Hi Guys
Been in the planted section for almost 3 yrs and quite tired with algae and the slow growth with the plants.
Unlike marine whereby yu can rescape when u hv money to buy new corals!
Therefore am thinking if i shud make the change to marine and how much i can reuse on my existing equipments.
Can i reuse my 2 x 72 watts pl light casing with e-ballast ? Do i still need my co2 system since anemones annd corals are also plant-like? The lightings sufficient?
Anybody hv come to this cross junction would like to share their experience?
Thanks.
Stephen
Go www.sgreefclub.com , www.reefcentral.com , then you'll find out the main requirement for converting to marine reef tank is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. If you're satisfied with just fish only with live rock, then cheaper, but then dpds no coral and anemone you like?
Oh, the rare old Whale, mid storm and gale. In his ocean home will be. A giant in might, where might is right. And King of the boundless sea.
its a very stuuupid question, But why is Marine/reef labelled as the "Dark Side"
may i know its origins?
cheers
[quote:5f557af670="gregorsamsa"]its a very stuuupid question, But why is Marine/reef labelled as the "Dark Side"
may i know its origins?
cheers[/quote:5f557af670]
If I may make an uneducated guess. It's probably because of the sheer amount of light they need.
Cheers,
I have dwarf cichlids in my tanks! Do you?
Resistance is futile, you will be administrated!
I believe the term "The Dark Side" was first used by Kelstorm, our marine moderator and Star Wars fan (he used to have Star Wars emoticons in his sig).
At times, he tries to lure people from our predominantly FW/planted tank oriented community to the marine tank hobby and would tell them to "Join the Dark Side".
Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.
i think every forum has a dark side right? in the car forum i am a member off, we refer to perfomance modifications as the 'dark side' too...
Hi Guys
Sorry to come bck this late.. Think i learn that term from moderator Kelstorm. He always like to welcome newbie into the marine section by saying " welcome to the dark side"
Never ponder why. But to me, marine or the ocean has lots of mysteries. Therefore i accepted his term lots, stocks and barrel.
If i have kill some of ur brain cells for pondering wht it meant. I am terribly sorry!
Stephen
Bro, I started with Planted setups for few years, decided to join "the dark side" and finally managed to free myself from the "dark side" and back to planted setups. Was with the "dark side" almost 2 years.
Anyway my 2 cents is, if u got the $$$$ + time, go for it. From my experience, u usually stick with the marine scapes u start with. Building on it until u cannot squeeze more corals or u go broke. Done properly it is breathtaking sight to behold. BUT if u start to get bored with the 'scape then too bad! No as easy as Planted setups. Imagine with the amount of liverock u need to relocated, the recycling of the tank.....etc
Anyway, to keep it short, the $$$$ u need to spend on the essential item can kill off the idea already. Just check out the chiller and protein skimmer price here as a reference click here
Salt spray and all, if u got what it takes, then join the "dark side"......
Hi Greenie
Correct my opinion if i am wrg.. In planted..when u rescaped, it wl take awhile for the plants to mature. Even so, the outcome might not wht u perceive.
Unlike marine.. u can rescape until u like.... If too many rocks or corals in tank, cant yu take them out and put them in a pail for awhile?
As for cost.. guess i wont invest in a chiller.. Wl try to savage my lights. If not, modify and chg it. Will sell off my co2 set to subsidies it.
Anything i hv over-looked or am i just too ill informed of the hidden cost?
Stephen
Apollo, "to rescape" in marine implies more than removing some liverocks into a pail. Liverock IS a major biofilteration medium in a marine setup unless u go the fish only setup. Those biobacteria in the liverocks will be affected by the change in environment - temp, salinity, etc.
Please note that a minor change in water parameter in marine is detrimental to the creatures in it being that the sea is so vast and such the parameters hardly deviates. Remember, in marine setups we are trying to replicate the ocean, whereas in planted setups I can rescape my tank as often as I want so long the biofilter is mature.
I find it a breeze to settle an algal bloom in a planted tank. Try to clear a diatom outbreak within 2 weeks in a marine tank using tap water and u will know.
