I got one!!!! (and advice please)

OgreMkV

OgreMkV

Father of Earth's Next Emperor
Apr 26, 2007
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Port Arthur, TX
ogremkv.wordpress.com
Yay me. I finally got one. OK, I'm picking it up tomorrow afternoon, but it's a heck of a deal.

This guy is upgrading his kids 46g bowfront to a 180g and I get the whole shebang for $100. I'm looking it over before I buy it, but it's currently holding water.

Here's the set-up as described. A 46g bowfront FOWLR with sand, branching coral LR and the following livestock: 1 anemone, 1 clownfish (3"), 2 grouper (3" each) and a lion fish (3-4"). I get the tank, stand, everything in the tank, two HOB filters for $100!


So, here's the advice I need. I want to convert the FOWLR to a reef. I've already talked to the LFS and they'll take the live stock. I don't want any of it. The clownfish is in the tank because it's so aggressive he had to move it out of his display tank (a 400g reef). So, I don't want it.

Obviously, I need to check the lights and will probably just buy new bulbs depending on what the hood set-up is.

My basic plan is to drain the tank into a 20g cooler I have and put the livestock in that. Then drain all but a inch or so of water and move the tank to my place. Then I'll take the livestock to the LFS and get enough RO/DI water to fill the tank back up.

I plan to keep the current LR and sand. I'll probably crush some of the LR and use that in the filters (depending on how used they are). Then I'll order some decent live rock.

Should I get the CUC at the same time as my live rock order?

What do you think and what am I missing?
 
Sounds like a great deal! Be very careful with the lionfish.

I am sure you will need all new lighting if you want to go reef. Also want to think of setting up a sump/refugium and scrap the HOB filters. I would probably remove at least 1/2 the sand and replace it.

I wouldn't get a clean up crew right away. I would wait at least a week or so after you get it up and running.
 
Nice deal Ogre..welcome to the fun part :D

The nice part is that you have some cycled liverock already, so thats a bonus. What I would do at that point is use hte stuff you have, and slowly buy some premium pieces at LFSs (if you have a good one) instead of buying a whole crapload online. If you buy a big load of it, there's a chance you'll end up seeing a mini-cycle, which is fine if thats what you want to do, just be prepared. If you go that route, I would wait before getting the CUC to make sure the tank is estblished and levels are good before adding livestock.

Good choice on returning the stock in the tank. As far as lights go, for any kind of corals you're probably going to end up replacing them altogether. For a FOWLR I can't imagine the guy was running any kind of high light since it wouldn't be necessary and could cause algae problems. I used AH supply CF fizxtures in my tank - a year later now I'm reallyt wishing I had spent an extra hundred bucks or so and just gone T5, I'm looking at switching over now and it wil open up my options quite a bit.

I'd look for a post by Grins (so basically open any thread in the SW forums :D), in her sig there are a few good articles for new reefkeepers. Check them out if you haven't already.

Since you're basically starting fresh, what kind of plans do you have re. stock and corals?
 
salty420 said:
wow great deal! i agree with ace here except i would remove all of the sand but enough to seed the new sand. no need to start your new reef with his old nasty sand.
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Completely agree with the above! Fabulous start Ogre, looking forward to following you getting to know your new tank.

sploke said:
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I'd look for a post by Grins (so basically open any thread in the SW forums :D
Click to expand...

:banhim:
 
I like the idea of tossing the sand. It's not that big a deal. His live rock shouldn't really have anything growing on it, but bacteria right?

We're pretty limited to LFS around here. The pretty good one has some LR, but it doesn't look like much. Not much coraline or anything for that matter. But I can plan a few trips to Houston ;) I almost think it would be cheaper to ship than to drive to Houston though.

Anyway, I was planning on a 24g nano cube, so my stock plan will need some major revision. I THINK I might have enough space (with a fuge) to have a dragonet (which I really, really want). I think a pair of the black clowns, and some reef safe wrasses.

Inverts, the standard stuff. I do like the look of the peppermint shrimp though.

I'd like to run up to polyps, maybe (heavy on the maybe) soft corals. I'd love one of those sun coral things. They're gorgeous.

But I also want a tank that will last a while and be an ecosystem. I'd rather not have a great show tank for 6 months, then all the corals start stinging the crap out of each other. Anyway... most of my stuff will have to come from on-line, like I said, the LFS isn't the greatest (this is the one that sold me the 39" psychopathic pleco and said it would be tiny).
 
Oh, how much sand should I keep? I'd like to go ahead and do a deep sand bed, since I have the space now.

Isn't the live sand pretty much just the bacteria? At least it would be from his tank...
 
Do you know how wide the tank is? I am guessing 36"? This light would be excellent for that tank for softies and LPS corals if it is 36". I would definately look for a T5HO light of some kind for your tank if your not thinking of doing any SPS corals, which it doesn't sound like.

With the rock, try and keep it wet with tank water when you tear down the tank. This will help keep the bacteria alive on it. The sand, honestly, I just got a 60G tank for cheap and I tossed all the sand out of it. I wasn't planning on setting it up immediately though. You really only need to keep a cup or two of the current sand to be able to "seed" the new sand.
 
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