SC#11 What would you try?

[wastememphis]

oh man....

First, I would not buy an AGA RR tank... I would get a 5-6' long 2-3' wide 2' tall tank. Preferably, coustom made GLASS with euro bracing. I would do an external return pump with closed loops so I don't have powerheads in the tank, or any pumps that heat my tank up. If I needed more current I would get a tunze with a multicontroler or the new icecap things. I might try T-5 lighting, and have 175 watt halides on only a few hours a day... or just get 3 400watt halides (single ended, not double (which i have now) ). I would build a rock rack, because its hard to balance all your rocks when you dont have sand. I would also probably hook up a shallow clam tank to the system so I can actually look at them from above.

I'm already in the process of upgrading... I'm going to buy a GEO calcium reactor within the next year (for up to 600gallons) so I can upgrade my tank when I move (in a year)

I don't think anyone can have a perfect setup (there must be something that you wish was configured differently or that is inconvinent) so if there aren't any improvements wanted.... I would be suprised.


Rich: that TOTM uses T-5's... Halides cause a lot of heat (with my experience) and I'm afraid of what it will do during the summer... so if you don't have a chiller and live in that nice carribiean isle, you might want to think of those lights.

 

[Triggerman]

If you were to start a new tank today, what would you do? Would you get a bigger (or smaller) version of what you have, and maybe try different livestock? Do you you're doing, but make equipment changes? Or would you try something completely different? As always, explain your answer.

Having three marine tanks if I were to get one ,I would set up another pred tank.I have 100 fowlr peaceful and one eel/trigger and eel /trigger/hawk.
Pred tanks are my favorite.Would probably try lion/scorpionfish combo.

 

[mcbride4689]

Bigger tank, if we had the room

We have 130 gallon mini reef, in our dining room, and would like a bigger one, but we have to have a small dining table allready as the aquarium takes up most of the room. We have 4 tangs of different species and sizes which are compatable, and I would really like more, but these guys will not tolerate any new Tang additions.

When we set it up we put pvc couplers down covered by egg crate and a layer of fiberglass to create a water area below the crushed corral base, then added about three inches of curshed coral. With only a simple wet dry system, and minimal water changes we have had good water quality for ten years. :hang:

 

[rosita]

I am preparing space for a 55g, and then I'd like a 100g or so. The 55 will be for a flowerhorn I want to rescue, and then do a cichlid combination in the big one--got my eyes on a couple of real nice oscars. I'm still fairly new to all this, but I can dream here!! Maybe a 180 instead of 100, so flowerhorn would have enough room to fully grow and be happy. :thud:

 

[renman]

I am converting my 15 gal freshwater into a Marine Holding tank for new fish that I bring home. My 55 gal. will be a small predator tank with Lionfish, Eels and the like. I am putting a new 150 gal tall tank (48"x24"x31") in the space that I currently have my 55 gal. tank and making a killer reef tank!

Buon Apetito!

 

[Siklid]

i would drill more bulkheads in my tank and my sump,

cap them for later use

 

[MonoSebaelover]

Completly different. I have a 55 FOWLR with Eels, Trigger, etc and then a 29 with Seahorses, Pipefish and Gobies. I would probably do a 75 gallon and get back into Ribbon Eels. I miss them SO much and I was SO good with them. I got all the specimens I tried to eat and thrive in captivity. I have promised myself will start them again as soon as I graduate in December so this goal may be more achievable than I think ! I would probably get a couple of Black Ribbons and then a Ghost/White Ribbon and then maybe some eye candy fish up top like Cardinals or something. Don't want anything that will risk the eels though! Anyway that is what I would do!

 

[Aescleah]

hummmm well i already have the tank for the next project after i get my 65 up and running is a 120. its ging to be lps with a few fish species are unimportant perhaps a tang but going to keep it understocked. anyway i have a 105 oceanic not sure i want to use it. but i would really enjoy a 75 sea horse/timid fish with mushrooms and polyps but the most important is going to be that it will be run on powerheads with no other filteration except that and live rock and some macroalgae and marine plants like turtle grass and i want it next to my bed in the day its going to have t5's and moonlites so i can watch in the middle of the night but very very quiet.

Ashley

 

[mysis]

Completely Different

i would go with an 8 fter

The main things that i would do different is:

A refugium, it would have a DSB atleast 20cm, and have it heavily stocked with algae, run with a 150 watt MH. also a sump running 2 skimmers (probably tunze).

Loads of snails, hermits and sand sifting starfish.

The main would be a reef with a DSB bout 15cm, 4 x 250 MH, would have a chiller, an auto top off system and a calcium reactor, then i would have 2 cannister filters 1 for activated carbon and the other for Rowaphos or Phosban. as for movement in the tank i would be looking at about a turn over rate of 80-90 times per hour, and the tank would be sps dominant, with a few big clams.

As for fish i would go with purple tang, a pair of mandarins, a purple fire fish and about 7 sunburst anthias.

 

[jasonpc]

I would definately go bigger. As usual people talk and I dont listen. I read many different articles, books, and websites over a period of years. Unfortunately I could not come close to afford what I needed so, my 2cents would be to save, save, save and SAVE all the money you can. Price your tank and BE PATIENT. Learn your patience NOW because you will need it later. No joke...

First and foremost plan ahead AND go as big as possible (a minimum of 100-125gal should be good enough).
2. Decide on REEF or FOWLR
3. Make a decision on type(s) filtration
3. Lighting (dont have a choice here if you want corals)
5. Placement of the tank (away from sun)

Next have a fairy princess to give you three wishes so you can pay for all of this "stuff". You are going to need all three after you pickup your lighting, filtration, test kits, tubing, aeration, thermometer, substrate, salt, buckets, power heads, 10gal quarantine tank, and source water filtration (to do those weekly 10% water changes).

I am mildly happy with my 55gal FOWLR, eheim canister filter, and crushed coral substrate. I would definately go BIGGER (did I say that already?), use a sump AND a protein skimmer, AND I sure would LOVE to have a drain as well as a water source piped conveniently for use. That would be a DREAM come true.