Hey all,
I have recently decided to set up a SW tank :D. Due to lack of space in my house I only am able to fit a smaller tank so it will probably be a nano tank. The last few weeks I have been doing a lot of reading and trying to figure out what I would like to have in a tank. Here is the setup I came up with
20-30G Tank (Looking right now to get a 28G Bowfront)
Stand (able to hold a 5-10G Sump)
Hydor Koralia - Nano (240 GPH)
Hydor Koralia - 1 (400GPH)
Coralife 24" Lunar AquaLight Fixture - 2 x 65W
100W Heater
30Lb of Live Sand
30Lb Of Live Rock
Options:
10G Sump (DIY out of an old aquarium)
Overflow Box (300GPH)
Quiet One 1200 (296GPH)
Or
Aqua Clear 110 Fuge Mod
Here is a list of livestock I would like to hold in the tank
Corals:
LPS (Open Brain, Frogspwan)
Soft Corals
Zoo's
Possible Fish I would like:
Royal Gramma
Fire Fish
Ocellaris Clownfish
Benny
Gobie
Yellowtail Damselfish
Inverts:
Banded Coral Shrimp
Feather Dusters
Snails
Hermit Crabs
Questions:
1. How much flow do I need (Do have have too much?)
2. Is my lighting good for the corals I would like to get?
3. Any recommendations for a skimmer for this setup?
4. If I go for a sump should I get the tank drilled or just go for an overflow box?
Any other suggestions would be great. I am in no rush to set up the tank yet I am still in the planning stages and I have not got any of the equipment yet ;D.
I have another question,
I was initially planning on using bottled R/O-DI water for the tank. But i am also looking into the possibly of getting a R/O unit. What is the difference (Besides price) of a R/O and a R/O-DI unit and can I get by with just a R/O unit?
ill say get 2 koralia 2s i have one K2 in my 20 and i dont think its enough and wanna get another one
get it drilled for sure. do it right from the beginning before you change your mind after and wanna change things
as for a skimmer....spend the money on a good one incase you upgrade and have to get rid of it because itd be under powered..
take your time and ask lotsa questions.
Quote from: Tyler.L on November 06, 2007, 07:31:18 PM
get it drilled for sure. do it right from the beginning before you change your mind after and wanna change things
Anyone know where I can get a tank drilled in town?
Quote from: Tyler.L on November 06, 2007, 07:31:18 PM
take your time and ask lotsa questions.
Thats what i am doing ;D
i know theres people here on the board that drill tanks but i dont know exactly who...sorry
snigger is one for drilling holes, very reasonable, reliable, and friendly too.
More Questions
I currently have the API Freshwater test kit and I was looking at getting the API Reef Master Test Kit is there any other tests I need to get? can I use most of my test kits from the Freshwater test kit?
After doing more research I am seriously considering going with T5HO with individual reflectors. The two fixtures I am looking at are:
TX5 Series Aquactinics 24" 5 lamp T5 fixture
http://www.aquactinics.com/pages/TX5.html
Sunlight Tek Light T5 Hood - 24" http://www.sunlightsupply.com/product.cfm?sid=207867BBE0815D5534ACAA28EDFA9C09&p=966&cs=products%2Ecfm%3Fsid%3D207867BBE0815D5534ACAA28EDFA9C09%26c%3D55%26kys%3D%26pgi%3D1
Has anyone tried any of these fixtures? Any other recommendations?
go halide! just do it lol i did it and i will never change from them sure they're a few dollars but the shimmer and the colors you can get out are amazing...go halide thats all i can tell you to do...i got a 175 on my 20 and wouldnt trade it for the world!
Quote from: xiaan on November 08, 2007, 01:18:02 PM
Sunlight Tek Light T5 Hood - 24" http://www.sunlightsupply.com/product.cfm?sid=207867BBE0815D5534ACAA28EDFA9C09&p=966&cs=products%2Ecfm%3Fsid%3D207867BBE0815D5534ACAA28EDFA9C09%26c%3D55%26kys%3D%26pgi%3D1
I have the six bulb, 4' Tek fixture on my 120 long. Like it very much. Low heat, great light, growing acro on my sand bed (26" down). I really like being able to adjust the light color by simple changing one bulb, keeps the spectrum open. Highly recommended.
