Having always been a aquatic appreciator, starting with my weekend job in a local pet shop at the age of sixteen, but having had no aquarium for the last five or six years, my wife and I decided to purchase a 'new' aquarium with the express purpose of going Marine.
We have kept both freshwater, successful in all, and one marine, a two and a half foot tank which ended up being sold on through lack of knowledge and bad advice. We are aiming to do it right this time and share our accomplishment with other like-minded people.
What follows is our experience with the setup of a Kent Marine Bioreef LED 94L aquarium, purchased for £100 on Preloved from an elderly couple in Staunton, Gloucestershire who had been running it as a freshwater tank perched on a low coffee table.
These tanks are also marketed as Kent River Reef LED.
We also realise that this endeavour can be expensive, therefore we will also be tallying the expenditure to give others a true reflection of the cost of setting up a successful tank.
I knew before collecting the tank that it did not include a protein skimmer (having never been used for Marine). What I didn't realise was that it also lacked the 'Skimmer Weir Gate' which regulates the level of water in the skimmer chamber. I think this may be how the River Reef is sold?
The evening before we collected I did a bit of Googling with the intention of finding a cheap Kent cabinet and the aforementioned protein skimmer. I was pleasantly surprised to find both relatively well priced at Amazon and put my order in.
Kent Marine Bioreef Aquarium Cabinet
The cabinet arrived very quickly in a flat-pack box and was soon assembled with the help of my 11 year old son. I have put many flat-pack pieces of furniture together and I can happily say that it was dead simple and once built it is very sturdy, and of course it also matches the the aesthetics of the tank itself.
As you can see above, the cabinet features one shelf to accommodate all the necessary items you will need to maintain the tank, and two holes to allow for electrical a multi-gang plug to be installed within the cabinet. It also sits on four hard plastic 'feet'.
Kent Marine Bioreef Sump Measurements:
Intially I will be using the tank as it is, but I have done a bit of reading regarding adding a sump. I would have a space of 34 x 26 x 28cm to utilise beneath the shelf...but that is something that isn't a priority at present.
Kent Nano Skimmer
Skimmer - Front and Side View
The collection cup sits very snugly atop the unit and slides off relatively easily. It houses a key which regulates the flow through the water outlet, which in turn adjusts the height of the bubbles. This can be seen in the photos below...
Open and Closed outlet
The skimmer is very easy to dismantle. The unit comprises of two suction cup brackets which act as clamps to keep the back and the front of the skimmer together. Once these have been removed by sliding them from the lock position, the innards are revealed in all their glory.
The Kent Nano Skimmer is suited for aquariums up to 120L, therefore this aquarium falls well within that parameter. However having read many discussions on the issue the general consensus is that you should have a skimmer that is suited to handle double your aquarium's water volume.
On the flip side of the coin, many others have run their aquariums successfully 'as is' for years. It does after all pump 1000L per hour which equates to 10 times tank circulation in one hour!
It was the cost that sold me if I'm being honest.
According to the literature, the skimmer must be maintained as follows:
- Daily
- Check level of bubbles in the skimmer.
- Check the waste in the collection cup.
- Ensure inlets and outlets are free of debris.
- Monthly
- Remove the pump and clean the impellor, checking the impellor for wear.
- Bi-annually
- Remove skimmer and thoroughly clean.
- Annually
- Replace the impellor (see comments below)
The above maintenance seems quite straight forward after having a good look at it!
My only immediate concern is that try as I might I can't find a replacement skimmer motor or an impellor. It isn't a huge setback if they are not available as the total cost of the whole skimmer is pocket money compared to what I'm going to spend! I'm prepared to buy another at the end of it's life, or upgrade if needed.
My only immediate concern is that try as I might I can't find a replacement skimmer motor or an impellor. It isn't a huge setback if they are not available as the total cost of the whole skimmer is pocket money compared to what I'm going to spend! I'm prepared to buy another at the end of it's life, or upgrade if needed.
Kent Marine Bioreef Skimmer Weir Gate
I quickly realised that this item was not an an 'on the shelf' item, and while beginning to wonder if the purchase of the tank had suddenly gone awry, I thought it would be a good idea to contact Interpet directly.
I was blown away by their brilliant customer service when I received a reply email on the same day of my query asking for my delivery address. A couple of days later I had the weir gate in the post, FREE OF CHARGE!!
