New to hobby, setting up 150 g. questions if you have time!!

L

lucky777

New member
I've been keeping every type of cichlid for 20+ years but this is my first time going salt. I've been reading and I have some questions if you don't mind.


First it's about rock. After reading and watching some videos I'm confused wetter to go live or dry rock to start. So the idea is if I buy live I might get parasites down the road and that is the risk with live along with cost? If I buy dry I will have to seed it with some live and wait a while and my potential issue is phosphates that might leech over time causing algae blooms?
I was considering going with dry for cost savings and i really dont want to go through potential issues with parqsites down the road if i can avoid it. So realisticly whats the chance of issues with dry rock? Is there a big difference with phosphates between dry rock from land and water, is it only the stuff that come from land that is an issue? I can buy 40 lb boxes of south sea base rock cheap locally and was considering it for base. Worried since it's from land. I was originally looking for pukani but cant find any around here.

Should I go live or dry? Should I bother with acid bath if going dry? Is it pointless if phosphates are through the whole rock and not just exterior layer?

Second is my lighting. All I have is 2 dual T5 36" fixtures. How far will this get me? I'm looking for a reef tank not a fish tank.

Third do I even have to worry about the reef cycling if I have my fx5 full of cycled media from my fresh water tank? I don't plan on adding fish for months but just asking? Should I even be running my fx5 on a salt tank? I don't have a sump so that all I have.

All I have is my 150 with lights heaters a couple korilias and maxijets. Fx5 ac110s . What other gear should I look at to start?what's the most important to get first? I just really want to plan this out before I begin.
As a first timer do you have suggestions of things I should research, any articles?

Thand in advance
 
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I started with dry rock. I threw a raw shrimp into the tank and let it cycle. Then I proceeded to buy a few frag's. I ended up infested with aptasia GHA cyanobacteria and vermetid snails. A few peppermint shrimp ate the aptasia and the Gha is going away and the cyano is yet to be determined. So I would say to save money dry rock is fine.
The lights are also fine to get started, just replace the bulbs and you can upgrade in the future.
About the fx5 I would ditch it and do a sump. With a 150g you will need a place to have an ATO, skimmer, heaters, dosing pumps if you are coral heavy in the future and reactors ect. my sump makes my whole system neater and easier to manage, plus that's where I house my convicted criminals. :wave: good luck
 
I have a 150g and I agree with the sump. What you have if fine to get started and cycled but go for the sump as soon as you can.
 
A sump is your friend for many reasons. Here's the top 2 (at least IMO)

1. Increased total volume. For my 150DT, I have a 50g sump (filled ~ 1/2) and a 120g refugium. Total volume ~275g. Increased volume equals increased stability.

2. A place out of sight to put your protein skimmer, heaters (at least 2 - they fail and it's much less likely to boil/freeze your tank that way), reactors for GFO and Carbon, filter sock(s) if desired, dosing pumps, and if you choose internal vs external, return pump. I also keep some "leftover" live rock down there - extra biological filtration.

As for the canister filter - it is currently seeded with freshwater bacteria - they are of no use in a marine aquarium - unless you plan on getting your cycle started with their inevitable die-off. It would have to be cleaned and filled with marine appropriate media. Better to keep if for big clean ups when you can just stuff it with pillow stuffing to pull out the major funk.

Having run successful systems with a sump and another with a HOB filter and canister, I have to say without a doubt that a sump is pretty much a must, especially with a tank that size. My sumpless system was a 60g cube and was doable, but a lot of work.

If the tank is not already drilled, you can easily do that yourself, or talk to your LFS - they can do it or point you to a local who can. Sure, you'll have to run some pvc plumbing, but that too is very easy. Plenty of examples here on RC!

I would suggest reading the stickies at the top of this forum. They can talk you through everything you'll need to know.

hth
 
Ok thank you. I think I have lots of reading to do. I had $1000 to start the conversion but Im quickly finding out iit might take way more then that just to get started. Hmm
 
Stand - Depending on what you are looking for and your DIY skills, $150 and up
Sump - Petco $1/g sale and a 40 breeder is yours for $40ish plus a few pieces of 1/4" glass for baffles, still less than $100
Submersible heaters x 2 - $75+
Reactors - $45ea at BRS
Skimmer - $300 and up new - they tend to be over rated - go for ~double total water volume
Return pump - I use a eheim 1262 on my 120, $190, a DART on my 150, $$315
ro/di unit - less than $200
Lights - depends what you plan to keep. Fish don't care, corals can make it pricey, but you have a year or so to worry about that while your system cycles and gets established - could be $300, could be $3000:eek1:

So you are looking at about $1000+ for everything except lights.

