Cost and suppliers to set up a saltwater tank?

[Ira]

Since this forum is a bit dead I'll post something here.

Since one of my tanks crashed I'm considering things to do with it, one is possibly make it a saltwater tank. I'm thinking maybe just something simple to start off with. It's a 30 gallon tank with a fluval 404, 300 watt heater and 30 watts of lighting.

I assume that the fluval would be fine for a saltwater tank?

What would you suggest I put in it for a beginner?

Probable Prices?

I'm in the Wellington area and only know of 1 place that sells saltwater fish nearby.

I know I'd need some live rock and if I want corals I'm going to have to up the light a lot. If I do eventually turn it into it'll be a while before I talk myself into spending the money.

[AbelaJohnB]

Hey Ira.

Typically (here in the USA) you have to figure $20/per gallon, to setup a viable salt water system.

Unfortunately, for a heathly system, neither your filter nor your lightly will be sufficient.

At the very least, you'll need a Protein Skimmer.

The most popular (and what I consider the best) is by CPR Aquatics, and it's called the "BAK PAK". You can get it from large mail-order sites (right now) for about $119usd. (130 for the reef one)

A good source for this would be here or here (which has both for 119 )

I would also highly encourge you to (instead) purchase their product called: "CY Series Wet/Dry Filters w/ skimmers". You can read about it at:

http://aquadirect.com/catalog/filters/cpr.htm about 3/4 of the way down.

These things rock! I just spent the last two days (and have one more to go) setting up a new tank. It is a 60 gallon tank (fish only). Not only did I use the CY192 but we attached an extra 'sump' to it, along with a 1100 gallon external pump. We custom made a 'over/outflow' into the back of the tank (non-glass), with two 1 & 1/2 drains. One into the sump the other into the CY192. We are going to have two return tubes back into the tank.

One on each side of the tank, so we do not have powerheads in the tank. This is typically not a good thing, but we are hoping with the extra flow-rate that it will make up for not having powerheads

In regards to lightly.... well, let's just put it this way.... money is the only limit to lighting! I've seen guys lay down 1000+ for lighting.... it's just crazy. Buy what you can afford, than just be careful what corals you put in there.

I'd love to share more, just let me know.

[Ira]

Just going on flow rate alone, of those pumps, the CY192 is 400 gallons per day, then a fluval 404 would have significantly more flow. Let me check the specs...Hagen's website just says "360 gallons" but I don't know if that's per hour or per day. Per day would make it only put out 1 liter per minute and it seems like it must flow a hell of a lot more than that. But per hour would make it flow 21 liters per minute. Nah, not quite that much, maybe it is per day. Anyway, that CY192, with guesstimated shipping(Ignoring the fact that I'd also need a transformer to use it here) would cost as much as 3 fluval 404s bought here anyway. About $750NZ compared to $250ish NZ.

How much light do you need for just fish? I know corals need a lot of light, but I'm not interested in having corals right away, they can wait.

[AbelaJohnB]

In regards to light.... if all you're going to have is fish, you could probably get away with a 20-30 dollar tube lights. Don't have to have anything special... but it's always nice too.

Later.

[Ira]

It's probably nice, but it's DEFINITELY expensive. I think it's something like $250 NZ minimum for a 150ish watt metal halide light. I can't find the website where I saw that. Hmmm...Actually, that's a pretty good $/watt.

[Chris]

Ira I left you a post at your original message.I`d like to reiterate AbelaJohnB`s statement in that you DON`T need halides and would be fairly safe without a skimmer seeing as you want to keep mainly fish

[Chris]

As an add on to my last post I would suggest an overflow filtration system as it is far more efficient and effective than a Fluval 404 being that the water turn over rate would be higher eliminating the need for a skimmer

[Ira]

How would it being an overflow system make it flow more?

[Chris]

That would depend on the flow rate of the submersible pump you have at the bottom in the filter box but thats not to say that your fluval couldn`t handle the job

[Ira]

I tested the 404 yesterday to see how much it was flowing. It was pumping about 780 Liters/hour(Advertised as should be 1300). Should turning over the tank almost 8 times an hour be enough?

[dogmatix]

If your fluval is old that will be the problem, new fluval's that is within a year old have a far better design. There is currently a cold water marine set up behind me with a very old 303 running probably a 200 litre tank with small fish a few srimps and inverts (all locall). There are no metal hallides, cooling units or heater/stats there is a large piece of lava rock which may help in biological filtration but a 404 has a relatively large media volume. it can be done cheap and easy and still look good also as long as you keep the stock down 8 times an hour should still be plenty. The room has air-con but is also a computer lab so still very warm and they have no problems what so ever.

Good luck.

[Ira]

Actually, the filter that got the 700+ L/HR was one of the older heads. I've got another one that I bought only a few months ago and that head flowed only about 380 L/HR. I don't remember if the newer one was an MSF or not, don't know if they're that different. Haven't seen many around.

[dogmatix]

Hi Ira

If you bought the 380Ltr head as a replacement send it back, i had a 204 which was useless after nine months the head got replaced and that one lasted for only 6. I now have a new 304 and it is primo, the new filter heads come with ribbed tubing (inlet/outlet pipes) so you should be able to tell on that alone and the inside of the heads have been modified slightly. Also if you do want to have corals you will need to look at a protien skimmer, in comparison to the aqua-medic systems available thoose cpr systems John recomended are excellent value for money if you dont mind spending a little bit extra that is. How ever mushrooms and an anemone will be fine, Jensens in Auckland use to run a Hagen Tropiquarium as a marine set up and that was great.

[reef]

fluval canister filters are no good for marine tanks, as they will cause nitrate and phostphate problems.the fluval will collect all the dirt then it will decay and cause the above problems.

It is better to get a protein skimmer as this will remove the organics out of your water.

All the decent tanks have protein skimmers as water quality is very important .

[reef]

if you need more info on setting up a marine tank i would suggest you ring hollywood fish farm in auckland.

I have dealt with janssens and they dont know a thing on how to keep marine fish.

[dogmatix]

I Pretty much agree with you there Reef, Ira might be able to use a fluval but would probaly have to replace the foam twice a week due to the build up of detritus. However as I said earlier, at Universty we run a cold water marine tank on an old Fluval 303 and that does fine.

Hollywoods really do know there stuff, but Stu at Jensens Mt Eden basically sets up all their systems and is not afraid to tell you what not to get, in other words hes a real straight up dude. He is deffinately another person in the trade that knows his stuff.