Experienced Opinions - Please...

[kmayse]

I decided to register to this site because I've been reading your posts to educate myself on marine tanks. I value your opinions... My experience is in fresh water aquariums (cichlids mainly) for five years. About nine months ago I converted my 58 gallon tank to marine and I'm finding it very engaging and fun.

So here's the question(s)...

I have a 55 Gallon, a 58 Gallon and a 125 Gallon aquarium. I would like to downsize to running just the 125 gallon tank as a marine tank. So this brings up a number of questions about how/when/etc...

1. Most importantly, I would like to recoup as much as possible selling the two other tanks, Oscars and Cichlids, rocks, plants, air pumps, etc... Where to sell this stuff?
2. My 125 gallon tank has to 75 gallon "under tank" filters (sorry, I don't know the technical name but they are canister type). Is this sufficient?
3. Once I convert this tank, should it cycle in two months like my 58 gallon, or will it take longer?

well... I guess I will have more questions as I go... These are the first for me.

[captexas]

Welcome to MAAST and the fun of keeping a reef/marine tank. I also started with freshwater tanks and lurked on forums like this one for a long time before making the change over. Don't be afraid to ask questions, this is the place to do it and it's definately a good idea to ask and research something before jumping into it.

As far as selling your tanks, you can place an ad here in the For Sale/Trade forum and placing and ad in the local newspaper is also a good idea. You will get much more for it selling to another hobbyist than by trading it in or selling it to a local pet store.

Your 75g tank under the 125g is either considered a wet/dry filter or more commonly in the saltwater side of things, a sump. This is used to get more overall water volumn and is a great place to put your skimmer, heaters, and other equipment. A 75g tank is excellent for that size of a tank. It is really just a matter of what works for you and what you have room for once you start adding other equipment to the system.

With tank cycling, there is no set time that it takes. It is all a matter of how you do it, whether you add uncured live rock and let it take its course or simply throw a dead shrimp or two in the tank to help get it started. It is really a wait and see type thing with you testing the water parameters often and waiting till they each run through their cycle. Even then, you will only be able to add fish and inverts slowly as each time the tank will have another mini-cycle to build up its nutrient handling capabilities.

Hope that helps and again, welcome to MAAST.

[StephenA]

Your best bet is selling to another hobbyist. If you are in Austin you can put it at Aquatek for sale for sale too. A lot of times people have sticker shock when looking for a new setup and would prefer used.

Read, Read, Read and ask tons of questions! Take your time on everything you do! Ask 2 or 3 people the same question to see what answers you get.

Do you plan on a Reef Tank or Fish Only Tank?

[captexas]

Also forgot to mention one thing. One substance that is sometimes used on freshwater tanks in medications is copper. Once used on a tank, it is absorbed into the silicone of the tank and will slowly over time leech back into the water. Copper is a very bad chemical when it comes to marine/reef tanks and can cill corals and inverts even in very tiny amounts. So you should think long and hard as to what you have added to your 125 over the years so you don't have problems later after you set it up for saltwater.

[kmayse]

Thanks for the prompt responses...

I guess I should have started by giving my situation... We are laying hard-wood flooring in the house and that means moving two of the three tanks so this is my opportunity to make the change and consolidate some stuff.

captexas: I'm sorry I didn't understand what you meant when talking about the 75g tank under my tank, that would be the filter units right? I'm looking at them now and they are "75g Proquatics Canister Filter 1600". I have three of them. One on my 58 gallon tank and two on my 125 gallon tank. Will the two 75g canister filters be sufficient if I convert the 125 to salt? I also have a SeaClone Skimmer, not sure what model it is but it cost about $125 when I purchased it about 5 months ago. I was thinking the canister filters and the skimmer would work well on the 125 and I could sell the other equipment. Sorry for the drawn-out explaination...
I also have one CoralLife light (I think its a 125watt light)...

I'm planning on a Fish-Only tank (I think) I'm really not sure but my two year old really likes to watch the fish so I don't think Corals-Only would be an option.

Let's do this... Now that I understand where to sell the items... What items would you keep and how would you apply them...

I have the following...

3 X 75g Proquatics Canister Filter 1600
1 X SeaClone Skimmer
1 X CoralLife Light
1 X 125 Gal Aquarium (I would like to keep this tank only)
1 X 58 Gal Aquarium
1 X 55 Gal Aquarium
2 X Air Pumps
2 X AquaJets
1 X Sump Pump (I got it in a trade and don't know how to use it, but it is evidently a good one)

I'll post photos of my tanks shortly...

Thanks again, Now I'm going to ask a TON of questions. Your patients is appreciated.

Kevin

[StephenA]

You can have plenty of fish in a Reef Tank Too.

[kmayse]

Thanks Stephen...

Here are the photos...