Much can be gotten used - especially skimmer, reactors, and ro/di, although by the time you replace all the filters, it's close to a wash on that.

Even lights can be had at a good price used if you look around.
 
I'm guessing you in USA? Prices are almost double here in Canada on a lot of items unfortunately.

I do have the heaters 2 new 300w jagers. I do have two complete 20s and a 55 I have running for quarantine and holdings . So I guess I do have the tanks needed. Im googling now to figure out what reactors are

Do I need to drill or can i usr hob overflow. Is there any disadvantage to either?

My concern right now is how to fit my 55 under the stand. I have a prebuilt setup with canopy and there in center braces in front and back between sets of doors. Maybe a 33 gallon could fit but not sure of my 55.

So if I put a sump underneath I will put heaters, reactors, live rock, unwanted pests or cleanup crew and a pump to pump back to tank? Am I missing anything else? So there is no filtration through other media?

No one has mentioned the dry rock yet, any opinions?
 
The SETTING UP sticky at top of forum will help you a lot. [top]
I've set up both dry and wet/very live and half-dry---and given my choices, I'd go 'very live' or half-live. I really mourn the house-move that accidentally overheated my rock and sent me back to 'bacteria only.' I had some real neat critters that perished in that.
 
For cycling of you don't want to add fish do it with hermit crabs and snails. I've always used live rock and never had a problem but there could always be parasites in it. As for the sump, the sooner the better. They are very helpful for many reasons explained above, along with additional reasons when/if you decide to keep fish (they are great copepod and other organism breeding sites). Good luck with your new tank!
 
Fishmaster13 said:
For cycling of you don't want to add fish do it with hermit crabs and snails. I've always used live rock and never had a problem but there could always be parasites in it. As for the sump, the sooner the better. They are very helpful for many reasons explained above, along with additional reasons when/if you decide to keep fish (they are great copepod and other organism breeding sites). Good luck with your new tank!
Click to expand...

NO! Don't add anything that is LIVE other than Live Rock, if you choose to use it. I always start with dry rock - it's cheaper and much easier to aquascape because you can just keep arranging until you like it, then add sand and water.

The HOB overflows can (will eventually?) not work and cause your tank to overflow. A drilled overflow with properly sized sump cannot.
 
I would a fishless/creature free cycle for sure. I'm in no rush.

Do you silicone the hile when you drilling it or just use a gasket?
 
lucky777 said:
I'm guessing you in USA? Prices are almost double here in Canada on a lot of items unfortunately.

I do have the heaters 2 new 300w jagers. I do have two complete 20s and a 55 I have running for quarantine and holdings . So I guess I do have the tanks needed. Im googling now to figure out what reactors are

Do I need to drill or can i usr hob overflow. Is there any disadvantage to either?

My concern right now is how to fit my 55 under the stand. I have a prebuilt setup with canopy and there in center braces in front and back between sets of doors. Maybe a 33 gallon could fit but not sure of my 55.

So if I put a sump underneath I will put heaters, reactors, live rock, unwanted pests or cleanup crew and a pump to pump back to tank? Am I missing anything else? So there is no filtration through other media?

No one has mentioned the dry rock yet, any opinions?
Click to expand...

I'm in Canada, too. Where specifically are you? Here in Windsor, Ontario we have an awesome group of reefers who met through a local reefing forum. We help each other out all the time. We loan equipment, swap frags and livestock and help with advice and labour if needed. Lots of used stuff for sale on kijiji and our forum, too. But let me suggest before you buy anything used or new, put your questions to the groups. Good luck! And if I can help, let me know. We all started out just like you...
Michelle
 
lucky777 said:
Cornwall. Just between ottawa and montreal.
Click to expand...

Have you checked to see if there is a local reefers forum in your area? Reef Central is my go to for information (thanks, all!) but my local forum is invaluable to me. I have met a great group where we loan out and/or borrow equipment, share frags, and help each out as needed.

Good luck with your tank! Michelle
 
No unfortunately I live in a small town and there is no group that I know of. I was part of OVAS in ottawa ontario but I moved from there. It would be a lot easier to see and understand if someone could show me and give the tips and tricks. I think as I get into it more I'll meet some local people over time. Ty
 
So I think the plan is to use my 55g as the sump and leave it in the basement wich is on the wall below my tank. Will it be hard on the pump to pump 6 to 8 feet on the air?

If I understand that way I could do all my water changes maintenance just in the sump and not bring the maintenance upstairs?
 
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