Going from fish to reef need advise

[firefightered]

All right here is what I have so far
46gal bow front w/10 gal sump/refuge.
Skimmer (cannt remember brand but it's a good one)
60lbs live rock
3-4" sand bed
2- maxi jet 1200 power heads
36" 50/50 Reefbrite LED W/ 1 t-5 10K on each side (retro fit)
2-false perc clowns
1-haitian purple annenomy( or how ever you spell it)
2-line gobies
1-yellow tailed damsel (soon to be given to neighbor because hes mean)
Several red and blue leg hermits
2- naus snails
1- long spined eurchant(spelling again)
1-hob filter without filters(used for back up heater and flow)
several mushrooms (long hair and regular)
1- long tenicle toadstool
1- hollywood ? SPS
1- torch coral
1 small frag green star pallops
1- yellow sinoria ? ( Looks like a tree and is more green than yellow)
A hole bunch of corraline algea ( put a new peace of live rock in last week and is already showing corraline)
All perimeters are good.
I feed corals Reef Snow, trace elements, iron.
Fish get frozen brine and miasis shrimp and a small amount of flake.

With all this said, What else do I need to make my tank a good running reef tank. My tank has been running for 3 1/2 yrs.

 

[btkrausen]

Seems you have most of the stuff you'd need already honestly. If all your parameters are good and ideal for keeping the type of coral you want, start putting in a few pieces to see how they do. Try out some smaller frags to reduce your costs, and if they thrive, and you see them going well and growing, slowly add the stuff that you fancy

Keep in mind that once you start adding more and more corals that your tanks need will increase. For example, if you add a bunch of SPS, the demand for calcium and magnesium will rise.

 

[firefightered]

Besides the stuff I already have. What would be a good quality calcium and mag. additive. I see a lot of people are useing a calcium reactor in their tanks. I looked at the cost and about turned a flip on the high price of these things. I plan on transfering over to a 110 sometime next year after I get all the lights and other equip. Should I factor in a calcium reactor as well?

 

[btkrausen]

Besides the stuff I already have. What would be a good quality calcium and mag. additive. I see a lot of people are useing a calcium reactor in their tanks. I looked at the cost and about turned a flip on the high price of these things. I plan on transfering over to a 110 sometime next year after I get all the lights and other equip. Should I factor in a calcium reactor as well?

As for calcium, there are a few ways to do it. You could go the kalkwasser router, which seems to be hot the last few days on R2R, or you can go the 2 part route, 1 part is calcium, 1 part is Alk. There are many brands out there, but if you are looking for cheap, kalk would probably be cheapest, followed by the homemade 2 part, or a 2 part purchased from BulkReefSupply.com. There are a few good threads going in the Chemistry forum on kalk to get some more info on it. Calcium reactors are great for tanks with a high calcium demand, but like you saw, they can be a pricey way to go about it. If cheap is the way you'd like to go, and I don't blame you, try the two methods I've mentioned above. As for Magnesium, I use the stuff from BulkReefSupply.com.

With any of these methods, you need to be prepared to go slowly, measure a lot, and stay on top of it all until you get it down pat. Kalk can and will change you pH and kH, but if you do it slowly, it'll be for the better. I saw huge increases in growth when I started my Magnesium dosing. My suggestion is to do one of these at a time, get it going and stable, and then start on the other.

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask questions

 

[firefightered]

Right now I only have a couple corals that are still pretty small. They shouldn't demand a hole lot of calcium. What test kits are good ones and what should I get besides Alk, Cal, Mag,. I already test for the usual nitrate,nitrite, ect, ect. I just want to make sure I do This right the first time and be a good responceble reefer. I want my tank to really look nice so it will be easier to covince my wife to go BIG with the next tank:bigsmile:

 

[skinz78]

I only test the Cal Alk and Mag and sometimes I check my phosphates but if you have algae you have phosphates. I check nitrates from time to time as well but you can also tell when they get out of hand just by watching your corals health.

 

[firefightered]

The only algae I have is coraline. I have to feed sea vegies to my inverts so they can servive. Is this a good thing or not?

 

[btkrausen]

Should be fine as long as they are eating it and still living

As for test kits, the popular and best ones are probably Salifert, followed by Elos probably. Everything I test with is using Salifert, although I do use a Hanna Checker for Phosphates.

 

[KyleP]

Most of the time the only major difference between the Fish only and a reef setup is the lighting, which it seems like you have taken care of

 

[dougers31]

I would go with a bigger sump on a 46, at the least a 15gal or preferrably a 20L. Also I didn't see a controller mentioned, great item and once you use one you'll never go back/.

 

[akabryanhall]

Start off with the easier corals lik elPS and softies, once you have your system stable, then maybe graduate to SPS.

 

[re-fin-away]

also when you add corals to your system the need to be acclimated to the light you have. start them low and move them up over time. Sounds like you are off to a solid start.