One month into saltwater and I'm pulling the trigger on a 125 haha!

[sadrobotz]

Hello, friends! I set up my first saltwater tank, a biocube 32, a month ago this Saturday, and I am already set on converting my freshwater monster tank to a reef. The tank is already using an overflow box and a sump, so I am feeling really good about that, and I also just scored an incredible deal on 70 pounds of ~15 year old live rock. Instead of leaving the rock in tubs in my garage, I figure why not skip that step and just set the tank up asap lol.

My question is this - i am not ready, nor do i have the funds, to purchase a reef light. i am using using two high-end planted aquarium lights on the tank currently, will those be ok while the tank settles in, just to keep the microorganisms alive and whatnot?

I was NOT ready for how hard this hobby would take hold! I will miss my monsters a lot, but a reef is way too appealing!

 

[Stoneyed]

You should be good with the planted lights for rock. It will look kinda weird, but whatever. Plenty of PAR for coralline algae.

IDK how proficient at DIY you are, but there are some interesting options for 120v 50w LED chips out there for super cheap.

 

[sadrobotz]

You should be good with the planted lights for rock. It will look kinda weird, but whatever. Plenty of PAR for coralline algae.

IDK how proficient at DIY you are, but there are some interesting options for 120v 50w LED chips out there for super cheap.

Sweet, and how it looks is no problem, I can survive until I can get a light, at which point I'll be ready for livestock. I have never attempted any sort of DIY lighting/really anything beyond the stand I built for my other 125, but that does sound interesting. I am holding out for awhile in hopes that I can snag a nice light from someone getting of theirs.

 

[Stoneyed]

best bet: figure out the type of corals you *want* to keep, and their lighting requirements. Then watch craigslist/here/facebook/etc for people moving, or selling it for what their significant other told them they paid for it.

 

[exnisstech]

I did the same thing but not quite so quickly You don't need to worry about light until you get into corals which is another addiction

 

[sadrobotz]

best bet: figure out the type of corals you *want* to keep, and their lighting requirements. Then watch craigslist/here/facebook/etc for people moving, or selling it for what their significant other told them they paid for it.

For sure, great points, thank you!

 

[sadrobotz]

I did the same thing but not quite so quickly You don't need to worry about light until you get into corals which is another addiction

Oh for sure! I have some in the Biocube and I am so angry at myself for not doing this sooner lol

 

[exnisstech]

Oh for sure! I have some in the Biocube and I am so angry at myself for not doing this sooner lol

It took me several years to abandon freshwater. The hardest part was bringing my fish that I raised from very small juvies to very large adults to the LFS. I didn't go back into the store for a couple of months because I didn't want to see the fish in there. Kinda silly I guess but fish develop amazing personalities and make great pets.

 

[sadrobotz]

It took me several years to abandon freshwater. The hardest part was bringing my fish that I raised from very small juvies to very large adults to the LFS. I didn't go back into the store for a couple of months because I didn't want to see the fish in there. Kinda silly I guess but fish develop amazing personalities and make great pets.

i'm for sure not abandoning freshwater, i have another 125 which is an amazon biotope, i am VERY proud of that tank, definitely wont be taking that one down.