As much as I want to carry on, stop and ponder why the Nemo craze has died down like the LH craze.
One more thing, if u want to have corals, don't skip on the chiller thingy. Fans alone is inadequate plus your temp will fluctuate becoz it is dependant on the surrounding ambient temperature. Detrimental to the corals as they need a temp of 25C.
May the force be with u.
PS: I started marine b4 the the Nemo thingy.
[quote:fe370debff="apollo"]Hi Greenie
Correct my opinion if i am wrg.. In planted..when u rescaped, it wl take awhile for the plants to mature. Even so, the outcome might not wht u perceive.
Unlike marine.. u can rescape until u like.... If too many rocks or corals in tank, cant yu take them out and put them in a pail for awhile?
As for cost.. guess i wont invest in a chiller.. Wl try to savage my lights. If not, modify and chg it. Will sell off my co2 set to subsidies it.
Anything i hv over-looked or am i just too ill informed of the hidden cost?
Stephen[/quote:fe370debff]
It takes a lot more patience for Marine tank and even much more for reef tank. Planted tank to me is almost like plug-and-play in comparison. Marine creatures live in a very stable evironment, buffered by the vast volume of sea water, and tolerates little fluctuation in water condition. Getting the water condition right itself can cost you numerous sleepless nights. It can take as long as half a year or more to get things stablised and self sustaining. (Re-scaping and changes to the tank is not something you want to do with a marine/reef tank.)
Just to keep water conditions perfect for the marine animals, you need to invest in equipments: chiller, lights, protein skimers, filtration, calcium reactors, etc. As most have mention spending $$$ becomes inevitable.
Many have tried keeping a so called "low-cost" setups and find that they could not get the fishes, needless to say corals, to live long enough. They either ended in giving up the hobby or investing more $$$ on equipment. So far, I only see those hobbyist that are willing to spend $$$ stay long in that hobby.
BTW, corals are sensitive living things, you can't just "take them out and put it in the pail for a while".
I feel it is called the "DARK SIDE", because of the $$$$$$$$$$$ involved.
BC
Yippie!! Reptiles and Fishies!
Yes..yes... i agree with BC. At first i thought i could do a low cost set up but then realised soon enough that in order to do a nice setup i would need to spend $$$$$$$ and alot of it...i think that if you want to go this way...might as well do a good one....like they say in the army..do something do it well..or dont do it..don do it..half*Beep*. So investing in a good equipment that is the heart of the system is essential like skimmers nad filters or sumps... i've given up the idea of doing this quickly..but i am still slowly taking my time to build one up...right now i have a 3 feet custom sump being built..lol... And yes...i think its the dark side because of the $$$$$$ it burns a hole in your pocket..lol...and also cos not as many people are doing it...comparatively i mean.
I gave up my 4ft planted tank 2 years plus ago which surprised my friend as all of them say it's so wasted to have a nice tank and tear down just for keeping arowanas. I also setup a marine tank before and I can tell you - it's definitely more troublesome to setup a marine tank as compare to a plant tank worst still on the maintainence.
I missed my plant tank
start your planted tank again
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I think Kelstorm is grinning from ear to ear seeing some of us trying to make an educated guess as to why marine is called the DARK SIDE. bUT THE dARK sIDE HAS GOT A GRIP ON ME!!! mY 3Ft PlaNTeD tANK iS Now gonE !
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Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
I must say Planted Tank takes alot more patience and passion to upkeep. One needs to do alot of reading, planting, observing, and controlling in order to succeed in Planted Tank.
To me, planted tank is $$ cannot buy success. You can spent a bomb on MH, Chiller and Dennerle stuffs. In the end, you MAY still get an algae farm
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
If you like gardening, you will appreciate planted tank. It is not about spending $$$$ on the best equipment or most exotic plant.
It is about seeing how the 'garden' you setup evolves as the plants grow, spending time tending to their needs and rearranging the 'garden' when you are bored
Those who keep plants in their home will know what I mean
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