New 55 FOWLR (Future Reef?)

[slapshot16]

Hello All,

I have been lurking for 2 months now and finally joined the forum. I had a saltwater aquarium about 13 years ago for a few years and then got married, had kids and kicked the fish habit. Now I am back. Here is my set-up:

55 gallon glass aquarium with wood cabinet stand
Glass canopy
NO Flourescent Lights
40#s crushed coral
45#s live rock
Penguin HOB filter with bio wheels, carbon and floss
Titanium 200 watt heater, digital thermometer
Air stone and separate air pump
Via Aqua 305 submersible pump/powerhead
Max-jet 600 powerhead

Up and running since 1/26/06. Amonnia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitate 0, salinity 1.019, temperature 76.5. Cycled with the rock and a few damsels. Water changes: 5 gallons distilled every 2 weeks. Test weekly.

Inhabitants:
2 blue damsels, 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 seargent majors, 1 three stripe damsel, 1 four stripe damsel, serpent star, scarlet hermit, 3 turbo snails, 5 little blue legged crabs.

A few questions:

Do I upgrade my filtration first or my lighting? I want to have a few colorful fish (flame angel, fox face, clowns and a sailfin blennie (gobie?). I would like to add some soft corals, mushrooms and then go from there. I plan on exchanging all but the blue damsels.

Advantages of a sump v. canister? I think I want to go the sump route to increase water volume and flow, house a skimmer and the heater. What are my other options? Recommendations?

Lighting: Thoughts on the Coral Life lights? Size, watts, type?

Feedback is appreciated. I will post pictures soon.

 

[biotech_chris]

Alrighty... I can only really give you advice on what's worked for me, but if you've read any of the lengthy threads, you can get an idea of how many opinions are out there.

55 gallon glass aquarium with wood cabinet stand
Glass canopy
NO Flourescent Lights
40#s crushed coral
45#s live rock
Penguin HOB filter with bio wheels, carbon and floss
Titanium 200 watt heater, digital thermometer
Air stone and separate air pump
Via Aqua 305 submersible pump/powerhead
Max-jet 600 powerhead

I started with a Fish-Only with roughly the same setup around 6 years ago and have been fairly successful. I left out the canopy and installed 4x55W power compact bulbs in the hood. (DIY kit: http://www.ahsupply.com/) 45#s of live rock is a good start, and the crushed coral is fine for a start, unless you want animals that require a sand bed. When I went reef I tossed the harder substrate and went with a mix of fine and sugar sand, to a depth of around 5-5.5 inches, depending on what's digging around. I had a fluval 404 filter, but removed that and went to a sump/skimming setup with a skimmer from AquaC (the urchin I believe). In the stand I have a 12 gallon tall and a HOB overflow that feeds the 200W heater, skimmer, return, more live rock, and such. The reason I ditched the mechanical filtration was that it turned into a nitrate factory. Not to mention filtering out any phytoplankton.

Inhabitants:
2 blue damsels, 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 seargent majors, 1 three stripe damsel, 1 four stripe damsel, serpent star, scarlet hermit, 3 turbo snails, 5 little blue legged crabs.

The damsels have been completely reef unsafe for me, and some others will agree that they're bad in any sort of invert environment. They began to chew the legs on my serpent when I added them early on. I've hear the blue-legs can get agressive toward inverts, but have never kept them. I've never had a problem with red-legs, but that could just be luck.

Do I upgrade my filtration first or my lighting? I want to have a few colorful fish (flame angel, fox face, clowns and a sailfin blennie (gobie?). I would like to add some soft corals, mushrooms and then go from there. I plan on exchanging all but the blue damsels.

It depends on your budget and time. I upgraded my filtration, and went to a skimmer/sump. Then I went from NO to PC. A number of people will argue but for the depth of my tank, also a 55, PC's work just fine, and are a bit cheaper than halides, although halides are great, especially for SPS. Just my opinion, but I'd trade the blue damsels too.

Lighting: Thoughts on the Coral Life lights? Size, watts, type?

One LFS told me 1-2 watts per gallon. If I added up the Watts on my setup it would be 4x55W and 55 gallons, but that's all bunk. What will determine your light setup, is the depth of the tank, the color spectrum you're aiming for, and the livestock you intend on keeping. 4x55 Watt Power Compacts have worked well for me. 2x55W 10000K, and 2x55W actinic.

So, sorry for the long post, but to sum up. Get a quality skimmer, go for the sump setup, and get the lighting that most closely matches your needs.

 

[slapshot16]

What do you recommed for PCs on a 55. Any particular brand?

 

[ChrisRD]

Hi Slapshot and :welcome:

Looks like Chris has already given you some good information. I also recommend going with a good skimmer.

For a tank that size that will have some soft corals in the future, personally I'd prefer VHOs over PCs. VHOs come in 4' lengths (PCs don't) and IMO the quality of VHO lamps from companies like URI (now called UV Lighting) are better quality than the PCs I have used. That said, PCs will work fine too and that is JME/JMO...

Either way, here are a few good places to look for lights:
http://www.hellolights.com
http://www.marinedepot.com
http://www.premiumaquatics.com

 

[ChrisRD]

BTW, I think you'll find it tough to add other fish with the damsels in there. They will pester most other small and/or peaceful fish...

Also, if you're not doing it already, be sure to vacuum the crushed coral when you do your water changes. It can accumulate crud over time that can create water quality issues in a reef.

 

[slapshot16]

Thanks for the links. My LFS will take the damsels back and give me a small credit towards other fish. Now I just have to figure out how catch them.

