Expert help needed as far as lighting, filtration and skimmer

[DarkAnviL]

Ok, I have a 36 gallon bowfront tank filled with R/O water and about 20 or so pounds of live rock. As of right now the water and live rock have only been in 2 days. I premixed the water with Instant Ocean salt and then added bio-sand and then the live rock. It sits right now at roughly 1.024 salinity at about 74 degrees. This is a list of what I'm using.

36 gallon bowfront

intank heater

subcurrent surface skimming filter (rated for up to 30 gallons even though my tank is 36 gallon, don't know why the guy talked me into it) this is a link to it Current SubCurrent-Surface Skimming Filter

normal stock hood lighting

Basically I'm looking to be steered in the right direction on what to get as far as lighting, filtration and skimmer and or whatever else is needed.

I want to set up a tank for live rock with fish and some anenomes and other such things. I've searched the net as much as I can but theres just so much info out there it's hard to find the right things. I would love some expert help. I would greatly appreciate it. Below are a couple of pics of my tank, thanks.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7877/0103001852.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2404/0103001851.jpg

 

[dsmlrussell]

For You to keep an anenome happy your going to need either metal halide or T5 lighting. Most people would not use a filter and just rely on the live rock for biological filtration and use powerheads for circulation. As for a skimmer you dont really need one in that small of a tank as long as you stay on top of your partial water changes.

 

[baldyguy]

You will have to wait approx 12mths for the nem as they require good stable tank, but once that is sorted you will love them!

 

[austinsdad]

Do you know anything about cycling a tank? If not, stop adding anything to the tank and read up on it.

 

[InfernoST]

For You to keep an anenome happy your going to need either metal halide or T5 lighting.

T5HO or T5VHO not T5

 

[DarkAnviL]

T5HO or T5VHO not T5

Ok after doing some reading I've found that metal halide requires a certain height above your water and also requires that you have a water chiller because of the immense heat the bulbs give off will over heat your water. Is this true? What is T5HO and T5VHO or just T5 in general?

I'm basically looking to be able to grow anything as far as corals and whatever else. I don't really want any boundries so I'de like the best lighting just don't know which route to go. Is T5 lighting as good as MH?

 

[InfernoST]

Ok after doing some reading I've found that metal halide requires a certain height above your water and also requires that you have a water chiller because of the immense heat the bulbs give off will over heat your water. Is this true? What is T5HO and T5VHO or just T5 in general?

I'm basically looking to be able to grow anything as far as corals and whatever else. I don't really want any boundries so I'de like the best lighting just don't know which route to go. Is T5 lighting as good as MH?

T5 is the size (Diameter) of the lamp 5/8ths of an inch, HO=High output, VHO=Very High Output. Wattage on bulbs is determined by the length ie, 36" T5HO = 39 watts & T5VHO = 60 watts (same bulb), please note this isn't the case for all bulb manufacturers and you also need the correct ballast to make an HO bulb a VHO bulb. MH lighting is recommended but does have it's drawbacks like heating up the tank which may (Most likely) require you to get a chiller and thay are also expensive to buy and operate. Please be aware that this is a very simple and brief explanation, lighting is a very complex and expensive and important part of this hobby and requires a lot of research because it's not just how many watts your lighting puts out but the correct spectrum needs to be obtained as well as the proper PAR readings needed at a given depth. Here is a link to Sanjays lighting thread, check it out. Manhattan Reefs - Sanjay's Lighting Guide

 

[cabezon]

well, I dont think you wasted your money on that filter. For what $30? it will work as a powerhead at least. I would not use the carbon or bioballs, and use the rought filter pad, then get some polyester pillow filler for the secondary, and change it out weekly. Go find yourself a berlin sump, a small skimmer, and you are in business.

Read about the fishless cycle. If you have any raw shrimp in the house toss one into the tank. Otherwise find yourself some non surfuctant ammonia, at a hardware store, or a dollar store.

Fish don't need light like coral, anemones and clams. so if you are going to stick with the fish and live rock for now (FOWLR), don't sweat the lights.

good luck. with a fowlr tank you can get some of the better looking fish IMO.

Shaw

 

[DarkAnviL]

well, I dont think you wasted your money on that filter. For what $30? it will work as a powerhead at least. I would not use the carbon or bioballs, and use the rought filter pad, then get some polyester pillow filler for the secondary, and change it out weekly. Go find yourself a berlin sump, a small skimmer, and you are in business.

Read about the fishless cycle. If you have any raw shrimp in the house toss one into the tank. Otherwise find yourself some non surfuctant ammonia, at a hardware store, or a dollar store.

