anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Current FTS: 10.10.11 Past FTS: 8.27.11 7.14.11 Equipment: 57 Oceanic Illuminata 2 Korallia 1050s 70 lbs dry rock 100lbs of sand 36" TEK T5HO w/ 3 ATI Blue +, 2 ATI Aquablue Special, 1 ATI Purple + Custom Homemade Tank Stand 29 AGA 300W Finnex Heater GFO/Carbon Reactor Eheim 1260 MJ1200 RKL Bubble Magus NAC7 Livestock: 6 Amphiprion clarkii 3 Entacmaea quadricolor 1 Macrodactyla doreensis 1 Mespilia globulus 1 Mystery sea cucumber Zoanthus sp. 'Tubbs Blues' Assorted molluscs, annelids, and echinoderms Link to comment
Oceanus Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Awesome! T5's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Awesome! T5's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking TEK 36" 6x39W T5s Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 24" deep? MH all day Not the most energy efficient light source. t5s won't punch 24" (probably at a water level of 22") Link to comment
bananahands Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Go for 36x24x24! With the tek reflectors you'll be fine at that depth Link to comment
ry05coupe Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I had T5s on the 40b, and now have 250w MHs on my 75 (a little shorter than your new tank) and couldn't be happier. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Go for 36x24x24! With the tek reflectors you'll be fine at that depth That would jut out too much into the living room. That what I was thinking, it would only be zoanthids and acans in the deep end. I was thinking an acan and zoanthid bottom instead of sand... I had T5s on the 40b, and now have 250w MHs on my 75 (a little shorter than your new tank) and couldn't be happier. MH are disgustingly inefficient and I like the options that come with T5. Link to comment
jtgordon20 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Just break down some walls to make room, hobby first, than the look of the living room. Just kidding. I think 22" tank would better. Or the 24" with a deeper sand bed and some good aquascaping and make the T-5's work. I like metal halide but it's on a smaller scale and I don't pay the electricity. Link to comment
SneekaPeek Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Could anyone help me with ideas on transfering a lps based tank to a sps based tank. Im having troulbe on where to begin with sand to bigger pumps to new rocks and so on. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Just break down some walls to make room, hobby first, than the look of the living room. Just kidding. I think 22" tank would better. Or the 24" with a deeper sand bed and some good aquascaping and make the T-5's work. I like metal halide but it's on a smaller scale and I don't pay the electricity. Landlords don't like when I bust down their walls. I was going to go rimless and not fill it all the way, maybe 21" so if I get a mp10 or 40 I can make some waves. I was thinking either deep sand bed (5") or no sand and make a zoanthid carpet (which may take a while), but in the meantime would be easier to keep clean. If I got a deep sand bed I would get an army of pistol/gobies and Nassarius to keep the sand moving. With the zoanthid bottom that wouldn't be so necessary. Thinking of starting with dry rock and adding a very small rock of live so I don't introduce all these nuisance algae and Aiptasia ! Could anyone help me with ideas on transfering a lps based tank to a sps based tank. Im having troulbe on where to begin with sand to bigger pumps to new rocks and so on. Create your own thread and state everything that is going on in your tank. In general SPS need more light and more flow and very clean water. ------------ Any suggestions on circulation (I have 2 Korallia 1050s)and if I should sump it? Does anyone have any blueprints (sketchups) of a stand to fit this tank (want it a little higher than the standard tank so I can appreciate the bottom more). Link to comment
nebthet Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 The tank dimensions that you are going for are very similar to my 57g 36x18x22 tank. Yours is just two inches higher. I use a 6x39w Tek T5 unit on my tank with Giesmann (I can never spell it right) bulbs hung 6inches from the water's surface with eggcrate and a splashguard panel in between and I am able to keep moderate light corals on my sand bed of 2 inches in the front and they all have vibrant colors and good growth. ie.. Monticap frags, digitata frags, zoas, acans, chalices, xenia, gsp. So, I would think that your tank, with only a couple more inches of height, will not make much of a difference in terms of the light penetration, especially if you use bulbs by a good manufacturer like ATI, or KZ. Your choice of water circulation, the K2's are pretty good. Just remember to reflect the flow off of the glass so that it is not directly hitting any corals. If you could save up for an MP40, then one of those and a K2 would be perfect. I find my older K3 reflected up to the surface and off the front middle glass of the tank, and my MP20 on 60% reef crest gives the tank enough indirect interchangeable flow to keep the corals very happy. Just make sure, that whichever stand you are using, it is tall enough, if you want a sump, but also short enough that you can get your fingers all the way to the bottom of the tank without any issues. