melt the cube. Then just dump in the filter stream. I did that to simulate live food. At that point he was like "FOOOOOOOOOOOD!" He litterally said that out loud... he ate lots of it. Just kinda hovered through the thin cloud of it eating away. Then I moved him back into my 30 Xtra tall that has live rock in it. He is glued to the rock cause of the microfauna growin on it. So in that tank he gets two kinds of food. He just cruises all over the place.

As for my 10 gal. If I put a sump on it, would that let me get away from having to do a water change every week?

 

[BrianMac]

As for my 10 gal. If I put a sump on it, would that let me get away from having to do a water change every week?

Personally I would lean towards a protein skimmer to remove some of the waste from the water. Adding water volume only dilutes the waste in the tank. You need a way to remove the waste either by a mechanical means (skimmer) or in a biological way (live rock).


FYI: I'm by no means an expert. I'm sure others will chime in.

 

[sothardw]

Great! You sparked one dilemma I had. Should I go with a load of live rock or a protein skimmer? If so... know of any good DIY's on a protein skimmer for a 10 gal.

 

[smcnally]

Great! You sparked one dilemma I had. Should I go with a load of live rock or a protein skimmer? If so... know of any good DIY's on a protein skimmer for a 10 gal.

Both

 

[BrianMac]

Steve is right you really do need both.

I don't know of any DIY's on small skimmers. It might not be worth the money to build your own for such a small tank. Check out the "for sale" section on this forum this might be your best bet

 

[Tstone]

You can do it with out a skimmer but you DO NEED to do regular water changes.

I ran a 13g with a 10g sump and a 5g refugium. This tank was setup for a long time with great success and no skimmer but water changes were/are mandatory.

Collect as many filter feeders as you can, i.e. sponges and clams, featherdusters, abalone, oysters.

MOST importantly read at nano-reef.com and any other sources you can find to learn about nano keeping.

With all that said a skimmer does make it easier. It does not mean you can skip water changes though.

 

[sothardw]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I knew I wouldn't be able to get away from doing water changes, but I was hoping to get away from 2 gallon water changes every week. I mean, if it is what you have to do to keep the tank healthy... then that is just what I will do.

Where is the best place to find in-expensive setup for my tank? (sump, refugium, skimmer)

 

[FinzAquatics]

honestly, you shouldnt be trying to find ways around making less work. reef tanks are one of those things, your either going to do it or not.

my 40 has all the filtration it realistically need IMO. good skimmer, huge fuge. but i still do constant water changes. 8-15 gallons per week. not because my water is bad... i do it for the tank.

if your doing this as a "hobby" you really shouldnt be looking for ways to 'cut corners'

just my opinion

 

[FinzAquatics]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I knew I wouldn't be able to get away from doing water changes, but I was hoping to get away from 2 gallon water changes every week. I mean, if it is what you have to do to keep the tank healthy... then that is just what I will do.

Where is the best place to find in-expensive setup for my tank? (sump, refugium, skimmer)

well the refugium, there is a way to DIY.. which someone already posted the site for you. as far as skimmers go, u can pick them on at a LFS or check out online sources like marinedepot or drfostersandsmith

and as far as a sump goes, i honestly dont know. the only thing i can think of is an overflow box, with plumbing that you could send into a sump... im sure theres an easier way..

hopefully someone has input on a sump for ya

 

[MarkO]

I've got a 150 and I'll give you some advice.
Get as much rock as you can. (I've got about 300#'s in my tank). The more LR the better, but you can do it with dead rock, it jsut takes much longer.
I think your lighting is fine. 800W is more than I have (I have 550)
Get a decent skimmer. It will mean less work.
It will be a LOT of work early on, but once your tank is fully established, say in a couple years <---- yes, it really takes that long, it becomes very easy to maintain. I'd recommend you look into a calcium reactor down the road if you really want less work.

 

[sothardw]

Again... thanks for all the great info!!!

I don't plan on cutting corners. I don't want half way do this, so if I have to do water changes every week... then I will do water changes every week!

I think it is time for me to take everything you all have given me and research what I can build and what I can buy and all that fun stuff. Then of course buy or build and start reefin it.

Thanks again so much everyone!

 

[FinzAquatics]

good luck with everything

 

[Tstone]

Do a search for DIY sumps.
You can drill you 10g display for a bulkhead overflow and then plumb down to the sump.
Thats how I had mine plumbed. I built the sump, refugium, etc for it. Not hard, just do some research on the best way.

 

[sothardw]

Sweet! Thanks man. I have been super busy with school and my two jobs the last couple of days so, I haven't been able to do much lookin. This next week I should get some time though.