New member looking to convert 250 gallon tank

[Echomsp]

I have a 250 gallon tank that I will be converting to saltwater once I build my house (hopefully very soon). I plan to put the tank in a wall so it's visible from my foyer and my office. Here is what I have so far:



Looking for advice on what additional equipment I will need to add for the conversion. I am looking to purchase RODI, sump, and protein skimmer currently. What other equipment should I be looking for? I do not know what type of fish/coral I will be looking to get, just diving in and trying to find out what I will need.

Thanks for any help.

 

[302lockedandloaded]

welcome. good luck

 

[JaimeAdams]

You have to figure out what types of coral that you want to keep. You will need decent lighting, wave maker/power heads, a carbon/gfo reactor would be nice. I see that you have some light and some power heads. It might be easier if you listed what you do have instead of just pictures. As in I see lights, but no idea what model or specs.

 

[Echomsp]

The lights are LED fluval, two 4' strips, 25,000k 59W and two 3' strips, 25,000k 46W. Two fluval CP3 circulation pumps I bought just to try to circulate tank, but I think I'll get a Gyre(s) once I make the conversion.

Carbon/gfo reactor... I'll need to do some research on this, thanks.

I'll probably start with what corals I'll be able to keep with the lighting that I have. I wasn't quite ready to invest 3k into the lights I will probably need.

 

[lapin]

You will want an Auto Top Off. Tank will run with out it, but it means "you" have to add fresh water everyday.

 

[Flippers4pups]

The lights are LED fluval, two 4' strips, 25,000k 59W and two 3' strips, 25,000k 46W. Two fluval CP3 circulation pumps I bought just to try to circulate tank, but I think I'll get a Gyre(s) once I make the conversion.

Carbon/gfo reactor... I'll need to do some research on this, thanks.

I'll probably start with what corals I'll be able to keep with the lighting that I have. I wasn't quite ready to invest 3k into the lights I will probably need.

Welcome to reef2reef! Glad to have you with us!

As stated, you will need a ATO unit and reservoir to keep your salinity (SG) consistent.

Water mixing barrel or brute grey trash can, new, to mix saltwater with.

A good saltwater refractometer to measure your SG with. Calibration fluid to keep it calibrated.

Good test kits to test your water. Salifert, Red sea or even API to get you started for all water pramameters.

You will need to upgrade your lights at some point. The ones you have won't cut it for LPS/SPS corals. They might keep softies. Good news though, you don't need to spend a arm and some organs on lighting. Cheap Chinese boxes are very capable of keeping LPS/SPS and softies very well. I use them and countless others do too and have great success with them. A little north of $100 for each unit and you would need at least three to four of them for a 6' tank.

Check out my build thread for ideas, don't mind my basement sump, you don't need that.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flippers-reef-125-gallon.317425/

Once again, welcome! Ask questions! We love to help here! Just #reefsquad and we'll come running to help!

 

[JaimeAdams]

Don't forget and RODI unit to filter the water before mixing with your salt.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to reef2reef! Glad to have you with us!

As stated, you will need a ATO unit and reservoir to keep your salinity (SG) consistent.

Water mixing barrel or brute grey trash can, new, to mix saltwater with.

A good saltwater refractometer to measure your SG with. Calibration fluid to keep it calibrated.

Good test kits to test your water. Salifert, Red sea or even API to get you started for all water pramameters.

You will need to upgrade your lights at some point. The ones you have won't cut it for LPS/SPS corals. They might keep softies. Good news though, you don't need to spend a arm and some organs on lighting. Cheap Chinese boxes are very capable of keeping LPS/SPS and softies very well. I use them and countless others do too and have great success with them. A little north of $100 for each unit and you would need at least three to four of them for a 6' tank.

Check out my build thread for ideas, don't mind my basement sump, you don't need that.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flippers-reef-125-gallon.317425/

Once again, welcome! Ask questions! We love to help here! Just #reefsquad and we'll come running to help!

