Considering a 240 re-build

[mattsilvester]

Hi All,

I am considering re-starting my 8x2x2 (240 gal) tank. In its current format it is a FOWLR with an 8" emporer angel as the pivotal species. I am thinking of re-starting and making my tank a reef.

At this point, what I would like from anyone that feels so inclined is suggestions or ideas for the tank. This could take the form of links to people's web pages that have really nice 240 reef set up's, or it could just be general discussion.

I like fish...... and the new arrangement would need to have plenty of fish. I am thinking probably a tank with mostly soft corals...... I do not have the time nor do I wish to take on the expense of calcium dosing etc. In terms of fish, I am now thinking what would I have as my centre piece...... I have long been a butterfly / angelfish fan - but I will not include those if the reef idea goes ahead.

So - I just thought I would put it out there fore debate...... anyone who feels so inclined to discuss, your thoughts would be much apprecaited.

[MMERITT28]

I am new so take this with a grain of salt. I think that if you want to do a reef you should first get an idea of what you want to put in it and what type of look you want. That information will be used for lighting, aquascaping and equipment list. Hope this helps and that I did not sound like to much of a newb.......Happy New Year!

[mattsilvester]

I am new so take this with a grain of salt. I think that if you want to do a reef you should first get an idea of what you want to put in it and what type of look you want. That information will be used for lighting, aquascaping and equipment list. Hope this helps and that I did not sound like to much of a newb.......Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you too :)

I suppose the thing is, is that I don't really know what I want myself...... so I'm sort of looking for recommendations and inspiration......

[MMERITT28]

If this was my tank I would want it to be a reef. I would have an open aquascape that would have shelves at different levels to accomodate different light levels corals. I would want a sand bed in the tank with a sump and seperate fuge below. I would probably run MH with t5 for the lighting. I think I would concentrate on ro/di, rocks, sand, lights, skimmer, and all other outside equipment first. Then after cycle I would probably introduce a few fish of my liking and look to put in a clean up crew. After that I would start looking to add things slowly using the ledges and shelves to make my decisions for corals and such introduced. Hope this helps some as I am new but can kind of picture what I would want if it was mine. Mike

[Manta]

Hi Matt, what has left you cold with the 'mostly fish' scenario?

If you need inspiration from a butterfly but mostly angel tank have you checked out Wayne Shangs old 8 footer? No corals but still wow.

Happy new year

Ross & Lara

[mattsilvester]

Hi Matt, what has left you cold with the 'mostly fish' scenario?

If you need inspiration from a butterfly but mostly angel tank have you checked out Wayne Shangs old 8 footer? No corals but still wow.

Happy new year

Ross & Lara

I have not so much been "left cold" just fancy a change. I'm kind of bored with my current set up - the emporer is great and all, but the tank in general just looks tired and is slowly declining rather than improving...... the only excitement is the hope that the fish will grow..... and that is a slow process.....

So I am sort of thinking that a reef tank might be a bit more engaging...... lots of little interesting guys like gramma's and gobies and blennies and so on..... shrimps and stars and snails etc...... I had a 6x2x2 tank a couple of years back which had a small number of large corals..... I had a sacrophyton mushroom about 12-15" accross, and a devils hand about the same side.... and less fish, but all round the tank was brighter, more colourful, and more interesting.......

I still want to have lots of fish..... I consider myself a fishkeeper after all...... but I am just not sure what........ if the reef idea crashes and burns, then I will be doing something more on the fish side instead and getting some nice big specimen fish...... but for now, I'm toying with the reef idea ;)

[Tarazed]

Matt,

If you recall you offered me some advice regarding my 180/210 upgrade dilemma and a blue face angel a few days ago.

I am presently "attempting" the soft coral tank you mentioned. I'm sort of trying to have my cake and eat it too with larger fish and all the critters of a reef in a tank thats not 1000 gallons. I also consider myself a "fish guy" first. The Angel fish/soft coral tank will be less sensitive to water parameters than SPS, use less light/electricity and will not suffer from the excessive heat issues of MH or $ of LED.

I'm attempting to stick with T5s and have no problems with temperature during the summer. I do not want to run a cooler on any tank. Electricity in NY is expensive!! Unfortunately, the shimmer of MH adds alot of beauty to a tank and can't be duplicated with T5s.

Gordon

[mattsilvester]

Matt,

If you recall you offered me some advice regarding my 180/210 upgrade dilemma and a blue face angel a few days ago.

I am presently "attempting" the soft coral tank you mentioned. I'm sort of trying to have my cake and eat it too with larger fish and all the critters of a reef in a tank thats not 1000 gallons. I also consider myself a "fish guy" first. The Angel fish/soft coral tank will be less sensitive to water parameters than SPS, use less light/electricity and will not suffer from the excessive heat issues of MH or $ of LED.

I'm attempting to stick with T5s and have no problems with temperature during the summer. I do not want to run a cooler on any tank. Electricity in NY is expensive!! Unfortunately, the shimmer of MH adds alot of beauty to a tank and can't be duplicated with T5s.

Gordon

Hey Gordon,

Yes I recall....... the thing is, with angels, there are no gaurantees. At one stage (more in hope than anticipation) I thought I could do a softy reef with my emporer and thought that keeping some so called inedible corals such as sacrophytons and green star polyps, that I could have my cake and eat it...... unfortunately, the emporer disagreed with what he was "supposed" to do and more or less tore everything to bits. At this point, if I were to put something like a devils hand coral into the tank, about the size of a mans hand, he would shred it in a couple of hours....... not to eat it, but just for fun......

I;ve been contemplating regal angels, navarchus, or maybe a chrysurus....... but if I'm going to go with the corals I want to be unrestricted in my choices of coral, and so will probably stay away from angels.......

[mattsilvester]

Well I have found a tank I like the look of: http://www.youtube.com/user/stuartbertram

I am not naive to think that I can convert my existing set up to sometihng like this over night - but putting this up as the "end goal" I am thinking what is going to be needed in the long run?

I have lots of useful kit like tunze streams etc. I am going to need to invest in a new skimmer - one of the new deltecs perhaps. And I am probably going to need to consider my lighting strategy..... MH lams needed maybe??? Realistically, from the point of view of long term ease of maintenance - should I seriously be planning for a calcium reator and automated sensing and control?

I'm not "afraid of the fight" but I want to go into this with eyes wide open, and a clear picture of whats going to be needed long term...... better that then go in half prepared and get cold feet half way through after lots of time and money wasted.