Converting my 50gal FW to FOWLR

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DazF

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Joined
Jan 13, 2014
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Hey peeps, I have been thinking about it for quite some time (and still am) but I am likely over the next few months going to start re-homing my current stock and making the switch to a SW tank.
Ideally i'd love to keep both but It just isn't doable with the space and money available, I will keep my betta tank though :)

Anyways, i have done a fair bit of research and just wanted to make sure that I am along the right lines before I start

So, since I will not be starting off with a reef tank, I think my fluorescent tubes are suitable?

Also, I have read that I can keep my substrate and use the same filter I currently have? (Tetratec ex1200) would I need to get new media?

I would buy some cured live rock, this way the tank should cycle very quickly?

Please correct me if i'm wrong!

A skimmer wouldn't be necessary until I wanted to upgrade to a reef?

So basically all I would need to buy is; a new test kit, hydrometer, salt mix and cured live rock?

Stocking wise, I was thinking of maybe a fire angel or a dwarf lionfish with a school of chromis to start?

Thanks for the advice :)


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
Sorry, one more question!

How much live rock would you recommend? Thanks :)


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
Hey peeps, I have been thinking about it for quite some time (and still am) but I am likely over the next few months going to start re-homing my current stock and making the switch to a SW tank.
Ideally i'd love to keep both but It just isn't doable with the space and money available, I will keep my betta tank though :)

Anyways, i have done a fair bit of research and just wanted to make sure that I am along the right lines before I start

So, since I will not be starting off with a reef tank, I think my fluorescent tubes are suitable?

Also, I have read that I can keep my substrate and use the same filter I currently have? (Tetratec ex1200) would I need to get new media?

I would buy some cured live rock, this way the tank should cycle very quickly?

Please correct me if i'm wrong!

A skimmer wouldn't be necessary until I wanted to upgrade to a reef?

So basically all I would need to buy is; a new test kit, hydrometer, salt mix and cured live rock?

Stocking wise, I was thinking of maybe a fire angel or a dwarf lionfish with a school of chromis to start?

Thanks for the advice :)


Must... Resist... MTS!!


Alrighty, first welcome to the salty side! :) now on to questions, fluorescent bulbs will only keep low light coral at most. Will be good for a while your tank matures. I use a light like this an it lets me keep almost anything. One for every 2ft
http://m.ebay.com/itm/165W-Dimmable...-Marine-SPS-LPS-Lamp-/131261397845?nav=SEARCH

I'm not sure what type of filter that is, but rule of thumb is that hob is the best if your going mechanical filtration as canisters as they become nitrate traps.

No need to buy live rock, buying drying rock before the cycle starts an letting it cycle along with the tank will turn it live. Rule of thumb is a lbs per gallon.live sand is a better way to go if you want live. Read up on pros an cons on deep sand beds an shallow ones. I myself prefer shallow.

Skimmers in my opinion are need for every saltwater over 20g. Helps remove waste you can't with your average 20% water change. They make pretty good hob skimmers.

I would get new media as you don't won't to transfer waste into the SW. Especially if it gets stuck in the sand bed were it can decay.

For a 50g I wouldn't recommend stocking over 4-56 fish, depending on the size of the fish.You really don't have a schooling type of fish on SW. Dwarf lionfish (like all lionfish) can be very messy when feeding so that's something to think about along with they sting part.
Dwarf angelfish also are a risk with reefs.
 
Anyways, i have done a fair bit of research and just wanted to make sure that I am along the right lines before I start

So, since I will not be starting off with a reef tank, I think my fluorescent tubes are suitable? Yes they will be suitable for a FOWLR tank

Also, I have read that I can keep my substrate and use the same filter I currently have? (Tetratec ex1200) would I need to get new media? You would need a new substrate. Sand would be the best way to go. If you are thinking of using the same substrate and media to keep the nitifying bacteria then it wont do you any good. They are not the same for FW and SW.

I would buy some cured live rock, this way the tank should cycle very quickly?
You can get cured LR but it will be very expensive. I bought 200 lbs of LR for my tank at 8.99 a lb. You do the math and you`ll see it is quite expensive. Whole lot cheaper to go slow and steady.
Please correct me if i'm wrong!

A skimmer wouldn't be necessary until I wanted to upgrade to a reef?
Skimmers are not necessary but IMO they are a good thing to have. They remove DOC`s from the water that eventually turn into nitrates. Unless you are going to be doing large PWC`s I would consider getting one.
So basically all I would need to buy is; a new test kit, hydrometer, salt mix and cured live rock?

Stocking wise, I was thinking of maybe a fire angel or a dwarf lionfish with a school of chromis to start?
Chromis do school but they also kill each other off. I got anthias for my tank. They are more colorful and stick around more. The only issue with the lion fish is that he will eat your schooling fish. He will Also eat your CUC.
 
Thanks guys, exactly the advice I needed (obviously!)​
Good to know that my lighting is adequate for now! Eventually I would absolutely love to get some corals but one step at a time.​
Oh OK, one LFS said that I could keep my sand, I had a feeling that was incorrect, I knew that the BB would be different but wasn't sure if it would cause any harm. Regarding the filter, I also read that with live rock and frequent water changes (I do 40% each week on my tanks anyway), that there wouldn't be a need for a filter at all?​
So I would need about 18kgs or so of LR? But it doesn't have to be cured? that's good to know as I have seen how expensive it is looking around! Is there any particular dry rock that would work best?​
OK good to know on the skimmer, is there any reasonably priced ones you could recommend?​
I did have my reservations about the lionfish but some people have said its hit and miss, they could be fine or they could not?​
I love fire angels though so maybe a better choice would be the fire angel with anthias and maybe some invertebrates?​
I know I am pretty limited with just 180L (again, one day this will be upgraded, just not right now), are there any other stocking options you could recommend?​
 
Thanks guys :)
Im coming home from my honeymoon tomorrow and the first thing I will be doing is getting started with ordering some bits I need :)


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
Also, someone is willing to sell this live rock pretty cheap, does it look ok to you guys?

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ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1439969563.648377.jpg
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ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1439969590.993873.jpg


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
If there wasn't ever any copper based medications used in the tank, then it should be good stuff.
As for the skimmer, I'd skip that unit. I run an eshopps 75psk on my 55 reef and do enjoy it.
 
Thanks for the advice :)

The guy selling the LR says he will also sell me his skimmer for cheap he is going to let me know a price and make/model later this evening so fingers crossed!

A brand new eshopps is a bit out of my price range at the moment, are there any cheaper models you can recommend?

My wife has just ordered me a powerhead/new test kit & refractometer as part of an early birthday present, so the show is on the road :)


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
Right all the stuff the guy was trying to sell me was for 100gal+ tank so i will skip it! Just getting the LR from him as it is a very good price!
I have ordered my sand mix, rodi system and a tunze skimmer this morning.

The LR is currently in use and apparently has been matured for over 2 years, does this mean that the cycle should be pretty quick? I am only planning to stock one fish every 4-5 weeks anyway (along with a cuc)

Have been researching/playing around with ideas, how does this stock sound?

1 flame angel (probably purchased last due to the price)

1 royal gramma

1 firefish

1 banggai cardinal

And maybe a black clown fish

With some cleaner shrimp and some hermits?


Must... Resist... MTS!!
 
Cool; thanks :)

Will I need to match the exact salinity of the tank they came from?


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Also do you think i could have a purple dottyback to this stock?


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Ok thanks!

Filling the tank with rodi water now, has been 4 hours and im maybe at 25litres? Wow this is gonna take a while!




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Should the protein skimmer be down a bit lower? I cannot extend the pipes any more :/


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