Guest LudavicoTechnique Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Hi, I'm brand new to this forum, and I have my first question: I am planning to set up a 33 gallon aquarium with a pair of Clownfish and a host Anemone. (Probably Amphiperon Ocellaris and Heteractis Magnifica). I read in a book I got that I wont need a filter if I have enough live rock. Is this true? Also, what lighting set-up would you guys reccomend and how much (ball park) are the lights going to cost me? Thanks a lot guys, I can't wait to get started and post the pictures of my tank! Matt Link to comment
jay2k2 Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 how long is the tank? 26x12x18? that is standard for 33. try petsupplyliquidator.com and get the 3x96 watt PCS! Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I say this as a positive thing. Remember, this is NOT a race. We are not hear to see who has the best this, or the best that. What impresses most hobbiests, is dedication and time. It is not how fast we can fill the tanks. Bigger and more, is not always better. Ask all the questions you need. We, the board will help you as much as we can. Take your time and do it up right. Don't rush. It's kinda like a fine wine, with time, the flavor comes out even better! Have Fun, Kris Link to comment
Joe Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Hi Lud. I might have some help for you. First you have to ask yourself what kind of anomone your going to keep in the tank. If your going to keep just Condi anomone then dont spend a fortune on light because they dont need it. Make sure you read about ANY animal you buy before you buy it because if you dont have an idea of the animals needs before you buy it you will end up killing it off. If your going to buy a low light species use your money for a good water purifier (such as a RO unit) Water quality is more important then light in most cases. If your going to keep an anomone that requires light (seabay, Carpet, Rock, Rose or any other Highly colorful ones) get a single 175watt Metal helide fixture with a 10K bulb in it. Make sure to get a good ballest with that system also to keep your electric bill down. Eballest makes a good system (little pricey but worth the money) and ICECap are really good. get a blueline 10K+ for a nice blueish white color without a need for an actinic. The cost overall of Metal helide is lower you only need to replace one bulb once a year. and it is MUCH more efficient then any other lamps watt per watt. Metal helides also give the tank a nice shimmer that looks really great on any tank. as for cost you can get them as low as 150 dollars for a retrofit system but you will have to build a custom canopy if you have wood working skills this is the cheapest way to go. or you can purchace a pendent for 250-300 dollars depending on the ballest you get and where you buy it from. If you want PowerCompact lights Go with only 2 96 watt lamps 3 is overkill. As far as the filter goes you dont need a filter to keep a tank in healthy order. Its WAY more important to know how to stock your system. Lets say for instance your going to have 35-45 lbs of live rock you wouldn't need any filters on the tank but you will need plenty of circulation and the proper critters to help clean up. Overstocking this system will be a major crash though so please learn more about this type of system before you try it. If you dont maintain the balance it will eventually fail. Read and know as much as you can before you spend the money. you will be happier and more successful Just My opinoin Joe (Edited by Joe at 10:42 pm on June 24, 2002) Link to comment
HuBu Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 how much is a 2 96W PC at that place anyway? or he can go for metal halide. first you have to figure out what you want to keep in that tank, long term. if you want hard corals and sps, then you would need more lighting. if you just want soft corals then regular lighting [power compacts] will do. yes if you have enough live rock and live sand. you wont need a filter because the live rock and live sand will be your biological filter in the tank. but since the tank is such a large size, you might want to consider getting a protein skimmer to take waste out of your water unless you are planning on making a 10-20% water change every week to remove waste. Link to comment
cowfishlover Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 What size and how many power compacts fo a 20 gal? Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 2x55w x 22" or 24" - 24 might be a little tight. Link to comment
cowfishlover Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Would that heat my tank too much or cause too much algea? Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 If you notice some heat.. add a fan, but it should not be a problem. Link to comment
cowfishlover Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 (Edited by cowfishlover at 3:34 am on June 25, 2002) Link to comment
cowfishlover Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 My LFS guy warned me about too much heat, light and algea. He suggested 2X36 watt PC's. Link to comment
SLOreefer Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 i posted on your other post about the lights.... Link to comment
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