hello new iam a new member

[bishoptaner]

hello all, names robert. i was at this months meeting and i learned alot, plus i went home with a mantis shrimp. ok so i made a post under "new to hobby" and i didnt get much help. I would like to know what you would do if you had this tank. i learned at the meeting about tunze streamers, if i went with the streamers what size and how many. all so i was thinking about running vho lighting, is this a better idea for me. i would like to do a retro kit because the inclosed ones are way too much money. so please give me all the info i can read. this will help me alot. thanks robert
ps this the thread i posted

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=10647816#post10647816

 

[carlosngloria]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

 

[Rogger Castells]

Hi Robert, Welcome to the Club, I hope you liked the meeting.
If you are considering the florescent route for lighting and you want to do a retrofit installation I would recommend going with the stronger of that class lights T5's.
you can find decent prices in the equipment selling forums and also through online retailers like reefgeek.com.
hope this helped.

 

[bishoptaner]

rogger if i go the route of t5's dont i need more bulbs, thank if a would go with vho t12s. i am trying to read as much as possible but one persons says on thing another something else. and rogger your the reason i am thinking about doing the tunzes not the closed loop.

 

[Rogger Castells]

T5's allow you to place more bulbs because they are smaller in diameter than t12's are, on the same token this reduction in diameter and combination with parabolic refletors made t5's more efficient than regular vho's.
personally i wouldn't use either as i prefer the metal halide avenue

 

[gasman059]

OKOK take a deep breath!










Now lets try to figure this out.

As far as the tank congrats.
No reason to not use the loop-its there half of the work is already done. U can get a pump(used-cheap) fillup the tank and check for leaks while at the same time picture the flow and future requirements(that's the hardest part as tanks usually start as FOWLR and progress into much more complicated setups-especially if the impulse buying kicks in)

As far as lights well that's a diff animal. If strapped for $ u can consider t5's as they may be the best of both worlds(me I don't use them and hopefully will never ever do)

Check out the local forum threads as u will find very very good deals around.

One last thing familiarize yourself with one or two LFS and the personel in there as most people don't know squat (including me) but with lots of trial and err we have gotten to the point of perhaps offer some construtive criticism

Inthe end only one person has to like your tank! U

Good luck and happy Reefing!

 

[nyvp]

Nice to see ya and welcome

 

[db_triggerfish]

Welcome, I saw 140g tank in your other thread it looks like a nice combo tank and sump. A single edge razor will do wonders to that tank. I wouldn't go with closed loop, but as gasman059 points out the tank and sump are already drilled. Also i would upgrade your RC account to paying premium member since from the thread i think you don't have that much experience and that's fine, the learning curve can be very expensive in this hobby, with the paid account you a can search before buying something. Like i see you are looking at the Sequence ReeFlo get as much information on something it before buying. Also buying used equipment specially electrical one can be risky from people across the country, you don't know how it was treated. For example was it exposed to salt moisture. Your other thread did not get too many responses, i have found out if you make a thread for just one item like. "Sequence ReFlo Pump good or bad?" you will get many more hits than adding it to your 140g thread. My advice research and save money and headaches. Don't buy equipment, fish or corals without research first, it has cost me hundreds of dollar and sadly wasted livestock.
Good luck and again Welcome.

 

[bishoptaner]

thank you to all. ok money is not the issue, i just dont want to buy something that i might not need. i will be using the tank for softies and zoanthids, so would i use metal halide? i need 3-5 watts for every gallon correct, and softies and zoanthids need less light, correct me when i am wrong. i would like to use the closed loop but the issue is space, if you noticed in the thread that sump is huge. so if i could get the tunze and put them in the rock thing that will save me some space for other things. please any adivce is very help to me. thank you to all again with helping this noob

 

[gasman059]

T5 def then- the whole 3-5 w/gallon is a good guideline but not entirely true.

 

[tperk9784]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10678076#post10678076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bishoptaner
thank you to all. ok money is not the issue, i just dont want to buy something that i might not need. i will be using the tank for softies and zoanthids, so would i use metal halide? i need 3-5 watts for every gallon correct, and softies and zoanthids need less light, correct me when i am wrong. i would like to use the closed loop but the issue is space, if you noticed in the thread that sump is huge. so if i could get the tunze and put them in the rock thing that will save me some space for other things. please any adivce is very help to me. thank you to all again with helping this noob

Watts per gallon no longer means anything in the aquarium hobby so don't even consider it.

IMO the thing to consider about lighting is what do you see yourself keeping in a few years. with a tank this size having to buy a new set of lights in a couple years because you decide you want SPS can be a pretty expensive upgrade. remember what people at the meeting said don't skimp on lighting and Skimmer.

If you don't have room under the tank for the closed loop pump I think you already answered your own question about which way you should go. Probably 2 Tunze 6100's with controller or 2 vortechs would probably be my choice for starting flow all are adjustable so they can be slowed down for the softies if needed, you can always add more later if you need. better flow more flexibility than the CL IMO and less wattage.

 

[coralfragger101]

This tank was set up for a closed loop. As Gasman already said, no reason not to use it. You can get PLENTY of flow using closed loop systems.

 

[bishoptaner]

ok so t5 then how many daylights and how many actinics. and digger i am a step of head of you, thanks for the advice tho. i am in the process of painting the stand, mom will shoot me if left black. so this weekend is sanding and painting.

 

[bishoptaner]

i am very confused here, ok i dont know which t5 to run the 54w or the 80w. the only place i can find t5 80w reflectors is "Sunlight Supply TEK ll", is this what i should run or what? some one throw me some ideas. thanks


i might just get coralfraggers vho kit.