I've got $300 and a 30 gallon long, HELP!

[VanThomas]

Hey everyone!
Here's the deal. About 2 years ago I started my 30 gallon FOWLR up again after a 5 year hiatus. I did everything slowly and tried to do it correctly but obviously it didn't work out too well unfortunatly.

I have about 45 pounds of Live Rock (Live being the term of the day considering it has been sitting in semi-stagnant water for the past year but I assume it will prosper well when brought back into the correct conditions). I do have a BakPak on it, but the pump feeding it seems to have a problem and doesn't produce "bubbles" correctly. Sooo... With $300 bucks what should I do to to it correctly this time. I would like enough lighting so my live rock will actually grow and if I wanted to get some VERY low light corals I would be able to, i.e. shrooms. I am looking at ordering everything off of Doctor Foster and Smiths (I have had goodluck with them before)

Here is the old setup,
30 gallon long
basic florescent light strip (not sure of wattage, but the usual)
CPR bakbak (with malfunctioning pump)
Heater
45 pounds live rock (semi)
One bag of sand (think it is argromax or something of the sort)
Small Aquaclear hangon for mechanical flitration

What of this should I replace?
My thoughts are:
Go with a power compact light, around 110 watts, something not too great, but ample enough.
New test kit to be sure of correct quality
New heater (it is quite old)
and the kicker...new skimmer? New BakPak? Or new pump to feed it? If I just got a new pump/powerhead would it work like it should or no?

I want to do this right,
I want to do this slow,
but unfortunatly on a budget. What does everyone suggest?
I certainly appreciated your time, sorry because I tend to get wordy.

-Van Thomas

[horkn]

well, just fix your bakpak, a new pump may just do it, i have a bakpak as well, i dunno if theres an airstone, or like piece, maybe it jsut needs a good clenaing, well with 45 lbs of LR you have the most expensive part out of the way, you can even go Bare bottom, and save money by not getting sand, but you'll need lights.

i say get at least 200w of power compacts, or even better, a t5ho setup, i got mine (3x39 retrofit) with all the needed stuff for 170 bucks, but a 2 bulb unit will suffice if you are ona budget, and lose the mechanical filtration, and get 2 powerheads for the tank.

a bag of salt will be around 13-15 bux, so you'll be all set with that. i made my stand and canopy for less than 55 bucks.

and pal up with a local for free corals, and you'llbe set.. as more $$ comes in, you'll be set...

[xtrstangx]

That skimmer is an appropriate size for the pump. Is it a Rio or a Maxi-jet feeding it? Try replacing the airline tubing if its a Maxijet on the venturi and give the pump a good cleaning. Make sure your air valve isn't clogged either. See if it works now. If not, get a new venturi kit and pump from http://premiumaquatics.com

I would go with a basic Seachem test kit package. It's pH, alk, ammonai, trites, and trates for $26 or so at http://marinedepot.com

If you think your heater isn't very good, get a new one.. its only like $20.

So now you are up to like what? $50-75? I would look at getting a PC retrofit or a VHO retrofit. Later when you have the money, you can upgrade to MH and use this retrofit as actinics. That should be like $100-150. A 110w retrofit sounds fine for softies.

With the rest of your money, I'd get some little coral frags. Leathers, devil's hands, zoanthids, mushrooms, GSP, xenia, etc all do well under moderate lighting like your 110w.

[VanThomas]

Thanks for the uber-quick responses!
I need to look what the current powerhead is on the bakpak. Hopefully rebuying the exact same one will do the trick.
I already have the stand that is all good. On Dr Fosters and Smith what do you recommend for lighting? I saw an aquaclear PC for 129 on there that looked decent. I really dont plan on much in terms on inverts, so is the 110 watt okay?

Also, do we think my live rock will be okay? I had some die off last time and want to makesure that I don't "infect" or "poison" the new tank? Considering it has been sitting there for over a year, do you think it will be alright?

And in terms of substrate what is recommended now? I know I do want some sort, always prefered the look of sand to crushed coral, but I will do what is best....

Thanks so much,
Van Thomas

[horkn]

go with sand. i run CC, but i wouldnt have done it this way again.. it was leftover in my empty tank when it was a predator tank...

you could go witha pc unit, but honestly, if you look, you can find a t5ho retro for that amount, and it will be more and betetr light.

what are the dimensions of the tank?? and what do you plan on keeping

[aquaman3680]

i would get power copacts and either get a new skimmer or a new pump

[VanThomas]

horkn-
30 gallon long here. 36" long I believe. Not sure of the deminsions to be honest with you, but they are typical of a 30L.

Thanks for the sand input, I was thinking similarly. I plan on keeping a few small and appropriate fish. I.E. a pair of tank raised percs, a pygmy angel possibly, and maybe a gobi. Certainly don't want to overstock.
Did I mention three yellow tangs a leopard shark? ;-) LOL, JK

[seatown76]

Here is the deal on live rock and sand. Did you have the live rock in a storage container that had water movement? And do have enough money to pay for good lighting?

