Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

[rob_mango]

So what sps are you looking in to

 

[TLTGF]

I've mainly been checking out LA for ideas... but I'm thinking a birdsnest and a acro or some sort... I want to try to find one bigger than a 2" frag. Looking at 4.5-5" or better if possible.

I'm really trying to find some nice colors - Blues, and yellows, possibly a pink birdsnest.

My entire tank is purple from the rocks, so I don't need any more of that - I've got lots of browns and greens all over the place. The mushrooms i'm going to add will be red... so I need Orange, yellow, blue, and pink.

I've got about $175-200 budget for this month, so I hopefully can get a Birdsnest, acro, and possibly a few mushroom frags.

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Birdsnest Coral - Pink

Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Acropora nasuta

Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Acropora secale

Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Acropora tenuis

 

[rob_mango]

Yeah I was looking to add some color to mine as well and I was looking at blue and red sponges

 

[TLTGF]

Are sponges difficult? I've only seen an orange fan sponge, and really all I knew is that it couldn't be exposed to air.

 

[rob_mango]

I have read mixed some say they r hard and some say they r easy but the way I see it is if ur tank is stable you should be able to grow them with little to no problem

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have had a few volunteers show up, but they were yellow ones. I failed to keep the red and blue ones alive for more than a year, but I am pretty lazy, someone motivated could surely do better. Total filter feeders, so that might not work in a SPS tank where nutrient levels have to remain so low. But there is plenty of data out there on keeping them.

 

[KcTx]

TLTGF, I have a couple of jump offs every week with my mushrooms. I was told when I got my 1st that it wouldn't be long until I was throwing them out. LoL So true. But getting to my point if you want some purple shrooms next time I have a few jumpers I'll be more than happy to send them to you if want them. I just toss them out the back door when they abandon there rock. I want to thin the group & add some other colors.

Kc

 

[TLTGF]

That may be one of the most fantastic things I've heard. I'll send you a PM.

Huge thanks!

-Tim-

 

[katoom27]

Hey guys this has nothing to do with the current posts, but my stand is to the point where I need my light to make any necessary cuts to my canopy. I can't get any definitive answers on led lighting for a 54 corner. I'm looking at the ecotech radion but am not sure if it would provide sufficient coverage. I definitely would prefer to go led and 1 unit at that. My canopy is 12" tall. Any suggestions?

 

[rob_mango]

From everything I have read the echotech will b more then enough on a 54 gallon

 

[Gregcoyote]

How many watts and what kind and color are the LEDs? 2-4 watts per gallon.

 

[KAhner]

The radion seems to have crazy good diodes. 8x Cree 5w cool white. 8x Cree 3w blue. 10x Cree 3w royal blue. 4x Cree 3w green. 4x osram 3 w hyper red. Not sure what the exact wave lengths r though. Wish I could afford this light. Greg u seem to know ur LEDs. Would u check out my build thread for me?

 

[Sniperhank]

Real late to this thread. Did you end up getting the Aqueon sump setup? That is what I'm wanting to get and toss the coralife protein skimmer I already have and yet to set up into it.

 

[TLTGF]

I decided against the sump - as beautiful as it was, my tank is really thriving, and honestly, until it isn't, I'd rather not spend another $400-$500 on a new sump and skimmer.

Things can change quickly though, as I stated a few posts ago, that I'm getting more into SPS which may require another look into better filtration and skimmer.

On the other hand, I find out in January if I am going to Japan for 1+ years, so I may just hold off until I find that out for sure as well.

 

[Sniperhank]

Yeah I can't see that traveling overseas well...

 

[katoom27]

Thanks for jumping in guys. I'm sure ill get a lot of mixed ideas regarding this setup. The total wattage of the light is 130. 120 of it is to run the lights 10 for the fan. I'm hoping this light would light the tank up nicely without any supplemental lighting. I was hoping for a simple clean setup to go along with a MP 10 w that will work wireless with the radion light

 

[Gregcoyote]

That should be big enough for 55 gallon tank as long as the coverage is sufficient. 2 watts per gallon for soft and LPS, I use 3-4 watts per gallon for a SPS tank.
The heavy lifting is all done by the white and actinic blue LEDs. Nothing wrong with mixing in a few cyan and red LEDs to warm the tank up some, but those colors contribute very little to most corals needs. So I would only have a few of those emitters, the vast bulk of them should be high energy whites and 450nm blues.

 

[TLTGF]

New additions - pagoda and humilis acro

$75 for both - whoo hoo!

 

[katoom27]

Well thanks for the input I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on an ecotech radion, MP 10w, Rio 2500, and ASM G1X protein Skimmer for my 54 corner. The stand is getting closer hope to have it stained this week. Thanks for everyone's help. Hope to have photos soon.

 

[TLTGF]

New additions - pagoda and humilis acro

$75 for both - whoo hoo!

Apparently I have a 54 gallon tank - for some reason I don't understand this at the LFS and I end up getting HUGE corals that are way bigger than I thought...

Cause some plan changes for sure!