It's Contagious!

[imurnamine]

Heeeeyyy guys.
I'm back... kind of. : )
This time, it's not for me.
My fiance is getting ready to start up his first saltwater tank!
This is what he has:
My old 30-something gallon All-Glass Aquarium
Stand
My old Bio-Wheel filter (to which I never had a problem with)
Two powerheads
Okay. So, Mr. Chris wants to take a different route than I did with that tank. He intends to turn it into a reef. That is, after I told him he couldn't have a Puffer or an Octopus (he was devastated, really...). He is far more interested in inverts and 'odd things' than anything. Especially the beautiful clams and odd-coloured/shaped crabs. Because of this, I don't know how to help him. I'm a FOWLR kind of girl. : )
So, how would you guys set up this tank? I need it step by step.
He wants to spend around $200.00 on just the sand and rock, buying it from a local VERY great hobbyist. He wants to order a lot of his animals from SWF, sooo...
What would you guys do? : )

 

[earlybird]

Well clams need halides for one so that's more than 200 right there. He can start with invert only until he can get the halides. Basically a nice cleaner package with a variety of different hermits, crabs, shrimp and such. For a reef tank a sump isn't necessary but very beneficial especially if he adds a fuge.

 

[reefkprz]

well a lot of the Cool shaped/looking crabs and stuff arent going to be reef safe, make sure he does his homework on whatever cool loking critter he deciders to stick into his reef. I have always considered throwing a decorator crab into my reef and letting him frag a buch of corals onto himself as well as my sponges, I have a bunch of cool sponges that would look awesome as cover for a decorator crab, I'm just afraid of losing some of my smaler more expensive frags to him.....

 

[imurnamine]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Well clams need halides for one so that's more than 200 right there. He can start with invert only until he can get the halides. Basically a nice cleaner package with a variety of different hermits, crabs, shrimp and such. For a reef tank a sump isn't necessary but very beneficial especially if he adds a fuge.

I said $200.00 on sand and rock. Nowhere did I mention that his limit on EVERYTHING was $200.00.

 

[dragonzim]

Welcome back!
Hmm, First thing I would tell him is Congratulations for getting engaged to a cutie like you!
Then I would say that after he gets his rock and sand that lighting is the absolute most important thing NOT to skimp on. He should budget himself at least $300-$400 for lights and look to get something used if he can since that will definitely save him some cash. Personally, I think that T5's are the way to go unless he absolutely must have the shimmer effect that you get from Metal Halides. As long as he gets a fixture with good, individual reflectors like a TEK or an Aquatinics he should be able to keep anything he wants, including clams and SPS corals.

 

[imurnamine]

Welcome back!
Hmm, First thing I would tell him is Congratulations for getting engaged to a cutie like you!

Thaaaanks!
Okay, he also wants to go on the route of a topless tank. Ohhh fun. : )
Sooo what could you do about that, light-wise?

 

[b-baby80]

Hey i'm in Harvest and my husband works in decatur.Cool i know who to hunt down when i need help

 

[imurnamine]

Oh my goodness! Let's be friends!!
I'm for serious.

 

[b-baby80]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
Oh my goodness! Let's be friends!!
I'm for serious.

Totally!Hey could you go with me to look at the tank?the man is in decatur!

 

[b bauer]

my son saw your avatar and is trying to get his girlfriend to do the helmet thing she says NO

 

[imurnamine]

Sure, I'd be more than happy to.
Also, I could show you a shop that I like to go to that is in Athens. : )

 

[b-baby80]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
Sure, I'd be more than happy to.
Also, I could show you a shop that I like to go to that is in Athens. : )
Awesome i wasn't very impressed by the Aquarium shop in Huntsville!Pm me your ##

 

[imurnamine]

I've heard they're dissapointing.

 

[imurnamine]

Originally Posted by b bauer
my son saw your avatar and is trying to get his girlfriend to do the helmet thing she says NO

I'm just showing my football pride. : )

 

[rcoultas]

Welcome back!
Hmm, First thing I would tell him is Congratulations for getting engaged to a cutie like you!
Thaaaanks!
Okay, he also wants to go on the route of a topless tank. Ohhh fun. : )
Sooo what could you do about that, light-wise?
Are you sure he wasn't talking about you in the tank

next thing will be mud wrestling ring

 

[imurnamine]

Hahaha... ha... wow.

 

[joncat24]

Originally Posted by DragonZim
Welcome back!
Hmm, First thing I would tell him is Congratulations for getting engaged to a cutie like you!
Are you sure he wasn't talking about you in the tank

next thing will be mud wrestling ring
I dont really think that was all that necessary...

 

[joncat24]

In answer to your original post, I would look at a canopy with a retro fit Mh , t5 combo. Youcould keep whatever corals you like with both.
say 150 watt Mh and some t5 for actinic supplementation