[seatown76]

Lights are always going to be you're most expensive item in you're aquarium

[wayne in norway]

Initially I'd get the skimmer topieces and soak it infrehwater, clean it with vinegar. Maybe it just needs a good clean and the impellor taking out and cleaning, maybe new airpipe.

I'd see if I could find a second hand 150 Watt MH.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

No need for second hand lighting, there are a few brands that make very nice pendants in that price range. Check this out:

http://www.hellolights.com/ocli15hqiame.html

http://www.hellolights.com/ocli25hqiame.html

IMHO, if you're going to upgrade anything, think long term. Even if you'd be happy with low light corals now, what are you going to want in a year when they get boring? If you're going to upgrade your lighting now, you might as well go "all the way" so you're ready down the road, instead of potentially needing another upgrade then.

I agree with the others - troubleshoot or repair the skimmer, it should be adequate for this size tank so there's no reason to replace it.

[horkn]

Originally posted by VanThomas
horkn-
30 gallon long here. 36" long I believe. Not sure of the deminsions to be honest with you, but they are typical of a 30L.

Thanks for the sand input, I was thinking similarly. I plan on keeping a few small and appropriate fish. I.E. a pair of tank raised percs, a pygmy angel possibly, and maybe a gobi. Certainly don't want to overstock.
Did I mention three yellow tangs a leopard shark? ;-) LOL, JK

as far as the lights, i got my 3x39 t5ho retrofit (perfect fir for a 3 foot tank like yours and mine , brand new everything included, even good reflectors for ~170 dollars delivered to my house, with bulbs ballast standoffs everything...you could just get a 2 bulb setup at first, and add a 3rd on later. by going 2 bulbs, you would be looking at $130 or so...

by what do you intend to keep, i was asking about corals. with the 3x39 retro i have i am keeping softies, lps, and sps...and i know i can keep a clam, even a crocea if i want to with this much light.

a 2 bulb setup may be jsut fine for everything but sps, and clams. and if you want to venture into sps, or higher light clams, adding a 3rd bulb is easy.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally posted by horkn
and i know i can keep a clam, even a crocea if i want to with this much light.

Personally, I wouldn't risk a crocea without about twice the light output you have. It might hang on for a few months with three T5's, but it certainly won't thrive in the long term. Croceas (and most other photosynthetic clams) are super, super demanding of correct, intense light.

[horkn]

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht
Personally, I wouldn't risk a crocea without about twice the light output you have. It might hang on for a few months with three T5's, but it certainly won't thrive in the long term. Croceas (and most other photosynthetic clams) are super, super demanding of correct, intense light.


well, theres many people running less wpg than i have of t5ho, and are successfully keeping them..
and green striped shrooms that did fine under 1000 watts of mh on a 125, shrivelled up under my 117w over my 35..


btw, i have seen blue crocea clams thrive under 4x65 of pc on a 55g...

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally posted by horkn
well, theres many people running less wpg than i have of t5ho, and are successfully keeping them..
and green striped shrooms that did fine under 1000 watts of mh on a 125, shrivelled up under my 117w over my 35..

Ever think that those 'shrooms shrivelled because of a lack of light in your tank - or water conditions, temperature, pH, etc? It could have been 100% independant of your light rig.


btw, i have seen blue crocea clams thrive under 4x65 of pc on a 55g...

I'll repeat my comments from another thread: Why risk it? The odds are definitely stacked way against clams surviving under anything but the most brilliant light we can provide. Also, what's the time scale? All too often, reefers claim that something is "thriving" or "doing well" when it has only been in their care for a few weeks or months. Personally, I don't see the point in risking livestock unless I know I will be able to provide care for years and years.

[horkn]

there is honestly no lack of light, they would openup every night when i had the actinic 30w NO light on aftre the main lights went out.

this tank is as bright as all the tanks i get my livestock from. all MH lit with a ton of light, as little as 1000 w of mh over a 125, to 1200w of mh over a 180g.

all the other corals did fine when the shrooms i had didnt do well. they actually detached and i will probably find them multiplying in the shade somewhere eventually.

if ph, temp, or any other parameter was an issue, the other corals would have showna sign of poor conditions. and the other corals didnt show any signs of bad conditions, actually multiplying more rapidly. I regularly test for nearly everything inc alk and ca. and the worst i ever had was a minor phosphate issue, which was quickly taken care of.

whatever, if you dont want to believe it, i cant convince you....

[xtrstangx]

I'm sticking to my statement of getting a retrofit now (either PC or VHO... T5 are too expensive) and using it as your lighting now and then upgrade to halides later and use this retrofit as an actinic supplement.