want to convert 55 gal fresh want tank into salt water tank

[bamboox]

currenly I have a 55 gal fresh water tank, a 'waterfall' filter, and some kind of bio filter. I want to convert it into a salt water tank, all I want to keep in this tank are mainly soft/hard coral, might add one or two fish afterward. what is the mininum set of equipments do I need here? and I want to be as cheap as possible... any help will be appreciated! Thanks!

[crabman]

the word cheap is not really part of a reef tank. You may want to start with just soft corals. You wont need as much lighting and they are easier to keep. Unless you have lots of money and time I wouldnt recommened a reef tank.Once you get setup it an addiction and your 55 will become a 110 and the 20 dollar frags become 100. Its a whole new world from a fresh water tank. keep reading as much info as you can.

[Rock Anemone]

bamboox,
[welcome]

Checkout this article: http://reefcentral.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=1

[Bmgrocks]

start with purchasing Some Serious Lights, Like VHO's and Power compacts if your planning on corals, good quality will run from $150-300, the filter and heater you have will mostlikely work just fine,

Be sure to change filter cartrages weekly, they become nitrate factories, and destroy water quality,

Nitrates and Corals=NO NO

Get a Protein Skimmer, Everyone on this site Pushes the RemoraC Super Skimmer, and Coralife Super Skimmer

Get some agronite based sand, Live Rock, good quality Sea Salt, like Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, A refractometer (measure specific gravity/salt level) and go to town.

SW is Much more I'd say 3-5Xmore expensive if you do it right from freshwater. Believe me, this was a hard change, and i have 100 + freshwater Cichlids

[bamboox]

thanks guys, those tips are very helpful!

[Twisted]

The lights for a 55 gallon are not bad for soft corals. A 48inch power compact 4X65w bulbs is about $100 plus shipping on ebay, or aquatraders <going to get yelled at now> I know the lights are crud by most opinions, but I have been running them for a year with no problems at all.

The rock for your reef is going to be spendy too, the live rock is usually about $8 a pound in my area, and you need 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon which mean about 70 pounds.
My suggestion on live rock would to be only buy a few nice pieces with lots of purple coraline on it, then use dry rock, most of the shops around here sell what is call bowl rock? boll rock? something it;s a lava rock with lots of holes and such.
Add a few of the nice "shelf" flat rocks to place corals on that are higher in the tank for your corals with more lighting need.

I ran my freshwater 55 gallon for 5 years, then switch from charcol to carbon filters on my whisper 60, and added a protien skimmer and a few power heads for current, put a one inch sand bed with Live sand in it, and took water from a couple friends tanks for live water and I only saw a short cycle period.

Have fun!

[bobalston]

currenly I have a 55 gal fresh water tank, a 'waterfall' filter, and some kind of bio filter.

bamboox

I saw a post you made way back to 2005 on another forum where you wrote about your DIY canister filter. I am VERY impressed with your DIY canister filter. I wonder if I could ask some questions?



1) Did you use existing threads in the output at the bottom, where the dispenser was located?



2) ON the lid were there already holes you reused? What did you have to do to them or how did you drill them?



3) Since your last post, how has the system worked? Any leaks?



4) Any changes you would make if you were to do it again?



5) Know of any links to threads of others following your design or doing something similar that was successful and you like?



Thanks very much.

Bob

[Sk8r]

Main differences in fresh to salt are so extensive...the tank itself will work. Things a saltwater tank for stony coral needs are:
1. skimmer with pump 2. sump 3. downflow box to bring water to sump 4. lights at least T5 and reef capable 5. no filter, no wet-dry: they cause problems 6. aragonite sand, limestone rock (1 lb each per gallon)---10% of rock at least should be live rock. 7. ro/di filter system: otherwise algae will drive you crazy. 8. an ATO (autotopoff system) to keep salinity steady 9. a refractometer to read salt levels, 10. tests and supplements for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. 11. get rid of all lids and plan anti-jump screening. A salt tank has so much machinery in the water and such strong lights that heat is a major issue during certain seasons---to drive calcium supplementation and have sufficient gas-exchange, you'll want that tank to evaporate a gallon of fresh water a day---hence the ATO.