cracker Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 I wouldnt run any more than 4 or 5 small fish in there either, you will end up battling with nutrients, especially if you have a few corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 I was thinking two or three As cracker said, if you ran a small hang on back skimmer, some live rock, and possibly a powerhead for circulation (depending on the circulation of the skimmer), you should be okay to get started on a very small scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Well the only thing that I was looking at having fish wise was a shrimp or two (if they are able to be in this sort of tank) and a small clown fish. I know some of you have said that I am able to have some mushrooms and things. Is there any chance of seeing some pictures of what I am able to have? Because its all new to me lol I don't know what is ment by acros and frags and stuff lol. Cheers Also with a clown fish (nemo sort) would I be able to have an anemone that they like to live in? I will be running two fluros (hopefully the legenth of the tank) :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Stay away from the anemone's in this tank... they're probably one of the harder marine lifeforms to keep alive - and the clownfish doesn't need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 some damsels, chromis and maybe clowns, (only a pair though) for fish some soft corals and mushrooms that would be all. "frags" are just small bits of all types of corals you get from other people. acros and hard corals will suffer in your tank unless you spend about 2k on a nano reef! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 ok from sites I have been to and looking up soft corals here are some names that I have come across. I have yet to look up pictures of them yet but was wondering if these are available in NZ? mushrooms (don't know how many species there are yet) green star polyps yellow polyps button polyps leather corals Are there any more that can be added to this "beginners list" as I am guessing none of these can be shipped so I am going to have to see what my LFS has. Could you please tell me their names so it makes it easier for me to look up in google for images and how to care for them. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 PJ a good idea would be to get a marine keeping book. Can someone give the name of that good cheap one that was recommended a while back? It would be a good investment, it's good to have something on hand, when you arent totally sure of what your supposed to do. As for whats out there .... http://www.extremecorals.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc This is just a random vedor in america, but you can get some ideas of what the different organisms are. They have really good pics. Dont worry about the prices (they are whacked - america for you) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 ok just come back from the Library and these are the books I got Setting up a Salt water Aquarium by Gregory Skomal The Marine Aquarium by Dick Mills The Tropical Marine Aquarium by Vincent B. Hargreaves As for that site you pointed out Feelers I have no idea what is available in NZ or if my LFS can even get things in for me. Is there any chance of shipping things? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njd Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Hi PJ,You can come around and have a look at my tank if you like.May give you a few ideas and you could see skimmer etc running. I could probably part with enough liverock/sand to get your tank going as well. mushrooms (don't know how many species there are yet) green star polyps yellow polyps button polyps leather corals You could probably get frag's of most of those in town. Cheers Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 books from the libarary are fine but just be aware that the tech and knowledge in marine fish keeping has moved very fast in the last few years so a lot of what is in books is out of date before they are printed. You can use them to id corals and to see how things work but I sugest that ask here or one of the local reef keepers before deciding to do something from a book. NB: the same also applies to some LFS's as well, not their fault but as you have seen already sometime they pick up equipement and knowledge that has passed its used by date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 njd that would be totaly awesome. Would be nice to see someone elses tanks apart from pictures from the net or books. And to see how everything works will help me better understand it all. Cheers very much :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Would a SA-2014 Weipro skimmer be ok for this tank? I redone the calculation for how many ltrs are in the tank. I thought it was 75 but its only 67ltrs lol At present all I am looking at keeping is a pair of clowns (nemo sort) and a shrimp or two. I don't know about crabs or what is available here in NZ for the tropical marine. Apart from that just some simple corals knowing that the tank isn't that big. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 No, this is not a hang on the back type. Go to your LFS and ask for the smallest HOB they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 yes it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 ok now is not a good time to confuse me lol. The book that I am currently reading mentions the Prism hang on the back skimmer. My LFS has 2 skimmers, neither I can read as the boxes are that faded even the price tag is faded. Waiting on a reply from njd to go and see how their setup is and how it all works. Cheers for all the great info so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 PJ the weipro 2014 is a hang on back skimmer primarily- (it can also be used in the sump). It would be perfect imo. (I have one myself, and it does actually skim) I wouldnt buy skimmers from your lfs - chances are they are outdated and way overpriced. However see if you can post what they are and how much they cost. The book sounds like it might be a little outdated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 The book that I like best out of the 3 that I got is copywrited for 2004 so its not tooooo outdated yet hehe. I will see if I can find out what the skimmers are and what their prices are when I am next out there. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Oops, sorry read the wrong link. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Ok after going and seeing njd's tank last night I was blowen away (so was my mum!!) I am now interested in T5 lights for the 2.5ft tank that I am going to be using so I guess 2ft lights should be enough. Would 2 white and 1 blue be enough or could I get away with just 1 white and 1 blue? Could someone please tell me the parts that I will need to do DIY for this? I am hoping to go out today and price it all up to make it myself. I don't need hood or reflectors as I am just going to use some of hubbys spouting or down pipe (hes a plumber hehe) and line it with tinfoil. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 2 ft would be sufficient for a 2.5ft tank. i have 4ft'ers on my 5ft tank - a bit shaded near the edges but just form your rock work towards the centre more. i would go 3 x T5's, never can have enough light. PM jetskisteve for a good price on T5 gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 T5's can cost a bit, and will only be OK, if you shopped round you could prob get a 150wMH for the same or less, which would be awsome on your little tank. If you into DYI check out building recyclers they often have MH lights removed from office buildings, you just have to know what your looking for cause normally they have no idea what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Based on your previous posts, you seem quite intent on keeping soft corals like mushrooms, leathers, button polyps etc. A 150W halide can be very directional in that light is concentrated directly down over the tank. T5's give a nice spread of light that would cover the entire tank alot better than a single 150W halide would. Having 3 x T5's (at 54W each) is about the same wattage as the single halide. While the lux might not be as high, it may be more aesthetically pleasing as well as sufficient for soft corals. It depends what look you're after vs how much you want to pay. If price is a factor, then the problem with getting 3 x T5's is the electronic ballasts can only run 2 x T5's per ballast (well, the only ones I've seen) Also, you HAVE to run two T5's off that ballast, you can't just run one it wont work. This would mean you either go 2 x T5's or 4 x T5's (i just thought about this after my previous post!) If 4, then the price obviously increases. You can pickup single 150W halides for around $80 - $100. Four T5's would be more than double this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 Cheers for that chimera Ok went down to our electrical wholesaler and I can get a twin holder but there is one problem. It doesn't run T5's. It requires T8's. Would I be able to run these (if I can get correct kelvins) or are they totaly wrong lighting? I have also been told about the compact fluros. How would these work? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 been doing hard out work on looking up T8 lighting. I have found that yes you can use T8 but have to get the right kelvins (10,000k and a certian blue one) I was wondering how hard is it to import lights into NZ? I have found a site that has (what seems to be) good prices for T5 lights. Prices are in US as well as Canadian. I have no idea what the exchange rate is and if they would even ship to NZ. http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe ... 1147745143 If any of the importers can let me know how this works it would be great. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Hi Penejane Here's a thread about a few of us who had similar thinking - judge for yourself! :-? http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/bulk-order-from-de-lighting-vt10336.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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