Except for me, I dont run. I might quickly walk, but no running for this fat guy

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[GoVols]

Get an RO/DI unit with an built in TDS meter.
Always loved the Tunze 3155 auto top off system too.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef and hope you feel at home!!

 

[Echomsp]

Welcome to reef2reef! Glad to have you with us!

As stated, you will need a ATO unit and reservoir to keep your salinity (SG) consistent.

Water mixing barrel or brute grey trash can, new, to mix saltwater with.

A good saltwater refractometer to measure your SG with. Calibration fluid to keep it calibrated.

Good test kits to test your water. Salifert, Red sea or even API to get you started for all water pramameters.

You will need to upgrade your lights at some point. The ones you have won't cut it for LPS/SPS corals. They might keep softies. Good news though, you don't need to spend a arm and some organs on lighting. Cheap Chinese boxes are very capable of keeping LPS/SPS and softies very well. I use them and countless others do too and have great success with them. A little north of $100 for each unit and you would need at least three to four of them for a 6' tank.

Check out my build thread for ideas, don't mind my basement sump, you don't need that.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flippers-reef-125-gallon.317425/

Once again, welcome! Ask questions! We love to help here! Just #reefsquad and we'll come running to help!

Thanks! For the ATO, does this need to be anything more than a small pump a couple float switches? I have a couple 40 gallon brute trash cans that will only be used for the tank. I purchased a small pump to connect to one of the cans and be controlled by a couple float switches in my sump. One to cut it on and an emergency at the top to cut it off just in case.

I'll do some research on the saltwater refractometer.

You're making me regret the grand I spent on lights... $400 investment could be an upgrade? I'll check this out do some research on this as well. I didn't mention the tank dimensions, but it's 84" x 24" x 29" tall.

Thanks for the help and I'll go check out your build thread!

Don't forget and RODI unit to filter the water before mixing with your salt.

I plan on getting the RODI unit with TDS meter, was just waiting until I get closer to house build. When I do start shopping, what size/flow rate should I get for a tank this size? Thanks for the help!

Get an RO/DI unit with an built in TDS meter.
Always loved the Tunze 3155 auto top off system too.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef and hope you feel at home!!

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to research the Tunze 3155. I wonder what it adds over my possibly over simplistic approach stated above.

 

[TheEngineer]

Just #reefsquad and we'll come running to help!

Someone put up the Bat Signal? Haha

Welcome! You've got some great advice already. Only thing I would add is look to connect with your local reef club (if you have one). If you scroll down most of the way on the forum index you can see a listing of all of the states and you can see if anyone is active there or just post an intro and see who comes up

I'll save you a few clicks... here's that link: https://www.reef2reef.com/categories/local-reef-club-discussion.74/

 

[JaimeAdams]

If you do go with black box LED, check out SBreeflights, a touch more money but much better LED diode layout. Sorry you spent a grand on some fluval strips. I hear it all the time, usually from people wanting to know why their lights that alas employee told them were good and were $300 so they thought that they were. It's kind of weird the only lights that produce adequate PAR reading to grow SPS coral are either cheap chinese blackboxes or really expensive (by my standards), all of the in-between lights don't cut it.

 

[NY_Caveman]

^^^
Lots of good advice here. Welcome to R2R!

 

[Echomsp]

Someone put up the Bat Signal? Haha

Welcome! You've got some great advice already. Only thing I would add is look to connect with your local reef club (if you have one). If you scroll down most of the way on the forum index you can see a listing of all of the states and you can see if anyone is active there or just post an intro and see who comes up

I'll save you a few clicks... here's that link: https://www.reef2reef.com/categories/local-reef-club-discussion.74/

Nothing in Louisiana it seems. Are you a fellow Engineer?

