Slowly starting a salty tank

[myjohnson]

I like something like that a lot better than something that pumps 200gph. Awesome (adds to list of things to buy)

Only think is those aqua lifters can fail. I'm on my 3rd one now. I want to switch over to a small mj maybe.

Kalk funks them lines up bad.

[Darbex]

My auto top off is just a float valve ran off my ro/Di pretty simple

Yeah if you can get the RO/DI hooked up to the tank that would be the best no need for a reservoir tank or an ATO controller. But if you can get them near enough to run lines then you will have to do what we mentioned. I wish mine were close enough I would get more real estate under my tank for other things.

[eklikewhoa]

Only think is those aqua lifters can fail. I'm on my 3rd one now. I want to switch over to a small mj maybe.

Kalk funks them lines up bad.

Mini-Jet 404 valved down would be the next option, I don't like the idea of a big pump dumping freshwater into a tank instantly.

[myjohnson]

Well....it would go into the sump so it's that that bad....

[Andrew_B]

I have a general idea on the equipment I need, but the lighting still has me baffled.

- Making my own sump 20H or maybe 29gal depending on what fits the new stand im getting. Not sure on pump yet, but that will come when I decide on how big to drill for the bulkheads.
- 4 stage ro/di from bulk reef supply
- Avast marine top off kit w/ aqualifter vacume pump
- Coralife super skimmer needle wheel 65gal protein skimmer
- dual brs GFO and Carbon reactor
- I have a small 425 koralia nano that ill use to move water between rock and back glass, then get a k3/4 to circulate the front part of tank.
- I'll have a 5/10gal for a RO storage tank for the ATO.

Now lighting: Would a single Kessil150 be strong enough for a 36x18 tank? I haven't done a whole lot of research on them, but if I can get away with one, I may go with it.

Another led option

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLife_1.0_Watt_Expandable_LED_Light_Fixture_Linkable_LED_Light_Fixtures-AquaticLife-AK01263-FILTFILDLK-vi.html

Maybe 2 of these clamp lights? http://www.marinedepot.com/Innovativ...FILDTN-vi.html

Then for T5

http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife_Lunar_Aqualight_T5_Lamp_High_Output_Fixture_24_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fixtures-Coralife-ES08604-FILTFIT54U-vi.html

Maybe 2 of these?

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLife_T5_HO_Light_Link_Fixture_FreshWater_24_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fixtures-AquaticLife-AK01142-FILTFIT54U-vi.html

I just have absolutely no idea what I'm looking for with lighting. Id like to keep it under 300. Is it better to have a 4 bulb t5 fixture, or 2x 2 bulbs? is MH an option? Would it need to be in combo with t5? What spectrums should I be looking at

[johnnymisty]

If you can find a Mh/t5 combo that would work best how deep your tank is and what your gonna keep is what would determine whether to get a 150 watt or a 250 Mh I have a 36x18x24 tank I have a 150 on there now and keeps everything I've wanted I'm gonna get a 250 watt Mh and start keeping more sps the kessils they say will keep everything fine in a big tank but it'll probably take 2 or more I know there great for nano tanks. If your gonna do leds I would suggest nothing less than 3 watt leds from everything ive read as for t5 I think a tek light or an ATI would work good as well

[Andrew_B]

At the minimum, it will be a 40 breeder, so what 15" deep? Im considering calling up City pets to see if they can get me a 50 or 60gal with the 36x18 footprint. Tek/ati are just out of my reach if I buy new, same with the MH/t5 combos it seems. Surely the coralife/current/aquaticlife 4 lamp fixtures would be sufficient right? At least for the 40gal.

I really like http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...8&pcatid=23758
3 power cords to set up a 24hour rotation since it doesnt have a built in timer.

I'll see what I can find used first though and look for ati/tek

[myjohnson]

I have a general idea on the equipment I need, but the lighting still has me baffled.

- Making my own sump 20H or maybe 29gal depending on what fits the new stand im getting. Not sure on pump yet, but that will come when I decide on how big to drill for the bulkheads.
- 4 stage ro/di from bulk reef supply
- Avast marine top off kit w/ aqualifter vacume pump
- Coralife super skimmer needle wheel 65gal protein skimmer
- dual brs GFO and Carbon reactor
- I have a small 425 koralia nano that ill use to move water between rock and back glass, then get a k3/4 to circulate the front part of tank.
- I'll have a 5/10gal for a RO storage tank for the ATO.

Now lighting: Would a single Kessil150 be strong enough for a 36x18 tank? I haven't done a whole lot of research on them, but if I can get away with one, I may go with it.

Another led option

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLife_1.0_Watt_Expandable_LED_Light_Fixture_Linkable_LED_Light_Fixtures-AquaticLife-AK01263-FILTFILDLK-vi.html

Maybe 2 of these clamp lights? http://www.marinedepot.com/Innovativ...FILDTN-vi.html

Then for T5

http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife_Lunar_Aqualight_T5_Lamp_High_Output_Fixture_24_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fixtures-Coralife-ES08604-FILTFIT54U-vi.html

Maybe 2 of these?

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLife_T5_HO_Light_Link_Fixture_FreshWater_24_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fixtures-AquaticLife-AK01142-FILTFIT54U-vi.html

I just have absolutely no idea what I'm looking for with lighting. Id like to keep it under 300. Is it better to have a 4 bulb t5 fixture, or 2x 2 bulbs? is MH an option? Would it need to be in combo with t5? What spectrums should I be looking at

Hmmmmm, there are a lot of other viable options out there. A single Kessil 150 is not going to work. The PAR levels will be there but spread on an LED is very limited compared with a MH. IMO, you would need 3 of these to cover a 40b.

You do not need t5 with a MH fixture. You can run either MH or t5 by themselves. The combo of the two is good b/c you get wide color selection from the t5 and shimmer from the MH.

I ran a t5 fixture on my 60p nano reef. It sucked. No shimmer and bulb changes get OLD and expensive.

Why not just drop two 150w MH over the tank?

[Andrew_B]

Do MH bulbs come in different spectrums? Guess I don't know much about them. When I look at a MH bulb, I see a bright refrigerator light, hah. Looks like when buying MH, everything is mix and match. Buy reflectors, bulbs and ballasts separate?

[johnnymisty]

I use the 14k Mh bulbs 10k is just to white and 20 k seems to blue for me

[Darbex]

MH comes in a bunch of different colors from 10K - 20K. I personally like the 14-15K its the right mix of blue.

[Andrew_B]

If you get 2 fixtures, do you generally want the same spectrum? Does the light spread well enough to not make it look like the tank is divided by 2 colors?

[Darbex]

I would get the same color the edges on either side will be visibly different. Remember on T5s that they are not created equal. The best is to have individual reflectors and preferably good quality reflectors, which is why ATI fixtures cost so much is because they are all individual and they use high quality german aluminum. But you get the best PAR of any T5 IMO. But I still fancy MH best PAR and coverage.

[myjohnson]

Nahhh, you want the same color. MH spreads very well but not that well. You will see two different floors on a 40b.

[Darbex]

If you got 3 you could have the outer 2 one color and the center a different color. I am doing that on my reef. Only problem is I have each bulb on a timer to mimic the sun rising and setting and when one of the out bulbs go off it looks a little funny.