Help with Coral Selection and Placement

[donkuchi19]

Here are the tank details:

65 gallon main tank with a 15 gallon sump underneath. (Total probable volume of about 75 gallons) (Perfecto with a corner overflow set up)

60 pounds of fine grain aragonite.

45 pounds of fiji live rock (standard bolder type) and 25 pounds of fiji fancy branch rock for total of 70 pounds of live rock.

Lighting is a Coralive Lunar Aqualight compact fluorescent strip lights with a 10,000K 96 W bulb and a 96 W Actinic bulb along with 2 LED lunar lights. I also have a plantlife 50/50 going in the sump where I am going to grow calurpa.

I haven't purchased a new pump yet, but plan on replacing my old RIO 1200 (I think) with a new one (not necessarily the same type of pump) when I pick up the tank. I also have two Maxi Jet 1200 powerheads for movement and two aquaclear 50 heaters.

I have a sea clone skimmer (100 and 150 but not sure which I am going to use) and an Emperor 280 filter that will go in the sump.

Now the question: What stocking plan can I use for coral in this set-up. I am not planning on any stony coral. I have had limited success with corals previously. (They didn't die, but they didn't florish either) I am planning on setting up the rock in a shelf like manner. Bottom row will stick out the furthest, middle row will stick out some, and the top row will be one line of live rock. This will give me three different levels to place corals with different lighting needs. (I am also hoping for an anemone with some clownfish, but that may be too ambitious)

Please let me know what you think of my plan and any recc's for corals to place in this tank.

Thanks,

Don

 

[donkuchi19]

I edited the above because the bulbs are actually 96 Watt and not 65 Watt. That should make a difference in the coral selection.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[thincat]

I think you will find yourself lacking in penetration power which PC's lack. You will find yourself stacking all your corals on the upper most shelf of your rockwork. That said, you would have to stick to corals with low light requirements. With todays selection of corals that may not be so bad. Do your research on corals before you buy and you will save yourself lots of heartbreak and money. An anemone may be pushing it a bit. I bought myself a silicone anemone for my Clarkii because I knew I did not have enough light.
Picture of B&W Clown and fake anemone

Picture of clarkii with Fake anemone

 

[donkuchi19]

What about if I added another set of T5 lights like this one : Aquarium Lighting for Planted & Reef Aquariums: Hagen GLO T5 HO Linear Fluorescent Fixtures

Single light?

Double light?

Anyone know anything about this light?

Or about this one? Aquarium Lighting for Reef Systems: Current Nova Extreme Pro Saltwater T-5 Fixtures

 

[melosu58]

With your current lighting you could do some moderate lighting soft and LPS corals. If you do get T5 lighting make sure you get T5HO lighting. That should about allow for most corals.

 

[JustOneMore20]

The Nova Extreme fixtures get good reviews. I've heard good things about the Hagen fixtures too. Just make sure if you use it along with your PCs that you have enough room over the tank for both.

I think the Nova Extreme fixture with better bulbs would be good for your tank.

 

[thincat]

I agree with the above postings. The biggest problem you will have is having enough room for both fixtures.