If you do go with black box LED, check out SBreeflights, a touch more money but much better LED diode layout. Sorry you spent a grand on some fluval strips. I hear it all the time, usually from people wanting to know why their lights that alas employee told them were good and were $300 so they thought that they were. It's kind of weird the only lights that produce adequate PAR reading to grow SPS coral are either cheap chinese blackboxes or really expensive (by my standards), all of the in-between lights don't cut it.

I'll check out SBreeflights. To be fair, the place that sold me the lights said I would be limited in the corals I could have, but the alternative was Radions @ $800 each. Was a bit more than I was ready to invest... at least at this point.

I should add that I've ordered a couple fans to mount into the canopy for ventilation. The canopy is just temporary until I build my house. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[TheEngineer]

Nothing in Louisiana it seems. Are you a fellow Engineer?

There definitely is! Macna was in New Orleans not that long ago. It is hosted by the local club.

I sure am! Bachelors in EE and Masters in ME. You?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Nothing in Louisiana it seems. Are you a fellow Engineer?



I'll check out SBreeflights. To be fair, the place that sold me the lights said I would be limited in the corals I could have, but the alternative was Radions @ $800 each. Was a bit more than I was ready to invest... at least at this point.

SBreeflights are good choice. I have Mars aquas that I modded to mimic SB's led diode layout. Three Mars units shipped free was just under $300 a couple years ago.

With a 8' tank, I'd do four SB basic units.

I was a T5 guy for years and years. The bulb replacement was killing me at over $200 a year. Researched and researched LED's and couldn't justify spending around $2400 for radions! A lot of people were using the Mars units and having great success with them, so I bit the bullet and gave them a try. No regrets! Best $300 I've spent.

 

[Echomsp]

There definitely is! Macna was in New Orleans not that long ago. It is hosted by the local club.

I sure am! Bachelors in EE and Masters in ME. You?

I completely missed the Louisiana link. Checking this out now. CE licensed in LA, MS, AL, TX, TN.

SBreeflights are good choice. I have Mars aquas that I modded to mimic SB's led diode layout. Three Mars units shipped free was just under $300 a couple years ago.

With a 87' tank, I'd do four SB basic units.

I was a T5 guy for years and years. The bulb replacement was killing me at over $200 a year. Researched and researched LED's and couldn't justify spending around $2400 for radions! A lot of people were using the Mars units and having great success with them, so I bit the bullet and gave them a try. No regrets! Best $300 I've spent.

How difficult is the modification? I'm not an EE, just a CE
For clarification, my tank is 7'.

 

[TheEngineer]

Oh you civil guys... I have to tell my favorite engineer joke now....

What’s the difference between an electrical engineer, a mechanical entineet, and a civil engineer?

Electrical engineers build guidance systems. Mechanical engineers build missiles. Civil engineers build targets

 

[Echomsp]

You mean it's not on the design of the human body? Who else would run a toxic pipeline through the recreational area?

 

[Echomsp]

Since I last posted, I picked up two 275 gallon reservoirs to store RODI water and saltwater. I mixed 100 gallons of saltwater and added about 150 pounds of dry rock and let it cycle for 3 months. I've moved the wet dry filter to my wife's freshwater tank and put a 40 breeder in for a sump. I added an Aquamaxx ConeS Q-2 skimmer and a Sicce 7.0 return pump.

I know I need to adjust the height of the skimmer, I'm working on that. For a 250 gallon tank, how much flow should I be running through the return pump? I added some live rock in the refugium and put the rest in the tank along with 120 pounds of Fiji Pink. I'm not sure if this is enough sand or rock. I felt like I didn't have enough live rock so I bought another 200 pounds to create some structures. I have 4 power heads in the tank, two are 2,100 GPH and two are 750 GPH. I've order two PhosBan reactors for carbon and GFO.

I just piled the rock up so I could add the sand. The best a half color blind man can tell, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite are all next to nothing. I've order a test kit for Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium so I can check those. So what do I throw money at next?