[captexas]

OK, I was thinking you meant a 75gallon tank under the 125g tank that was acting as a sump or wet/dry filter.

Really, the canister filters just tend to produce a lot of nitrates unless the are cleaned constantly. If I were you, I would use the 58g tank as a sump and refugium. You can build compartments in it to allow for your skimmer and other stuff. The best thing for you to do is to find a few people that have saltwater tanks and visit them. This gives you a chance to see some different ways to set up tanks and find out their positive and negative experiences. That way you can figure out what you would like to do or what would work better in your situation. Don't just go by what someone tells you at a fish store as they are usually out to sell you everything you can afford.

You haven't mentioned where you are from, but here in San Antonio there is Aquatic Warehouse by the airport and CB Pets out near Bulverde. In Austin there is Austin Aquariums and Aquatek. If you are up there, drop by Aquatek and ask for Bruce. He is a manager and will tell you straight out whether you can or can't have something in a tank. He will also tell you to do as much reading and research as well on things.

As far as corals/reef tanks and fish only tanks go, there is a big difference in what you need. Most corals need lots of light and fish don't. The lights you have would be just fine for a fish only tank with some live rock thrown in. Of course, more intense lighting costs more money and can also require a taller canopy if you go with halides. Corals also need more stronger water current in the tank while fish don't. If you want corals, you will either need stronger pumps or more powerheads, which of course cost more and can affect the size pump you have on your sump if you set one up. Corals also require better water conditions and more nutrients and chemicals (calcium, buffer, magnesium, and others) to prosper while fish tend to just need good food. Also keep in mind that if you really are drawn to the saltwater fish as I tend to be, many of them are not really suited for true reef tanks as they will nip at corals and also many of them grow to be large fish that need lots of swimming space. A 125g is a good tank to start with as it allows you lots of options no matter what you decide.

Really it is up to you and what you are interested in and willing to invest in. With what you have, you could set up a fish only tank or fish with live rock tank. There are also a few soft corals that don't require much light and might work as well. There are hundreds of different ways to setup a saltwater tank and not one of them can be labeled as perfect or the best way to go. As I said, the best thing to do is to check out as many tank setups as you can and hopefully you will find something you like or get some ideas off of one of them.

Try to make it to next months club meeting that will be at RobertG's house. It's a great opportunity to check out his tank and talk with a bunch of other hobbiest.

[MikeDeL]

Thanks for the prompt responses...

I'm planning on a Fish-Only tank (I think) I'm really not sure but my two year old really likes to watch the fish so I don't think Corals-Only would be an option.

When I firsted started up I said the same exact thing. Thanks to the rock I got from Jim N that had some shrooms and star polyps, it didnt take long for me to change my mind, and start looking into adding corals. Now Im looking in to adding more lighting and getting another powerhead. This hobby is more addictive then crack. Now Im feeling like an addict, spending every dime I can on something for the tank, and sneaking it in without my fiance seeing it. Sorry I couldnt provide you with any technical info but I thought I would warn you about that comment. :)


Mike

[StephenA]

I'd take captexas advise and go visit several tanks. I wish I had done that before I set mine up. I was atleast lucky enough to have met Bruce at AquaTek first. Go visit several stores in your area and go to our next meeting! The information you will gain is priceless!

[MikeP]

The canister filters you can use for water movement and they are great for running carbon or phospate removing agents. I have tried in the past to use them for water movement and just fill the filter with live rock rubble - it ends up being a decent cryptic filter - just don't use any floss or sponges.

[dan]

you can come over and look at my tank if you want. just give me a pm. i have what most would call a full blown reef. be more than happy to show you and answer any questions you might have on starting salt water.

[kmayse]

Thanks for the offer Dan... I may take you up on that. Right now I'm looking a coordinating all of this... It's going to be difficult to move the 58 gallon tank that houses my current marine fish (I've got to move it to lay down the new flooring in the home) and then empty out the 125 gallon tank and set it up for salt... then it has to cycle so I can move the fish from the 58 gallon... :shock: I have a feeling this is going to be a LOONGGG process... I'll continue to ask questions as I go.

Thanks again, I'm off to the stores and such to check out their setup(s) and I will consider attending the next meeting.

Kevin

[GaryP]

Kevin,

You may be able to find a few people to babysit your fish while you are doing the remodeling. Of course that would depend on what they are. It may be hard to get them back out again.

Gary

[1salt]

I'd go here www.cichlidtrader.com to sell your tanks and Cichlids. There are a lot of Cichlid hobbiest that visit this site all the time & it's state wide...

Hope this helps.

[wkopplin]

Cichlidtrader is a great site to sell your fish. I traded all of my Cichlids into a lfs and used the credit to get equipment for my SW system. You are welcome to check out my system anytime you like.

[brewercm]

Just for info purposes, wkopplins setup is awsome. Something I'd really like to do once we move.