75 or 90

[steve r]

i am trying to decide betweeen a 75 and 90 gallon for our new tank. they both share the same foot print, the 90 is just taller. has any one else done the pros and cons on these two tanks and made a choice? i want a ref ready BTW , if that matters.

one more quick question. will i need two MH lights to light 48" of tank? will one in the middle with a 48" PC in the front and back be okay or will it cause shadows? if i go with two MH 12,000K can i skip the supplemental VHO or PC's

and so it begins

steve r

 

[easyian]

I have a 90gal and was told to go with two 250w MH. But with funds hard to come by I currently have a 175w MH in the middle and my 4 x 65w PC on either side. It seems to work well but I don't have anything that really demands that much light. I have some mushrooms that are expanding exponentially, a Seabae anemone near the top that is doing well and some green star polyps that I just got 4 days ago. Other than that the only complaint I have with the 90 is that it is hard to reach the bottom while doing maint.

 

[electrikat]

My 90 is the tall one. I have two 20,000k mh and a NO 40w day and 40w blue 48"long. The only problem is that the 90 is very tall when it comes to getting at the bottom. I have to have a 4 foot ladder and it's a real pain if I have to reach the bottom. You have to add the height of the stand and the canopy to the tank height.

 

[fishfreek]

If either tank has a center brace you will not want the MH bulb over the brace or you will get shadows. In addition the best light from your MH will be blocked by the brace almost negating its benifits. If you dont want to do two MH then you can do 4 110W VHO's. My 75 has 4 X 110W VHO lighting and it grows everything I put in the tank wonderfully.

I think when it comes down to it pick the tank that wont break the bank and check the 90's depth to see if you will have a big problem getting to the bottom of the tank.

 

[steve r]

good thoughts everyone. i could see having trouble getting to the bottom.
the 75 sounds like it might be the way to go. i really want the MH because i would like a clam or two. two 250w 12,000K would probably do the trick. maybe a single 96 watt actininc to help everyone wake up and go to bed.

what skimmer are you all using on your 75/90's?

kat, how tall is your tank? is it the 24"

steve

 

[electrikat]

Yes it's 24" but with the stand and canopy it's about a total of 68" tall. That's why the 4' ladder is necessary to get to the bottom. Plus one of those grabber things comes in handy.

 

[Brisc0]

I have a 105G oceanic. Its 105 gallons on a 75 gallon foot print. I love my reef but it was the biggest mistake I have ever made. Even with a 4" DSB its a 30" reach to the bottom, and its a real pain. I have to use tongs for everything, and for anyone who has ever moved a beautiful coral with tongs, its scarry stuff LoL. Not to mention I had to get 1.21 jigawatts of metal halide lighting to be the right intensity at that depth.

 

[steve r]

jigawatts.

75 is sounding good

steve

 

[Brisc0]

Hehe maybe slightly over stated, however I do rest my monster halide fixture on the tank and run a chiller to keep things cool so I get the most bang for the buck out of those lights. I keep my tank in a windowless basement and its like being outside in the mid day sun down here lol