Help on Starting a 30 gallon reef

[smknsmly]

I want to convert my 30 gallon FW to a reef tank. I want to do it reasonably cheap with maybe just a HOB fuge. Will this be enough for this size tank? With a 150 halide, powerhead, and hang on back fuge be a good setup? Wthe 150 halide provide the plenty of light for the fuge? Thanks

 

[stanlalee]

the halide will be plenty for the tank itself and you really dont need a fuge to convert. All I did was keep the fish load low and eventually started adding corals once I bought sufficient lighting (196w pc). when I did put a fuge on it I just went with a $10 walmart 10 gallon.
this was before I had a fuge and I had zero issues (matter of fact the one and only issue I ever had was setting up the fuge and allowing the 24hr sand storm that killed a good portion of my corals).

and fuge

 

[hagfish]

If you have a low fish load that is probably OK. But you don't mention a protein skimmer. I would definitely have a protein skimmer.

 

[smknsmly]

Thanks, that is a beautiful tank. What exactly did you have? It looks like you have a small hang on filter. Do I need one of those? How many powerheads do I need? I didnt want the hassle of plumbing in a fuge. I will be keeping the fish load low. How did you hook up the fuge? The HOB fuge I looked at had a built in protein skimmer in it, so I think that would help a lot. Thanks a lot guys! Cool tank

 

[stanlalee]

thanks! at the time all that tank had was a cheap seclone hang on skimmer (still does just in the sump now) and three powerheads (one 270gph and two mini 105gph). the HOB filter was not being used as a filter at all. its a skilter 250 (so called protein skimmer and filter all in one). only thing it was used for was to circulate water (no media, skimmer/air valve off). The most important thing I did was not go crazy with the fishload. I had one 1" false perc, one "1 four stripe damsel and one 3" lawnmower blenny who mostly just ate what grew anyway. all had been in there 6-9months before I converted it to a reef. only fed dish once every other day and corals (LPS only) target fed once a week.
this is the tank before turning it into a reef. didn't take long to get from this to above either. maybe 3 months and that was because thats about all coral I could afford to do in that amount of time.

I wouldn't worry about the fuge until down the road. Keep only a few small fish and you wont have to worry about fuges and other means of nitrate reduction.

 

[hagfish]

Originally Posted by smknsmly
Thanks, that is a beautiful tank. What exactly did you have? It looks like you have a small hang on filter. Do I need one of those? How many powerheads do I need? I didnt want the hassle of plumbing in a fuge. I will be keeping the fish load low. How did you hook up the fuge? The HOB fuge I looked at had a built in protein skimmer in it, so I think that would help a lot. Thanks a lot guys! Cool tank
For powerheads you want at least 10X turnover per hour. More is better. And try to get rid of all dead spots. I think you would be better off to buy one high quality skimmer than to get a HOB fuge that has a skimmer in it. Those skimmers aren't that great at all usually. And the HOB fuge doesn't hold that much algae. I think one high quality protein skimmer is more important.

 

[smknsmly]

Cool. Thanks guys. I have been looking into a protein skimmer. Should it be ok with a skimmer and power heads? Or do I need a small filter too?

 

[hagfish]

Originally Posted by smknsmly
Cool. Thanks guys. I have been looking into a protein skimmer. Should it be ok with a skimmer and power heads? Or do I need a small filter too?

A skimmer and powerheads are probably the most essential pieces. The HOB filters don't really do a whole lot. They are useful for running carbon though (and added flow) and you'll probably want to do that once a month or so at least. Some people run it all the time. You probably want to have some way of running carbon and other such things.

 

[smknsmly]

Originally Posted by hagfish
A skimmer and powerheads are probably the most essential pieces. The HOB filters don't really do a whole lot. They are useful for running carbon though (and added flow) and you'll probably want to do that once a month or so at least. Some people run it all the time. You probably want to have some way of running carbon and other such things.
Any help on what the carbon helps and how often it should be done? thanks

 

[hagfish]

Carbon absorbs microscopic particles in the water. The idea is, it will take out bad things that are in the water. Although some of the good nutrients will be taken out as well. Also, it will help make your water look crystal clear. It is possible to run without carbon and still have very clear and healthy water though. Some run it all the time. Some just run it for a few days each month or so. You don't want to leave the same bag of carbon in though becuase the pieces of carbon can only hold so much stuff. So after a while, it's not really doing anything any more.