Help setting Up

[rickykoh8888]

Hi All,

i am new to marine fish keeping . I have 2 X 3ft tanks and 2 X 2ft tanks and would like to convert them to marine fish + coral keeping . Is it better to have them in parallel or any good suggestions ? Will be having one of the 2ft as sump . Any Suggestion to how much LR and DSP sands i will need ?? ALL Input will be greatly appreciated . Thank you in advance .

[dravan]

suggest u read up more in this forum or anywhere before u embark on this hobby.... suggest u dun rush in.... start wif a three footer first.... DSB at least 6inches of grade 0 coralsand... liverocks depends on how big ur tank is.... i using a ratio of 1 kg per gallon of course the more the better

[rickykoh8888]

thank you for the advise . i had already done some research on this subject . But the more advise i get from local reefers in the current climate the better . Cheers bro .

[Tanggy]

pls state your tank thickness, is it the standard 3x1.5x1.5? If thickness not enought. Suggest caution.

If can drill one tank to install overflow, suggest using one 3ft as display and the othe 3ft as sump. would be better to start with 3ft then 2ft.

[ryz]

for 2 ft, 3 to 4 inches of DSB

for 3 ft abt 6 inch

use a mix of grade 1 and grade 0 sand

[rickykoh8888]

yes it is a standard 3X1.5X1.5 tank . Thickness about 6mm(is it thick enouf) . Was thinking of getting internal overflow+pump top/bottom setup . And setting the 2ft as refugium . any othersuggestions ?

[Tanggy]

a 1.5 height 6mm in theory is enough (must have euro bracing) but due to other considerations like glass strength it is always better to go for thicker glass as depending on the fabrication process and the additives used in glass manufacture can affect the strength.

As for those cheap tanks found in the market mostly use china glass and there no way for us to tell even if they say the glass is japan etc. So it is better to give some leeway by going for thicker glass.

If you have not bought the tank, get one with thicker glass. And if you are converting an existing tank, instead of paying a glass cutter to drill the tank, why not invest in a new one as tanks are so cheap due to the LH craze. But if you do use back your standard 3ft, would suggest not putting to thick a sandbed and not so much rocks and be careful when handling rocks to avoid hitting the glass.

[reef2]

6mm glass better not try.. coz i just have 1 relative suffer from tank leak and now his flooring needs to change !!

[Tanggy]

What reefz say is very true lor. Unless you have brace the botton edge. But normally, if they use 6mm glass, dont think they do that unless requested.

The main weight is not from the water (but it is heavier) but what you put in. The main weight is from the sand and rock. 4inches of sand will need around 50kg of sand. And around 30-50 kg of live rocks.

Let say water is 1kg per lt. it take approx 2kg salt every 60 lt of water. so salt water is 62kg for 60lt of water. a standard 3ft is 50gallon which is around 200lt (slightly less) so the water is around 7kg+ heavier then fresh water.

So let say you have 4inch sandbed and 40 kg of LR. Accounting for the water displaced (approx) so you have

32 gallon of water, 80-100 kg of sand and 40 kg of rock

130lt water = 130+5kg

live rocks = 40kg

coral sand = 50-60kg

so it will amount to around around 240 kg (more if you using dense rock instead of porous rocks). whereas a tank with only saltwater will be like 180-200 kg

[rickykoh8888]

Wow that's a lot of Kilos . Guess will have to throw away one of the 3footer and get another tank(any suggestion to minimum thickness ?) . But if i use the 3footer with top euro bracing for sump or main tank is it strong enough ?

[Tanggy]

depend on tank height and size. if 3x1.5x1.5 8mm will do. if 2ft height, 8 or 10mm. 2.5 high, 10mm.