What size Reef Tank?

[robertfah]

Is it empty or does it have rock and livestock already?

it has about 100lbs of LR, some corals and, from what I can remember, a purple tang (small), sailfin tang (small), gold stripe marron clown (hosting a big aenenome (sp?)), a cardinal fish and I think another small fish like a gamma orsomething....I can't remember.

All the fish were getting along nicely, enjoying the tank. I was there for 2+ hours and didn't see any abnormal activity amongst the fish (besides the clown being protective of her pad).

 

[Jimbo7]

it has about 100lbs of LR, some corals and, from what I can remember, a purple tang (small), sailfin tang (small), gold stripe marron clown (hosting a big aenenome (sp?)), a cardinal fish and I think another small fish like a gamma orsomething....I can't remember.

All the fish were getting along nicely, enjoying the tank. I was there for 2+ hours and didn't see any abnormal activity amongst the fish (besides the clown being protective of her pad).

I would take the purple and the sailfin to your LFS when you move the tank. A 65 is too small for almost any tang, especially larger members of the species like those. Might as well do it not instead of in 3 months when they begin to rip each other apart.

Careful moving the anemone, its probably in poor health if it has been living under PC's. It might not have the energy to make the move.

 

[robertfah]

I would take the purple and the sailfin to your LFS when you move the tank. A 65 is too small for almost any tang, especially larger members of the species like those. Might as well do it not instead of in 3 months when they begin to rip each other apart.

Careful moving the anemone, its probably in poor health if it has been living under PC's. It might not have the energy to make the move.

Thanks for the advice....the current light setup that he has is metal halides for that tank but they are mounted to his ceiling and he doesn't want to sell them (he is saving 1 tank and will use them for it) but he has a PC light that he would throw on the tank if I bought it.

All the corals look nice and healthy too, but I was wondering the best way to transport them; probably in a bin with water and a small piece of rock that they are attached to? Not too sure as I've never moved a tank with corals before.

 

[Jimbo7]

What kinds of corals? Usually yes, buckets filled with his water are best. Just be careful of breaking things off and smashing things. If you can get a larger rubbermaid tub, they work the best. Nice and easy to spread things out.

Roughneck Storage Box / Bin | Rubbermaid

 

[robertfah]

What kinds of corals? Usually yes, buckets filled with his water are best. Just be careful of breaking things off and smashing things. If you can get a larger rubbermaid tub, they work the best. Nice and easy to spread things out.

Roughneck Storage Box / Bin | Rubbermaid

Mainly soft corals lilke mushrooms, etc. nothing that could get "hurt" or broke if I wasn't super careful.

2 days later and still haven't heard from him, but he said he was very busy this week. No big deal as I've continued my search and have found 2 others that I am considering.....a 90g and 30g. Yeah, quite the difference between the two but the 30g is a LONG tank and it looks really, really cool.

90g:
90gal Saltwater system for sale

30g:
Rare saltwater AQUARIUM Complete SET UP

The 30g is pretty much ready to go....all I would have to do is buy some more rock and corals for it and it would be running beautifully. However, the downside is I couldn't put too many fish in it and am limited to what size fish.

The 90g is beautiful as well but has some lighting issues. It comes with metal halides and a PC but both need ballasts (he's keeping the icecaps ballast for the halides and the PC one blew). But I'm not too concerned with the lighting because I can't hand a fixture from my ceiling so I would have to get a new light anyhow. So he agreed to drop the price to $400 without the light, which I think is a pretty good deal. I have seen a few lights online for $3-400 or some used one's for $150-$200.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

 

[Jimbo7]

that 90 with sump and a pump for $100?
Scoop that up right meow, thats a crazy awesome deal.

 

[robertfah]

that 90 with sump and a pump for $100?
Scoop that up right meow, thats a crazy awesome deal.

That's a 90g with sump, pump, rock, corals, stand and everything that makes it run (the tank is currently up and running) for $400 ($500 if I want the metal Halide bulbs but no ballast).

