Help me convert!

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Aug 3, 2004
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Okay so Im gonna go for it and convert my 50gal into a marine tank
I currently have a Juwel Trigon 190 as a fresh water tank and I want to convert it to a marine set up. I bought it as an all in one job so the lighting isnt very powerfull and it has a built in filter.
So questions are as follows:
1. is my filter likly to be powerfull enough on its own, if not what additional filtration should I use?
2. Lighting, now the lighting I have with it is built in and a pain in the a*se to change but I do want a reef set up. what do people suggest I do.
3. Finally I have very hard water where I live, and the idea of messing with altering it worries me, does anyone see that my hard water will cause much of a problem and if so whats the easiest way to over come this.

FYI here is the spec for my tank
http://www.pet-supermarket.co.uk/er...co.uk%2Fsearch?hl=en&q=juwel+trigon+190&meta=

I intend to stick a load of live rock and live sand in and then gradually stock it as Im not a millionaire. Please give me your feedback as I know little to nothing about marine tanks, I have got a couple of books that Im working my way through as well.
Cheers
 
1. Live rock and sand are great filters. The existing one can be used for water current, no big deal.

2. You will have to upgrade. There might be upgrade packages available for the system, or you might have to DIY. A new canopy maybe?

What books are you reading?
 
we dont really have juwel in American but occasionaly I pick the UK's PFK so I know a little about it youir tank is a croner tank correct? if so sence its a 50 gallon a deep with a wierd shape Id go for 250 watt metal halide pendant/fixture if you want to spend the money athought you could probally get a way with a PC bulbs remember almust be of the proper spectrum for a reef I like 12,000K but most people use 10,000 or 14,000k but some people supplement 5,500k and 6,500k with actinic or 20,000k but all about your budegetr what you want the tank color to be and waht you want to keep
 
hmm new canopy might be a pain, as its an akward shape and its such a nice finish at the moment. I think the whole light thing is removable so I will have to see if they do something else suitable I can put in its place. Take it Im going to need a proper timer too so its on for a set amout of time.
I cant remember the names of the books I got, I will check tonight and let you know
 
Definetily new lighting. Halides are best for a reef, especially LPS/SPS corals. You will need to upgrade filtration. A small sump + protien skimmer is good, or you could try a CPR BakPak (I don't know if they provide them in the UK, though). You will also need good water flow (provided by powerheads for the most part), especially if you want some clams in there.
 
Okay so the books I have are as follows:
Natural Reef aquariums by John H Tullock &
The New Marine Aquarium by Michael S Paletta - which I have spent the last day reading from cover to cover and have enjoyed very much.
So My thoughts are:
Use loads of live rock and some base rock to bulk up whilst keeping down cost. - Would I be right in thinging that along with my internal filter and a protien skimmer this will be okay, as the amout of cr*p it has to process will be smaller to start with as fish are juviniles etc to start with anyway and by the time the waste load gets higher the base rock should have more living organisms itself to deal with processing the waste?
Now for lighting, by current hood houses a twin fluorescent light strip, now I know that these are not suitable, but I thought it will be alot easier to just change to High output bulbs with reflectors, one full spectrum bulb and one reef-type or actinic bulb instead of tring to work out how to but in metal halides.
Now my internal filter creates a lot of water movement as I have it fitted with a diffuser anyway so that along with a 'hang on the tank' protien skimmer should be okay movement wise and so I think in tearms if lighting/filtration etc that lot should do the trick.
Does that sound okay to you or am I missing something?
 
*Update*
Okay I have found a source for live rock
its fiji rock 50lbs of it. I have two 22" 18Watt HO fluorescent strips, each with 10000k output. My internal filter puts out 600 litres per hour, 4 litre capacity and is full of filter sponges incl carbon.
So all I need it a Protein skimmer (I think thats everything anyway)
But there are so many on the market and I have no idea whats decent and what I should go for on a tank my size, do I get something designed for a 50gal tank or go for something more powerfull. Because of the design of my tank I need a HOT skimmer? please can someone recomend a make and model?
 
The HO bulbs won't get you much more wattage. You can try it, just monitor everything carefully because the HO bulbs really won't be enough for most animals.

The filter will be okay, just make sure you clean it regularly and that the cleaners can get in there to help prevent solid wastes from rotting and increasing your nitrates.

Soryy, can't help on the skimmer.
 
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