Help Whats needed for a saltwater aquarium with coral

[nikki_kaiser]

Snails are unavoidable in saltwater, sorry... Lol. The are the work horses of the tank. Also, per you're list, you should consider tossing the hydrometer off your list now because you will do it later when you figure out it is a waste of time and highly inaccurate. What you will need is a refractometer.

In my opinion, if you are truly going to get into this, you cannot hold back on you components. This is where a lot of people fail. I like the comment about getting a book, you may know how to keep freshwater, but now your getting into a hole new realm.

The taotronics can keep plenty of corals alive, but I they are not dimmable, you will have a bleaching issue and hurt or kill a lot of corals.

I've heard good things so far about the Taotronics lights as well. I'm converting my FOWLR to a reef and from what I can tell your two most important equipment are probably your lights and protein skimmer. If you will call a few of your local LFS they may have some great deals on used skimmers. As mentioned above, Craig's list is a good source as well!

 

[Fishfreak1]

Guys what do u think about rapidled.com they sell DIY led kits do u think it will be good for coral

 

[Pufferlove]

How much watts should the light have per gallon of my tank if I'm thinking of many corals and many different fish?

I say 2-3 for softies 3-5 for SPS but some may dissagree

 

[danbstrong]

How much watts should the light have per gallon of my tank if I'm thinking of many corals and many different fish?

Watts are not as important as par readings some 120w leds have higher par than 250w halides

 

[Zactheninja]

I'm gonna go with 3 taotronics led dimmable panels for my 100 reef that I'm going to get going soon. The gfo reacter looks like something I should look into.
And idk about that website, some of that stuff looks way to cheap.

 

[Fishfreak1]

I'm greeting my lights from rapidled.com there's a DIY kit called 48 solder less led kit dimmable for 385 plus another $240 o stuff I need for it so about 624 bucks

 

[Fishfreak1]

I'm going to try to find out

 

[Fishfreak1]

I'm going to buy this led kit it's on

Www.rapidled.com/copy-of-48-solderless-led-retrofit-kit/
Does anyone know the parameters of this kit?

 

[Fishfreak1]

Www.rapidled.com/copy-of-48-solderless-led-retrofit-kit/
That's the kit does anyone know the parameters it makes?

 

[Fishfreak1]

It's 500w halides is that good for my tank ? And for corals?

 

[danbstrong]

It's 500w halides is that good for my tank ? And for corals?

500w for a 48" tank is alot prolly need keep em 12" above tank sps will thrive but softies prolly wont appreciate it i have 2 250w halides at 4" over my 55g i grow sps mostly with some softies on bottom im assuming your tank is 18" deep?

 

[Fishfreak1]

24 in height 48 in wide and 20 in depth( front to back) its a DIY tank plus I haven't made it yet but these are the dimensions

 

[danbstrong]

24 in height 48 in wide and 20 in depth( front to back) its a DIY tank plus I haven't made it yet but these are the dimensions

Let me also add this halides evaporate alot of water and can also cause water to get warm just throwin this out there leds have come down alot in price and generate no heat and have high par ratings might wanna just give those a look as well im goin with leds on my 150g as soon as it gets thru cycle

 

[Crystal A]

I do agree with danbstong. Halides are great lights but they do heat up the water. I have them. Great for the corals but I see the increase in temp everyday.

 

[Fishfreak1]

The kit is LEDs with fans the retailer just said the kit is equal to 2 250w halides so 500w halides

 

[danbstrong]

The kit is LEDs with fans the retailer just said the kit is equal to 2 250w halides so 500w halides

Right on 120w leds? What brand?

 

[Fishfreak1]

Rapidled.com 48 solder less kit

$385

 

[danbstrong]

No doubt that the lighting is the exception to my statement. Without it the corals would obviously die. LEDs are super expensive, but there are some good cheap ones around like $250 a fixture..or you could buy some 3 watt LEDs and wire them. Not much of a DIY person myself, but it would definitely save hundreds to be handy! BTW corals don't carry out the process of photosynthesis. If they did, they would be considered plants (and clams would be considered plants too), but they aren't, corals are animals. They have a symbiotic relationship with algae that grows on them so that's why they require light. Try finding a great deal on craigslist and negotiating...there are some setups I find on craigslist that are 100 gallon for $300. AndrewPistol got a 150 gallon tank stand and plumbing for $100! Look around!

Sps Coral are photosynthetic as the algae they feed off of grows inside the coral itself not on it i have sps tank never fed it once grows completely from light

 

[obscurereef]

I said practically the same thing...I mean, the corals are classified as photosynthetic, but the algae is the one that carries out that process. The corals are the animals that consume the photosynthetic algae...I guess I wasn't clear enough, but yeah you're right.

 

[danbstrong]

I said practically the same thing...I mean, the corals are classified as photosynthetic, but the algae is the one that carries out that process. The corals are the animals that consume the photosynthetic algae...I guess I wasn't clear enough, but yeah you're right.

I was confused on the reading lol excactly the algae is what feeds the coral the algae is photosynthetic they are separate but the same i guess somewhat of a symbiotic relationship sorry about that