first reef

[burf420]

24 inch lights on a 90 gallon? I feel like I'm missing something

 

[burf420]

Yeah the biggest one i have is a 75 but that has my Oscar and dempseys in it and id be so sad letting them go. That would probably be the easiest and cheapest way for me to go cause then all i need is the lights and skimmer. But yeah ill probably go with the 55 then. But them I'm just starring from scratch. All the more fun

 

[Dimdim]

You cant by regular flourescents and use those bulbs. Simply wont work. A 36 inch t5 isnt really 36 inches at all, its really about 34 1/2 inches. And they are ho. These bulbs need to be driven really hard with strong ballasts. A 36 inch regular flourescent is less powerful, has different shaped ends, and just simply wont work at all if your going with a 40 breeder or bigger, honestly 200 is low to spend on lights. And for the tank, i wouldnt use anything smaller then a 75 if i had to start over and get new tanks

 

[burf420]

Okay and what's your reason for not wanting anything smaller than a 75? I'm sorry i just really want to make the right choice before i start

 

[Dimdim]

Well a 75 gallon is going to be a very stable size for swings in params. I have a 40 gallon breeder right now with no sump... And boy do i hate doing all my work within my display tank, and anything under a 75 limits your reef capable fish opportunities, a yellow tang can go in a 75 much before a 40 same with a foxface. Evapouration causes salinity swings, the bigger the tank the easier it is gonna be for you. But also keep in mind a 55 with a 30 gallon sump gives you just as much water volume. If you want a reef, kerp in mind the shape of the tank for an efficient aquascape. I have a 90 gallon tank i could try a reef in. But i just simply wont as the dimensions wont support the proper flow needed without the addition of about 6 powerheads.

 

[burf420]

**** I'm glad you jumped in what would be the right shape between a 40 breeder a 55 or a Seventy five also would i be able to do a fuge in a biowheel sump? Like this

 

[Dimdim]

If thats a wet dry sump its gonna need a lot of cleaning, and a good footprint is 18" deep, when i say deep i mean distance from front pane of glass to back pane of glass. If its a 75 or 90 gallon. Anything under that can be 12-14 inches as long as its not slender and narrow. Thats a well built sump.. But my guess is its old.. Wet dry works really well in freshwater. I know for a fact, it can work in saltwater just requires more cleaning. You could make a refugium by closing off your return pump i the bottom section of the sump,

 

[Dimdim]

And its a biowheel filter? Ditch the whole biowheel please, those are freshwater tools.

 

[burf420]

Its a perfectly good sump though i think ill just keep that and make a whole new one

 

[burf420]

Could i use the forty breeder as a sump

 

[burf420]

Can you do 14 inch fish in a55 for saltwater? Ie yellow tang

 

[burf420]

So I'm acichlid fan. What are some fish that are kinda like cichlids? Lots of personality blsh blah blah

 

[Dimdim]

No tang can live in a 55. He needs at least a 75 but more recommend a 90. Just take out the biowheel and use the sump still, i know if i had that i would for sure. Biowheels are useless in saltwater as the liverock is your bio filyration, amd for fish, if uour a cichlid lover, your gonna want a big tank in order to house a tang or trigger fish. Its simple, marine fish all have more character then a cichlid even a 3 inch damselfish. Damselfish are like miniature cichlids, mean and colourful. Max out aroun3 inches though

 

[burf420]

All the tangs on live aquaria are all 100 gallins or more. Is that right? And there's no way i can get a trigger huh

 

[burf420]

I need fish ideas!!!!

 

[Dimdim]

How about a shrimp and goby combo? U could do a flame hawkfish, or basslets, six line wrasses are wonderful, theres alot of options of the 55 or 40 gallon. If you didnt want inverts you could go with corals and some meaner fish like a dwarf lionfish and a velentini pufferfish maybe some anglers as well. Ive been thinking about getting rid of my cuc to some predatory fish

 

[burf420]

Ok thanks for the start! Wanna give me some new ones I'm deciding on going with the 75! Just because i can get one brand new from lfs for 100

 

[dayner]

should i be putting calcion and magnesium on my 29 gallon bio cube if so how much and every how long should i do that

 

[Dimdim]

Ok thanks for the start! Wanna give me some new ones I'm deciding on going with the 75! Just because i can get one brand new from lfs for 100

Awesome! Im glad you took that advice youll find it pretty awesome compared to a 55 ! Good luck

 

[burf420]

Can't wait! Itll be a custom stand w with custom sump to I'll keep you guys posted on this thread. Now I'm a little confused on the base rock thing. Just like everything about it. Is it just so i can get the main structure and then the live rock goes on top? What kinda rock do you use as base