My tank 1.5 years later...

[KingChris444]

It's been a while since my last log in here. But, I'd like to share a couple of pics of my once african cichlid tank......

[thenotoriousdud]

Very nice reef setup. Can I ask how you went about the conversion? Did you empty, clean and start over or did you wok with what you had already going?

[KingChris444]

My substrate was already crushed coral and I used my texas holey rock as a base for my live rock. I did empty all the water and make the saltwater in buckets before I put them in the tank. My filtration is still the same from my Cichlid tank, FX5

[thenotoriousdud]

Very nice, I was thinking of trying my hand at marine one day.( I believe all cichlid keepers do). The transition is something that concerns me.

[DoctorV]

How big is this tank? I guess I wonder what is the size of a marine tank that can be sustained by FX5? I have a 125g running on FX5 and I am down to only two (albeit large and pretty) CA cichlids. I am currently hesitating what to do about it. I also have a few unused Korallias and my light fixture on that 125g is a marine one. I wonder...

Did you have to add more equipment? What of the skimmer?

[KingChris444]

My tank is a 90. I do not have a protien skimmer, any type of reactor any of that. Basically, live rock acts as a biological filter Which is why I have so much. I did so much research on filtration I felt that the FX5 was basically the same as a sump. The FX5 filters aprox 400 gph. My brother in law is running the same on a 125 and it looks great. It's a very capable filter I also use a hang on back filter that I'm in the process of turning into a "hang on" refugium, to help with nitrates. I do find myself in the african section of my local lfs, but NOTHING compares to a reef tank. Here is a pretty good link you can check out about the live rock acting as a filter : http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

[KingChris444]

Very nice, I was thinking of trying my hand at marine one day.( I believe all cichlid keepers do). The transition is something that concerns me.

It's not as hard as everyone says it is. The most important thing is lighting. (If you're keeping coral) I have an AquaticLife 6 bulb T5HO fixture. My biggest investment $499.99 If you have a library close check out The New Marine Aquarium book by Michael Paletta. Very good book.

[SabrinaD]

The tank looks awesome! Great job.

[DogWalker]

+1

[thenotoriousdud]

Thanks for the tip. I take a look at the book. One thing I have learned from keeping cichlids is: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!!!

[DoctorV]

Did you buy your live rock? That sells about $7-$8 per pound and you need about 1 lbs per gallon, which will cost a fortune for my 125g. This live rock business is a sticking point for me. My light is a marine grade, I have the FX5, 2 AC110 HOB, and a few Koralias, as I said. I also have tons of THR and lava rock to be a base and my substrate is crushed coral.
So, what of the live rock?

[SabrinaD]

You could build slowly Doc., buy what you can afford and get some dead rock as well. Over time the dead rock gets colonized. It's a slow process but it does work.

[KingChris444]

I didn't buy it all at the same time. I got a bit of it when I traded my cichlids in. I bought a bit here and there. Here is my transition through time

Initnially



Six months after that:



And of course what you see today. I look at the live rock tank still at the lfs. It's best to research the live rock you like. I prefer fiji live rock. : http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...92&pcatid=2392

[KingChris444]

It also depends on how you like to stack it. I've probably restacked it 50 times to get it how I want. Plus a lot of my crabs do their own aquascaping, so making sure it won't fall is important when selecting the right pieces

[KingChris444]

Oh and fyi, Texas holey rock looks bad ass with purple coralline algae growing on it.