petplanet Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 If you can beg, borrow, steal, or at a last resort buy a copy of The Reef Aquarium Vol 1 and 2, read them. Heaps of info on hard and soft corals, anemones, clams - how to keep them, feed, breed etc. Lots of different ways to set up a tank. As for a sump - just like a cannister filter you will at some time have a big water spill. I run my tank off a couple of cannister filters (one with a surface skimmer), a protien skimmer and 4 internal powerheads. As for lighting - I like lids, damn fish like to jump. I use T5's. If you are going metal Halide, have a good hood set up so if fish jump they land back in the tank. Try Eden self rotating powerheads. I have three in my tank and they work really well on a sponge filter. I would go for the bigger size ones. A bit pricey but worth it. I would not get a tank deeper or wider than the distance you can reach. Cleaning will become a chore. Most tools are crap. The best cleaning tools are a tooth brush and a plastic card (eftpos) for scrapping the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 Try Eden self rotating powerheads. I have three in my tank and they work really well on a sponge filter. I would go for the bigger size ones. A bit pricey but worth it. No disrespect but this is pretty bad advice. Most (all?) of us have tried the rotainting head power heads from eden/shark etc. I was trying to sell 4 a while ago for $20 each and no-one was interested, now used to stir kalk and gave the others away. I think Alois was trying to get rid of some as was steve? Avoid like the plague, the are gutless, prone to failure and not particulary effective. 1/10. Not worth it even for free. I don't use lids, my new tank won't have lids. Not many (if any hehehe) people use them, waste of glass and light. My new tank is 950 wide, 730 high, make it as big as you can fit Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted September 3, 2004 Report Share Posted September 3, 2004 I thought the Edens were crap to start with. Tried them without sponges on a U/G and they clogged within minutes. They do derail on starting sometimes but once up and running, all good. If anyones as them to give away I will take them. Mine would go three months+ between cleans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_from_nz Posted September 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 thanks for all your help, Because i am going to be moving in a few months time I have decided to put off making a larger reef tank untill I have moved. I am wondering weather it would be a good idea however to turn one of my small fish tanks i have lying around into a little reef tank is it at all possable or is it too hard to keep things stable? If it is possable is anyone able to tell me what I should watch out for or what special things i will need to grow coral in such a small enviroment. Also can I line the back and sides of the glass with mirrors to reflect more light for the corals to grow better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 i've just done that same thing (four foot) everything is going great at the moment check out www.nano-reef.com for more info on how to setup a nano reef tips light and lots of it filtration and lots of it (you need to compensate for the smaller volume of water and make sure your over filtering) good water movement keep it in a cool place (no direct sunlight) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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