Fish don't need light like coral, anemones and clams. so if you are going to stick with the fish and live rock for now (FOWLR), don't sweat the lights.

good luck. with a fowlr tank you can get some of the better looking fish IMO.

Shaw

I actually went and bought a Fluval 205 canister filter I have hooked up right now as well and bought a small powerhead to maximize good flow. I have a T5HO light with moonlight on order so still stock aquarium light for now. I'm wondering though if this to much filtration and or to much flow. Is it worth having both the surface skimming filter and the Fluval 205 filter running at the same time? Should I drop the surface skimmer filter and get a protien skimmer?

Here is a pic of the flow in my tank,in the right circle is the surface skimmer filter, the left circle is going into the fluval 205 canister filter, is this to much filtration?

 

[melosu58]

Do you know anything about cycling a tank? If not, stop adding anything to the tank and read up on it.

I want to stress this. You are in for alot of trouble if you dont cycle your tank. All other points are moot till this is done.

 

[DarkAnviL]

I want to stress this. You are in for alot of trouble if you dont cycle your tank. All other points are moot till this is done.

Hey Mike, I was told by the aquarium over here to buy biosand which had the beneficial bacteria in it to jump start the cycle and after and after a week add a fish or two which I did. It's been over a week now and both fish appear healthy and along with the live rock I added I got a piece rock sold as mushroom rock with large purple mushrooms seeming to do well. Haven't had my water tested yet but will be doing it this weekend.

 

[austinsdad]

Hard to believe you would add fish without ever testing water. Hope that works. Good luck.

 

[InfernoST]

It's very rare a tank cycles in a week. You should go out and get a good liquid test kit (Do not get the strips) that contains the basics, PH, NH3, NO3, NO2. Don't add anymore fish until you're sure the water is free of NH3 & NO2.

 

[austinsdad]

Maybe you had cured, already established live rock. That might be the reason no cycle occured. Still, you shuold be testing.

Where did the rock come from BTW?

 

[divedeep1689]

In one of those pics i saw some mushrooms, I did not read all posts but scanned most, But you said you have stock lighting on the tank right now. Mushrooms are low light corals but under stock lights they will not last long.

 

[DarkAnviL]

In one of those pics i saw some mushrooms, I did not read all posts but scanned most, But you said you have stock lighting on the tank right now. Mushrooms are low light corals but under stock lights they will not last long.

Yes still with stock lighting unfortunately. My local aquarium ordered my light for the wrong size tank. Now I must wait until this thursday for it. I believe it's a Coral Life aqua lunar light and I think it's T5HO with moon lights. Surprisingly the mushrooms have opened up HUGE from the first few days in my tank. So not to much longer without a decent light and my skimmer.

Here is a pic of the mushrooms

 

[DarkAnviL]

Maybe you had cured, already established live rock. That might be the reason no cycle occured. Still, you shuold be testing.

Where did the rock come from BTW?

It was deffinitly cured live rock that I bought. To be honest it didn't occur to me to ask where the live rock originated. But their staff was seemingly educated, it's in a rather wealthy town and has been there for some time so I'm assuming these guys know what they are talking about but who knows. I won't be adding anything else until I have my water tested which will be this week. So far though both fish seem very healthy and eating, no signs of stress or ilness that I can identify yet.

 

[DarkAnviL]

I am also wondering now that I have been reading up alot on these wonderful forums, if going with a sump setup would have been a much better idea. In all honesty can my current filters keep a good reef tank? Fluval 205 canister and a Subcurrent surface skimmer filter. Given I get my T5HO light and my protien skimmer.

 

[InfernoST]

Canisters are great but turn into Nitrate factories very quickly if not constantly cleaned. Sump is a much better way to go.

 

[thominil]

If your temp is still 74 degrees, I would up that to around 80-82 degrees, but since you have fish and coral, you would need to do that very slowly. I agree with InfernoST, a sump is the best way to go as it adds water volume which makes for better stability with the parameters. If the light you are getting is the one I'm thinking of, it may not be T5 HO, but standard T5. Even if it is T5 HO, you wouldn't be able to keep much more than softies with it (your shrooms would be fine). Make sure you get an HOB skimmer since you don't have a skimmer unless you get a stand-alone model otherwise you won't be able to use it until/if you get a sump. Watch the brand of the skimmer too as there are many cheap models out there such as the SeaClone and Coralife Super Skimmers (CSS) that are terrible. HTH, and welcome to AA!