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 ATI FTW A little pricey. The tank dimensions that you are going for are very similar to my 57g 36x18x22 tank. Yours is just two inches higher. I use a 6x39w Tek T5 unit on my tank with Giesmann (I can never spell it right) bulbs hung 6inches from the water's surface with eggcrate and a splashguard panel in between and I am able to keep moderate light corals on my sand bed of 2 inches in the front and they all have vibrant colors and good growth. ie.. Monticap frags, digitata frags, zoas, acans, chalices, xenia, gsp. So, I would think that your tank, with only a couple more inches of height, will not make much of a difference in terms of the light penetration, especially if you use bulbs by a good manufacturer like ATI, or KZ. Your choice of water circulation, the K2's are pretty good. Just remember to reflect the flow off of the glass so that it is not directly hitting any corals. If you could save up for an MP40, then one of those and a K2 would be perfect. I find my older K3 reflected up to the surface and off the front middle glass of the tank, and my MP20 on 60% reef crest gives the tank enough indirect interchangeable flow to keep the corals very happy. Just make sure, that whichever stand you are using, it is tall enough, if you want a sump, but also short enough that you can get your fingers all the way to the bottom of the tank without any issues. I'm not sure if I want to sump it or not. Glad my K2s will work. -------------- Where should I order this tank from, any suggestions? Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 If you are going SPS with a deep tank then definitely go MH. are very good for the corals, make their colors great, and cause great growth. T5's will work if MH isn't an option though. Can't wait to see the new tank! Any suggestions on circulation (I have 2 Korallia 1050s)and if I should sump it? Does anyone have any blueprints (sketchups) of a stand to fit this tank (want it a little higher than the standard tank so I can appreciate the bottom more). VorTech mp40 Link to comment
jtgordon20 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 He said he didn't like MH's and electrical cost. My uncle has a 2 foot tall tank with T-5's and his SPS look great and grow good. Just have to have a quality fixture with good reflectors, and higher quality bulbs. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 If you are going SPS with a deep tank then definitely go MH. are very good for the corals, make their colors great, and cause great growth. T5's will work if MH isn't an option though. Can't wait to see the new tank! VorTech mp40 I'm excited. I can't wait to start putting it together. Friday is going to be the first pay day towards the tank, maybe I will be able to purchase the tank!!! Still need to find where I'm going to order the tank from. He said he didn't like MH's and electrical cost.My uncle has a 2 foot tall tank with T-5's and his SPS look great and grow good. Just have to have a quality fixture with good reflectors, and higher quality bulbs. Yeah, MH aren't my thing (cooling, electricity, can't vary the bulbs as much). TEK 6 bulb 36" should work with ATI bulbs. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 By the way I just wanted to say I can't wait to see the lab next time I'm in your area. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 By the way I just wanted to say I can't wait to see the lab next time I'm in your area. This tank won't be in my lab. ---------- I'm in the middle of a pending purchase on a TEK 36" 6 bulb fixture. Still need to buy the tank. LOL. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 lol you have to come see my LED setup sometime. definitely before you decide what you are going to do for lighting Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 lol you have to come see my LED setup sometime. definitely before you decide what you are going to do for lighting I am not a fan of LEDs. T5 is so much more customizable. Link to comment
TinyGiant Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 i dont use the cree ones that everyone else is using. far easier to deal with. i have 63watts over my tank and getting better growth than i have ever had under t5, vho and MH i once had a tank with 660w of vho and 350w of mh and these little LED are growing faster than the 1010w were Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Haha I know I just want to see all the native stuff in the lab. Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 i dont use the cree ones that everyone else is using. far easier to deal with. i have 63watts over my tank and getting better growth than i have ever had under t5, vho and MH i once had a tank with 660w of vho and 350w of mh and these little LED are growing faster than the 1010w were Interesting, but light customabiltity is key when it comes to T5. Haha I know I just want to see all the native stuff in the lab. Depends on when you come whether or not there will be much of anything. If you are going to come give me a heads up or I may not be able to show you anything. --------------- Just purchased the TEK fixture, piece one purchased!!! Link to comment
anemone fan Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Does anyone know any custom tank builders that are relatively cheap? I was going to get a rimless, but the cost is just too extravagant I think. One place quoted me at $850 shipped for a 36x24x24 with starphire front and sides, but that just seems out of my league. Maybe I should just go AGA. Any suggestions. Also, the tank is actually under attack by the girlfriend. She woke up today with a hatred of the idea. Going to need a little convincing now... Link to comment
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