I think I just bought a SW tank

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RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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I found a tank on eBay and managed to buy it for almost nothing. It's a 30g show tank (kinda cubey, taller than it is wide). It's been used for salt water. I'm not sure what kind of lights it has on it, but it has a filter/protein skimmer combo.

I was considering giving it a good rinse and using it as a FW tank, but...the allure of the SW is too tempting!

As far as I know it doesn't have a sump/refugium. On a tank that size, do I really NEED one? I'm picking it up tomorrow so I can see how it's set up, and hopefully I can figure out what I need to get this thing going!
 

ooja3k

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Jul 3, 2007
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You don't necessarily need a sump... It can server as a way to increase the overall amount of water in the system, and you can put a larger skimmer/nutreint export system in there... that way you can keep the macro out of your display. I have a 10gal sump with an oversized skimmer in it, as well as carbon, and phosban... You can definitely successfully keep a 30gal tank without a sump... I wouldn't depend on the skimmer/filter combo you are talking about... My guess would be it isn't nearly as effective as a regular venturi style skimmer.

All you would need is some nice lighting system, depending on what kind of tank you want to keep, and some powerheads for water movement. And then you have your tank!

Its more complicated than that, but its hard to know exactly what you will need and what advice to give you without knowing exactly what you have and what your goals for the tank would be..
 

RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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I was figuring the filter/skimmer combo might be a little weak. I'll see what it's like when I get it home.

I'm going to start out FOWLR, and down the line I'd like to add some mushrooms and maybe some other easy corals. Nothing too ambitious for me, thanks! I'll be sure to post an update with pics and better details tomorrow.
 

ooja3k

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Sounds good. Did you say it does come with a lighting fixture???

I started out as a FOWLR, but only till my cycle ended.. lol

I added mushrooms and frogspawn first.. Any now im adding other corals like its my job...

You can keep many softies: zoas, mushrooms, etc with anything from Compact Flourescent, to T-5, even MH if you want... But MH is expensive and not necessary unless you are in the future going to add SPS corals...

Can't wait to see what you got!
 

RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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It has a light. It honestly looked like just a regular FW fixture in the pics, but what do I know? :p

I'm clearing out roomspace for it right now, then it's off to bed for me!
 

RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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Alrighty, the tank is home! Here is what we have:

1 30 gallon TALL AGA show tank
1 lovely wood stand, properly sized
1 "Freedom Filter" combination protein skimmer and filter
1 light hood with 50/50 bulb...not sure of the wattage but he sent me home with a replacement bulb that says it's 15 watts
Approx. 15 lbs of collected sand
Approx. 20 lbs of rocks
1 submersible heater (can't find wattage)
And good luck wishes.

Apparently he had this set up going as a FOWLR tank for about two years without issue, so I'm assuming the equipment is 'good enough' for that. Right off the bat I have a feeling I'm going to need a couple of powerheads for added circulation.

Is there anything else that I'm going to need IMMEDIATELY? I'm going shopping tomorrow so I can start to set everything up.
 

RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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Here's the pic from the ad when it was set up. When I get it situated in my room I'll post more!
 

ooja3k

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in that pic it looks like he only has the tank filled 3/4 of the way... thats weird...

that is a very deep tank... if you are eventually going to get some corals of any kind, i would seriously recommend looking at metal halide lighting...

you can make that a really cool tank... by building a tall island on the back glass like basically a triangle, you could get the most swimming room and have a really cool area to put little caves in...

do you have information on the filter/skimmer that it came with???
 

RabbitMage

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Jul 11, 2007
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I was figuring if I did ANYTHING in the foreseeable future in the way of corals I might put some mushrooms at the VERY top of my LR once I have it set up. I'll probably wind up holding off until I can upgrade the lighting, though.

Checking the website it looks like I have the Freedom Filter Pro: http://www.freedomaquarium.com/site/product-specifications.cfm http://www.freedomaquarium.com/site/product-features.cfm

I like the triangle idea, thank you! I was wondering how I was going to do rock and keep from getting dead spots.

About being filled partway, he's been traveling a lot and the tank was basically left to fend for itself, he didn't bother topping off the water.
 
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