29 gallon sps project

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A clearer fts
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Female ocellaris cruising her new home
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I haven't picked one up yet, I'm not made of money ;) I'm actually leaning toward the Coralife SS. I have heard nothing but good things about it and it has a killer price tag. Scratch that, the pump supposedly isn't all that great, however I have no issue with replacing it if need be.
 
I'm having some problems justifying getting or replacing my current lighting. IMO I don't think a 20K 150w DE bulb will produce enough PAR for harder to keep sps corals. I was thinking about replacing my current bulb with a 10k XDE and running it longer to increase both the PAR and amount of time the algae has to absorb it. Was also thinking about feeding zooplankton. Any thoughts?
 
i notice alot of SPS tanks with BB, in my 29 (soon to be sps hopefully) i have 50 lbs of southdown...

also, i posted in another thread in this forum, but will 156 watts of HO T5 from the T5 nova extreme be enoug hfor some easier SPS?
 
The problem with the nova is that the bulbs do not have individual reflectors. This is what really sets the T5s aside from other fluorecsents. However, with that much lighting I am curious if that would offset not having great reflectors.
 
Floyd, it's not all about lighting but the Nova would not get your the results you want for acropora. Montipora will probably do fine under that lighting, remember that "easy" isn't defined by how much lighting the particular organism requires. There are many light loving acros that are recommended for beginners, this is provided they have sufficient light.

Even though it's x watts, its probably not enough anyways, because it's just not the right intensity, SPS will need intense light that has to be provided by T-5 HO (with individual reflectors like the sunlight supply) or better yet, metal halide. Supposedly the nova extreme isn't really driven at the right power, making the bulbs just as weak as normal T-5s. I am not sure of that, that is what I've heard.

Chinchek, nice setup, I like how you have the rocks all laid out all over the place, makes it very natural and very unique.
150W of 20,000K will probably not work, the PAR won't be enough. What would work would be 150W of 10,000K or even 14,000K (a stretch though)

A 250W 10K or 14K (if you can't stand the white/yellowness of the 10) will work better than the 150 though, to penetrate down to the bottom since the 29 is a taller tank. IMO the 20K would also work if you have a 250W but you won't see as good growth or coloration in the SPS. You will get a bit more fluorescence. I am running a 250W 10K unit over my 20H and it works extremely well. On my fragment tank (10G) I'm running 70W of 14,000K and at first it was bleaching some acros.
I don't think 20Ks produce the right type of light for shallow water coral. Good luck with the lighting!
 
That is what I was thinking, thanks for chimming in. Even though my mh is a hang on pendent, I was thinking about building an open top hood. It would sit more like trim than anything. On this I could mount a 24" T5HO actinic bulb to help offset any yellow from the 10K. This would also give me the option of doing a dawn/dusk effect and I could mount a LED bulb for night time viewing.
 
Oh yes definitely go for the open top, with a canopy on a tank that size the heat issues will be crazy dangerous for SPS if you don't plan on running a chiller. With an open top and if any temperature issues arise just turn the fan on high over the sump or something. What kind of pendant is it? I'm thinking of buying another pendant, a 150W for my other tank that will be mainly montis, so I won't be needing all the 250W power on my acro tank.
 
i was lookign into a sunlight supply tek light...

same wattage and length, i know a reefer who has an acro frag under these lights in a 38, im talking to him to see how its doing, he said it took a few weeks but came around, in the long run if it doesnt do good i will save up mroe money for the sunlight supply, which is abotu 40 bucks more, plus tubes!

so right now ill need another 100 bucks to save up!

i am dog sitting durign april vacation for 40 more bucks, the nin may for mayeb another 40...

i got some work to do!
 
right now im looking at the tek light a little more closely now, i think i might go with it!

If i decide to do acros, i will get the Tek light, if i dotn decide i want to do acros, i will stay with the Nova

monti caps are the ting i realyl want to do, so if the nova wil grow those good i am happy. I also would like some gorgonians...

i haev on in my tnak now, a freg given to me fro ma local reefer, it can survive in softie light and is doign good!

i want some LPS too...

my basic question, are there any SPS than can live under the nova extreme?

if not, than its ok, i will get the tek light, or stick with softies/ LPS

i might do a derasa, ive seen those under 130 watts Pc on 29 tanks, but maybe not!

any suggestions helpful


chinchek- thansk for the link, but im not looking into halides, my rents are energy crazy, lie kabout electricity, so im lookign at T5 for that reason too, less energy comsumption, and also it wont be easy changing a 50 dollar bulb 2 or 3 times a year!
 
Survive, does not necessarily mean it is doing well. Clams and Acropora can live and survive under darkness, that does not mean that that is long term, nor is that proper husbandry. A derasa is least light needy but even under that much PC it needs to be on top (and it's a sand clam!)

What is desirable is good coloration and growth. You will have the best luck with the Teklight, honestly if you want the best you can possibly get, go for a MH system, I can honestly say that MH gives better results for Acropora, after testing both systems. Yes, the SLS T-5s will work. However, the SLS T-5 system isn't cheap, for that money you could be running a metal halide system.

Find out how much you are paying for electricity and figure out how much the extra power consumption will cost. For me, the difference between running a 96 W Teklight system and a 250W MH pendant came out to be $3.50 per month.

For good T-5 bulbs such as the Giesemann (sp?) you will be spending 25-30 dollars for each tube, multiply that by 4.... you'll spend about 100 dollars every year and a half on changing bulbs anyways. For an MH system you will spend 60-70 for a good HQI bulb every year or so. (8 months is recommended but it depends on how much you run it, I run my MH 9 hours a day)

The only issue that is perhaps of concern is the heat issue, that can however be corrected by a simple use of a fan directed at your water.

SPS is a really silly term, it only gives a general requirement of the coral. I don't know about the Nova Extreme, as I have never used that before, but I will say that Montipora can do well under lower intensity lighting. Whether or not the Nova can provide that, I do not know. If you want to set up your tank for SPS, and are totally sure that you never ever want to get acropora, go for it, they're probably just as strong as PCs. Montis have been reported to do fine under PC, although I would never try it because I want the absolute best color and life from my corals. What you want to try to prevent is deciding to go with the Nova now, getting the Acropora bug, and then having to upgrade again (worse yet buying an acropora to see if it'll work.... that's a nono)

Plan ahead, that's the best advice I can give, have the proper equipment before you buy any animal, and research its needs before you buy, not just for the money but for the sake of the animal. Always.

Hope this helps, and good luck.
 
NEW IDEA!

screw the T5, more trouble than they sound lie ktheir worth, my new idea is to keep my 65 watt PC fixture, put an actinic bulb in it, ang get this halide
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...a_Gen_Page-_-Lighting&subref=AA&N=2004+113352

the 14k bulb is blue, which i love, and the actinics will help to keep day/night, so its not nighttime to midday sun right away!

the light probably wont cover all of the tank, so on the sides i can do lower light corals!

this this will work?
 
well that is what I am currently using, however I would suggest a 10K bulb. I don't mean to me rude, but your kindof hijacking the thread.
 
sorry!

heh but i haev a 29 too, wait so you have this fixture?

im wantign to use 14k simply for looks, its ok if i dont get bookoo growth!

i might start my own thread, i didnt mean to hijack!
 
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