Been contemplating a reef for a long time.

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DelmarvaLife

New member
Hey all I have been contemplating doing a Saltwater tank for a long time. everytime I think I am going to set one up I get cold feet and decided to stay freshwater. I bought a 75g RR tank 2 years ago. it is about to be broken down from being a Amazon biotope. and so I have been thinking of doing saltwater. was going to start with a fowlr set up and move to reef.

Here is what I am planning, For my sump I am going to stick with my 40g breeder. I plan on running a ATS (I know some of you will probably Flame me for it, But I have Done a Ton of research on it, and Feel It is a good filtration. plus I love DIY projects.) I will be getting a skimmer but It will take me a while to get one. I plan on using it as a backup, incase my design has a flaws. or eventually in unison. also I plan on building a live rock/foam background for my tank. while I get everything i need. I was thinking of getting Dsuny Led for my tank when I go reef. (will need help picking LED's) For now I am thinking of just using my Planted tank Led on a bluish setting or using a t8 lighting with 10,000k bulbs while I do fowlr. (have a ton of t8 shop lights.) also have 2 extra 548gph wave makers. (2 are currently being used in another tank)

Um a little bit about me I have been in the freshwater hobby for 6 years. I own a 20g tall plant only tank, a 36g S/A blackwater tank, A 75g RR tank that was my blackwater tank, (now only home to a bristlenose Pleco who will go into my 36) and a 240g Planted community (actually just setting it up only has a few fish in it)

I would love to do the 240 gallon as a saltwater tank. But a few things about the tank.
1.) it is not a Reef ready tank. and Drilling it isn't an option at this time. location of it is almost against the wall. can't drill bottom of tank because of foam and plywood. (tank is glass)
2.) I am running a 60g plywood sump that I dryloked (yes it is holding water and doing fine) But i am unsure how it would hold up in saltwater so I would need a glass tank. or make it a test tank
3.) I have a constant drip system going for this tank. (can hook up a RO unit to it. with modifications)
4.) i'm on a limited budget, and so cost is a big issue, even tho I would do the same thing For the 240g as the 75g (but just on a bigger scale)
5.) I would make my own Diy base rock for this size tank. just to help reduce cost. and to help aquascape it the way I want)
6.) the tank is already planted with plants and Dirted (i do dirt tanks) and it will be a PITA to clean.

now if your still with me (sorry for long post) Can you guys through me a few suggestions. I have forgot a lot that i learned. (it happens) as far as stockings go, I really love an achilles tang, and if I could do the 240g I would love to have one. but for the 75g I haven't actually made up my mind, other than doing maybe more nano species. but I will make another thread for stocking, this is just to get startup advise and to give some background. and to say Hi (HI!) ok with all that thanks for your time.
 
Welcome to RC!

You'll need a return pump for your sump and aragonite sand for your base as well. Test kits are a must and not the same as freshwater. If doing FOwlr the just ammonia, nitrite, nitrates and phosphate will do. For reef, add calcium, magnésium, alk. More are available at your needs but those are the basic ones.

Make sure you have 2 buckets for saltwater use only and a good refractometer.

For salt mix there isn't a huge difference in price when it comes to reef of fowlr. I would recommend starting with a reef salt as it will be ready down the line.

From what I've learnt in my short time in the sw hobby, the only real big difference between reef and fowlr is flow and lighting aside from testing and dosing the trace elements.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Capsle: I guess I did leave out a few things above, I do know the basics of keeping salt tanks. As im always at petco here locally, that is because i know so much about freshwater i get asked to help out at petco and most of my friends use to work their. (They since have moved) And they have tanks of their own. So i learned some from helping out there at times. (Mostly helping new hobbiest get into planted tanks.) but i did learn the basics of saltwater. Of how to maintain it and clean it and all. But setting it up and stocking is always where i second guess myself and keeping corals (other than light) But I do have return pumps. As I run sumps on every tank I own and have a lot of return pumps I'm always changing out for one reason or another. As far as test kit I already got it for saltwater. I have been researching saltwater tanks for more than 2 years. Even bought some minor things when I bought my 75g. With all my research i did learn a lot. But I also forgot a lot as well. But I do know the basics of keeping salt I just always second guess myself and that is why I guess I come off as not knowing anything.

