tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 I recently came across the Hailea FA400 tank which is really a freshwater tank with saltwater pretensions - it comes with a blue T5 tube alondside a white one! Although it is clearly limited in what it will support, I saw a little potential in it and have modified it into something that might actually work, for a cost less than $500 (although there are always optional upgrades). It is a basic curved glass tank with a false back wall a-la RSM. Unlike the RSM (or maybe like the RSM) there is no room for a good skimmer, so this setup will only work with light stocking, regular testing, and religious water changes. Here is what I did: Step 1) Cut a small overflow in the back of the tank and block the lower intake with a piece of plastic. Step 2) Remove some of the stock sponge and refit with a bag of charcoal and 100watt heater Step 3) (optional) Replace the stock 380litre/hour pump with an Eheim Compact 1000 (it will just fit if you flex the rear wall forward) and drill the spray bar with a few extra random holes to create more random currents. I've also drilled a couple of small holes on the back that bounce water off the back wall. Step 4) Build rockwork from coral rubble using Aqua-Kneadit. The goal is to have rockwork that is aesthetically pleasing in itself - you won't be hiding it under lots of coral, so it has to look good to your eye 'naked'. I've made a little cave suitable for a firefish etc, and tried to create little platforms a few centimetres below the surface so that the corals I have used receive as much light as possible Step 5) Fill, add a handful of live sand, and let the tank run in. Random bugs will appear Step 6) Add herbivores (snails, little starfish etc etc, or in my case a Sea Bunny) and a few corals that you know will tolerate relatively dim light high up on the rockwork Step 7) In a week or two, I will add a fish - probably a Bangaii Cardinal. Basic cost: Tank $149.90 Heater $64.90 Charcoal and Bag $28.90 Coral Rubble $28.00 Coral Sand $24.90 AquaKneadIT $14.90 Salt $39.90 Total $351.40 leaving about $150 for stock, enough for a fish or two, or a fish and a shrimp etc. Optional upgrades: Eheim Compact 1000 $79.90 Pro Salt (contains calcium) + $40.00 Purigen $34.90 Anyway, cheap enough to give marine a crack provided that you realise that this is the bare bones minimum to keep some basic low-light corals, a small fish and perhaps a shrimp or something - no more - and that you will need to do regular water changes. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Still with 1 T8??, if so, good luck with the trumpet and acan, even up high they'll struggle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 2 x T5 - 16 huge watts of power. (one white and one blue) 8) I know that the Candy Cane will survive under 9 watts at that height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 good luck :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 wow thats a neat little tank conch i think the zoas will survive you could also add a few mushies??? do you have the tank sizes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Yea, I'll add a blue Tonga mushie or something at some stage - its been running a couple of months now - just need a fish. Then I can grow bored with it and sell it off http://www.hailea.com/E-hailea/product-1/FA400.htm The ones here are FA400B - 2 x 8Watt tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 is this the tank that was in organism about 3 months ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Yarp - it was going to be my RSM sump, before I decided to sell the RSM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 how much space between the back and the false back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Look at the first pic - about 7cm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 hmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Don't forget, this one is for sale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 haha i dont want to buy it i would rather build my own would this fit behing the wall ... http://www.3reef.com/forums/protein-ski ... 36355.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 woops wrong link http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumP ... emora.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 woops wrong link http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumP ... emora.html Maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 How much Conch? 8) $499.99 pp (minus the Sea Bunny) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Might try this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Just don't forget that this is the bare minimum - you can't cut any more corners at all, and it will cost quite a bit for salt for the weekly water changes. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Does organism still have this tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Give them a ring 351 3001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Does organism still have this tank? john should be able to get them in give him a call otherwise the olny other place ive seen them is critter kingdom for $313 - alot more than organism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Their price might include the optional stand, which I didn't bother with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 $64.90 What kind of heater is it? The most ive ever spent on 1 is aroun $25 lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 jager there very good heaters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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