20 gal planted tank

[keydiver]

Hey i think im gonna set up a 20 gal fuge/ marine plant display soon. I was thinking that i would plumb it just like a sump and have it tied into my 29 gal biocube reef tank. The question is, is this a wise thing to do? I Dont want all of my macros going sexual and killing my whole tank. How do i prevent this? Also, what is the best lighting option for this...it would have to be a 24 inch fixture. Any input is appreciated. Thanks

 

Some macros i plan on having-

Blue scroll

cheatomorpha

halmeida

titan

flame

caulerpa prolifera

mangroves

and possibly a few more

[Weetabix7]

Plumbing it in sounds great.

To my knowledge the worst candidates for going sexual are Caulerpa Taxifolia and Grape Caulerpa.

Avoid those and you're probably okay.

Halimeda can go sexual, but it's easy to tell when it's getting ready to.

The plant turns white with little green balls all over it.

If you see it doing that, just remove it.

Use a T5HO fixture like a TEK or Nova, those should be adequate if you use good bulbs.

[got2envy]

If you wanna go cheap buy a PC fixture

mine seem to like the 10k/6700k with the 460/420nm actinic bulbs by Current

 

Hai Weetie!!

[keydiver]

is the Current USA Nova Extreme 24" 2x24W T-5 10,000K ok? How will my growth and color be? Are the color and growth the same as corals, meaning the more blue the more color and the more daylight the more growth?

[bitts]

would defanitly plumb it in. this would be what many of us are planning to do.

[johnmaloney]

i think macros tend to look better under whiter lighting too

[keydiver]

ok so im just gonna go with the cheap t5's itll be about 2.5 WPG. I also wanna use the tank as a grow out for zoas and shrooms so i think t5's fit the bill. Anybody agree? Is 2.5WPG of T5 enough for macros and low light corals? Im gonna get some macros from the keys when i go diving this weekend as well as some from the main macro seller

[bitts]

in my old ten gallon set up I had a couple macros growing under a 40 watt pc bulb that was way past its prime. so should work, & later if you feel that you need to you could up grade.

[keydiver]

hmmm i like this one that envy showed me

http://shop.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-24in-4...sic-p/52206.htm

what do you guys think. And also how do you think i should plumb this in...i need a small overflow cause my display is already set up, and the back of the cubes is tempered glass

[bitts]

if you have to do an overflow then maybe take a look at the mame overflow.

http://mame-design.jp/aqua/goods/aqua-goods-ofw.shtml

[keydiver]

ayayay so damn expensive. do you know of any other options that i might have? What about the eshopps pf 300?

[Markushka]

or this

 

I have a 24" 4x24w nova on my tank and the macros are upset with me over the bright light the 2X24 would work or any T5 or equivalent.

[bitts]

copy the mame design with black pvc.

[Markushka]

Hey bitts did you ever draw up that mod to my overflow you were talking about? I'd like to see it.

[keydiver]

hmm mayb i will copy the mame design....its kinda hard to tell what all is going on though cause its all damn clear . Trip to the hardware store tommorow YAY

[keydiver]

in the mame design, what is the purpose of the smaller glass tubing next to the bigger one that hang over the lip of the tank and is connected by that little piece of hosing?

[bitts]

pvc mame

 

[AdrianBryce]

The main feature of the mame-design overflow is that it can recover the siphon on its own. If you can figure out how to do that LMK. I tried and failed.

[keydiver]

what about this? Just something i put together with the pvc pieces i had from the last overflow i tried most are already cemented.

[bitts]

The top of the hartford loop needs to extend to the same height as the top of the siphon. Then there needs to be way connect the siphon to the return with some ro line. Check the model I posted before. I'm still refining it but will probably throw it up on sketchup's warehouse so it can be downloaded tomorrow.

[lakshwadeep]

The main feature of the mame-design overflow is that it can recover the siphon on its own. If you can figure out how to do that LMK. I tried and failed.

 

These links somewhat explain it, but the pictures are more important.

 

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/05/06/mame-ov...ano-reef-tanks/

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/06/07/handon-...reef-aquariums/