Quote from: Tyler.L on November 09, 2007, 01:33:16 AM
go halide! just do it lol i did it and i will never change from them sure they're a few dollars but the shimmer and the colors you can get out are amazing...go halide thats all i can tell you to do...i got a 175 on my 20 and wouldnt trade it for the world!
What fixture are you running?
pfo ballast and a mogul socket and reflector with a 175 18k krystal star bulb.
Anyone using a Sunpod? any problems with them?
http://oceanaquatics.com/store/product/2252/Sunpod-250W-HQI-24%22/
Dose anyone have any recommendations for a Protein Skimmer?
I am looking at possibly getting one of the following:
Aqua C Remora Hang-On Protein Skimmer
or
Aqua C Urchin In-Sump Protein Skimmer (If I get a sump)
redbellys bringing in a bunch of skimmers octopus and asm send him a pm about them. i know he has a tunze 9010 instock now i think its a 9010 i want it but lol will get one later on...send him a pm about them though and get a halide already!
Quote from: Tyler.L on November 12, 2007, 10:49:56 PM
get a halide already!
I am on the edge between halide and T5 both will cost me the same amount but I am worried about overheating the tank.
see my halide gets hot but just buy some computer fans thats what im planning to do. i just have a fan blowing over the tank to keep heat down..
When using MH over 20G tank because of heat you may have the problem with evaporation. Fans do not help and even make the evaporation worse. So you may end up with salinity changes in your tank during the day. And you will start thinking about top-off unit...
Also power consumption... If I will make my next 20G SW tank at home, I will make it with T5, in the office - with MH :)
About skimmer - what sump size do you plan to have? I got both AquaC Urchin Pro with Mag3 and Tunze 9010 and both are doing great. Now if you don't have enough space in the sump, I would rather go with tunze - this is the smallest skimmer I was abable to find and I have very little space in sump available. Urchin with attached pump has bigger footprint and also much higher than Tunze.
Now about the skimmer size. Beore I should say that there are 2 kind of people: those who think that you cannot overskimm and those who afraid to skimm a lot. I'm from the second group. If you are not planning to upgrade to some huge tank after a while, I would suggest to get the skimmer that is not overrated for you water volume (don't forget: tank + sump minus sand and LR). So some nano, e.g. Tunze 9002 rated for 10 to 52 US gal, could be fine for your tank.
You may even go without the skimmer right now and later on either get one or use so-called "Ecosystem Filtration System": http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/html/systemfiltration.html
Regards
I am right now thinking about dropping the idea of the sump and going for better lighting instead. (I was planning a 10G Sump)
My Current Shopping list so far is:
28G Bowfront
Glass top
Stand
Hydor Koralia - 2 Water Pump (600 GPH)
Hydor Koralia - 1 Water Pump (400 GPH) (Have)
AquaC Remora HOT Skimmer (Or possibly the Remora Nano)
Jager 50 Watt Aquarium Heater (Eheim)
Coralife Deep Six Hydrometer
Aquaclear 70
Test Kit
30Lb of live rock
10Lb of live sand
20Lb of crushed coral
the only thing I have not decided on is the lighting here are some of the options I am looking into:
Coralife 24" Lunar AquaLight Fixture - 2 x 65W
TX5 Series Aquactinics 24" 5 lamp T5 fixture
Sunlight Tek Light T5 Hood - 24"
24" SunPod 1x150w
24" SunPod 1x250w
Outer Orbit 150W HQI/T5 24" (This might not fit on my tank it is 15.5" and the tank is a bowfront 16")
Outer Orbit 250W HQI/T5 24"
Right now my preference is the Aquactinics T5 but I am unable to find them in Canada (shipping from the US doesn't make it worth it)
Cannot help here - as soon as it coming to lights, I'm DIY person. :)
I (ok really it was BigDaddy lol) DIY'd my lights and I love the T5s. But I already had a canopy. They do still get very hot and needed a fan...and in turn I need to top up every day or every other day. A little annoying, but not the end of the world. I dunno if that's strictly my case b/c of my enclosed canopy, or if most T5s do that. But heat CAN be an issue with T5s, I just thought I'd put that in here. I dunno anything about MH, but CF bulbs are expensive to replace, T5s are a little better. I think if cost was not an issue @ all, I'd go with MH though.
