# Convert A tropical tank into a marine tank?



## WayneMidlands

Hi, i am trying to convert my tropical tank into a marine tank. Im wondering what i would need to buy.

The dimensions are; 


Dimensions: 40W x 40D x 40H cm 55L
Aqua One AquaNano 40 Aquarium ( Thats the exact tank i have)
Is a protein skimmer a must? 

I would want a few corals in there, a star fish and couple clown fish. 


I have owned my tropical tank for many years and have never really had any problems, but i want a marine tank badly now. I don't no much about them really so all help is appreciated!


Also links to were i can get the items cheap would be great  :2thumb:


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## Moscowlynny

We've just done this with one of our tanks. Did loads of research, had loads of contradicting advice, and a lot of people making out to be harder/more expensive than it is. 

We emptied tank, thoroughly cleaned, them set up with filter and heater (set to higher temp). Put in sand, live rock, RO water and salt, and left a few weeks with regular checks etc. Don't need a protein skimmer at this stage, I was told that was only essential once you have a few fish in. 

Could need a decent current for corals etc, and different lighting. Think patience is the best thing, take your time and do it properly


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## WayneMidlands

Thank you for the reply, i have been told that it would be impossible for me to have clown fish in that tank... they told me that 120L is minimum req for a bunch of clown fish but ive also been told that my 55L would be fine for 3-4 Clowns. 

I no i would need different lighting if i wanted to keep corals, because its 40CM im finding it hard to locate lights as the smallest Ive seen are 60CM Long. 

But if its going to be impossible as ive just been told id rather not even try to start, and start from scratch. 

Ive just been told this:



> Hi Wayne
> To be honest, the first thing I would do get is a bigger tank. You can run a 55l as a marine tank but they really, really do need a sump for stability, and that would mean drilling you tank. Drilling a tank is always “at owners risk” because they break so often. In fact for older tanks it would be truer to say they always break. Do you realise how big clown fish get? A. ocellaris – (common or Nemo clown) grows to about 10cm, recommended socking level is a 120l tank to keep a pair. It isn’t recommended that you keep more that 2 in a tank, they are strongly pair bonding and territorial. 4 will fight. One would not be impossible


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## Frostpaw

I've just converted my 30ltr from trop to marine.. then gone up to a 65ltr

I have:

Small filter with activated carbon
V120 (TMC) skimmer
heater
current fan

If you want fish you MUST have a protein skimmer - you can either house it in the tank or create a 'sump'. 

Currently the whole thing has set me back..£300-£400... its really expensive. 

You simply cant use tap water - most people buy RO water and salt water from the shop (£5.95 per 25ltrs)

Skimmer (£70 V120)

Live rock (£12.95 per kilo - 1 kilo per 10 litres)

Corals range from £15 up to hunderds

Clean up crew is a must (£8-9 per snail/crab)

and then fish... in a 55ltr tank i would say 1 pair of clowns max. (£30 a pair)

Prices based on my LFS.


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## pants125

Best bits of advise I can give you is research research then research a bit more 
Take your time,buy the best equipment you can possible afford even if it's 2nd hand or you will only need to up grade it later.IMO bigger is better as you can keep more fish or fish that just won't live in a small tank ie tangs also the more water you have the more room for error you have.you need to think bout what fish and corals you want and plan it out,I agree with what someone messaged you I would only keep 2 clowns,also sumps are a good idea as you get extra water volume and it gives you somewhere to put filters and heaters ect as well as other benefits like having miracle mud( no need for a protein skimmer)
I had a 6x2x2.5 display tank with a 4x2x1.5 sump


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## WayneMidlands

I dont mind having only 2 clownfish (nemo) if i could have a couple more fish ASWELL ( smaller fish ) i want like a total of 4-6 fish. 

If its possible for me to do then its worth a try, as for size i havnt got the room for a massive tank if i was to upgrade id be able to get a 90L - 120L MAX (IF ITS MORE HIGHER THEN WIDE) 

But if i can do it with a 55L Tank id be a happy chappy lol, i want corals and a couple of fish but i dont no were to buy the lights that will fit my tank as its only 40CM WIDE? All i can see on ebay is over head lights min size 60cm


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## Frostpaw

look up 'Arcpod lights' I have two of these and they ae perfect for small tanks.

In 55ltrs your max would be a pair of clown fish and nothing else. You cannot stock them like tropicals.


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## WayneMidlands

Frostpaw said:


> look up 'Arcpod lights' I have two of these and they ae perfect for small tanks.
> 
> In 55ltrs your max would be a pair of clown fish and* nothing else*. You cannot stock them like tropicals.


Isit really that strict? I was thinking 

Corals
2 clown fish and a star fish ?

I think i might have to buy a 90L, ill have a look at those " arcpod lights " thanks 

-- Just looked 

Would 2x Arcadia Arc Pod Marine Hybrid | Aquarium Supplies do the job?


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## Frostpaw

thats exactly what i have... BUT i bought aqua one bulbs for mine: One double blue and one blue and white.

And yeah my 65lts has: clean up crew (turbo snails and hermit crabs) 2 clowns and a little goby. Thats the upper limit of max. 

Also have quite a few corals. Believe me - a load of live rocks and corals with just 2 clowns looks gorgeous.


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## _simon_

You will get different opinions on what you can stock it with and what equipment you need. My advice would be to join different marine forums and see what opinions are and then make your own mind up. When I first started looking into setting up I bought a 128L Boyu Orca but was told I couldn't even keep a single clown in it and that I MUST have a sump. This was from a well known marine forum and it left me very confused having seen people's tanks much smaller than mine with 2 clowns and no sump. In the end it put me off and I kept an Axolotl in it before finally selling it on. A few years later I thought I'd again look into setting up a reef tank and I tried other forums and got different advice and ended up buying a Juwel 125L which is now set up as a reef tank. From what I've seen, people with "large" marine tanks who have never had a nano are quite against nano's . I feel some see it as though it's a bit of an elite hobby and doing it with a nano cheapens it. Not that it's a cheap hobby even with a nano but I guess it's all relative.

Skimmers have been mentioned on here as a must and that's not actually true. You might need one, you might not. I bought a Deltec MCE 300 which is one of the best you can buy but it pulled out next to nothing the entire time I ran it (it was set up right, I sought lots of advice on that) so looked into running a tank without a skimmer and found that plenty of people do it which gave me the confidence to just turn it off and since doing so I've had no issues. 

A few forums to try if you haven't already:

MARINE FISH FORUM - Practical Fishkeeping Forum
The Salty Box - Reef and Marine Fish Keeping Forum


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## WayneMidlands

Thanks again for the replies, frostpaw that tank is stunning ! :2thumb::2thumb::2thumb:

and to simon, yes i agree with you i keep getting mixed responses from all over the internet. Some telling me 

-NOOOOOOOO DONT DO IT!!!! THEY WILL DIE 55L IS TOO SMALL DONT DO IT 
- YOU CAN DO IT BUT U NEED A SUMP AND A SKIMMER AND WATER CHANGES DAILY!!!!
- Yes its fine to do it, you could do it but you need a skimmer
- Yes its fine to do it and you can get away with not having a skimmer just keep 2 clownfish and end it there.


So im going to have to keep researching and i will sign up to those forums, thanks for the links!


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