5gal setup question

[cuteios]

Ok so I've pretty much made up my mind on using my 5 gal tank for my first try at a nano reef. I was just wondering if I could use a simple airstone for water flow to start off the tank? I plan on using a small powerhead when I find one of small enough to fit my tank. my local shops carry such large ph and I already have one that I don't use but it takes up way too much space in the small tank. So far I'm looking at about 10lbs of LS and 6lbs of LR for this tank. I also have to wait for my next allowance to go equiptment shopping.

 

I've got a regular florecent hood for this tank...I was thinking of just swapping the current bulb with one better suited for a marine setup. any suggestions on the type of bulb I should be looking for?

 

And though I think I should wait awhile before I ask this question but, what would be a good collection of inhabitants for my little tank.

 

Dio

[tinyreef]

bump

 

an airstone is perfectly fine. you may also want to get a heater tho. temperature stability and salinity (i.e. specific gravity) should be maintained first imo.

 

order the dry goods online, much cheaper. get a HOB, PH and you should be set for the 5g.

 

your livestock will be interdependent. what you want may determine what you can have (i.e. compatability and bio-load). lighting will also play a significant, if not overriding, factor as well. hth

[coralreefengr]

There's a minijet that will fit in there. Look for some pc lights. One or two 13 watters would be a good start.

 

I'd put a few clean up critters in there. A couple snails for starters. There are lots of low light corals you could add. Mostly softies like xenia, sarcophyton, sinularia, etc.

 

Good luck,

CRE

[cuteios]

Thanks for the advice!

 

I was at ace hardware yesterday looking for equiptment I could use to build a suitable hood and it looks like I could build a simple two bulb PC setup for about $10 with an aluminum enclosure. But do you guys think I should bother with the regular 11W / 6500/k bulbs? Those are the most powerful ones I saw there. They have a total of 75W per bulb so I'm thinking that may be enough light. I know you can get the 13W bulbs online but I'm not considering buying online just now.

 

And Tinyreef I can get someone in a boat to collect natural sea water for me from the local reef. I'd collect speciments too but I it is against the law to do that. Though I think it would have been fun to do so.

 

cuteios

[coralreefengr]

Mostly, you probably won't like how that color temperature looks. I was gonna suggest plugging in 9 watters into the 11 watt ballast, but that more than a 10% difference in wattage, so I'm not sure how well that would work. Look in the lighting forum here. There are lots of threads about those little book lights that are pretty cheap. Some people have actually found them in the right color temp.

 

Good luck.

CRE

[Smokin-Reefer]

I currently have a 5.5 that's been running close to a month.

 

I use an aqua Clear Mini HOB W/carbon for circulation ( I may add a small ph later, depending on future additions)

 

I have 2 13w 6700k Pc's on DIY Wal-mart lamp/ballasts, in a custom hood. The light is OK, but I plan to add another 13w actinic bulb, and possible change one of the daylights to a 50/50.

 

My lighting cost me around $25, and you can find more information in the DIY/Lighting forums on the walmart pc fixtures.

 

Good luck!

[onthefly]

Cuteios - sea water is fine to use if you have a good source (i.e. don't take it from Subic bay!!!) that is clean. Also, don't take water after a storm or during undesirable conditions (like a red tide or if the water is off color).

[cuteios]

I would never even consider the subic bay as my source for water...that place has seen it's lions share of pollution through the years. I'm thinking more of a reef in the Batangas area...my friends went camping down there last year and well the reef over there seems pretty healthy to me. it's not that far by boat...I guess I could get a local fisherman to get me there if not to extract water for me from there...but then again I've already said this before.

 

Still haven't had any luck on finding suitable suppliers for other stuff around here...you't think with all the traffic in marine life in this country things would be easier for me.