how much would it cost to switch over???

[squirt_12]

well...as some of you know....in the near future (soon) i WANT to switch my 10g over to SW and i am just wondering how much it would cost me....about $300-$500?????

i would need:
1. live sand or argonite (sp?)
2. lights for coral
3. live rock
4. hydrometer
5. test kit
6. powerhead(s)
7. filter(???)
8. salt
9. heater

i already have the tank. So i wouldn't need that. I think that i have covered everything.....if i have forgotten anything could you please tell me...thanks.


EDIT - would something like this work for substrate??? or no?? is that what i should be using??
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Drumachine09]

You don't have to start right off with a reef.

It would be best to do salt for a while, until you can get a handle on how to control the parameters and such.


That would cut out $100-200 for lighting and corals right off of the bat.

[squirt_12]

You don't have to start right off with a reef.

It would be best to do salt for a while, until you can get a handle on how to control the parameters and such.


That would cut out $100-200 for lighting and corals right off of the bat.
well yeah...i would keep it as a FOWLR for atleast 6 months-12 months.

So if i did that...would i just beable to use the lighting that i have on my 10g planted aquarium right now????
The light that i have on ther right now is a Flora Sun by ZOO MED. 15 Watts/5000K. it says this "ideal for planted aquariums, terrariums as well as marine reef aquariums" i doubt that it would be good for coral...but i am going to ask..is it?? would it be ok if i left it on if i had a FOWLR tank??? cause LR doesn't need any specific light right?? or wrong??

thanks.

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, for a FOWLR a regular light is fine. for corals on a 10g 60-80w is ideal. that substrate is good, since almost all sandy substrates hold massive bacteria amounts, and for a reef youre looking at about $500-$600. too bad you dont live near me, i would sell you my 50w 50/50 HO fixture that fits a 10g or 20g

[Incredulous_Ed]

Dont do a nano reef for a while. Wait until you have more experience.

[cocoa_pleco]

you can start with basic corals though, polyps are good. i have lots of brown ones, and a piece accidentally fell into some LR where i cant reach it and even in the shade its doing awesome.

with your current light you could get mushroom corals but IMO most are ugly. lol

EDIT- im also open to a infinite amount of PM's anytime

[squirt_12]

Dont do a nano reef for a while. Wait until you have more experience.
how can i wait to have more experience if i don't start a SW tank???? i have had lots of FW and BW experience so i want to move up to SW now.


Cocoa pleco......approx. how much would it be if i were to get everything but coral and the better lighting??? also would this powerhead work:[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
I bought one for the 10g to help get rid of the cyano and i was wondering if it would work??

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, that powerhead will work. without coral and better lighting probably $300. if the lighting cost is a issue just post a ad up for your region and see if anyone has a spare light for cheap

[squirt_12]

yep, that powerhead will work. without coral and better lighting probably $300
ok...thats what i figured around.

[squirt_12]

if the lighting cost is a issue just post a ad up for your region and see if anyone has a spare light for cheap
i don't think that it would be a problem.....the one thing is....i don't know if anywhere around me sells them. The 2 places that i know around me that are close are a Petcetera and a Petsmart. I COULD drive to Toronto and go to Big Als but i don't know if my parents would take me. lol.

EDIT- But no it shouldn't be an issue...i just want numbers.....lol.

[Incredulous_Ed]

how can i wait to have more experience if i don't start a SW tank???? i have had lots of FW and BW experience so i want to move up to SW now.
Ah, sorry if I was unclear, I meant when you have more experience with SW tanks. sorry if I sounded rude.

[squirt_12]

Ah, sorry if I was unclear, I meant when you have more experience with SW tanks. sorry if I sounded rude.
no you didn't sound rude...i just didn't understand......but (sorry if i sound rude) how would i get more experience with SW tanks????? I have been researching for quite a while and i read alot of the stuff on here and try to answer some stuff.

[Incredulous_Ed]

I guess you would get experience by keeping a SW tank. That's what I meant. Keep a FOWLR before going on to a true nano reef.

[squirt_12]

I guess you would get experience by keeping a SW tank. That's what I meant. Keep a FOWLR before going on to a true nano reef.
OOOOOOO....ok.....it is almost 1:00a.m. here so my brain isn't functioning very well.....yes...i am planning on keeping a FOWLR for about 6-12 months before getting coral. I will keep any coral that hitch hikes but other than that i will just wait...for prob about 12 months.

[Fenix]

I say if you think you can do it go for it, its a learning expereince. How else would you know if you can do it unless you try. I had lots of experience with fish in general before I tried saltwater less than a month ago and from looking at your tanks you do too. Good Luck

[cocoa_pleco]

yep squirt, its best waiting for a bit to get corals since it takes a year for a reef to mature. its a terrible idea to rush a reef

[squirt_12]

yep squirt, its best waiting for a bit to get corals since it takes a year for a reef to mature. its a terrible idea to rush a reef
ok....thanks so much.....now hopefully the parent factor wont come into play.....if i say " i got the money..." they should and hopefully will let me.

[squirt_12]

What is the best kind of salt to get????

[Drumachine09]

When you have a nano tank, it can be hard to dose minerals and such, so you have to count on most of these coming from the salt mix you use. I, for one, use instant ocean. Others might tell you to use otherwise. As long as the salt is "enriched" (I guess you'd call it), you should be fine.