The purpose of the weir gate is to allow water through into the skimmer chamber at the right level, that being just above the skimmer outlet and below the collection cup.
Without it, the skimmer would drown.
The Skimmer Weir Gate in situ:
The Kent Marine Bioreef LED 94L Aquarium
Now that I have the skimmer, the skimmer weir gate and the cabinet, I know I have the basics, essentially the Marine package, to progress.
The tank itself is very good quality, very robust and a good looker to boot.
You'll notice above that the canopy is supported by a rigid arm that folds and locks away into the canopy when closed. When open, it slots into one of two provided grooves on the rim.
Kent Marine Bioreef chambers:
Looking at the photo above, you will see four chambers. When first beginning my research on the Kent Marine aquarium I would find myself becoming confused with the talk of chambers and what goes in each.
To make it a little easier to understand, below may help.
From top to bottom:
The 1st chamber houses the heater.
The 2nd chamber houses the bioballs, medium foam and fine foam (although when I do get around filling my tank I may go down a differently suggested path)
The 3rd chamber houses ceramic media below the skimmer.
The 4th chamber houses the circulation pump.
Illustration provided by Kent
The filter system panel separator.
I've added this photo because while I was looking at images of the Kent Marine, I could not see the pump outlets, what the overflow looked like, or what exactly the rear panel was because they were always hidden behind live rock or growth.
Although it cannot be seen that clearly in the photo there is a MIN and MAX water level indicator on the third chamber. The first chamber has intake slots below and above with a overflow weir at the top. There are two pump outlets at chamber 4.
Kent Marine Bio Reef Directional Flow Nozzles
As this aquarium was originally a fresh water setup, it came without the directional flow nozzles which attach to the pump outlets on the rear wall. However, as it's next incarnation is a reef tank the flow nozzles become quite important to help emulate the conditions of the reef environment, as well as aiding in dislodging debris in the rocks etc.
An email to Interpet proved unsuccessful as they are not a stock item.
The nozzles were eventually found on eBay under the brand name Loc-Line Hose. There are a few different sizes available, but a quick measurement of the outlets and I knew I needed an internal diameter of 20mm.
Chamber one
The Deltatherm 200W heater is supplied with suckers to stick it to the back wall of the chamber. Strictly speaking there is no reason you cant place the heater in the fourth chamber if you felt the desire. As long as it continues to maintain the water temperature.
Chamber two
As I purchased this aquarium second hand, it did not come with the 'start-up' media provided when new, but even if the media had been included I would not be using it.
My aim is to use:
This little baby pumps 1000L per hour through the filtration system, thats a massive 10 tank circulations per hour. Not only does this ensure great filtration, but also brilliant flow within the aquarium.
Both the Kent aquarium pump and impellor can be purchased separately.
Kent recommends that the pump is cleaned bi-annually. The impellor should be replaced on an annual basis, so I'll be replacing mine soon.
I have since replaced the tubing supplied with the pump for Eheim tubing instead. I did find that the supplied tubing was too rigid and somewhat too short to allow the pump to sit comfortably on the base of chamber 4.
To close, you simply depress the catches again.
Looking at the lights from below you can see from top to bottom: 6 x blue LED strip for night viewing, Daylight Plus T5, Daylight Blue T5, and lastly 4 x white LED strip.
The lights are controlled by the use of the three buttons on top of the hood.
Button 1 controls the white LEDs.
Button 2 controls both the T5 lights.
Button 3 controls the blue LEDs.
White LEDs
In comparison, the white LEDs are much brighter than the T5 lights when the hood is down.
T5 lights
Blue LEDs
The built in fans work along with both the white LEDs and the T5 lights only. The assumption is that the blue LEDs don't emit that much heat.
I may think about re-wiring in future in order to put the daylight lamps and the blue LEDs on a different timer.
The T5 lamps need to be changed annually as the potency of the light diminishes over time, and to ensure that all aquatic life has adequate light at all times. With this in mind, I will also be replacing mine prior to introducing any aquatic life as I don't know how old these are.
Fans:
The fans are essentially computer fans, plugged in and easy enough to replace. They are accessed through slotted covers (one on each back corner of the hood) by lifting the cover with a screwdriver.
It is also recommended that the fans be replaced every year. Luckily I was informed by the previous owner that he had not used them. In fact I had to re-connect them.
