!!!25G Mixed Reef!!!

[TheCoralReef731]

New Aquascaping:

I just redid my filter system to incorporate LR filtration. The water goes in one chamber, passes through polyfilter, into a chamber with live rock and a heater, and out. The heater is surprisingly powerful for it's size (only 2-3 inches). Here's a picture:

Top Down Picture to show Swimming Space:

 

[TheCoralReef731]

You may notice the grey rocks. Those are actually fossilized shells of extinct animals. If you look very closely at them, there is actually gold in the rocks. My friend Joe gave them to me.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

I still need help deciding on lights.

"Okay, I need some help deciding what type of lights to go with. MH or T5 HO will be fine for me, since I plan on keeping SPS. I want something in my budget, which is under $150 dollars. So far, I have found these:
http://www.hellolights.com/hidretrofitkit.html - Not sure what is better, magnetic or electronic, and pulse or probe start. Anyone have a clue?

http://www.aquatraders.com/index.as...D&ProdID=19 - I have heard good and bad things about Odyssea, but they are so cheap, I could get two for ~90.

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...tegory_Code=PEN

http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2...gory_Code=EVMHR "

 

[kbmdale]

I can't tell from that pic but that rock in your filter is it underwater?

 

[Icedawg4563]

Nice Aquascape!

 

[TheCoralReef731]

kbmadale - Yes the rock is underwater. On a side note, the temperature in my tank reached ~82, which is 4 degrees more than I want it at. That was all from the little heater in the filter.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Any thought on the lights?

 

[gman0526]

I would personally go with a 175 MH 20K this would allow you to meet basically any kind of coral light requirements in this particular tank. Magnetic ballast are less efficient as far as power consuption is concerned. T5 are more power efficient and run a lot cooler than MH.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Thanks for the feedback gman0526. That is basically what I was thinking also.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

The New Tank and the Plumbing

On a Side Note, Here is My Freshwater Fishtank with a Halogen Light to Grow the Plants. Also a Betta, a goldfish, and a lemon tree.

 

[Reefaholic1980]

Hey the tank is looking great. I am exited when i see other 20 gal tanks, being i have one. In fact it looks like we have the same tank, at least untill you changed yours. Im running Aquatraders (Odyessa)T5 HO (2 fixtures of them on my 20) I got them both for 88 or something like that. I like them so far for the price, but if i had more money then i would go with something like this. http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104186.html



A few shots of my tank a couple months ago in case your wondering what the lights look like.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/supacharged21/stuff-008.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/supacharged21/8-28-05-002.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/supacharged21/stuff-014.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/supacharged21/8-28-05-003.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Reefaholic1980 - Thanks for the feed back. I really like your tank. Ever thought of keeping SPS under those lights, or is that way out of the question.

I forgot to mention the specs of the new tank. It is a twenty-five gallon tank with the same base specs as a 20 gallon, with only 4 inches added to the top.

 

[Reefaholic1980]

Yeah i have, I was thinking about a purple monti. (thats SPS im thinking.) Not really sure of the limits of these lights really. Everything i have seems to be doing well so far. I think next on my list is either a Green maze brain or sun coral however.

I just got over a bad cyano outbreak in my tank so im trying to keep that under control at the moment. ( just now adding macro to the HOB fuge)

I dont know anybody else with these lights really, so lemme know if you find somebody with them so i can ask them what they have under them.

Thanks, Dave

 

[TheCoralReef731]

I have heard of people keeping tons of SPS under T5 HO lights, but I am not sure if some brands are way better than Odyssea. Some people claim that their corals get too much light from their T5s, so that is a good sign for T5. As soon as the dang search button works, Ill try to look it up.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Guess What!!!

I found some more life on my live rock.

1st is something that is translucent pink, and resembles a timy sun coral.

2nd is brown featherduster colonies. They ARE alive, because they have retracted when my new inhabitants (surprise) crawled over them.

So my new inhabitants are....



...in the next post. Hehe.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

New Red Banded Boxing Shrimp

These Two Shots may show some of the life that I found on the rock. Also, I got 10 blue legged hermit crabs, and one more turbo snail to replace the one that commited suicide. Now my other snail is almost dead. I have no clue why, maybe sadness????

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Never mind about those last two pictures. They didn't come out well at all.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Anyone know if it will hurt my water chemistry to leave a snail that might be dead in the water?

 

[TheCoralReef731]

Okay, I think its dead, but Im just gonna leave it and let my shrimp and hermit crabs take care of it.

 

[TheCoralReef731]

I put in some shells for the hermit crabs to move into, maybe they'll like 'em.