This doesn't get any easier :-\. I have not gotten anything and I am already thinking of getting a bigger tank :D. What is the largest tank you can get in a 30" profile? I am now thinking of possibly getting the 37G (Same price as the 28 Bowfront and it doesn't have a center brace so I can put a AC110 on it) but I would like a slightly deeper tank (I guess if I get a bigger tank It is no longer a Nano tank ;D)
Quote from: xiaan on November 14, 2007, 10:29:24 AM
This doesn't get any easier :-\. I have not gotten anything and I am already thinking of getting a bigger tank :D. What is the largest tank you can get in a 30" profile? I am now thinking of possibly getting the 37G (Same price as the 28 Bowfront and it doesn't have a center brace so I can put a AC110 on it) but I would like a slightly deeper tank (I guess if I get a bigger tank It is no longer a Nano tank ;D)
Check this out
http://ovas.ca/index.php?page=53
Regards
I have 30x18x24, but it is old oceanic and never saw anything like it anywhere.
Quote from: gvv on November 14, 2007, 11:46:50 AM
I have 30x18x24, but it is old oceanic and never saw anything like it anywhere.
I think that is the one I saw at Big Al's last night (They call it a 56 Column tank). I like that tank also the 37G 30x12x22 and 36G Bowfront 30x15x21. Bowfronts are nice but I think they would be harder to put a nice DIY canopy on them but you do get the extra width.
Here is an update.
So far I have been getting together all the gear to set up the tank. Althow I have not got the tank yet I have decided on a 37G tank it is not as wide as I would like it but it fits in the spot I can put the tank.
Here is what I have:
AC110 (I hope to modify this to house my heater, skimmer and fuge)
Hydor Koralia - 1
Quiet One 1200 (I don't think I am going to use this)
RODI Unit
On order From J&L Aquatics
Natural Wave Package - Regular (2 MJ-1200, 1 MJ-900 & Wave timer bar, I am going to have alot of flow :D)
Jager 50 Watt Aquarium Heater (if it is not powerful enough I will swap it for a 100W stealth that is in my 10G)
Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer (I hope to be able to mount this in my AC110)
Picking up tomorrow
Refractometer
Test Kits
Still Need to get:
37G Tank 30x12x22 (I am told I am not allowed to look into buying a tank till after Christmas ??? ;))
Stand+Canopy
Lighting
Currently the only choice I have not made is my lighting :-[
I am right now leaning toward a 250W MH system (If I am going to do this I think I should do it right :D )
Anyone Have any good Recommendations for a 250W MH system for a 30" tank?
So far I have found two choces
Current USA Sunpod 250W HQI 30"
http://oceanaquatics.com/store/product/2253/Sunpod-250W-HQI-30%22/
Another possibility is that I might get the wooden canopy for the tank and customize the lighting system. Will one 250W MH be good for a 30" tank or should I add some PC/T5HO to complement the lighting (Or another MH)?
I would gp wi the MH aswell... T5's are great.... and thre are test that show that if you us ethe proper individual reflector that they are better but that i only fo the short term as the reflectors get pitted then they becom usless... but I like a combo of both so it is your decition
Quote from: sniggir on December 19, 2007, 02:45:34 AM
T5's are great.... and thre are test that show that if you us ethe proper individual reflector that they are better but that i only fo the short term as the reflectors get pitted then they becom usless
How would they become pitted? i mean I've had mine running for almost the last year and my reflectors are like new (no stains, no pits). I would imagine that if you never clean or maintain your equipment that this could happen. I would use this type of argument to sway one way or the other.
