help us figure this out please - 125 g FW converting to SW tank

magakitty

Normal people scare me
Apr 5, 2007
846
0
0
67
Palm Springs
mysobrietyspace.ning.com
Hi - got a great deal on a 125 gal (glass - approx. 72" x 18" x 22") tank, stand and hood, and are thinking about moving the new reef from the 55 gal acrylic (never again!!!) Uniquarium to this tank. We will need a sump, of course, and a skimmer and want a fuge. Lighting is also a need.

We need some suggestions on how to go about this. Is there a way to do most, or at least some of it DIY? What brands, styles and models do you suggest? there is plenty of room under the stand for sumps and stuff.

We are not wealthy people and know this will have to be a slow process and are willing to let the tank set fallow and empty of critters for a while so we can get the right stuff set up first.

it is our 7th tank, so we are not in a hurry to fill it. also it is in the bedroom, so we won't be sitting there all evening going, "Dang, that tank needs fish"

Thanks in advance for your ideas, suggestions and advice.
 
it is fairly easy to make your owm sump/refugium out of a regular fish tank. if your stand is big enough i would use 2 tanks (10 gal for refugium, 20 gal for sump. fuge would be elevated a few inches and the 2 tanks will be drilled and connected through pvc and bulkheads. your drain line would be split into 2 lines....one going into your fuge and the other into your sump. pack the fuge with a 5" sandbed and some macro algaes for nitrate reduction. in the sump tank you will need to put in baffles, return pump, and a skimmer. if the tank is not reef ready you will have to get an overflow box
 
The system would depend alot on what you plan to keep. The sump is fairly easy as explained above. The lighting will depend on what you plan to keep.

I use the Berlin hang on skimmer and it is awesome. This skimmer can also sit in the sump.

The biggest killers are going to be the live rock to sufficiently fill a tank that size and the lighting.
 
There is a lot of lace rock and lava rock that came with the tank. We currently have perhaps 30 lb of live rock in a 55. Can we add the lace and the lave to the live rock and will it become live?

Also - how do we figure out if the tank is tempered glass? There is no sticker on it stating that it is tempered
 
There is a lot of lace rock and lava rock that came with the tank. We currently have perhaps 30 lb of live rock in a 55. Can we add the lace and the lave to the live rock and will it become live?

Also - how do we figure out if the tank is tempered glass? There is no sticker on it stating that it is tempered

There have been many people who have used them types of rock, personally, i dont like them....

To figure out if its tempered or not...put a pair of polarised sun glasses on, and look at the pains of glass in daylight...if its tempered, you will see lots of big black blobs through-out the the entire pain of glass......

Tried to find a image on line as an example, but could not....

Niko
 
AquariaCentral.com