My 55G FOWLR Conversion to Reef

[Desert Aquarium]

Well, I've had this tank/substrate/filtration setup for about 4 years now. As you know, by my plethora of questions, it's time I decided to go reef.

I took some pictures tonight to document the start of my conversion. First, my plans:

• Change TSB to DSB by adding sand to my mixed substrate
• Get new test equiptment, phosphates, nitrates, refractometer
• T5 lighting
• New Heater
• New Skimmer

Now the pictures:

 

[egdevilboy]

nice structure w/ the rocks.

Check into some ledge pieces for overhangs etc... But yea lookin good so far.

 

[TekCat]

also get some powerheads or closed loop for circulation.

 

[Desert Aquarium]

There are actually 2 powerheads in there, a 402 and an 802. The 802 has a copper mechanical filter on it, the 402 doesn't. I also have circulation provided by the Fluval 404 (Carbon, Kent Nitrate Sponge).

The 402 is the PH that you can see, but the 802 is fairly well hidden.

This weekend (tomorrow) in Garden Grove, I'm hoping to find the Fluval Skimmer Intake adapter piece to provide surface skimming.

Do you think I need more water movement?

 

[Blown 346]

For a reef environment you want the tank to turnover atleast 20 times an hour. If you want LPS,SPS the water current or times an hour should be higher. If you want Stonies than you might want or need more flow.

 

[Fred_J]

Even with a fish only the additional flow is useful in keeping fish waste and uneaten food from settling on the bottom so it can be removed from the water.
I am very fond of Seio 802 powerheads for most of the flow. They don't feel as strong as a similar maxijet but instead of feeling a fire hose blasting away you will feel large columns of water circulating. They are cheep versions of a tunse system which are too powerful for my 75g.

HTH
Fred

 

[Desert Aquarium]

My current plans are for a couple anenomes and maybe some shrooms.

 

[TekCat]

Shrooms don't need super-duper lights, however anemones do! Usually their lighting requirements are equal to the ones for SPS corals (of course there are some exception to that rule).

 

[Desert Aquarium]

Update:

Just got back to RC(Ridgecrest) from the land down under (Garden Grove).

Picked up about 20lbs of sand from a previously established tank from Garod, and I got about 30lbs of LR from Reefmeister. Both nice guys!

Got home, bought a kitty litter scoop and pulled all the Fiji (dead) from my tank and sifted out everything that wouldn't fall through the scoop. Then I reconstructed my scaping from the new sand and my larger pieces of LR, and all the new pieces I bought from Reefmeister.

Tank cleared up in about 3 hours, and Nemo and Dear are happy as ever.

Mission Successful.