2questions1post, Refugium lighting substrate/Tank Substrate

[divemasterjim]

Sorry if the title is confusing but if anything in there grabbed your attention then it served its purpose. I have a 60 Gallon acrylic tank that is 2 years old with T-5 lighting and at least 200 pounds of live rock and caribsea aragonite substrate (I cant remember how much right now could be more). I just bought a MegaFlow Sump Filter and put a gallon of Refugium Mineral Mud in the center part of the sump. My plan is to add some small live rock, red mangrove, and maybe another type of algae plant. I also want to put in my chocolate chip star fish who wants to eat everything in my tank as well as some snails and hermit crabs. this is all in preparation for adding corals to my tank. My question is What type of T-12 florescent lighting should I use for the encloser housing the sump. More specific what bulb types there are two tubes. Also what type of substrate should I use over the mud. When I started out, the guy at my local fish store told me I needed aragonite to keep the waters ph in balance so that is my substrate. Now they tell me I need aragonite sand for nitrate something or other. Im a little confused. I would love to put sand in the tank instead of the aragonite but I want what is best for a fish and coral aquarium, and easiest for me. My substrate currently has tons of live stuff in it thanks to the live rock from liverocks.com and from 2 years of sitting there, it would be ashame to have to start over. But if I must I must, sand would look way cooler.
If you all say I should switch to sand in my tank:
Can I use some of the aragonite from my tank and add it to the sump to cover the mud and seed it, then add sand and cover both?
Can I just use the aragonite from my tank in my calcium reactor ? it would be a shame to just waste it not mention what it cost me.
Should I leave the the tank the way it is and add some aragonite sand to the sump to cover the mud?
Any and all input will be appreciated

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[divemasterjim]

anyone?

 

[cmor1701d]

Is your current substrate crushed coral?
Sand can and should be (if possible0 aragonite based too. You might want to read The Importance of Deep Sand and How Sandbeds REALLY Work by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D for starters.

 

[Brenden]

Lights across America makes a 65W florescent flood light that works great for fuges. They burn at 6.5K and sell for less than $30. They "claim" it has the same lumens output as a 500W bulb. ( HD and Lowes carries them) I would use that instead of purchasing a nice T12 etc. If I understand your post correctly you already have aragonite sand in your main? I would not disturb the main substrate at all. If you want sand in the fuge just buy some and add it. The refugium will become "seeded" on its own without you adding substrate from the main.

 

[divemasterjim]

I already have the Coralife Fluorescent Ballast System for my fuge

What I need to know is what bulbs to put in. It will take T-12 or T-8
Im gonna have live rock, sand and mangroves in the fuge so what type of bulbs should i use?
6500k, 10,000k, actinic ?