converting freshwater tank to salt

geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/20#post_3545323
I don't by any means swear by an HOB. I only used them because I didn't have a sump and needed filtration. I just thought that until he could reasonably afford any and all equipment, this hobby can be quite costly, that he could use his HOBs in the sump till he can upgrade his system.
It looks like he is planning a 40 gallon sump, so the HOBs would be (IMHO) excessive. Most refugees from FW fishkeeping are focused on HOB filters, but in our hobby, as you know, these filters require more upkeep than a sump. Nevertheless, they do work just fine, but I am always looking for less work!
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
I've never had a problem with hermits killing snails for their shells. As long as the snails are a different breed than the shells the hermits use. My hermits even picked food off the shells of the snails I had. The first time I saw it I thought, "oh crap!" then I realized they were just doing maintenance on the snails.
Kind of like a cleaner shrimp.
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
I don't think I'm going to get the lionfish since he won't get along with the trigger. So would the others eat the "clean up crew"?
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
Wait so if I do the sump I don't need the HOB filters at all? And what would the fish I want eat cleaner shrimp?
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mauler http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/40#post_3545346
Wait so if I do the sump I don't need the HOB filters at all? And what would the fish I want eat cleaner shrimp?
Right - if you have a sump then HOB filtration is unnecessary. If you want, you can put a filter sock on the end of the sump entry to trap particulates, but it isn't usually necessary. A cleaner shrimp might survive lionfish or triggers or eels if the shrimp is in the tank first and the fish, and has had time to establish its shelter, and the fish are kept well fed. OTOH, it could become lunch very quickly, there's no predicting with certainty.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/40#post_3545339
I've never had a problem with hermits killing snails for their shells. As long as the snails are a different breed than the shells the hermits use. My hermits even picked food off the shells of the snails I had. The first time I saw it I thought, "oh crap!" then I realized they were just doing maintenance on the snails.
Kind of like a cleaner shrimp.

LOL...The kind of shells hermits like!.... anything they can fit their back side in is the type they want. They don't just kill them for their shells, they eat them for snacks.

Hermits grow, and each time they grow they need a larger shell, once they reach a certain size they are too mean to keep, that includes eating your fish if they could get that big in our tank. As long as you keep supplying larger shells they will keep growing...that growth doesn't happen over night it takes years, and most hermits die in our tanks because they can't find a shell large enough before they are stuck in the shell they are in and can't get out. They are crabs, and it isn't their fault, it's their nature. The ocean is a cruel world.

Mauler,
UUMMM...I think the answer is yes they will eat them too. From the research I just did... nothing is safe with a trigger, not even an urchin according to what I just read, they can even munch on rock to get at critters to eat. Sea cucumbers and urchins are the CUC I thought would be safe to get for such a tank of fish. Geridoc says it's a big maybe if they are in the tank first... I wouldn't do it. JMO
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
So I should use urchins and sea cucumbers as my clean up crew? And the trigger doesn't go after other fish it's own size does it?
 
hookem0981

hookem0981

Member
Here is what I would do in your situation.. you can go buy a 40 Gal breeder from ***** or petsmart.. buy some glass sealant.. then go to home depot or lowes and purchase some plexi-glass that is cut for you there.. to seal inside the sump. make sure you have decent thickness .. maybe somewhere between 1/4" to 1/8".. what you will do is have 3 sections in the sump.

| | |
| in | | | | return |
| skimmer | | refugium | pump |
----------------------------------------------------

here is a rough idea.. whatever panels of pexiglass you glue to the bottom.. those will be the same length to determine how high the water level will be.. make sure you consider how deep your skimmer will need to sit.. and also make sure you know how much back siphon space in the event of power loss.. i'm not sure if you plan on doing a Hang on Bang overflow or have a built in?
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
It would have to be a hang on overflow and I'm still confused on the sump though cause if you glue panels in it how would the water flow through it?
 
hookem0981

hookem0981

Member
this is how you glue on the panels.. the water will flow over the lowest panels.. but basically after leaving the skimmer compartment it will go between 3 glass walls.. the water will flow underneath the center wall and over the outside 2 walls.. you can adjust the height of the first wall to what your skimmer needs as far as water height. the water will flow underneath the center and back up over the third panel into the refugium... then you can simply put in 1 panel for the last.. hope the illustration helps
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mauler http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/40#post_3545365
So I should use urchins and sea cucumbers as my clean up crew? And the trigger doesn't go after other fish it's own size does it?
in my experience with a piccaso trigger wich is very simallr to the trigger you want. the two things that are left in my cuc that he dident kill are a serpent star and a medeum sized scarlet hermit. i would just get a bunch of hermits because the size fish you want they will not get botherd by them and the trigger cant really hurt them. they will get picked up and droped every now and then but can tuck back in ther shell fast enough to avoid the triggers chompers. they also stur up the sand bed when they crawl around and they will pick your rocks clean. and letts not forget about the bristle worms.
 
hookem0981

hookem0981

Member
yeah the glass is going to only be between 9-12 inches in height.. depending on how deep you want your refugium and skimmer...
 
mauler

mauler

Active Member
It kind of helped how do you get the middle panel higher? And alright and actually which one is less aggressive the piccaso or rectangle?
 
hookem0981

hookem0981

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mauler http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/40#post_3545392
It kind of helped how do you get the middle panel higher? And alright and actually which one is less aggressive the piccaso or rectangle?

Just glue the side of the panels in... pretty easy.. what you can do is install the middle panel first by placing a book underneath it to sit on.. and two books on each side also to keep it in place.. then when that sets.. you can add on the bottom panels..
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mauler http:///t/397664/converting-freshwater-tank-to-salt/40#post_3545392
And alright and actually which one is less aggressive the piccaso or rectangle?
to tell you the truth they are pritty much the exact same fish but with slightly different colors. over all if housed properly they are not agressive at all. but thes triggers requier the same care so its all about wich one you perfer. i will give you this pointer get used to feeding them by hand because if they eat from the surface they will likely develope blatter problems and die. but i perfer the piccaso because they have britter colors.
 
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