Starting from scratch 46 gal. advice?

J

joyze1

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Apr 29, 2004
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Wausau, WI
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I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but here I go.

I have had 2 SW tanks for quite a few years. One is a hexagon (35 gal???) display. The other is a 25 gal quarantine tank. I was given these all setup and inhabited by a friend. I have made the Hexagon a reef tank with issues in lighting (due to how tall it is) and bottom space. I think it works better for a FO.

Hexagon:
Eheim 2026
cpr bak-pak 2 protein skimmer
T-8 florescent lighting everywhere (it looks goofy but keeps the Anemones happy)
25 lbs of live rock (maybe more-have not weighed it lately)
1 power filter
1-2 inches crushed coral

2 Sebia Anemones (one large-Annie (size of a big plate) and one small-Anna)
1 maroon clown-Speedy
Lots of snails (they keep multiplying)
2 Nassarius snails
1 turbo snail
Lots of white brittle stars (they multiply too)
5-6 hermit crabs
1 bar goby-Friendly

**I had a couple more fish (small purple tang, fire goby) but Annie(the large Anemone keeps eating them, I have seen her eat them, very expensive food) due to lack of space and she takes up a good amount of the tank when fully open.


25 gal(quarantine tank):
HO 20 whisper filter
Fluval 1 plus internal power filter
Crushed coral
1 lb of live rock
clourpa (sorry spelling)

The only fish in this tank is a black and yellow damsel.

I also have an empty Nano cube in the basement. I plan on using this for a quarantine tank.

I have obtained a 46 gal bow front tank (not the RTR- just tank), stand, heater and lights from someone else. This was previously a SW tank. I would like to combine my 2 previous tanks to make one reef and start fresh only in equipment. The water, crushed coral, live rock and inhabitants I plan on transferring. I am confused in the following areas:

Lighting:

I think the florescent lighting that came with the 46 gal will work if not I plan on replacing with Nova Extreme T-5 Fixtures w/Lunar Lights. What do you think? I live near Foster and Smith and this is what they recommended.

Filter:

I have read that I would not need this if I used 2 lbs of live rock per 1 gallon of water. Currently I do not have that much but would like to slowly acquire it in time due to my current setup already being cycled. If I add it slowly it doesn't seem to upset my system too much. Until I do what would you recommend I use for filtration? Would a refugium work? (I would like one) or should I go with a wet/dry or sump? What is the difference between a sump and wet/dry? I am most confused about this area, my options, what would be best and also cost effective.

Protien skimmer:

What is a good skimmer for the money? I have experience with CPR but it sounds like the 2R is more for reefs then the 2 that I have. I have found it makes a difference using one I just don't know which one on the market to get.

Sand:

I know sand is the best but I have lots of crushed coral (100 lb bag that is unused and given to me). I read that I could use old Kastle paver sand? Where would I get this and could I add it slow over time to my crushed coral or would that not be a good idea?

I am not trying to be cheap but rather would like to use the resources I have and be cost effective and a healthy system.

Thank you,

Joy
 
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joyze1 said:
Protien skimmer:

What is a good skimmer for the money? I have experience with CPR but it sounds like the 2R is more for reefs then the 2 that I have. I have found it makes a difference using one I just don't know which one on the market to get.
Joy
Click to expand...

The 2r has no bio-bale
bio-bale=nitrate buildup in the reef.
 
I have exactly the same 46 gallon bowfront as you.

My specs are:

Lighting: 4x39W T-5 Teklights. The Novas don't have individual reflectors. That's OK if you're only going to keep softies and lowlight LPS, but if you want to take full advantage of T5s, go the extra mile and get T5s with individual reflectors.

Substrate: 1 cm of sugar sand in front only. The tank is essential barebottom with the live rock placed upon a PVC shelf to allow water flow underneath. Sediment collect in front which is siphoned weekly. Old Castle is fine. I'd forget about the crushed coral.

Skimmer: AquaC Remora overdriven with a Mag5. Keep a lookout for Bakpak tweaks and upgrades on various sites. The most common being switching out the stock pump with a Maxijet 1200.

Filtration: About 45 lbs. of liverock + Filstar XP2 (w/Purigen and LR in the baskets) + converted AC500 refugium (w/chaetmorpha) on reverse light cycle. I wanted a sump originally. Unfortunately, the 46 bow's footprint is so narrow that it's hard to fit anything at all in the stand underneath much large than a 10 gallon tank. I didn't think the cost was worth the added benefit.

Flow: 2xMaxijet 1200 with cut down nozzles.