So what I have now is an empty tank, on a new stand, with all the hardware ready to function. Unfortunately, we have just spent a bit on installing a wood fire, and that was no small amount! But we are planning to have the aquarium cycling with live rock before Christmas.
Lets see what my budget can afford next...
Although it cannot be seen that clearly in the photo there is a MIN and MAX water level indicator on the third chamber. The first chamber has intake slots below and above with a overflow weir at the top. There are two pump outlets at chamber 4.
Kent Marine Bio Reef Directional Flow Nozzles
As this aquarium was originally a fresh water setup, it came without the directional flow nozzles which attach to the pump outlets on the rear wall. However, as it's next incarnation is a reef tank the flow nozzles become quite important to help emulate the conditions of the reef environment, as well as aiding in dislodging debris in the rocks etc.
An email to Interpet proved unsuccessful as they are not a stock item.
The nozzles were eventually found on eBay under the brand name Loc-Line Hose. There are a few different sizes available, but a quick measurement of the outlets and I knew I needed an internal diameter of 20mm.
Chamber one
The Deltatherm 200W heater is supplied with suckers to stick it to the back wall of the chamber. Strictly speaking there is no reason you cant place the heater in the fourth chamber if you felt the desire. As long as it continues to maintain the water temperature.
Chamber two
As I purchased this aquarium second hand, it did not come with the 'start-up' media provided when new, but even if the media had been included I would not be using it.
My aim is to use:
- Filter Floss: rinsed in RO water a minimum of once every two weeks.
- Purigen: which controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. It darkens with use as it exhausts, but is easily renewed when treated with bleach.
- Chemi-pure Elite: which controls phosphates and silicates. In addition it also helps stabilise PH and reduces nuisance algae. One treatment last four months. I may also look at Rowaphos as an alternative.
Chamber three
The skimmer will be sitting atop live rock rubble placed in a net.
Chamber four
Reserved for the aquarium pump.
This little baby pumps 1000L per hour through the filtration system, thats a massive 10 tank circulations per hour. Not only does this ensure great filtration, but also brilliant flow within the aquarium.
Both the Kent aquarium pump and impellor can be purchased separately.
Kent recommends that the pump is cleaned bi-annually. The impellor should be replaced on an annual basis, so I'll be replacing mine soon.
I have since replaced the tubing supplied with the pump for Eheim tubing instead. I did find that the supplied tubing was too rigid and somewhat too short to allow the pump to sit comfortably on the base of chamber 4.
Kent Marine Bioreef Hood
The hood is the most impressive part of the Kent setup. Included within the hood are two cooling fans, two T5 lamps and LEDs, but it is not the lights or the fans that impress me. It's the workmanship of the hood itself.
Lights:
Lights:
To replace the T5 lamps you simply press down on two pressure catches on the hood, releasing the hinged cover. Nothing feels delicate about the catches. They seem made to last (which is good given the expense).
To close, you simply depress the catches again.
Looking at the lights from below you can see from top to bottom: 6 x blue LED strip for night viewing, Daylight Plus T5, Daylight Blue T5, and lastly 4 x white LED strip.
The lights are controlled by the use of the three buttons on top of the hood.
Button 1 controls the white LEDs.
Button 2 controls both the T5 lights.
Button 3 controls the blue LEDs.
White LEDs
In comparison, the white LEDs are much brighter than the T5 lights when the hood is down.
T5 lights
Blue LEDs
The built in fans work along with both the white LEDs and the T5 lights only. The assumption is that the blue LEDs don't emit that much heat.
I may think about re-wiring in future in order to put the daylight lamps and the blue LEDs on a different timer.
The T5 lamps need to be changed annually as the potency of the light diminishes over time, and to ensure that all aquatic life has adequate light at all times. With this in mind, I will also be replacing mine prior to introducing any aquatic life as I don't know how old these are.
Fans:
The fans are essentially computer fans, plugged in and easy enough to replace. They are accessed through slotted covers (one on each back corner of the hood) by lifting the cover with a screwdriver.
It is also recommended that the fans be replaced every year. Luckily I was informed by the previous owner that he had not used them. In fact I had to re-connect them.
So what I have now is an empty tank, on a new stand, with all the hardware ready to function. Unfortunately, we have just spent a bit on installing a wood fire, and that was no small amount! But we are planning to have the aquarium cycling with live rock before Christmas.
Lets see what my budget can afford next...
