Turning FOWLR into Reef...

[usefulidiot213]

Have a 100G HEX FOWLR for about 6 months now, and I want to start turning it into a reef tank. Of course I needed to upgrade a few things. Right now I use a Filstar XP3 Canister filter and a Penguin HOB bio wheel. Both do about 400GPH each. I added a couple of Maxi jets at different levels of the tank (because it a hex

) to increase my flow to about 16x. Bought a HOB fug, and just ordered a Reefstar 400W 14K to upgrade lighting. There is about 50lb of LR in there now. I am going to add about 50lb more. Most of the fish I had, I traded back into the LFS do to not getting along or not Reef safe. So right now my live stock list is
Fish:
2 Pur Clowns
1 Scooter Blenny
Inverts
1 fire shrimp (want 1 more so he has a buddy)
1 coral banded shrimp
5 pepermint shrimp
~20 Hermit
~5 turbo snails
1 brittle star
3 emrald crabs
Sense the tank is a Hex its about 33"W x 33"L x 38"H Give or Take a couple of inches.. So my questions are....
Do I need to upgrade or get anything else?

What Corals would you guys recommend I start with...?
And what would be some good fish to add?

 

[poop_head]

Well do you have a skimmer? I dont think I saw that listed and it is pretty important. Start with zoas, mushrooms, or leathers. Not sure what to suggest on fish. Just look around and see what you like.

 

[usefulidiot213]

Yeah.. I am getting a Skimmer. I didn't list that. That brings another question. I will have to get a HOB skimmer. I was looking at the Prizm Skimmer. Which is like a back pack, but I don't really know to much about Skimmers...

 

[usefulidiot213]

So I guess that I am good to go.

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by usefulidiot213
Yeah.. I am getting a Skimmer. I didn't list that. That brings another question. I will have to get a HOB skimmer. I was looking at the Prizm Skimmer. Which is like a back pack, but I don't really know to much about Skimmers...
I really havent heard alot good about Prizms..I have never used one though..You always hear more bad then good about anything though..I know where a Bak-Pak is for like $50

 

[usefulidiot213]

Yeah.. That was kinda my concern.. That I haven't really heard anything at all. I was also looking at the Coralife Super Skimmer, but it would big and bulky off the back end of my tank.. I know that's not more important then what's in the tank, but I would like the top of my tank not to look like some kinda Frankenstein monster from space with all of these different machines hanging on it...

 

[wangotango]

Aqua-C remoras are good HOB skimmers too. if you do go with the bakpak get the maxi-jet powerhead and not the rio.
-Justin

 

[usefulidiot213]

Yeah... When I started getting into this hobby I noticed that everybody said to get MaxiJets.. So I have MaxiJet burn into my grey matter at this point...

 

[shrimpi]

Everything looks like you are on the right track. Remember with a tank that deep (30-some inches) that the light doesnt penetrate STRONGLY that deep. I also have a hex - mine is like 24" deep.
Hold off on scooter blenny for a WHILE. They really need a nice population of microfauna to survive. Your fuge will do that for you and provide a great beeding ground for the pods. Get some cheato from your LFS to 'seed' the fuge and give it a kick start!
In my experience Coral banded shrimps are a NO-NO. They tend to pick on other shrimps, and arent the best community shrimp overall. A friend of mine's coral banded even attacked his fish at nite time. there are many other types of attractive shrimps, I would keep your options open to one of those. OR maybe get a pompom crab or something instead~ Just my opinion/experience here.
Jessica/Shrimpi

 

[usefulidiot213]

Originally Posted by Shrimpi
Everything looks like you are on the right track. Remember with a tank that deep (30-some inches) that the light doesnt penetrate STRONGLY that deep. I also have a hex - mine is like 24" deep.
Hold off on scooter blenny for a WHILE. They really need a nice population of microfauna to survive. Your fuge will do that for you and provide a great beeding ground for the pods. Get some cheato from your LFS to 'seed' the fuge and give it a kick start!
In my experience Coral banded shrimps are a NO-NO. They tend to pick on other shrimps, and arent the best community shrimp overall. A friend of mine's coral banded even attacked his fish at nite time. there are many other types of attractive shrimps, I would keep your options open to one of those. OR maybe get a pompom crab or something instead~ Just my opinion/experience here.
Jessica/Shrimpi
I didn't know that about Carol banded shrimp.. I might have to get something different then.. I don't really want anything aggressive. Because I don't really want to deal with it to tell you the truth. I really like the Coral beauty, but I have heard that you can have problems with Angles picking at your corals. So I am still debating that one.

The biggest problem I am going to have with this tank is the Depth.. I moved Power heads up and down for flow. So I figured that one out. Now I just need to see how the Reefstar lighting does with the depth.. I really want a Carpet anemone and a clam, but I don't know if they will get the light they will need....