Livestock: 2xOcellaris Clowns; 1xHippo Tang (tank's too small for him, gonna have to upgrade!); 2xCleaner Shrimp; 1xBlood Shrimp; 1xSabon Shrimp (hitchhiker); 1xTuxedo Urchin; Astrea/Cerith/Nassarius snails; Blue/Red legged hermits

Corals: Octobubble; Green Star Polyp; Zoas; Orange Ricordia; Hammer; Frogspawn; Blue Shroom; Candy; Galaxea; Open Brain
 
Big thanks!

Thank you for sharing that. I do have some questions if you don't mind.

I will have to look at the lights I have. I believe there are 3 t-5's but I could be wrong. T-5's with individual reflectors?

Substrate: I have decided to go to sand only but will do this slowly and give the unused crushed coral to my neighbor. I was going to put 2 inches of old castle (where do I find this?) and then the current crushed coral (2 inches in a hexagon tank around the live rock, on the bottom of a 46 gal it can't cover much) and swap some out at water changes with with new sand. The crushed coral is already established for 2 years or more with bugs and starfish. Do you think that will work?

I have some limestone I was going to use as some base for the LR but your idea sounds neat. I am interested in how did you make the PVC shelf? What size of PVC did you use? Do you have any pictures? Maybe I can use both.

Filtration: In your filstar xp2, All you put in it is the purigen and LR? Or am I missing something? Excuse me for this goofy question~Does the reverse light cycle on your AC500 refugium mean it is on at night and off during the day?

You mentioned that you wanted a sump but it would not fit under your stand. I am building this in the wall through a closet and space is not a factor. Would you recommend a sump over the current filter setup and if so what would you recommend?

If you have any pictures you would like to share it would be wonderful.

Thank you alot!

~Joy~
 
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I will have to look at the lights I have. I believe there are 3 t-5's but I could be wrong. T-5's with individual reflectors?

Yes, individual reflectors. They get much more light into the tank. Only a few companies make full T-5 hoods with such reflectors and it's usually reflected in the price. There are several more that make retrofit kits with individual reflectors if you already have a hood that can house them.

Substrate: I have decided to go to sand only but will do this slowly and give the unused crushed coral to my neighbor. I was going to put 2 inches of old castle (where do I find this?) and then the current crushed coral (2 inches in a hexagon tank around the live rock, on the bottom of a 46 gal it can't cover much) and swap some out at water changes with with new sand. The crushed coral is already established for 2 years or more with bugs and starfish. Do you think that will work?

Crushed coral is usually frowned upon for reef tanks nowadays b/c it is seen as trapping detritus resulting in nitrate and phosphate. Seeing your CC is already "live", I'd put it in a refugium in your sump to help seed your display tank. That you your can remove it safely and more easily than if it was mixed in with the sand in your display. Now that would be impossible to separate out.

"Old Castle" is available as Home Depot or any other home centre depending on where you live. If you have trouble finding it, go to a quarry or landscaping-type place (you know, a place where they sell different types of rocks and sand) and ask for fine sugar sand suitable for sandboxes. You can order a truckload if you want. Or if you want convenience, just go to your LFS and pay more.


I have some limestone I was going to use as some base for the LR but your idea sounds neat. I am interested in how did you make the PVC shelf? What size of PVC did you use? Do you have any pictures? Maybe I can use both.

Limestone could cause Alk swings initially as it dissolves. Better to use a less reactive rock like Texas Holey or Tufa. Making a rock rack does not preclude the use of base rock at all. Done correctly, it can give the illusion that there's more rock than there really is. Here's a couple shots of my tank:
FullTank.jpg


Tank1.jpg


You can see the PVC piping underneath the rock in front. It's very simple to make. Just to your hardware store and start slipping PVC bits together like Lego. You're only limited by your imagination. You see that there are two built up mounds on either side? Those rocks are leaning against a PVC brace behind them and secured with fishing line. This not only makes it look like there's more rock, but allows for more circulation behind the rocks.

Filtration: In your filstar xp2, All you put in it is the purigen and LR? Or am I missing something? Excuse me for this goofy question~Does the reverse light cycle on your AC500 refugium mean it is on at night and off during the day?

There are two media baskets in the xp2. In the bottom on (the first to come into contact with tank water), there's filters floss are Purigen. Live rock is in the second chamber.

Yes, reverse light cycle means off in day and on at night. This balances pH and others factors because there's always photosynthesis and other "daytime" processes going on 24/7.

You mentioned that you wanted a sump but it would not fit under your stand. I am building this in the wall through a closet and space is not a factor. Would you recommend a sump over the current filter setup and if so what would you recommend?

"Dilution is the solution to pollution". The more water volume you can get the better. So yes, definitely put a sump on if you can swing it. Also make sure you've got a refugium as well.

If you have any pictures you would like to share it would be wonderful.

Here's a couple more:

BlueRic.jpg

BlueTux.jpg

Octo.jpg

GSP.jpg

Galaxea1.jpg




Thank you alot!

~Joy~[/QUOTE]
 
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