need help setting up a saltwater system

[wilkersonc]

First off, hello all...

I am attempting to set up a saltwater aquarium, my first ever. I have a 150 gallon aquarium that I had setup for oscars and red-earred sliders in California. Last summer I moved to Okinawa Japan and am now wanting a saltwater aquarium. My first question is about lighting. My house here has lots of windows, my living room a big double slidding door etc... I really don't have a good place where I can put the aquarium without having direct sunlight on it at some time of day. The one place that I think it might work the best is between the big slidding doors and the windo in my living room, against the outside wall. Can I use mirrors or aluminum foil across the back and the sides to eliminate my direct sunlight problem? I'm thinking that this might produce a mirrored effect in the aquarium making it more fish friendly and it might assist my lighting of saltwater corals and fish. Any guidance? As I set up, I'll post more questions.

 

[thominil]

That is a great sized tank to start with IMO. Anyway you can get shades/blinds or curtains? I would paint instead of using foil.

 

[melosu58]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/stock-list-and-tips-for-maintaining-your-sw-tank-73477.html

Read this for equipment needs.

 

[wilkersonc]

I have blinds across the window. To give you an idea, my currently empty aquarium sits within 6 inches of the window and about two and a half feet away from the doors. Another problem I have concidered with its current location as that my AC/dehumidifier is mounted on the wall about two feet above my aquarium. Due to the humidity here, it is neccessary to run dehumidifiers to keep the mold from growing. I'm not sure how much this would be a factor either. I might move it to a different wall. The window is easy to cover, but the sliding doors are open quite often making me wonder how bad the sunlight would be.

Also, I live rock-throwing distance from the beach. I am thinking that using my freshwater filters (2 x 100 gallon pumps) with fresh rocks out of the ocean instead of filteration media would make the water suitable for a clean, constant ocean-current habitat inside my aquarium. I plan to take sea floor sand, ocean water and a few rocks for inside the aquarium. Any pointers?

 

[thominil]

DO NOT take anything from the wild. No telling what is in/on it.

 

[Sharkbait430]

Yeah, you shouldnt take anything from the ocean like thom said, we dont know whats on it. Be careful with that and good luck with your tank. Make sure that you place it in the most optimal place with minimal sun because once you fill it, youre going to have much more of a hard time moving the tank...

 

[wilkersonc]

Is the cured live rock in the filters a good idea? I've seen places where you can buy that. I'm good on biological filtration but as far as a protien skimer or my existing filters with live rock in them, what's better?

 

[wilkersonc]

another question.... do you clean your aquarium with a little bleach, or with water only? Depending on where you read some say bleach, othes say no chemicals

 

[jessicasmarine]

I vote no chemicals, good sized tank though. Are you still in Oki. The scuba is great there, especially off camp schwab

 

[wilkersonc]

Just returned to Oki, was here from Mar 03 til Jul 07, left for 14 months and returned.

 

[Etunes]

My 2 cents is that you might not be able to avoid the light so expect serious coraline growth. You will have to wipe the glass everyday or you will have it all over the front of your glass. I am going to have the same problem in my room because i have to keep my window open ALL day for my lizard. So just a little warning.

Your lucky. I want to move to japan. Why did you go there?

 

[mdaniel2882]

DO NOT take anything from the wild. No telling what is in/on it.

and it may be against the law.

 

[mdaniel2882]

My tank sits right beside a window. I just painted the back and the side that is less than 6 inches from the window. I have no problems with algae growth. it is still an issue you could always tint the windows. I am planning on doing that next week. the widow gets direct sunlight in the PM for about an hour

 

[wilkersonc]

I went today and bought a dark blue tint and put it on the living room window... There's quite a difference now. I've slid the aquarium a little closer tothe window away from the doors, so we'll see what happens. I move every few years so I'm really against painting my Aquarium because no telling what kind of setup I"ll have next place. My last one, I placed the Aquarium right behind the couch, blocking the hallway (so we had to walk through the dining room) from the living room to the bedrooms. I didn't have any backing so I could see through the tank down the hall to my child's room.

I went to find a protein skimmer today and they are expensive here. Do they make conversion kits for freshwater filters? Does the skimmer work alot better than freshwater filters with live rocks?

Etunes - I'm in the military here, this is a great spot to be stationed.

 

[jessicasmarine]

A skimmer is one of the most imortant parts of a large SW aquarium. I would advise doing what you have to to get one. They are expensive everywhere

I was stationrd there in '04 and '06

 

[thominil]

Look at the reef octopus brand, great for the money imo.

 

[wilkersonc]

Has anyone used the Red Sea C-Skime 1200 skimmer? I need something easy for my wife to use while I'm deployed in the future. I'm looking for a skimmer I can put in the cabinet below the aquarium, is this one that will meet my wishes? I'm really not wanting a in/on the tank skimmer.

 

[InfernoST]

Is your floor stronger enough for the 1500+ lbs you're going to put on it?

 

[wilkersonc]

My floor won't be a problem, I've set this same aquarium up in two different houses, this will be my third and it is probably the strongest of the three being Japanese built.

 

[InfernoST]

Cool, just a thought, you would be surprised how many people don't take it into consideration.