Gone fishing: thanks for the link I have read most of those topics more than once. And no doubt will be using that link again. Thanks.

Also please forgive me if I come off as defensive or as a know it all. That is not how I want to come across so please take my demeanor with a grain of salt. No pun intended. But I just sometimes assume people won't treat me as a complete noob until I realize they have no reason not to. Haha. So I can sound defensive and please don't take it as anything.
 
No offense taken here. It is difficult to know experience levels here in the new to hobby section. Some folks are brand spankin new while others just need some reassurance.

It sounds like you got decent plan going forward, I would suspect you will have some specific questions once the build gets going.
 
Yea. I guess I'm new in a since of not ever owning a tank but know how to keep and maintain one. I do have a question with what I am proposing how much would it cost to setup my 240g vs the 75g (lighting aside) I'm just trying to figure out if I can swing the 240g I know I probably can't just starting out. But maybe I can with upgrading Later
 
IMO/E prices do not increase much up to about 120g or so. Once you make that jump then the prices seem to really take a jump, I suspect it is a niche in a niche hobby. Price wise just for equipment I will make a guess at least 3-4K at a minimum for middle of the road equipment. The big hitters will be lights, skimmer, powerheads and return pump. I prefer an external pump on my 180g. Add on extra expense for rock sand etc.

If I recall correctly the 240 is not drilled. I would suggest trading that 240 for a "reef ready". It would really bite big time if you tried to drill and ended up with a cracked panel. Just my 2 cents worth.

Edit: I should of said as well a lot of expense is dictated by what you want to actually keep. I would sit down and make a realistic list of corals, SPS coral most demanding, and fish. This will help to only buy equipment once instead of a closet full of mistakes.
 
Well the tank was a gift from a family member so trading it is out of the question. As far as drilling it I would have it drilled professionally to make sure it was done right. But again I'm not going to drill it right now. I'm running PVC overflows on it ATM as they haven't failed me yet. I was also planning on a slow flow sump. As I was talking to a LFS an hour away last Saturday. And told him I was running a slow flow sump in my 240 right now for my planted tank and asked about if I could do the same for saltwater as its actually how I got the idea was researching saltwater sumps. He said their wasnt an issue with slow flow sumps as he had one of his tanks with a slow flow. Beings im going to be using a ATS. As my main filtration. what's everyone's take on slow flow sumps.
 
My sump is not really a slow flow, mine is setup up for equipment. Skimmer, pump for GFO and Carbon reactors, return pump for display refugium, heaters, place for my 2 dosing pumps to drip into, place for the ATO to go into and I drilled the end panel for the return pump suction.

If you planned on a refugium section in the sump then I think having a low flow area would be of more importance.
 
No offense taken here either. I'm new to the hobby as well be at it for 4 months, still learning and trying to help out other newbies. I DIY everything for my setup except the actual display tank and sump. I made and installed all my baffles and drilled my tank.

I have about 3000$ into my build not including livestock, I did go for more of the high end equipment, skimmer, lights, gyre and return pump. Also went live rock and live sand, my tank cycled in a week.

The bigger the tank the bigger the equipment, the bigger the water changes (more salt needed). Basically everything costs more with more gallons. If I were to estimate my build for a 240g (which I am in the process of planning) i would say about 5000$
 
I did a 180gallon a few years back. I did it cheap. Under skimming. Large refugium. Cheapo ebay like lighting.
Coral grew very well and it was easy to keep. I didn't try to keep the most challenging corals but everything I did went from a frag to a colony in about a year. Too bad I moved and sold the tank. I wish I could go big again.
 
