what would I need?

I have been wanting a 29 gal tank for a while, but just don't have the room. I already have a 12 and a 6.

I do have this 33 gal long in my kitchen. It only has 3 fish in it. Both the tanks I got had everything included so I didn't have to get anything. I know nothing about skimmers and fuges and other things like that. WHat would I need to switch this tank into a salt water tank?

Oh yea, there is a window to the left of it and my frige to the right, and not much room under the cabinet, not sure if this would pose a problem.

 

Upgrade lighting, I would suggest T5); powerheads, a protein skimmer HOB or in sump if you choose to do a sump, sand substrate, live/dry rock (whatever your preference), salt, refractometer, place to run carbon.

I'm sure i"ve missed something, but that should get you started. Not everything I listed is mandatory, but I highly suggest all of it.

 

I made this list up just the other day for someone who wants to start a new tank.

Equipment for a 29-30g reef tank.

-lighting - this could be T5HO, LED, or MH depending on what coral(SPS, LPS, or Soft)
-powerheads - size and quantity also depend what coral he/she wants.
-protein skimmer - I would suggest getting one rated for 1.5X - 2X total tank volume.
-ATO - this will keep Constant levels to prevent swings in salt which can be bad for fish/coral
-overflow - Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff
-return pump - suggested to be 10X DT volume, in flow rate(30g tank should have 300gph pushing up to the tank, at head pressure).
-refugium - for macro algae and a DSB to help export nutrients as well as culture pods for the tank.
-reactors, not needed, but will help keep the water clear and rid of contaminants put out by corals
-rock - 1-2 lbs of dry rock per gallon of water. Seed this using a small piece of LR
-sand - aragonite sand is best for reef tanks, as well as FOWLR. This will help keep nitrates down
-a good CUC
-a heater
-thermometer


Some good retailers for equipment...

Aquarium Pet Fish Supplies, Tank Accessories, Products & Equipment
Fish & Pond Supplies | Aquarium & Garden Pond Specialists
ReefGeek > Aquarium Supplies for Marine, Reef, and Saltwater Aquariums
Aquarium Supplies, Aquarium Supply, Aquarium Equipment, AquaCave.com Offers, Discount Fish Tanks & Fish Tank Supplies for Saltwater, Marine, Coral Reef Guide, Freshwater Aquarium

All about skimmers...http://www.3reef.com/forums/protein-skimmers/all-about-skimmers-skimmers-skimmer-85389.html

Here we have it...http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-articles-how-tos/all-about-sumps-filters-fuges-79852.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/live-rock/how-cycle-live-rock-43460.html
http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/reef-tank-setup-now-cycling-what-now-31527.html

 

Start by reading a lot!! there are soo many more things in salt than with a simple freshwater tank with HOB filter....

You don't NEED a sump, but it is sure nice....

You will want to figure out where to put the skimmer. The space looks a bit tight in back but it might fit...they are large. If not, perhaps you could rig an overflow to a sump next to the cabinet or even under it.

You don't need to drill the tank for an overflow, although it is nice. You can create a DIY overflow (google pvc overflow diy) but it will require some extra creativity and engineering.

Lighting...if you want coral, then you'll need a lot more. You can do a lot with a couple of t5 HO bulbs, especially a shorter aquarium. If you only want fish, you'll be limited to smaller fish, but your lighting don't matter so much.

If you can figure out the skimmer/sump question and then the lighting issue, the only thing after that is getting the stuff for the insides, like the others mentioned. ($$$ and then some more $$$ : ) Live rock, return pump, perhaps a circulation pump, etc...

 

wow, it sounds like a foriegn language. You lost me after upgrade lighting. So lets start there.

I do want coral ( I forgot to mention I do currently have a 12 gal nano). I am not interested in sps, but maybe in the way future, clams, the big pretty blue ones)

The T5 lighting you mention, is that something that would fit into my current hood? My lighting now has one loooong light. Dont know if it's square or straight pin.

 

Seano, guess its working out for you in more then one way?

sadie, you already have 2 saltwater tanks, its the same as setting them up, just bigger. there are MANY good threads on 3reef that explain sumps and fuges to great depth. good luck, and the clams you are probably thinking of are blue maxima's.

 

protein skimmers:

I was looking at a AquaC Remora Hang-on. It mentions a minimum tank height of 12.75". Is that measurement from the bottom of the balck molding to the top of the black molding on the OUTSIDE, or from the bottom of the glass to the top of the hood on the INSIDE?

Also, I had a very small protein skimmer in my 12 gal for a while and there was a thing at the top with foam that I would have to empty and clean. Does this work the same way? Am I going to have to get to it to clean it out the same way?

 

Yes, the blue maima's, that's it. They are so nice, but the lights in my nanos aren't enough.

My nanos are way different than the big ones. I have 3 chambers in the back. The first one has a bag of purigen on top of a sponge, the second has a heater and the third has the pump. That's it.

I think I am relly going to have to read for a looooong time. But at least now I know what I need.

And where would I find those threads on fuges and sumps? I don't even know what those are.

Thanks everyone, again!

 

T5 lighting in a tank that shallow would work just fine. if you post e length of the tank, I can give you a link for an inexpensive lighting fixture.

A sump, in short, is a stand filter. if you don't want the skimmer, carbon, floss, etc in the 30 gallon, you make a sump so no one has to look at it. a sump requires an overflow box, a circulation pump, and the proper tubes and pipes to be connected to the main tank. also, a sump adds water volume, making it easier to keep parameters stable.

in a refugium (or fuge for short), there is often a deep sand bed, macro algae, a refugium light, and sometimes mangroves. maybe a small clean up crew. this gives algae a place to grow, so a lot of it doesn't grow in a main tank. also, it is a great place for copepods to reproduce if you plan on keeping dragonets.
a fuge also holds live rock for enhanced biological filtration. the sme equipment are needed for a fuge as a sump. there are also hang-on refugium such as these: Reef Aquarium Filtration: AquaFuge External Hang-On Refugium

 

This is my experience only, so please accept it for what it is. Nothing has made keeping corals easier for me than a sump and a big, but not too complex, skimmer.

A sump makes every tank look better. A good skimmer makes just about everything else work better. The little ones and the HOB skimmers I've tried have always given me grief. I would get frustrated with trying to get them to work consistently. The really fancy ones I've tried always seemed to require someone smarter than me to keep working. The tried and true designs work consistently... if they're big enough, the work effectively as well.

Get those two pieces right and everything else can be adjusted later to meet your needs.