I think it's a good deal and I just found this light for $150, T5's that will work for the tank (48" long).

WavePoint™ Technology, Inc. The World’s Most Advanced Aquatic Lighting

I'm thinking this 90g is going to happen......

 

[robertfah]

So a question I have is this:

Do you think the light in the above link ( 216 watt 48in High Output (4x 54w) T5 4 Lamp Lighting System (Black)) is enough for doing corals, clams, and maybe some SPS or hard corals? Or would I have to go with the larger wattage light?

 

[Jimbo7]

Oh, i read that too fast, I though you said he would drop it by $400 not to $400. lol, still a pretty good deal.

That light will not be enough for most of the corals you mentioned. If you want to go the SPS and clam route, you are going to need a 6-8 bulb fixture and keep the high light things above the mid level line.

Otherwise 2 - 150w or 2-250w metal halides will provide all the lighting you need in that tank.

Aquarium Lights Hellolights.com
and
fish need it;lights; food;Sponge

are good places to start for lighting solutions that won't break your bank.
if you have the money, I would go with something like this:
2 x 150W MHL with 2 x 2bulbs 4Ft Fixture

Or you can start with the pendants and add on the supplemental later if you want it.

 

[robertfah]

Oh, i read that too fast, I though you said he would drop it by $400 not to $400. lol, still a pretty good deal.

That light will not be enough for most of the corals you mentioned. If you want to go the SPS and clam route, you are going to need a 6-8 bulb fixture and keep the high light things above the mid level line.

Otherwise 2 - 150w or 2-250w metal halides will provide all the lighting you need in that tank.

Aquarium Lights Hellolights.com
and
fish need it;lights; food;Sponge

are good places to start for lighting solutions that won't break your bank.
if you have the money, I would go with something like this:
2 x 150W MHL with 2 x 2bulbs 4Ft Fixture

Or you can start with the pendants and add on the supplemental later if you want it.

Thanks Jim...he does have a metal halide setup but he's keeping the ballast and said 2 new ballast are about $150 each.....yikes.....plus I don't have a place to hang it so I was thinking a newer light would be best.

I may look around to see what I can get as far as MH available with a stand.

 

[Jimbo7]

Thanks Jim...he does have a metal halide setup but he's keeping the ballast and said 2 new ballast are about $150 each.....yikes.....plus I don't have a place to hang it so I was thinking a newer light would be best.

I may look around to see what I can get as far as MH available with a stand.

If you are looking to do clams and SPS you are going to end up dropping quite a bit. There are few pieces of equipment that you really really don't want to skimp on if you want a masterful reef. Lights are definitely one of them. I prefer to wait till I have money to invest once, then go through several crappy systems before I realize that I should have just done it right the first time. And believe me, I have rushed through several tanks and make all these wrong mistakes several times.

That combo from fishneedit.com comes with feet to set on your tank, its just hard to tell because they were designed and marketed as a pendant.

 

[robertfah]

If you are looking to do clams and SPS you are going to end up dropping quite a bit. There are few pieces of equipment that you really really don't want to skimp on if you want a masterful reef. Lights are definitely one of them. I prefer to wait till I have money to invest once, then go through several crappy systems before I realize that I should have just done it right the first time. And believe me, I have rushed through several tanks and make all these wrong mistakes several times.

That combo from fishneedit.com comes with feet to set on your tank, its just hard to tell because they were designed and marketed as a pendant.

Thanks again Jim, 'preciate the input.

We are going to look at in come Sunday and if all goes well, I will have it home by late afternoon and setup Sunday evening. My question to everyone is this: He has MH (250w) but he his keeping the ballast. He's offering the light for another $100. Is it worth it to pick up the light and either sell it for more or keep it incase I want to put them in my tank? I don't know how much they cost normally so I'm not sure if this is a good deal or not (for the light).

