Turning 20g fresh to salt!

[NikkO]

After wanting a saltwater tank so badly lately, I've decided to turn my old 20g breeding tank into salt( I would've turned my 300 into one but maybe later when my FW fish in there die of old age ). I've read the "so you want to start a marine tank" article on reefcentral, so now I have some basic knowledge on setting up a SW. Also this will be a FOWLR tank. Now I just have a few questions:

1. What are some pretty good HOBs to use for SW? I already have a AC filter for a 20, and I want some extra filtration... maybe a Emperor or Penguin. Also are the Milleniums pretty good? I've never tried them.
2. Lights- recommendations, reviews on anything less than $70(building on a budget) that are 30" long. I'll be getting a 10000k light and a 6500k if its dual.

3 Setting up- since the tank has already been fully cycled and running for several months now, do I just mix in the salt?

4. The Eclipse hood- I've been looking at getting one since I'll save money on the light and filter, but I dont think the filter and lights will be strong enough. Has anyone ever used an Eclipse w/ SW with good results?

5. Protein skimmers- I don't really want to make DIY skimmer. Again like the light question, any review or recommendations will be helpful. I can't get a big extra strong one since my stand is open.

6. Anything else that I will need to watch out for? Products to use or not to use, the Do's and Dont's.

Anyways, I'm trying to keep the spending for the set-up under $200 since I still need to finish building my computer. :thm:

 

[TONO]

1. HOB filters are nitrate factories Don't use them as filters, just use them for extra flow. I would invest in a protien skimmer.

2. Lighting all depends on what you want to keep. try to get 10000k stay away from 6500k(if you want some softies later on).

3. saltwater and freshwater cycles use completely different bacteria you will need to recycle your tank.

for $200 I don't think you will have enough money for a fowler, but a FO tank would be possible. Then you can use your hob filter and just do more water changes to keep nitrates down.

 

[NikkO]

I can go over $200 in order to get everything for a fowlr setup, itll just mean a longer wait on getting my computer done since I don't have a job yet and I'm trying to balance out my budget for it and the tank. But next year I'm going to apply at a lfs since the people there don't really know what they're doing, also hopefully I can get a discount. . Also I'll be buying a lot of the stuff on ebay or Bigals, so I'll end up saving a lot on equipment. I already found a strong enough light for cheap: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7719107981&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

 

[mogurnda]

Welcome to the salty side!

Here's how I would approach it. TONO's right about the cycle, you will have to start over, but it will be very short if you get good quality cured live rock. I would suggest getting rid of the old substrate and putting down a layer of sand. Add the salt water, get the salinity right, and add the live rock. Assuming there isn't a lot of die off, the tank should be ready for inhabitants relatively quickly.

For a skimmer, the CPR bakpak worked great for me on a tank that size, and the AquaC Remora and Coralife Superskimmer also get good reviews. I have never used them, but continually read complaints about getting Seaclones and Prizms to work properly, so I would suggest avoiding them.

Lighting in a FOWLR can be as cheap as you want. A Home depot shoplight with a couple of good bulbs will do fine, as will the hood you posted from ebay.

 

[NikkO]

After I get the salt to the right levels, do I just wait a day or so until I add some LR? Theres a FS(not local since its like 15 miles away) that sells Fiji rock for about 3-4 dollars/lb, so the next time I go there I'll pick some up. Also, if I were to get 10+ gals of saltwater from the ocean the next time I go fishing(water from a couple of miles out, maybe even 15+ depending on where we go), would that help the cycle since its more natural? I'll make sure the water I'm collecting isn't a red tide area. With the sand, what type of sand was the one that you can use from Home Depot?

I was actually going to go for a prizm, but thanks for the warning. I already found a CPR thats going for $59 on ebay, so I'll keep it on my wathing list. Can I add another filter to help the AC or is it better if I just use that money for a better skimmer?

For the light I currently have a 22 watt flourescent strip, but I don't think its powerful enough for LR. If I change the bulb to a 10000k bulb and its fine with LR, then I'll just keep that strip.

 

[mogurnda]

After I get the salt to the right levels, do I just wait a day or so until I add some LR?

There are several ways of doing it. You can just add the live rock. You can add some base rock, a little sand from a cycled tank and a rotting bit of seafood, then add the rock after the tank has cycled. Either will work.

Also, if I were to get 10+ gals of saltwater from the ocean the next time I go fishing(water from a couple of miles out, maybe even 15+ depending on where we go), would that help the cycle since its more natural?

The vast majority of the nitrifying bacteria form a biofilm on the surfaces of rocks, sand, etc, so adding natural SW won't help much.

Can I add another filter to help the AC or is it better if I just use that money for a better skimmer?

Wait for the skimmer. Your water quality will not be helped by more mechanical filtration, but it will be helped by a good skimmer.

For the light I currently have a 22 watt flourescent strip, but I don't think its powerful enough for LR. If I change the bulb to a 10000k bulb and its fine with LR, then I'll just keep that strip.

For good coralline growth, you will probably want more light than the striplight. The live rock will function perfectly well without light, though.