# move over,look out, another noob.



## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

well i can't find the thread i started,when i thought i might change
to salt water,so i'm buggin you all with a new one.
i'm starting.no going back,it's going to happen this time !!
look out here i come.:roll:
i would like a reef,not a Fish Only With Live Rock.
i'm going to convert the 4ft over to salt water,i set up my juwel rekord96 so
i can keep a couple of the fresh water,but i will have to rehome the likes of my
clown loaches  yoyos yaddayadda.
i would like a DSB of aound 4 inches.
the equipment i am trying to price up.and how to manage the filling of the tank,
do i do my first fill using LFS ready made,or do it myself. ?
anyway,just wanted to let you know that's what i'm planning.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

well its about time.

i suggest getting a RO/DI unit from the start, a bucket of salt ( and rolling it around on the floor for a few minutes prior opening to mix up what settled ) and pre mixing in a seperate container atleast 24 hours in advance. this saves a tremendous amount of money and also allows you to know whats going into the tank. 
since its your first time filling water you can mix the water in a bare bone empty tank (this time only since theres absolutely no livestock, which includes sand and rock) 
get a refractometer rather then a hydrometer. you can find refractos cheap on ebay. 

do you know what kind of lighting? livestock yet? type of corals? what skimmer? 

ohh im excited!!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

:crazy:
i already have t5 lights,they;re ok right ?
i would like ..........ummmmm ohhhhhh ummmmmmmm
welllllllll a pulsing xenia and bangaii,a clown fish,shrimp.
i need to research so much.
i need to clear the freshwater tank,and find a new home for them all.
i did think about just getting aready made tank,but i don't want another big tank really.
umm yeah i'm getting excited at the thought,but i'm super scared too.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Willow, I am SUPER excited. We will give you the most hand-holding patience you have ever seen. If necessary, we will all get together, purchase passports, and fly to England.

Lets get organized. The important decisions:

1) What type and brand of sand? How deep?
2) Sump?
3) What type and brand of skimmer?
4) Lighting?
5) Source of live rock? May I recommend Marco Rocks The finest aquarium rock available, base rock, live rock, reef rock, marco rock, reef tank saltwater fish, live corals, Marco rocks, Fiji live rock, Tonga Live rock I bought Fiji. Recently ordered KeyLargo. Will provide feedback.

This should cover the guts and glory. In my setups, I do not distinguish between FOWLR and reef. I set everything up the same. Natural is the way to go, with live rock and an awesome kick-butt high quality save the day can't go wrong Protein Skimmer.-)


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

aww bless your heart 
ok now what say you on this..............
keep the external filter and use that ? instead of getting a sump ?
live rock fiji sounds good.
4in sand bed
i don't know what type though ? sorry
lights are at the moment two T5s i need a couple more right ?
koralia power heads.... how many 4 ?
reverse osmosis kit
refractometer
test kit.
on some stuff i added it up to £616.00 already lol
now about this here protein skimmer,is this what i need ?

i took this image off the internet.
how much sand would i be needing for my tank ?
thanks guys you the best.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

That Skimmer is a SeaClone, looks like the 100. If you are going reef and not using a sump, i would suggesting something a little more powerful. That being said, when it comes to affordable low cost skimmers, this one is not horrible. I have used it on a 29 gallon reef and 55 gallon FOWLR aquarium. I think you need a bigger skimmer.

How about one of these 2 options:
Berlin X2 Venturi: Berlin X2 Venturi Skimmer | Venturi Models | Protein Skimmers | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com
Coralife Super Skimmer 125: Super Skimmer with Needle Wheel - Up to 125 gallon | Venturi Models | Protein Skimmers | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com

Keep in mind, the ratings on these skimmers are a joke. You need to find something rated closer to a 125 than a 55.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

im not sure what size tank your going, but adding just a tank with a bubble trap as a super simple sump would be better then no sump. additional water volume and a place for an in-sump skimmer, heater and phos/carbon reactors. 
i personally would drill the tank and at the very least do that ( if not make a full on sump ) and get a in sump skimmer ( or even out of sump ) thats rated 150-200 gallons just so i had room to upgrade. but thats just me.

your def. going to want atleast another two t5s if not 4. you should be alright with 2 hydor Ks, depending on tank size and corals you wish to keep will determine the model #s.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

thanks guys.
ok i'll add the extra lights to the list,and look into the other stuff.
i would like to visit the LFS at the weekend,i also need to look around
at what other LFS stock marine.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Pasfur said:


> Willow, I am SUPER excited. We will give you the most hand-holding patience you have ever seen. If necessary, we will all get together, purchase passports, and fly to England.


I'm in!;-)

Also look into getting some test kits. you may have some from the FW that you kept before but FW ph testing doesn't cover SW, unless you got one that does. Not sure about the others?

I would poke around and find a club for saltwater too. Will you be using HGH down the line;-):lol:.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

Kellsindell said:


> I'm in!;-)
> thanks that's vewry kind of you.
> 
> Will you be using HGH down the line;-):lol:.


 now your taking advantag of me being a noob  lol
whats an HGH ? :shock:


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

It's part of the "Blue coral Method" we can't do it here, but it's basically:

A lot of flow (30-40xgallons)
Strong lights (9-12watts per gallon)
Papone food(for your corals it's a mixture of clams, shrimp, muscles and misc of that sort)
and the most important ingrediant-HGH or Human Growth Hormone it's used to increase the food the corals take in and increases the growth to about 16in (40cm) a year. Most of us don't get that much growth and Human Growth Hormone is illegal in the states, but apparently be found quite cheap in Europe (mainly Italy, where the technique was developed) we have to use ammino acids of many sorts to get somewhere close to this.

There are far more details in this tech, but that's just a basic outlook on it. Don't feel bad, most people don't know of this ;-).


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i have so much to learn,
and one thing i picked it is that you are not supposed to be able to use
a tank that had copper in there,well i check my food supply and 
the catfish pellets contain 3mg/kg of copper.
so now do i need to consider a different tank ?


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

To be on the safe side, i would. 

It'll cause issues down the road.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i thought so,
thank you.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

ok,i have a question...............
can you ever get rid of the copper ?
would it be possible to run a FOWLR for some time,then change the tank to reef.
don't worry i'm not doing anything yet,i sill have oodles of stuff to read about.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i'm not doing a saltwater tank now.
i would just like to say.........
sorry to get you all helping me,when now it's not happening.
it will be a malawi cichlid tank instead.:roll:


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

willow said:


> i'm not doing a saltwater tank now.
> i would just like to say.........
> sorry to get you all helping me,when now it's not happening.
> it will be a malawi cichlid tank instead.:roll:


:shock:
aww, i was looking forward to see what you could do!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i know.
still never say die !


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

ok........ i'm back........... :roll: 
and i would like my cookies,as i hear that's what you get on the dark side.
OH has given me the all clear,to sorce what i need,and what to do.
i shall rely on you all heavily if that ok,you all are my right arm.
and i hope you all forgive me for the last time. :-D


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

willow said:


> and i hope you all forgive me for the last time. :-D


As if you even need to ask! So, you are moving over to the dark side??


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi hunny.thank you. :-D
yes,yes i am.
looking forward to it too,rather frightened,but excited at the same time.


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