Respond asap!!

ok here is the story. i have a 10 gal cycled tank. been up for 9 months. i have a 30 gal. filter (bio-wheel with 2 filter cartriges) and a clownfish, a royal gramma and a newly added dottyback. also an anemone, zoas, and about 4 stalks of xenias. my lighting system consists of 2 light fixtures each with 26 watts. 50/50 lighing. now my bro just finished up with a 15 gallon tank he used for a getco. would it be safe to put my stuff in there? will it be worth it to wait for it to cycle? will it crack under pressure considering it was made as a lizard cage? i would really love to switch but i also love my tank. is my lighting enough? the tank is not tall at all and very long.

thanks,
ryan

 

im responding so fast i didn't even read your post.


just kidding, usually lizard cages are made of thinner glass because they don't have to hold all the extra weight of water. so i wouldn't put stuff in their with out a leak test.

 

I agree unless it was bought as an aquarium tank then just used as a lizard tank! Test it first. You have to cycle it first too before you put things in! Are you moving the 30 gal or the 10?

 

I would think its safe. Being that its a 15 gallon its probably just a regular aquarium. I would still leak check it. Just fill it up with tap and let it sit for 2 days or so. When its done, wash it out really well, then rinse it even better.
Leapord Gecko's?

 

If you are careful with the transfer of the sand, you can do it in a few hours easy. Just have you ducks lined up.

You are going to need a 5g bucket to house the livestock and another 5g bucket to house the rock. Or you can go to Walmart and buy another 10g tank for about the same price. An extra tank is a good thing to have around anyway.

**Siphon the water out of the 10g into the buckets. Place rock in one and livestock in the other (or whatever works.....it doesnt really matter).

**Have a premixed 5g bucket of saltwater from the night before ready to go (and heated to temp)

**Transfer the sand in pie like wedges being careful not to upset the layering. If you just dump the sand from one to the other, you will generate a mini-cycle. Personal experience here. My cycle has been going on three weeks now.

**Put down a layer of Saran wrap on top of the sand.

**SLOWLY add the water from your buckets. The saran wrap will rise with the water level and not disturb the sand underneath. This works like a charm.

**Add your live rock back in.

**Put your hardware back on.

**Add your livestock.

Now. Your lights. You are running PCs. With a 15g, you should be able to keep softies and some LPS. Make no mistake, you will be limited. A condy anenome is probably the only anenome that will tolerate the lack of light you have. In addition to running PCs, you only have 3.5 watts per gallon. It is possible. I am going to replace my PCs in a few weeks here and I am running 4W/gal on a tank that is 24" deep. Hopelessly lame. You can take a look at my thread and see what I have been able to do with the lighting system you have (just on a larger scale).

http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/pharmrjohns-90g-thread-52614.html

Now, to the question of "will it crack under pressure". Dime to a dollar it was an aquarium to begin with. Just ask your bro. You are going to want to do a FW fill, of course, to determine whether there are leaks or not.

You are now maxed out on fish. Don't add anymore. The dottyback is also a mean little SOB. They have sharp little teeth and like to charge other fish. Your clown will be able to hold her own as will the royal gramma. I can see a war between the gramma and the dottyback though. They have the same body shape and temperment. Also, dottybacks eat ornamental shrimp. Just an FYI. If you put in a camel, peppermint or small coral banded shrimp in there for example, you are feeding it dinner.

I really don't know what the proper clean up procedure is for using (what is really) a reptile tank......so someone else is going to have to post on that subject.

If you upgrade your lighting, consider my previous post on your other thread.

Peace.......John.

 

As for exactly how to clean it, maybe anti-bacterial soap with a really good rinse. The major issue with reptiles is salmonella. I dont know for sure if it would even survive in a marine enviroment, or if it would do anything if it did, but it wouldnt hurt to sterilize the tank

 

On the tank,
Remember that 1 gallon is 8.33lbs!!

So 15gallons = 124lbs of water alone. Lizard tanks are normally very thin.
Use this link: DIY Custom Aquarium Glass Thickness Calculator compiled by your About Guides to Saltwater Aquariums to help you understand glass thickness needed .

Good Luck!
-Fritts


3.5watts per gallon .. make that the lowest you go and u'll be a happy reefer...

 

1/4 inch and above will work..

We made my 55 Gal out of 1/4 inch..

BESURE... you have enough braceing..( spelling ? )..

you need a piece going across the center.... With water pressure, your glass may bow
out some in the center.. A brace abound 5 inches wide or larger going across the center will stop this..

We had one come unglued on the first 55 gal we made..!!!! Full of water..
The shock went thru the tank and broke the bottom glass..

If you need more info let me know..

Good Luck, Larry

 

That must have sucked.

 

hey you mine as well just buy a new tank.the smaller tanks are cheap and u dont have to worry about ummm haveing a flooded room oneday.