A few questions

[rexter]

Ok, so I currently have a fw setup, consisting a an Eclipse 3 hood and a 40g tall tank. I've decided that I want to switch over to a sw tank, and have done some reading over the last week, as well as talked to some people at the lfs. So far this is what I've gathered:

1) I've been told by the people at the lsf that the the hood I have will be fine for sw, and I can do fish with live rock.

2) One person said I need a skimmer, another said its not needed... After doing some reading, most things say yes to needing a skimmer.

3) One guy also said that I could get away with some corals, meanwhile everything I've read has said otherwise, due to lack of lighting

Ok, so with that said, I need opinions. I know that there are diy mods for the Eclipse, but in the end, would I just be better off getting a new hood, filter, and lights? I am now completely lost, and have no clue what to do. My end goal is a enough live rock for the size of my tank, maybe a few corals eventually, and obviously fish. I just want to keep it simple. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for taking the time to read this!

Also, if anyone could makes some suggestions as to what I should get, feel free to tell me.

[asphaltpilot]

Get a skimmer. It's better to have than not to have.

There are some corals that do well in lower lighting, but you'll get much better results if you increase the light spectrum and its intensity.

Check out the coral forum for more detail in what corals may be suitable for your tank.

[racer69]

1) Th hood will be fine if you want to have a fish only tank. Corals will require a different lighting set-up.

2) You will need a protien skimmer.

3) The only corals you will be able to have with the current hood are mushrooms, and a few softies.

If you want to upgrade your lighting, you should start by lookingat some of the sponsors here at RC.

[IslandCrow]

I'm not sure what type of lighting an Eclipse hood has, but there seem to be three real lighting options for people who keep corals: PC (power compact, a.k.a. compact flourescent), VHO (very high output), T-5 HO (high output) lighting, and Metal Halide. I've listed them in order of light output from least to greatest, though I hear conflicting things on where T-5s are on the light output heirarchy (some say not as good as VHO while others say better than MH). Anyway, before you decide what type of lighting you want, you'll want to figure out what type of corals you'd like to keep. Soft corals like mushrooms and leathers usually require the least lighting, while hard corals (LPS & SPS) and anemones generally require significantly more. People much more experienced than I am will be able to give you good recommendations on what to get once you make that determination.

Protein skimmer = most definitely! You're going to have a hard time maintaining the water quality you'll need for corals without it.

As for your third question, if I've learned nothing else, I've learned that there are always exceptions to the rule, but it's always best to do everything you can to set yourself up for success, not failure.

Anyway, while you're waiting for more responses, read over this article. It'll give you a good rundown of the basics. The experts on this site who put this stuff together have all had a great deal of experience and really know what they're talking about. . .

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

[BlueCorn]

[welcome]

[PoukieBear]

I had an Eclipse hood, and it was a piece of garbage for a salt water tank.

The filtration isn't what you want for a SW tank, and neither is the lighting.

I suggest getting new lights and a proper filter and you definatly need a skimmer.

Just keep reading and asking lots of questions and eventually you won't feel so lost.

Oh. and my number one rule in this hobby, is never ever ever listen to what your LFS says. and rule number two. NO DAMSELS!! lol, ever....

[rexter]

Well, I just measured my tank, and it turns out its a 29g tank, not a 40g like it was advertised when I bought it. Anyways, I've decided to go with new lighting. I found the Orbit cf light, with 2 6w bulbs and the moonlights and all that, which I'm thinking should give me a decent amount of light. (4.33 watts per gallon)
Now my next question is this: I've read that I can go with live rock and a skimmer, and that I dont need any other filtration. I'd also need a power head. The skimmer I was thinking of is the AquaC Remora. Would this work?

[cfarrow2]

the skimmer will work. Your light selection seems a little weak. Especially if you're gonna get into corals. At the least, go with some (this is my opinion) dual 65 watt bulbs. 50/50s might work. Live rock and a skimmer are good filtration, but you may want to look into a sump filter of some sort (again, the corals). Remember that the bigger your volume of water, the longer it takes for bad things to happen to your system. If you're not familiar with some of the things you're reading on this site (some of the lingo and acronyms can be confusing), do research on the web, especially Reefcentral. Don't rush into it. I know the feeling of seeing a kick-*** tank and wanting one "RIGHT NOW." Almost everyone except your lfs will tell you the same thing: take your time. It'll save you lots of headaches and money if you do lots of research. The cost of keeping saltwater, and especially reefs, is substantially more than fw. By doing your homework, you'll get a really good idea of what it's gonna take to get what you like. Good luck, though! I know for me, there's nothing better than seeing a clown nestled in an anemone, or a cleaner shrimp working over one of his tankmates.

[rexter]

The cd light was 2 65w bulbs, not 6w like I put. Any opinions are greatly appreciated, as I dont want to rush in. I'm trying to figure out what my costs are going to be, and then try to set a loose timeline for saving up money for equiptment and anything else I'll need. I've noticed the for cf lighting the most I've been able to find is dua 65w sets. For anything else the price seems to jump to around $300. Any suggestions for lighting then?
And on the sump, it seems like that might be a real pain in the butt to set up. Opinions on that would be great too
Thanks for all the help so far!