 

[Jimbo7]

Actually, as it were this thread popped up this morning.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/best-deal-ever-132971.html#post1146580
Really is an awesome deal. Spend the money and upgrade the reflectors to Lumenbrights, and I would suggest the Radium 20k's. So many super nice reefs use them. You will just have to find a way to mount them. Building a really east canopy would be best IMO. Can just be a couple pieces of wood built into a simple box. My brother has recently built his, its really simple and works well.
here is some pictures of it.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/hoods-132354.html#post1140549
Throw a coat or two of stain in it, and your golden.

 

[robertfah]

Actually, as it were this thread popped up this morning.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/best-deal-ever-132971.html#post1146580
Really is an awesome deal. Spend the money and upgrade the reflectors to Lumenbrights, and I would suggest the Radium 20k's. So many super nice reefs use them. You will just have to find a way to mount them. Building a really east canopy would be best IMO. Can just be a couple pieces of wood built into a simple box. My brother has recently built his, its really simple and works well.
here is some pictures of it.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/hoods-132354.html#post1140549
Throw a coat or two of stain in it, and your golden.

Yes, I saw this myself this morning...unfortunately, I'm not very handy (ok, not even close to being handy) with wood and making things like that.

Here's a light I may be purchasing. Someone who lives close to where I'll be getting the tank has it for sale for $150.00. He says it's only 4 months old and still has the box and reciept.

Aquarium HO T-5 Florescent Light Fixtures: WavePoint HO T5 Fluorescent 4 Lamp Lighting Fixtures

My question is, will this light be good enough for the 90g tank? Mainly soft corals....someone told me it wouldn't penetrate the tank to the bottom and I would need to go with a 6 bulb system.

 

[robertfah]

I realize that Jim already answered this question.....I'm just frustrated and confused on the lighting situation. It's a 99% change I am getting the 90g and I think I found a good light for the tank (fish and corals, mainly soft corals for now) - a 4 bulb Wave Point T5 system ($300 new, $150 from this guy). Someone at work told me it wouldn't be enough for that tank and that I should get the 6 bulb system. So I'm confused on what to do.

 

[Jimbo7]

You can get that 4 bulb. It will be fine for low light corals like mushrooms and zoas. Fish just need any type of light.

The only thing I would say is that if you think you are going to want to do more then zoas/shrooms in the future, don't get that light and delay your build by a month or two to save up for a better fixture. Its better to buy quality once. When you go to upgrade you will just be stuck with that fixture and it will be worth a lot less.

If you can't scrape up the money for a better system. Then that is a pretty good deal, and you will be fine with it until you catch the full on "reef bug"

 

[robertfah]

You can get that 4 bulb. It will be fine for low light corals like mushrooms and zoas. Fish just need any type of light.

The only thing I would say is that if you think you are going to want to do more then zoas/shrooms in the future, don't get that light and delay your build by a month or two to save up for a better fixture. Its better to buy quality once. When you go to upgrade you will just be stuck with that fixture and it will be worth a lot less.

If you can't scrape up the money for a better system. Then that is a pretty good deal, and you will be fine with it until you catch the full on "reef bug"

I think I will heed your advice and spend the money while I have it.....I do NOT want to go down this road in the future only to be mad that I didn't do it sooner.

So, with that in mind, is this the light that will be best for my reef to do corals, clams, etc:

2 x 150W MHL with 2 x 2bulbs 4Ft Fixture

If yes, can you recommend the color tempature for the MH and T5's.....remember, I do not have a chiller and would like to avoid one.

 

[robertfah]

This is the light that I am thinking of going with.....

AquaticLife LLC | Premium Marine Aquarium Products

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments? This should allow me to do all things reef, correct?

 

[robertfah]

Well it's a done deal, I bought the above mentioned light (AquaticLife 6 bulb T5 setup) today and hopefully tomorrow I will have the tank. The people at the LFS said it will handle ALL my reef needs so I feel pretty comfortable with that.

 

[Jimbo7]

Nice, good choice. Sorry i was without internet for most of the weekend and couldn't answer your questions. Made a good choice though, I think you'll be happy with that.