What would you do with this setup? What can I do with it?

noj3333

noj3333

New member
So I'm new to the hobby, and like a lot of other people here I could use some advice so I don't waste time and money, or kill a lot of things. I do have some experience with salt water tanks, my Dad had a 150 gallon tank, but he broke it down about 15 years ago. When he had his tank I loved working on it, and I remember some of the trials and tribulations he went through. That being said, here's my set up.
-45 Gallon Marineland Reef tank and stand
-Coralife Power Compact Light, it came with the standard bulbs (1x65W Actinic 03 + 1x65W 10000K & 2 Lunar LED's)
-Refugium (professionally made, this is new technology to me, in the past we had 6 canister filters for our old set up)"¦ I have more homework to do on getting this set up and running properly.
-Coralife Refigum T-5 light
-Mag7 pump
-Aquaticlife Mini Protein Skimmer

I bought all these things used, the person was upgrading to a 90 gallon and he claimed everything was only used for about 3 months"¦ My questions are:
-What would you do with this setup?
-With the current setup, what could I keep: LPS Corals? Clams? NPS? SPS? Anemonies?
-Are the simple changes I could make that would expand what I could keep, ie adding some retrofit LED's?
-I've been reading a lot, and I'll continue to, but any other advice is welcome!
Thanks!
 
I am no expert, but keep with simple softies like zoas, ricordia, etc. Wait for along time and for your tank to mature before trying sps and anemone.
 
I'm in no rush to try something like SPS, but would this setup keep them happy and healthy? Would it work for Zoas and Ricordia?
 
PC light is the weakness in the setup, try sticking with medium lighting stock, adding a couple led strips would certainly help though and let you do some hard corals and higher light nemesis. no rush though as said above let the tank establish over a few months before considering any difficult stuff.
 
I figured the lighting was the weak spot... Is an upgrade needed for basic corals or mushrooms? If so, any opinions on how to upgrade in a cost effective manner?
I was thinking
1) Something like the Marineland Reef LED (18-24 inch about $180)
2) A second PC Coralife, just like the one I have on there now (again about $180)
3) Something else????
 
Basic stuff like shrooms will do fine. I would save up for a good t5ho fixture or quality led I don't know a lot about the marineland led heard mixed things. tek and catalina make good t5s.
 
Well first thing is the lights obviously. PC lights will produce enough light to support corals but I would look into a T5 light at least. It gives better options for lighting Also better growth as it has a better range of light. Thats if you dont wanna fork out the cash for some LEDs lol

Im not sure what the refugium is your talking about but a pic would be nice

The skimmer is way under-rated for 45 gallons. Aquaticlife 115 skimmer is for max 30 gallons. You would want to look into something different.

Is the setup drilled or have overflows?

I would start with softies and move up as your learn more about corals. There is alot to learn lol

For fish stock list any of these types of fish will do:

Gobies, blennies, firefish, clowns (except clarkii or maroons), dwarf angels, basslets, dottybacks, and i think thats most of them , yet there are some exceptions.
 
Either softies or hardy lps like caulestra, hammer, frogspawn, if you topoff with kalk water.

I'd go very small on the fish, gobies and blennies, one chromis, or one azure damsel, dartfish if you have a jump barrier, royal gramma: keep the fish small and you can have a very beautiful reef. Corals don't mind being crowded, and they ARE filters, replacing those 6 cannisters, eh? Coral, aragonite sand, and enough rock, and you can have an ecosystem with small fish running at nearly 0 nitrate and with a fuge full of cheatomorpha algae and pods, you'll have far less algae problem. Plus free fishfood. The pods get through the pump and small fish love them. You're too small for a dragonet, but a small-species wrasse (you can't have those two together) might be entertaining and colorful, like a flasher or fairy) ---
HTH. These middle-small tanks are really great as reefs, because while they won't support many fish, they do great for tiny fish, and you can absolutely pack them with corals. T5 lights 10000k with that fuge and cheatomorpha and you're golden.
 
sponger0 said:
Well first thing is the lights obviously. PC lights will produce enough light to support corals but I would look into a T5 light at least. It gives better options for lighting Also better growth as it has a better range of light. Thats if you dont wanna fork out the cash for some LEDs lol

Im not sure what the refugium is your talking about but a pic would be nice

It's a Aqueon Model #1 Sump.
http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-34500-ProFlex-Model-44-55-Gallon/dp/B0036S1FQG

The skimmer is way under-rated for 45 gallons. Aquaticlife 115 skimmer is for max 30 gallons. You would want to look into something different.

Do you have a recommendation for a skimmer that would work with the sump I have?
Is the setup drilled or have overflows?
It has overflows drilled in the back of the tank, not the bottom.
I would start with softies and move up as your learn more about corals. There is alot to learn lol

For fish stock list any of these types of fish will do:

Gobies, blennies, firefish, clowns (except clarkii or maroons), dwarf angels, basslets, dottybacks, and i think thats most of them , yet there are some exceptions.
Click to expand...
 
The only thing i dont like about those sumps is they limit your space for a skimmer. Most likely you would want to put the skimmer in the 2nd section. Do you know what the foot print is for that space? Thats gonna be a big deciding factor on what skimmer you can use.
 
Thanks for the advice Sk8r...
Yeah, we ran the canisters on the old tank, 150 gallon, but those days have passed.
What kind of pods are you taking about for the fuge? I know I'm going to run a ball of cheta in the middle chamber, but what about the pods?
Also, one of the guys at the LFS recommended I keep mineral mud, topped off with sand and live rock in the fuge? Does that sound correct?
As far as the lighting does, would a duel t5 work well, or should I go with a setup the offers more bulbs?
 
I run a dual T5NO over my 55g fuge my macros grow good. I keep a sand bed and unused LR in there as well as it serves as my prison for bad display tank inhabitants. copepods, amphipods should be added to the chaeto.
 
i agree w sk8r if you want to add lighting..led is the way to go...the e bay lights are ok.for the money you cant beat them...they have them that are 3 watt as well...if you are a little more of a do it your selfer ..you can get a rapid led set up the plug and play kits are simple for the inclined..

if you are from the canister filter days before the Internet ...you will be amazed at the information you an find here..
 
Pods or copepods and amphipods are little algae-eating bugs that live and breed in a good ball of cheato. Fish eat them. And they can even get through an Iwaki pump with all their legs intact. THat's how small they are. But corals and fish love them, and if you have enough pods you have FAR less algae film problem.
 
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