I recommend reading the articles at [Only Registered Users Can See Links.].

[cocoa_pleco]

i use instant ocean, its what most stores here carry

[squirt_12]

When you have a nano tank, it can be hard to dose minerals and such, so you have to count on most of these coming from the salt mix you use. I, for one, use instant ocean. Others might tell you to use otherwise. As long as the salt is "enriched" (I guess you'd call it), you should be fine.


I recommend reading the articles at [Only Registered Users Can See Links.].
thanks....yeah thats like the only kind of salt that i see around. ok so i can get that.

would i need both of these:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[squirt_12]

instant ocean is what i figured...it is like the only kind that see at my LFS's.

would i need both of these test kits??? or well everything that are in these test kits???
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

opps...double post....sorry. i didn't think it went through last time.

[cocoa_pleco]

i would get both, the saltwater one tests the fishes conditions while the reef one does the corals

[squirt_12]

ok....i thought so....i need a filter right??? do you need to use a special filter for SW tanks???

[cocoa_pleco]

nope, basically any filter. on a 10g i recommend a aquaclear HOB

[squirt_12]

nope, basically any filter. on a 10g i recommend a aquaclear HOB
o..so the one that i have for my FW tank right now would work??? now comes the question if i can use it...should you use carbon in a SW tank???

[Drumachine09]

I was talking to dave about the same question the other day. He said to go filterless, you would need ~20 lbs of premium live rock, plus adequate water movement with 10-15% weekly waterchanges.

[squirt_12]

I was talking to dave about the same question the other day. He said to go filterless, you would need ~20 lbs of premium live rock, plus adequate water movement with 10-15% weekly waterchanges.
ok..thanks drum.

How much does LR usually cost where you get it??? where i am....the Petcetera sells theres for $17.88 per pound. is that alot?????

[Drumachine09]

Here its ~9 dollars a pound, but thats American.

If you buy it off the internet its MUCH cheaper. I can direct you to a site that dave linked me to in Florida, but I doubt they will ship to you way up north.

[squirt_12]

i sort of thought that 17,88 was alot for 1 pound of live rock....i will look for more stores around me before i buy off of the internet.

thanks though. But i few links would be nice....

thanks for all of the help that you have been giving me.

[Incredulous_Ed]

I saw an ad on craigslist for fiji live rock 2.99 a pound.

[squirt_12]

I saw an ad on craigslist for fiji live rock 2.99 a pound.
is the website just craigslist.com??

[Drumachine09]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


You can usually find some pretty good deals on there.

[cocoa_pleco]

craigslist here sucks. lol

here LR is usually $6/lb, about $7/lb american then.

on a 10g i would use the aquaclear, and you can remove it when the tank matures. i peresonally dont use carbon

[squirt_12]

craigslist here sucks. lol

here LR is usually $6/lb, about $7/lb american then.

on a 10g i would use the aquaclear, and you can remove it when the tank matures. i peresonally dont use carbon
the 10g powerhead???? why woul di remove it???

i have a 10g rated whisper filter with the carbon in it. use that??? i am confused????? :confused:

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, sorry, if youre using a whisper filter run it for a year until the tank matures then remove it, always leave the powerhead on. i thought you were using a aquaclear filter

[squirt_12]

no...i am using a whisper filter and an aquaclear powerhead. So i shouldn't use the carbon in the filter???? what else would i use??? should i use te white stuff that you put the carbon in adn then the little black foam piece????

[cocoa_pleco]

i personally just use a sponge and ceramic rings, but some people use carbon, i dont

[squirt_12]

ok..well i will use the white stuff and the foam piece without the carbon. would it hurt anything though if i did use carbon?????????

[cocoa_pleco]

nope, it shouldnt

[squirt_12]

nope, it shouldnt
alrighty......thanks.

[squirt_12]

ok...so far i have come out to an estimated cost. This is without upgrading my lights or without LR.

aragonite substrate - $16.99
powerhead - $34.99 + attachments for flow direction (i already have 1 powerhead)
both test kits - $19.99 + $29.99
hydrometer - $7.79
salt - $35.99

total= $166.14 tax included.

honestly...i don't think that $166.14 is a whole lot for that mush stuff. all i have to do is just add the LR on there and then in the future lights for coral.

[squirt_12]

is there anything i am missing there???? do you think that the total cost is cheap???

[Drumachine09]

I wouldn't skimp on the substrate. Get live sand if possible.

[squirt_12]

I wouldn't skimp on the substrate. Get live sand if possible.
i was told by a couple of people on here that argonite is better than live sand???

[~Erik3.8.07~]

i think it is, i got live aragonite in mine

[Drumachine09]

I don't see how you could perceive aragonite as better than live sand. Plain old aragonite lacks the biological filtering capabilities of live sand.

[squirt_12]

I don't see how you could perceive aragonite as better than live sand. Plain old aragonite lacks the biological filtering capabilities of live sand.
ok...well i would have a choice from this: the aragonite
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
or the live sand:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

which would you get????

[cocoa_pleco]

i personally prefer aragonite, i would say get aragonite

[squirt_12]

ok thanks.

[Tigerbarb]

I found a website with great prices on SW equipment if it helps >>[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[squirt_12]

thanks.....that would be awesome BUT......they don't ship to Ontario...only places in the USA.

[Tigerbarb]

Oh lol. Never thought of that.