I know if I kept the big tank strictly a fowlr it be cheaper. Less equipment. If and when I do corals I was thinking of more soft corals and maybe some harder corals but nothing to demanding. I tend to like more soft corals then any other. Also some of the fish I like aren't coral friendly. But won't fit in a 75. But I do love a reef tank.

It hard to say OK the 75 is going to be my saltwater tank. When you constantly look at the big 8'x2'x2' tank and think "man if I did saltwater I could scape it like this. And have this fish and this and that" realizing it ain't as simple as that. Big tank Big dreams. Small budget.
 
DelmarvaLife said:
When you constantly look at the big 8'x2'x2' tank and think "man if I did saltwater I could scape it like this. And have this fish and this and that" realizing it ain't as simple as that. Big tank Big dreams. Small budget.
Click to expand...

This is the harsh reality! No only for the financial part but it also comes down to space as well. I have the space, but not the unlimited budget :sad2:

Slowly but surely I will get my big tank setup, but for now I'm growing my frags and small fish in my tank, it's coming along nicely.

Good luck!
 
I agree, I started small and it took me a few years to acquire equipment for my 180g. I kept an eye out for sales and eventually got there.

FWIW I have seen quite a few folks that jumped in on the deep end with a big tank and whether it was budget, time constraints or a combination they ended up not being happy.
 
Yeah I think I am going to go with the 75g BUt now I am thinking of doing my own base rock maybe doing a foam/rock wall scape. only because I hate looking at stacked rocks. (why I never got into african cichlids) But what do you guys think of Diy Rock. My biggest issue is going to be the cure time as I have little patients.
 
I keep reading in your post " On a Budget". This Hobby can take a Budget and throw it to the wind. I've been in the Hobby for a long time and fish by far are more interesting. Stay with fish. Corals can be challenging and beautiful, but in all honesty the technology is still developing...very costly. Remember this Hobby requires the patience of a monk. Nothing happens quickly. It takes years to develop and learn your system. Have fun.
 
No offense fishchef: I say on a budget because Due to unfortunate circumstances I am now disabled and unable to work. But I have been able to simplify my life, and now don't have many bills that would limit me other then the necessities of living. Because I am limited everything I do takes time. Because of my "Limited Budget" I have to be patient. I can't just run out and get something, I have to save for a few months. But that is not going to stop me from wanting to get into the hobby, Plus I am always looking for deals and other ways to make something successful, that is Why I like doing Diy projects. I know That if I do my 75 as a reef It will take me more then a year for me to even be able to add that many corals. I have even thought of making a fowlr tank and doing a nano reef. Because I am home bound All i have is my hobbies. Sorry for being defensive.

that being said. I do agree with you as far as fish go. Some fish I like that aren't good with reefs Are eels lionfish, Catsharks. most puffers. So Yes I have thought of doing a predator tank. that being said I also like having emerald crabs sally lightfoot crabs and other crabs with that style shell. (not much on hermit crabs, not saying I don't like them. Just not really interested in them. other then a CUC) I guess that is why I want a reef Is because I love the color of the corals and also like the crabs that can be kept with them and I like clown fish.

I have thought about doing a nano reef tank. and a large fowlr tank. I can possibly swing a large fowlr and I know i can do a small reef. just throwing out options. maybe you guys can direct me in the best way to go.
 
Well I have decided on doing a 40g breeder as a reef. I feel starting out instead of getting over my head it is just large enough to support a few fish, and small enough not to Bust my budget. few things I like to ask. I have the 40g tank. Was going to do an ATS like i stated above. few things I want to ask. is Florida reef rock a good rock? Is it porus enough. also should I make my own rock? (my local Lfs only sells Florida reef rock. for dry base rock.) um I have about 15 pounds of rock a friend before he moved gave me from his tank. He let it dry out before I got it. So i plan on buying about 30lbs of dry rock and about 10 pounds of Live. Is there anything I need to do for the Rock my friend gave me?

Also I been researching DSB vs SSB vs BB and Have to say I like DSB's what is everyones take on that?

And also I was thinking of Dsuny Led's, how are they for Soft corals and SPS?
 
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