Question about starting reef tank.

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C

Crustman

Gambusia
MFK Member
Nov 20, 2006
618
14
18
Mobile, Alabama
I am a newbe but have started reading about reef tanks. I bought Goldsteins book and checked out Marine Aquarium problem solver. I have freshwater tanks, 120, 75 and 55 but want a small reef tank. My goal is to keep a few yellowhead jawfish in a tank. My question is what would you suggest as the minimum tank size. Do I have get all the other stuff such as calcium reactor and a C02 tank and valve. I know I need a protein skimmer and cannister filter. What about a phosphate scavenging system. The reef aquariums that I have seen have all these electronic items that go with them. Are there minimal systems that work? I know I need a RO water system but what other advice can you give me.

Thanks,

Tom
 
Anyone, oh yes I will have high light output and plan to keep some hermatypic corals and Tridacna with my Jawfish. I kept Marine fish aquaria in the 80's and African anemones for my clowns but I know the science has really changed. Any suggestions, salt, light filters, etc. I may convert a 75 gallon tank to sw. Thanks
 
well hermatypic doesn't really tell us much.. are they soft, large polyp stony (LPS) or small polyp stony (SPS)?

for 2 pearlies i would have at least a 30 long, bigger of course better

the tridacna clams are going to need something like 2-4 36'' T5s over the 30 gallon and preferably halides over anything bigger
 
Thank you for this info. I will try to ask more specific questions but I am learning by reading your posts. When I kept marine fish many years ago, we had Instant Ocean Salts, tap water in our tanks, UG filters, small magnetic impeller filters and dolomite, coral sand or coquina shells for the substrate. Somehow the fish lived several years. I am a taxonomist /marine biologist and describe deep sea crustacea.
 
Crustman;2234514; said:
I am a newbe but have started reading about reef tanks. I bought Goldsteins book and checked out Marine Aquarium problem solver. I have freshwater tanks, 120, 75 and 55 but want a small reef tank. My goal is to keep a few yellowhead jawfish in a tank. My question is what would you suggest as the minimum tank size. Do I have get all the other stuff such as calcium reactor and a C02 tank and valve. I know I need a protein skimmer and cannister filter. What about a phosphate scavenging system. The reef aquariums that I have seen have all these electronic items that go with them. Are there minimal systems that work? I know I need a RO water system but what other advice can you give me.

Thanks,

Tom
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Tom, your pretty much on your way with what you have listed. I would not bother, unless needed with phosphate reactors or electronics, as when you use RO wter, this "should" be phosphate free...

When people ask what the minimum tank size is for a marine system, that question cant be answer fully unless a full stocking list is already decided upon, as that would dictate your aquarium size. Just work on the idea of bigger is better, purchase stock to suit whichever tank you buy.

Crustman;2236092; said:
Anyone, oh yes I will have high light output and plan to keep some hermatypic corals and Tridacna with my Jawfish. I kept Marine fish aquaria in the 80's and African anemones for my clowns but I know the science has really changed. Any suggestions, salt, light filters, etc. I may convert a 75 gallon tank to sw. Thanks
Click to expand...


A lot of hermatypic corals would be fine, given correct lighting. What specific Tridacna do you intend to add to the tank? Jawfish would fine as long as you provide a sandbed of around 4 inches, composed of medium grain substrate as they will need to build their tunnel complex in the tank and ensure all live rock in the tank is firmly seated on the very bottom of the tank, not resting on substrate.
 
Thanks Reefscape,

I read your informative post on setting up a reef aquarium. I found the Jawfish on Saltwaterfish.com. They are very cheap. I don't see how they can sell them for $6.00. Don't worry, I would never buy fish before a tank is fully cycled. I have other problems though. All my large fw aquaria have been treated with CopperSafe in the past so I won't be able to convert these to a reef tank. Does copper really stay in the silicon seems? It seems such a waste because the tank is an Oceanic with a matching stand. I will have to buy a new 75 and go from there. I found some lights here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330273485409
What do you think of these? They are much cheaper than the ones in Foster and Smith but I am unsure of the quality. These look like the Aqualight Pro setup that costs over twice as much.
 
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