Can I get some feedback on my proposed specifications?

[Archaic37]

Tank- fluval flora 7.8 gallons

Filtration- 2 gallon refugium with PVC overflow from the tank

Filter return pump either 80 GPH or 160 (most likely an eheim pump).

Return outlet into tank I will use a hydor Flo rotating output.

Live rock- 10 pounds

Sand- not sure what kind but I want to do a 3" bed

 

Inhabitants

- 1 watchman goby

- 1 Randall's pistol shrimp

- 2 snails (don't know what kind or if 2 is enough)

- 1 Zoa colony

- 1-2 mushroom polyps

 

 

As far as filtration if the refugium is not acceptable then I can always do something else like a aquaclear refugium.

 

The sand I would like to know what is best for the goby and pistol.

 

Thanks for the input

[Nano sapiens]

Tank- fluval flora 7.8 gallons

Filtration- 2 gallon refugium with PVC overflow from the tank

Filter return pump either 80 GPH or 160 (most likely an eheim pump).

Return outlet into tank I will use a hydor Flo rotating output.

Live rock- 10 pounds

Sand- not sure what kind but I want to do a 3" bed

 

Inhabitants

- 1 watchman goby

- 1 Randall's pistol shrimp

- 2 snails (don't know what kind or if 2 is enough)

- 1 Zoa colony

- 1-2 mushroom polyps

 

 

As far as filtration if the refugium is not acceptable then I can always do something else like a aquaclear refugium.

 

The sand I would like to know what is best for the goby and pistol.

 

Thanks for the input

 

Pump: Go with the 160 gph (at least), especially since you plan on using the Hydor rotating nozzle (it reduces total flow a bit).

 

The Pistol Shrimp/Goby pair need a good amount of sand/rubble to make a decent burrow. 3" should be fine. Aragonite seems to be very popular.

 

LR amount is a person preference. 10 lbs if you like.

 

Mushrooms (Discosoma sp.) should do fine and will do well in lower light and flow. Zoanthids like more flow and light, generally. Most important is where in the tank you place them.

[TeflonTomDosh]

Add a couple tangs too. They should add lots of color/movement to the middle of your water column

[Archaic37]

Pump: Go with the 160 gph (at least), especially since you plan on using the Hydor rotating nozzle (it reduces total flow a bit).

 

The Pistol Shrimp/Goby pair need a good amount of sand/rubble to make a decent burrow. 3" should be fine. Aragonite seems to be very popular.

 

LR amount is a person preference. 10 lbs if you like.

 

Mushrooms (Discosoma sp.) should do fine and will do well in lower light and flow. Zoanthids like more flow and light, generally. Most important is where in the tank you place them.

 

Mushrooms I will place lower in the tank, and zoas I will place higher where more flow hits it.

 

What sort of lights would be good? I want to do a DIY led set up from rapidled.com but not sure what type of LEDs to get

 

 

Add a couple tangs too. They should add lots of color/movement to the middle of your water column

 

 

Not to be rude but I know tangs require large spaces like 3' tanks full grown and I do not want to bother buyin one then selling it in a year or less when it is too big. Plus I don't think even young tangs are acceptable in a 8 gallon

[TeflonTomDosh]

Not to be rude but I know tangs require large spaces like 3' tanks full grown and I do not want to bother buyin one then selling it in a year or less when it is too big. Plus I don't think even young tangs are acceptable in a 8 gallon

Dude, I have one in my 4 gal pico. As long as they can swim their standard 25 miles a day (in circles), they'll be fine!

[Nano sapiens]

Mushrooms I will place lower in the tank, and zoas I will place higher where more flow hits it.

 

What sort of lights would be good? I want to do a DIY led set up from rapidled.com but not sure what type of LEDs to get

 

For your setup (assuming you aren't going to try SPS-Acropora and such), you don't need a real pricey, high-intensity light setup. Recommending lighting is a bit tricky since everyone has their own preference for intensity and color, but a good LED setup that has the appropriate light spectrum should be fine.

 

Not to be rude but I know tangs require large spaces like 3' tanks full grown and I do not want to bother buyin one then selling it in a year or less when it is too big. Plus I don't think even young tangs are acceptable in a 8 gallon

 

Ol' TeflonTomDosh was just pulling your leg a bit with the Tang comment. I think he may have forgotten that he wasn't in the Lounge

[Archaic37]

For your setup (assuming you aren't going to try SPS-Acropora and such), you don't need a real pricey, high-intensity light setup. Recommending lighting is a bit tricky since everyone has their own preference for intensity and color, but a good LED setup that has the appropriate light spectrum should be fine.