 

[Anonymous]

I've got the coralife 48" hood for my 55g. 4X65PC lighting.

FWIW, make sure your stand is solid wood, and not flakeboard. I don't know why they make flakeboard stands for Fish tanks to begin with, but I had a reef setup on a flakeboard stand, and I went on vacation to come back to a near disaster. I had to take the entire tank down to remove the floppy stand (about to crash) and replaced it with a solid pine stand. ...just a thought before you go nuts with a reef.

I'd also go with a sump, so that you can place your skimmer down there, and have nothing hanging on the back to minimize the possibility of a leak (which is what happend to me ...hence the stand change).

hths.

 

[slapshot16]

Here is what I have found for lighting:

48 inch 4x65 Watt Current USA PowerCompact Orbit Fixture

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... ct=CU01024

Cost: $253.00.

Daylight 6,700k/10,000k: 2 x 65 watt
Actinic 420nm/460nm: 2 x 65 watt
Lunar Lights: 4
Fan: Yes (1)
No. of Switches: 2
Total watts: 260

I know you get what you pay for, but I think this would be a very nice upgrade over my NO lights. The VHO systems were about double the price of this system.

What are the longterm cost differences between the VHO and PCs? Which bulbs cost more, last the longest and are relatively efficient?

Thanks again.

 

[Meloco14]

Those lights will be fine for the soft corals you mentioned that you wanted. I had a similar setup to that before and it worked well for me. I am not certain about efficiency, but if I remember correctly PC are more energy efficient and last a bit longer than vho. I might be mistaken though. I would definitely recommend a sump and very good skimmer. Filtration is the most important thing on a FOWLR. As far as what to get first, lighting or filtration, it depends what you want to add to your tank first. If you want to add corals first get lighting. If you want to add fish first get better filtration. HTH

 

[biotech_chris]

This may not apply, but a quick look at MarineDepot verifies my own prices. I have 4 bulbs, at roughly 25 apiece, plus shipping. They're rated to hold their spectrum for something like 12-16 months, but you will want to check with the particular manufacturer of your bulbs. In the end it's roughly $100 per year for lighting, without electricity.

 

[slapshot16]

How do you fight the impulse buys? :!: I was at the LFS "just looking" and left with a coral life PC. It is 2 x 65 50/50. I got a fair price for it and it fit the immediate budget and plans. I know I will need to upgrade down the road or add a second light. Wow, what a difference light can make. I am already looking for LED add-ons to enhance my nighttime viewing.

On to the sump plans...................

 

[Meloco14]

Yeah those impulse buys are tough. The coralife is a decent light. With only 2x65w the only corals that will do well would be mushrooms and probably zoo's. If you can add a second one of those fixtures in the future you will be able to keep most soft corals. Good luck with the sump plans!

 

[slapshot16]

I am really pleased with the light and for a newbie, it is a huge difference. I plan on starting slowly with some mushrooms and zoos as you suggested.

 

[PikachuSalad]

Have you decided what you're doing for a protein skimmer yet?

I'm working on setting up a 55 also...and right now am stuck on what to do about a skimmer.

The Coralife Super Skimmer Needle-Wheel 125 is a decent price ($135), but I've seen several complaints about how difficult it is to adjust. (Could also go to the 220 gallon version for $175 and only 6 X 8 footprint)

The ASM-G1X is a bit more, still reasonable ($220), but it would take up nearly half the available space in my sump (8.5 X 11). Haven't seen many complaints...

The AquaC Urchin Pro ($210) is nice and small (3.25 X 7.5), and claims to be rated for a 40-120 gallon tank. I know several people are fond of the hang-on version of this one, the AquaC Remora Pro.

So...difficult to adjust, huge, or possibly not enough "oomph"...

Anyone have any experience with any of these or similar on a 55 gallon tank?

 

[Anonymous]

From those I would go with the ASM. Skimmer is not something you want to skimp on.

 

[ChrisRD]

Hi PikachuSalad and :welcome:

FWIW, I agree with Mark - I would also go with the ASM.

I've seen the G1X for a bit cheaper than $220 at:
http://www.asmskimmer.com/

Personally, for the small difference in price I would probably just go with the G2.

 

[PikachuSalad]

*sigh* - the answer is NEVER "get the small/cheap one"

I'm just not excited about using up half my sump space with a skimmer...but at the same time...I guess that IS what it's for.

Since it's still on-topic for this thread...I'm planning on getting a 4X65W PC retrofit kit for my existing acrylic canopy...I just want to make sure I'm not doing something stupid or missing something obvious...I'd hate to melt the canopy or kill fish or something... Should there be something between the reflector and the acrylic? There are 4 holes for exhaust fans on the back of the canopy (maybe 3 inch)...should the fans blow in / out / both?

Thanks!

 

[slapshot16]

I am still researching what I want to do with the sump. I read good things about the ASM and the AquaC.

For the sump, I plan on using a skimmer/overflow down to a 20 gallon long. I do not know if I am going to add baffles or not. I will have an in sump return.

Why use baffles?

 

[ChrisRD]

There are 4 holes for exhaust fans on the back of the canopy (maybe 3 inch)...should the fans blow in / out / both?

Have them blow in. Fans tend to not last very long if they're pulling humid/salty air through them.

 

[ChrisRD]

Why use baffles?

Often some microbubbles will escape from the skimmer output - especially a skimmer that's breaking-in. The baffles help prevent the bubbles from getting to the return pump and into the display tank.