Help! 2 Clowns plus the Owner makes 3.

[IThanos]

Hi, I am new to the sport of Nano-reefing. Recently, I have had the pleasure of aquiring a pair of mated Onyx Clownfish. They are currently residing in a 12 gallon Eclipse along with some hermits (6 hermits) and 2 monster turbo snails. I have a few pieces of artificial (reef colored poly resin type) reef builder rock. Actually I have a ton of it from my 55 gallon which exploded at the bottom seam and dumped 55 gallons on the floor and into the tenants apartment below(alas this is another tale).

 

Anyway, I know already that the Ecplise System12 is insufficient in the lighting department and I am not all that handy modding the existing lighting without DETAILED DETAILED instructions.

 

Heres my dilema. I wanted to raise the pair with a RBTA. If I could simply purchase a new hood with proper lighting built in I would buy it and begin but I don't see that option anywhere on the net. Is there anplace I can purchase a modded Eclipse lid?

 

Second option I was looking at was a new tank (which I wanted to get anyway albeit later). The tank I wanted was the 36 gallon SeaClear Bowfront 30" x 15" x 21". (http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp...roduct=YCG12361)

The SeaClear 36 says it coomes with a 24 inch light which I would toss away and replace with a Coralife Aqua Lunar PC strip ( 2x65 watt +lunar light). Is this sufficient lighting to keep a RBTA alive?Will the Coralife even fit in the spot where the old fixture was? Does anyone have a SeaClear 36 that can lend me an insight on the haves and have nots with this tank?

 

Filtration would be about 40lbs live rock and a HOB filter. I really like the look of the Eheim Liberty series but I hear many good things about Hagen AquaClear with surface skimmer attachment. Any recommendations here?

 

I have been trying to get the clowns to adopt various alternate homes ( a big conch shell and also a clay flower pot) but they simply reject it. Instead they have chosen to make one of the 2 inch Turbo snails their home of sorts. Wherever the snail goes they go to.

 

All I want is a pair of clowns and an anemone that they can call home thats it.

 

Sorry if I rambled a bit. Questions and ideas are so clear till you start typing......

[Travis]

instead of going with PC light, I would go with MH if you want to kep a RBTA

[IThanos]

If its MH I need then its MH I will get. I already looked at the Aqualight Pro HQI which I would love to get. The problem is that the fixture while it is 24 inch long, it is also 15 inches wide and I think it will be haning over the tank like putting a pizza box on top of a shoe box.

 

Will the MH fixture simply sit ontop of an acrylic SeaClear where the old fixture resided? Will it melt the plastic? After dumping 55 gallon thru 2 floor in the building I live in a fish fire would be out of the question.

 

Can you recommend anything? Heck can u recommend everything is what I need.

 

1)Can somone recommend a tank? make and models please. (I want a 30-35ish gallon)

 

2)Can someone recommend a good HOB power filter?make and models please ( I'm torn between Ehiems Liberty Series and the Hagen AquaClear)

 

3)Lastly after you recommended the first 2 items, can you recommend good lighting solution that would keep a RBTA alive and thriving? Make and model please.

[Travis]

I have the PERFECT fixture for you

http://secure.microbyte.net/virtual/webaqu...53600&storeid=1

Cheapest prices for lighting at that site

HTH

[IThanos]

I'm not sure that would be enough to light up a 30 inch long tank. Plus that pure MH only. I thought it was important to run MH in counjuction with actinic lights and perhaps even a couple moonlights. I only want to buy lights once. They have alot of lighting option on that website though....too many options )

[Travis]

if you use the 20000 Kelvin Raiting MH bulb, it is a blish color, and works better than actinics. 10000k Kelvin raitings by its self would work fine by it's self.

[IThanos]

Will that one single fixture be enough to light up a 30 inch wide tank? The specs say its only 9 inches round so im concerned that it would distribute light evenly throught the tank.

 

Ultimately, I dont think i would be able to hang that. I think i need a solution with legs which confuses me once again because the SeaClear doesnt seem to have any edges to clip the legs onto. I dont think I can place a MH flush on the tank either without a meltdown. Thats why I figured on the PC setup thinking that I could lay it flush or something without worrying about the heat. Then again it seems of popular opinion that a RBTA wouldnt survive under compacts.