 

 

 

Ol' TeflonTomDosh was just pulling your leg a bit with the Tang comment. I think he may have forgotten that he wasn't in the Lounge

 

 

Ok even if he is pulling my leg the beginner section is no place to do that, it is like going to your LFS and having them lie to you about what you need for a tank.

 

I really do hope that the picture posted was a google image search and not his own.

 

 

I really don't need acintic lighting do I? Just some less with a kelvin output of 5,500-6500?

[TeflonTomDosh]

Ok even if he is pulling my leg the beginner section is no place to do that, it is like going to your LFS and having them lie to you about what you need for a tank.

 

I really do hope that the picture posted was a google image search and not his own.

 

 

I really don't need acintic lighting do I? Just some less with a kelvin output of 5,500-6500?

 

ahh everybody chill, just joking. and yes it was a google image. not sure about the lighting thing. I'm still a newb when it comes to that stuff

[Mitch619]

Calm down thats just a horrible photoshop job.

[Archaic37]

So about the lighting? Are there any off the shells lights that are recommended? Or even good DIY kits/guides?

[Nano sapiens]

Ok even if he is pulling my leg the beginner section is no place to do that, it is like going to your LFS and having them lie to you about what you need for a tank.

 

I really do hope that the picture posted was a google image search and not his own.

 

 

I really don't need acintic lighting do I? Just some less with a kelvin output of 5,500-6500?

 

Technically, you can grow coral with just 6500K bulbs (used to do it 'back in the day' when lighting for reefs was in its infancy), but the tank will look very yellowish/unnatural. However, to better replicate the environment that corals come from, Actinic lighting as a supplement is very beneficial. A 50% 10,000K (or 12,000K)/50% Actinic should be great for what you plan on. In the ocean many wavelengths of light do not penetrate far at all, but light around the 450nm wavelenth (aka 'Actinic' or 'Blue') goes down to where many corals live. Corals and their symbiotic algae are adapted to use this light. On top of that, Actinics make many corals 'glow' or 'pop', as they say (aka 'Phosphorescence'), which is one of the delights of reef keeping

[nyknicks4412]

Tank- fluval flora 7.8 gallons

Filtration- 2 gallon refugium with PVC overflow from the tank

Filter return pump either 80 GPH or 160 (most likely an eheim pump).

Return outlet into tank I will use a hydor Flo rotating output.

Live rock- 10 pounds

Sand- not sure what kind but I want to do a 3" bed

 

Inhabitants

- 1 watchman goby

- 1 Randall's pistol shrimp

- 2 snails (don't know what kind or if 2 is enough)

- 1 Zoa colony

- 1-2 mushroom polyps

 

 

As far as filtration if the refugium is not acceptable then I can always do something else like a aquaclear refugium.

 

The sand I would like to know what is best for the goby and pistol.

 

Thanks for the input

 

I'd go with a larger fuge area/sump...that will be so small it will be of little use...in all honesty you are better off going with an aquaclear 70 and modding it to allow you both chemical and biological filtration. and you don't need to worry about an overflow/return. probably holds close to the same amount of wate as your fuge would.

 

for a light I'd go LED but thats just me...a boost par 30 with clam would provide plenty of coverage.You're probably going to want to put more than just shrooms in there at some point when you see something cool at the lfs.

 

for fish that seems like a good stocking...

 

snails you could add a few more depending on what they are and if you have any algae problems.

 

for corals...its basically what you can just fit in the tank. no need to limit yourself to one mushroom and a zoa

[Archaic37]

I'd go with a larger fuge area/sump...that will be so small it will be of little use...in all honesty you are better off going with an aquaclear 70 and modding it to allow you both chemical and biological filtration. and you don't need to worry about an overflow/return. probably holds close to the same amount of wate as your fuge would.

 

for a light I'd go LED but thats just me...a boost par 30 with clam would provide plenty of coverage.You're probably going to want to put more than just shrooms in there at some point when you see something cool at the lfs.

 

for fish that seems like a good stocking...

 

snails you could add a few more depending on what they are and if you have any algae problems.

 

for corals...its basically what you can just fit in the tank. no need to limit yourself to one mushroom and a zoa

 

For lighting I really want to use LED's. What is a boost par 30 With clam?

 

For corals it's not that I'm limiting myself its that I don't want to overwhelm myself in the beginning. I have been thinking about getting a clam also but still unsure.