FOWLR to reef, what do I need?

M

manowar669

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Sep 11, 2004
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My fiance saw some pulsing Xenia at the LFS and wants some. Now I have a 3G pico, with adequate lighting, and that's probably where it'll end up if we get some. She was wondering if we could put it in the 55G FOWLR tank. I told her that corals opens up a whole new can of worms, blah, blah, blah.
Women, I love them, want what they want, logic be damned. So, can I add Xenia to a FOWLR tank (won't be a FOWLR anymore)? Are there screw-in actinic bulbs (I'm currently running 150W screw-in daylight CFs)? I plan on starting with kalkwasser a while before getting the Xenia. What about Iodine? Is there a cheap/simple product or method?
Oh, filtration is 2 Marineland wet/dry HOBs (280gph each), large old crosscurrent HOB skimmer (brand?) 25lbs LR, and 35lbs LS. Lots of flow (powerheads with prefilter sponges). I know this is a lot to ask. Thanks.
 
Yes, it can certainly be done..

If your going to a reef, i would up your live rock to about 60lbs. This will then provide your filtration and then you can stop using the two hob filters...or at least strip the media out of them and just use them for circulation..To move to a reef..you may need to up your water circulation...what powerheads do you have in there currently? your going to be needing at least 1100 gph water turn over...

Cant really comment on the screw in fixture as i dont know what it is that you have....

There should not be any need to be using additives like iodine and the like..Just use a good salt like Reef Crystals, and that should provide you with all the trace elements that are needed....Same with Kalc, dont see a need to be dripping it unless you need too...

Do you use RO water or tap water?

Niko
 
Water was started with tap water, water changes and topoff is RO (I work in a medical lab, so I get RO water free, as long as I don't mind carrying it.) Salt is Oceanic brand sea salt mix (I can change brands if this is no good). I easily have 1100 gph flow if I count the HOBs, but I have at least 800 gph from the powerheads.
I have 6 sockets for these in a reflector:
26watt, 6500K
spring-23.jpg

This works extremely well for freshwater planted tanks, but I switched the tank to salt about 3 months ago.
Just wondering if there are actinic bulbs to fit these sockets (standard household lights), but I can go back to shoplights (48" tubes t12 or t8) for now (ugly, but I have plenty). I'll save up for a real lighting system if necessary, but hoping I don't have to.
 
So I should go back to the 48" tubes? Would two 48" T12 daylights (40W), and 2 actinic tubes be adequate?
 
am afraid that the T12's would not be of use to keep corals...Corals need the right type of light to be able to thrive and grow..

The two common lighting fixtures for corals are either T5 or metal halide fixtures..Yes, they can be done on other kinds of lights, but that is the two i would recomend...

Niko
 
You guys are slippin!

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

p_15494_38036_mini_bulb.jpg


Maybe not the best, but who knows.

Xenia is a pretty easy one to tell if it's healthy. If it's opened up nicely, and pulsing like mad, then it's happy. If it's stunted, or only half is pulsing or whatever, then you have issues.

I'm not quite as experienced as some around here, but I'll give a few bits of info:

1. Xenia is considered a weed by a lot of people in the reefers community. It grows so friggin fast that it's almost hard to keep it from spreading all over your tank.

2. Because of #1, you can usually get it REALLY cheap. Which part of the world are you in? I'll bet you could find someone local who would give you some for cheap. I got some a few days ago for about $5. 3 stalks.

3. If you get the lights I posted above and stick them in your make shift lighting hood, you're going to want to put that xenia on the very top of your tank, as close to the lights as possible. Those lights might not be powerful enough, but you just never know.

4. Do you have test kits? Do you test even semi-frequently? If your water has no problems with nitrites/ammonia and especially nitrates, then you're already set to put whatever you want in there...no additional filtration needed. That is, if those good water readings stay pretty consistant.

Anyway, good luck. I just wouldn't spend too terrible much money on 1/2 assing it, really. If you plan on buying expensive coral from your LFS, I'd agree with those above saying to upgrade your lighting to a real fixture.

Of course, if you've never had a real light on that tank, chances are you'll be playing with algae pretty soon, too.

:-)
 
Someone here local has plenty of Xenia, and it's cheap. I guess I'll have to save the money for a commercial setup. 20 years ago actinic tubes and daylights were considered ok, if you couldn't afford MHs. I kept a tank then (same 55G tank), but mostly anemones, clowns, and other fish and inverts. I has a few green polyps too, and they did ok.
I really like those coral-life light setups with everything in a sleek bar, guess I'll have to pony up the dough.
 
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