29 gal reef need help

[jmountains]

ok i going to start a 29 gal reef with a few fish the equpment i have so far
tank
eclipse hood with 55 watt pc smart bulb or old fluorescent that came with it that holds 2 flo blubs
queit a bit of live rock from other tanks
about 30 pounds aragonite 20 pound crushed coral (which some needs cleaning)
under gravel filter with power heads
the fish i have now are
1 hawkeye-1 small clown 1 yr old- 1-reddish brittel star good size
1-koran angel juv.1-yellow watchman goby 1-purple fish that suppost to eat bristel worms
i have green looking coral and leathers and group of favites abdita latin name from book

all this in a 15 high now like to move up to 29gal or 40 tall

whould like all the help i can get and ideals
and can someone tell me what southdown sand is and what the use is for it?


THANK YOU

[duckhuntboy]

Thats a lot of **** in a 15g.... Sorry I am no help.

[ThingsReef]

Ditch the under gravel filter, I use about 4" of sand. Long short tanks are easier to light for a reef tank and give you more bottom area. If you plan on MH lighting I guess the 40 tall would be good but otherwise go with the shorter tank. You have alot of fish for a 15, If you go with a 29 I'd hold off on getting any more. Also buy a decent skimmer. I made mine out of PVC for a 90g. Do a search for Southdown or Southdown Playsand and you'll find more info than you want. I use Southdown in all my tanks (6 now I think) and I've never had a problem... Good luck

[Aaron1100us]

I agree with the pervious post. Are you going to keep the lighting or upgrade? It will depend on what you want to keep as far as corals go. I have a 29 gallon and house LPS corals and softies. I have the eclipse 3 hood with the 65w 50/50 up front and added another 55w in the rear hood. I would go with atleast that much lighting or more IMO.

[Flanders]

Please look for a MUCH bigger home for the angel ASAP.

[jmountains]

the angel is not in there now can leave that out
on the eclips hood how u put the light in the back where is the room
and thinking of going with mh lights from hollelights seem to be the cheapist i seen
now for the sand what is it? how many pounds i need or how thick then need a fish or some thing to stir it around right
southdown????????

[jmountains]

flander i have an 180 but the other angel don't like him

[ThingsReef]

I use Southdown. If you can't find Southdown try purearagonite.com (if that's the wrong address do a search using purearagonite). These sands are the same but it is said that Southdown isn't as "clean" and they aren't as carefull when they bag it...etc. you can read it for yourself if you do the RC search previously mentioned. I've never had any trouble with it You're live rock also helps with the whole filtration gig. If you're live rock isn't completely cured before you put it in (like from a local fish store that's had it for a month or two) then this will cause a cycle of your tank. ANY ordered and shipped live rock will cycle! Some more harshly than others but they all will so watch out for the whole ammonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle before adding fish or corals.

[ThingsReef]

Forgot to mention that they used to have a calculator there that let's you figure how much you need for x inches in an x gallon tank and it answers in pounds needed.