need some tank help

[debbie]

Hi, I have a 25 gal tank that I am thinking about turning into salt. I have one flourescent light tube in there and would like to know what would be the best kind of tube to put in this tank for the purpose of keeping some mushrooms, polyps, xenia, ricordia etc and other easy keeping corals with out changing the type of canopy I have but replacing it with the right kind of tube?
Also, how many fish can be kept in this 25 gal tank?
What would the water change schedule be in a 25 gal tank?
:happyfish :happyfish

 

[weep no more]

Debbie, it seems that you and I want to do the same thing. I like the nice attractive, neat look of the hood which came with my 29 gallon and have been asking for help in getting the strongest light replacement which could be used; but, I have not had anyone answer the post that I submitted. Maybe everyone is tired of answering the lighting question. I don't know; but, I wanted something without having to make a huge investment. Also, I am not skilled at making the do it yourself cabinetry that I have seen on this board. Hang in there. Maybe someone will respond and help us both. Good luck!

 

[leheath]

I am by no means an expert, however I have done alot of research recently and my understanding is that you need 3-4 watts of light per gallon to keep the corals you suggest, so you need at least 75W. I am not sure what wattage the bulb you have is, but I know you can get regular fluorescent tubes up to 40W, so you need two of these. If you hood only has one, perhaps you could find a way to add another - some of the 'retrofit kits' are supposed to be quite easy even for a complete novice DIYer! Hope that helps a bit!
As for what you can keep, I have a book (often recommended on this board) called The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta and I highly recommend it. In addition to all the basic info for starting a saltwater aquarium, it has specific setup and stocking advice for a 15-20 gallon tank. His suggestions are that 3-5 total fish may be added to such a tank (provided appropriate filtration is setup, including live rock, a powerfilter for mechanical filtration, and preferably a protein skimmer). He makes specific recommendations as to which fish would be most suitable together in a tank that size, but it is a bit long to post here since this message is already a bit long. If you want more info email me at leheath8@yahoo.com. He suggests weekly water changes for this setup.
Hope this helps and good luck