Suggestions for a 10g

[loganj]

Just found this site and joined up...looks like a great place so far! I have a 10g with a 4" DSB using Carib Sea Seaflor, 7lbs base rock, 10lbs cured live rock, and an Eclipse hood. Lighting is 1 15w actinic and 1 15w 9235k. No biowheel...hood pump system is used for circulation and a place to put a carbon bag. One Maxi Jet 400 in tank for circ. Have 5 scarlet hermits, 6 astrea, 4 bumblebees, and one small ocellaris clown. One rock has a colony of zoanthids...just added. Just built a hang on back refugium with a place for a skimmer and heater. Intend to run that with a Maxi Jet 900 and a Mini Jet in the refugium compartment returning water to tank.

Intended upgrades:

Want to add some good live sand. Considering GARF grunge and would like your opinion of it.

Want to increase lighting. Thinking along the lines of 2 36w PC's...probably use the CS Smartlite 50/50's for bulbs.

I'm interested in any recommendations for corals and other inverts. Don't intend to add any more fish. Also, opinions/criticisms of current setup and intended upgrades. Almost forgot...got a Peppermint shrimp in there too. If the refugium works out, would it benefit to reverse light it and, if so, should I try to grow some macroalgae in there? Tank has never shown any ammonia/nitrite. Nitrate 5 Phosphate .2 SG 1.024 PH 8.3 Alk 5 meq/l Calcium 450 ppm. Some cyano, but very little. No other problem algae yet. Tank has been up for a little over a month.

Logan J

[ross76053]

Logan,

 

Sounds like you're building the tank I currently have (10-gal w/2x36 PCs). You'll be able to raise many sp. of coral with that amount of light - although I'm thinking my mushrooms think it's a bit much at times.

 

So you built a hang-on-back fuge, huh? Cough...I uh...cough...just ordered one from CPR. Didn't have the time to build one this time. I intend to grow macro algae in mine - I have a freakin' HUGE algae problem due to high phosphates. I HATE algae. Yeah, yeah, I know the benefits, but I HATE it. I hope they have support groups for people like me.

 

You'll be able to keep frogspawn, green star polyps, most leathers, most zoanthids, and some lower-light clams (although I'd wait a while on the clams). There are many more options, of course, but these are what I'm successfully keeping so far (no clams).

 

Good luck!

Ross

[loganj]

Ross,

Noticed on another thread, you mentioned the 96w powerquad. I had looked at this at Champion Lighting and noticed that it would fit really well on a 10. I thought it would be too much light though. I don't like cooked mushrooms much . Do you think this would be too much? Wouldn't it scare the tank inhabitants to death when it came on? Not a lot of difference in cost though between the two. What's your opinion?

Logan J

[ross76053]

Logan,

 

Hmmm....I don't remember mentioning the 96w powerquad, as I'm not familiar with it (unless I had too many beers the night I posted that thread).

 

Anyway, keep in mind I'm not a lighting expert, but the amount of light you need really depends on what you want to keep. If you're gonna be keeping mushrooms, IMO, 96W will make them want to run & hide. Many mushrooms do well with less light.

 

As far as scaring everything in your tank when the lights come on - I sort of feel like that's happening with my 2x36 light kit. I just ordered a 9W CF 50/50 to come on 30 min. before and after to simulate dusk & dawn. So you might think about getting a small light kit in addition to the larger ones.

 

I can tell you that with my lighting, I'm having a HUGE algae problem. Now, I realize it has nothing to do with my lighting, but algae does thrive under it.

 

Oh, here's a thread about possibly having too much light. It refers to metal halides, but proves that too much light is possible.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...=&threadid=4402