Thinking about switching from FW to SW.

[tywest]

The research has begun.. I think there will be a few more months of reading this form (and saving money) before i take the plunge.

Currently i have a fw 75 gallon set up. See pic.

I have been looking online and in books for what i am going to need for this to work.
I would like to have a fairly large display of live rock / coral and of corse some fish.

Is there anything special i need to do to make my fw tank work for sw. Im planning on selling or ditching all the gravel and decorations that are inside of it.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hi, welcome to AA.

Give the tank a good rinse and that is about all that you need to do. The only other precaution that you will need to make sure of is that no copper medicines were used in the tank. That cau cause some problems with inverts.

Can't wait to see how the tank unfolds.

 

[blazeyreef]

Hi, welcome to AA.

Give the tank a good rinse and that is about all that you need to do. The only other precaution that you will need to make sure of is that no copper medicines were used in the tank. That cau cause some problems with inverts.

Can't wait to see how the tank unfolds.

yep, things like plant growth stuff! I would (personally) also use a little (very very small amount ) of viniger while washing it, I did this on my 29g and it worked great!

 

[melosu58]

Welcome to AA. Give the tank a good cleaning and let`s get the show on the road. Cant wait either. But remember one thing about SW. Patience is a virtue.

 

[Tentacles]

hey guys I remember all of yall! been awhile since Ive been on here, been spending most of my time in Nano-Reef but that place has gone to the dogs lately

rinse that baby out good, copper is a big problem with some people when they switch from fresh to salt even if they didnt dose for it, ive seen a whole tank go under because of that.

ditch the gravel and decorations definitely, plan out how much rock you want to have as well as sand, make sure youll have necessary equipment including heaters, powerheads, lighting etc..I saw a 55g the other day with two 150w MH pendants over it, looked beautiful......skimmer if you want alot of fish and want to keep more fragile things such as anemones, and decide of you want to run a sump/fuge for nutrient import/export and to take care of nitrates, so you can have your plumbing worked out before you fill it with water, dont want to flood the house!

good luck with the tank, im sure itll be awesome

 

[tywest]

Filter question

just found the article on sumps... nevermind

 

[roka64]

WELCOME TO AA and SW!!!

Please do not cycle your tank with live animals.

You have some sound advice, in the previous posts. I would also add, you may have to get a new lighting system (I'm not sure if FW lighting is enough for SW). I would also look at no cover on the tank. You need good gas exchange (surface ripple). This is how we keep pH stable.
Since you are used to gravel, I would recommend not getting CC, for a substrate, and not using the UGF.

 

[tywest]

some more quick questions

substrate:
how much do you think i will need? and what type is good?

lighting:
my lighting for my fw is not good and will not do for sw. i was looking at this one
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12113&N=2004+113345

are there any that are comparable but not as expensive?

 

[roka64]

Here are some great Calculators http://www.fantasyreef.com/flash/calculator.html for a few things. Depending on your location, I would look for aragonite playsand, found at HD/Wal-Mart or Lowes (skip the "live sand to save money).
I would do a mixture of base rock (I got 150Lbs from marcorocks.com) and LR to save even more money.
I bought the 72 incher of that light, and love it. I also bought the hanging mount. If you order from drsfosterandsmith, they do not charge extra for weight or bulky items. I would also look into their Refractometer http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9957&N=2004+113761 and Saltwater ReefMaster Test Kit http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=14741&N=2004+113074 or Saltwater Master Liquid Test Kit http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4452&N=2004+113074. I also like to get the big buckets of Reef Crystals Reef Salt http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4856&N=2004+113009.

 

[tywest]

sand

So what your saying is i don't need "live sand"? I have both home depot and walmart right down the road.

If im just starting my tank does it matter if i get cured or uncured live rock?

 

[melosu58]

If you are just starting just add uncured LR and kill two birds with one stone. You`ll cycle your tank and cure your LR all at the same time. Hope all goes well.