Personally t5's penetrate the water better but you don't get that glorious shimmer (but you can play with reflections off a piece of glass and get that look if so desired). t5's last longer and are cheaper. produce less heat. I would say less power consumption as well but I can't remember if its less power to keep them operating or less power over all.
Just my take,
Terry
How would they become pitted? i mean I've had mine running for almost the last year and my reflectors are like new (no stains, no pits). I would imagine that if you never clean or maintain your equipment that this could happen. I would use this type of argument to sway one way or the other.
Personally t5's penetrate the water better but you don't get that glorious shimmer (but you can play with reflections off a piece of glass and get that look if so desired). t5's last longer and are cheaper. produce less heat. I would say less power consumption as well but I can't remember if its less power to keep them operating or less power over all.
Just my take,
well accualy T5's don't have the penatration that MH do.. when you are talking a 24inch tank yea they are comparible, but if you go deeper well they start to loose their intensity, as for the bulbs lasting longer you should change your bulbs once a year unless you are using cheap bulbs in which caes you have to change 2-3 times and I have seen this for MH, and T5's, the information that I was talking about with the T5's was from a guy that is testing a ton of different ballest and reflectors.. and is using very high quality individual reflectors... I am sure that he cleans them but he still found that they would get pitted and then the intesity would go down... and ahhh the old battle k a watt is a watt remember so if yo are using 400w or 100w that is the amount of watts you are comsuming the type of bulb has no difference with that.... or may be I completely incorrect... either way... i like both... but tend to use MH as my main staple, oh and T5's do create heat just ask Roxy but not asmuch as MH. aslong as you hood is properly vented you should have no issues using either.
Basically what I am saying is a bank of t5's will produce more visible light than a 400w mh. They last longer with little change in spectrum over time (intensity yes but even that takes a long time). Yes I agree they do produce heat (but in my experience - minimal since mine hang over the tank rather than encased in a hood). Bulbs are cheaper (even the really good ones) and since they last longer this equals a good investment. I'm sure after the t5s are fired that it takes less power to keep them running (I'll look for my links to confirm this). I'm sure I read that t5s penetrate the water better than mh (however i may be wrong but I'll search out the charts I was looking at). Either way I do envy the shimmer effect the mh have on the water. I'd still recommend the t5s (to each his own)
Terry
Have you considered a 48" long tank? The light would be the same Lent as a 90 so if you decide to upgrade tank size you would already have a light. There are some stunning T5 tanks with mainly LPS and softies, a few SPS close to light.
Quote from: Julie on December 19, 2007, 04:42:40 PM
Have you considered a 48" long tank? The light would be the same Lent as a 90 so if you decide to upgrade tank size you would already have a light. There are some stunning T5 tanks with mainly LPS and softies, a few SPS close to light.
I would love to get a bigger tank but right now I have only space for a 36" tank and not to wide. Icould possibly go for a 18" but I would like to keep it smaller. I still do not have a tank yet or lights but I have just about everything else (Except sand, salt and rock). I have right now two choices I could go for tank size 29G (30x12x18) or a 38G (36x12x20) the 37G has a center brace so putting a single MH lamp would be not good on it.
For lighting if I get the 29G I will ether go with the 250W Current Sunpod or a DIY setup. If I get a 38G I really like the Current Nova Extreme Pro 6xT5HO but also could go with DIY T5/MH combo.
I will probably decided on a tank size after Christmas (BA boxing day sale) and get the lights after that.
Well after the BA sale I got a nice 38G tank and stand, I also got live sand and salt. I have decided to go for a sump the only tank I can fit under my stand is a 10G so now I am starting to look into drilling and plumbing my tank. I have one question for the tank size I have where is the best place to drill for the overflow? should I drill two overflows or have a single corner internal overflow and drill the bottom? where can I get an internal overflow for my tank?
I have decided to move this thread to Saltwater General Discussions http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=24393.0