GSP SW tank upgrade plan gone haywire...now what?

[goby1kenobi]

I was about halfway thru step 3 of a 6-step system upgrade when the 55g tank's leak became obvious. So my plans have been pretty well trashed.

Now I dunno quite what the frag to do. I've found people ready to sell a plain 55g, a 58g RR, a 65g... but... it's "are you interested in the lighting setup" that I don't know how to answer.

Tank plans are complicated by the lease: I can't have two separate systems. I was going to plumb a 20g tank to the main, with nice lighting in the 20g for some softies and maybe inverts, but now.... What can I put in a marine tank with a 6" GSP that he won't eat or otherwise make hash out of? Will a GSP nosh on softies? I'm guessing that anything that is crunchable will get crunched. I'm guessing that would include LPSs, yes? (I'm not interested in SPSs.)

When I last I looked at lighting options, metal halides and CFs were the rage; T5s were cutting edge and VHOs were on their last gasps. Anyone got a link for a web page that explains the current options for fish tank lighting, or at least what's changed in the last several years?

[Blaine]

GSP's will nosh on most corals, etc...not worth the risk IMO.

As far as reef/SW tank lighting it depends on what you plan to keep...

If it's FOWLR...just the GSP, then you can get away with anything from low end fluorescents and up.

Most corals need at least T5 HO...and anything over 14" deep will need something stronger, especially for more demanding corals. Good units go for around $400 for a 48" Quad

The next step up in reef lighting is metal halide and/or metal halide/T5 HO combo units. You can grow most corals and anemones, etc with those. $400-1000 for a 48" system with two (150-250) MH and 4 T5 HO...some with LED moonlights

The next step up is LED (3 watt) systems. Very pricey for the good units...but you can get controllers for timing and variable lighting conditions to simulate everything from sunrise and sunset to lightning storms, etc. $1000-5000

HTH

[luna1580]

just saw that you are in the midst of a tank crisis with a leak, so thought i'd repost this that i just put in another thread:

"hey, i just wanted to add that if you ever have a tank crisis like a leak -or something like this where you need 30g/fish not 3g/fish quickly- rubbermaid bins can be used as temp tanks, and or hospital/quarantine tanks. just rinse them, set on a flat area of your floor, and fill (just not to the very top, of course).

they can be picked up cheaply at any walmart or home depot type store (farm supply-type stores also usually have things from storage bins through cattle troughs that can all be DIY tanks). i've used clear rubbermaids for up to 40gs in a turtle emergency -they will not melt if you suction on a heater and you can add filters to most just like a tank (you might need to alter the bin lip with a utility knife for some HOBs). many aquatic turt keepers make such systems permanent, but for fish we want crystal-clear tank walls for viewing (i like that for my turts too).

so anyway, if you can't find a good cheap 30/55/75 tank tomorrow you can use a big storage bin with heater & filter until you do. imho, much better to spend 15 bucks on a bin and then a few weeks finding a really great tank, than to pay a ton for the same size tank tank tomorrow because you're in a panic to move those fish out of the 3 gallon.... [or in this case re-home from the leak.]

to be water-safe a bin need not be rubbermaid brand, but should have thick, smooth plastic walls that are NOT at all brittle. a rubbermaid roughneck-type plastic texture that bends without cracking (try it empty with your hands on the lip if unsure) may bow a bit when filled within a few inches of the top, but will not leak or break - i can't vouch for the more brittle-type clear bins of some other brands, but they seem very prone to cracking if dropped or smacked even when empty of water, i'd not trust them not to have a side bust out after filling them!"

i hope you can work out your total tank plans. is the leak something you could reseal and save or is that tank doomed? i wrote this originally for someone in g/fish emergency mode, but it sounds like you need a few days or more to research lighting systems. as a good system is a big investment i figured that you might need an emergency "water holder" while you do research, buy that new tank, etc. -i have not used a bin on a SW system myself, but i mix my brackish water in the same kind of plastic and RTR has said he does a similar thing to mix and age water, so i don't think the marine salt would degrade/leach anything from the plastic at all. such bins can also be easily cut if you can't drop-in a temp filter system for such from the top. as long as you use a thick and flexible bin i know turt keepers who have had such setups (obviously not SW, but outfitted with large canister filters or even pond or pool DIY filters) for years w/out leaks, so it would work if you need a temp while you plan and buy your new permanent equipment.

good luck!

[goby1kenobi]

Fortunately, the tank is still usable; the leak is pretty high up the side. It's got probably 40-45g in it now.

I hadn't even thought about resealing it... the tank has other (mostly cosmetic) issues, too.

Thx for the lighting info... do GSPs even go after shrooms, xenia, zoas, polyps, etc?

[Pufferpunk]

It's different with every puffer.

[zookey]

+1 Luna! I have used plastic storage bins in emergencies and they work great! I do normally keep them filled in the tub of the spare bath though just in case a side should bust. Never had it happen, but just as a safety precaution.

[Blaine]

I would find another tank or get a tub asap...

If there is already a leak in the side of the tank,....the pressure of the water will be forcing the glass apart, and already weakened seams can burst completely with no warning

[luna1580]

I would find another tank or get a tub asap...

If there is already a leak in the side of the tank,....the pressure of the water will be forcing the glass apart, and already weakened seams can burst completely with no warning

^THIS^

i'd be very nervous to keep that leaking tank filled. -40/45g of water suddenly on your floor in the house is serious! plus such a blowout could/would kill that tank's inhabitants unless you rescued them from the floor within minutes, and the now dry heater could start a fire and/or the new "floor water" could short-out/kill any non-tank electronics it spills on......

please don't risk it

[goby1kenobi]

Ah, drek. I hadn't realized a tank blowout like that was even possible! We'll have to put him in a different tank tonite while we get a bigger tub...(eyes the 20g long)...

[goby1kenobi]

Random is now in the 20g long. He wasn't happy about the transfer...!

[luna1580]

hey just wondering how random is doing/where he's living for now.

have you resealed your old tank/gotten a new one, same size; or found some-kinda whole other new tank plan?

wishing you and your wet pets all the best

[goby1kenobi]

Sorry for the late response; I haven't been getting online here as often as I should...

We bought a 58g RR setup -- but didn't realize how bloody heavy it'd be. There's a 90* corner at the bottom of the basement stairs. We looked at that, looked at the 58g, said "If we get it down there, we're never gonna get it OUT of there," and the 58g is going to live in the garage until we move. We went to Meijers and bought the 55g deluxe kit late one night. What a difference in weight the tempered glass makes! I'm actually quite happy with the kit: the filter is good (no salt creepy biowheels, yay!), another heater is always useful, and the double hood means that Random now gets an hour of half-light on each end of his day.