Heteractis magnifca tank build

[Gig 'em]

Howdy!
Tomorrow I am driving to Houston to pick up my new tank from Glass Cages. The tank dimensions are 36"x36"x24" totaling 135 gallons in the display, unknown sump volume right now... I'm building this tank in the hopes that some day I will have the fortune to come across a healthy Heteractis magnifica or trade for a captive clone.
I have researched this species for about three years now and have followed many threads concerning them. However, I'm having trouble making up my mind on the best lighting combination to suit this species for my particular tank. So far I'm considering
1. A 400 watt 10,000K MH in a lumen bright pendant with two 24" T-5 actins
2. A 250 watt 10,000K MH in a luminarc stealth pendant with two 24" T-5 actins
3. 1 or 2 sunblaze 24" T-5 fixture for a total of 4 or 8 lamps.
If you have had experience with this species and have an opinion on which would work best for it I would greatly value your input.

 

[pree]

From what I have read, its best to keep them under a point source of light. I followed this in my own tank. I have a mag in a 65 gal tank. I have kept it on a rock pile abt 7 inches from the surface with a 150 watt MH 14k as a point source of light. The nem has stayed put for about 2 months now....not moved even an inch since being put there even though it can move to a higher spot on a nearby rock. Since I bought it, its feeding response has improved tremendously and it does not let the family of 4 occys that live in it to steal even one tiny bit of food from it. I think flow is imp too...I have directed a PH with a rating of 1500l/h such that it moves the tentacles but doesn't disturb the base too much.

Prior to this, I had an H.Mag under T5 lights but it declined over a period of 1 month.

 

[Gig 'em]

I've always read that mags prefer point source lighting, but I wonder if they enjoy the point light aspect of it, or they are just finding the most intense area of light. I say this because there is no really no "point source" lighting in the ocean, every are gets the same intensity of light depending on the depth. So I wonder if 8 T-5 bulbs would put out the same intensity of light throughout the tank as the brightest point of a MH. This of course is just a thought and I would love to hear other ideas on it.

So if MH was the path to take, would 250 or 400 W be preferable?

 

[Flighty]

3'x3' might be hard to light with one MH. I would normally say 250 for a mag, but 400 might be better for you. Some Mags are more light loving than others so it is partially luck of the draw. In general, mine have wandered more with bluer light.

 

[RobNJ]

I have been personally thinking about this myself, and had put together a plan for a 30x30x24 cube with a 400w 12k Reeflux and 2x24 Actinic T5HO

 

[Gig 'em]

great, thank you for all the suggestions. The MH Pendant centered in the middle SHOULD spread light throughout the tank shouldn't it?

 

[Flighty]

In my experience a point MH spreads in a circle about 24" diameter (for our depths, smaller if shallower). Mine don't cast light on the glass walls until about 6" down and it is a 24" wide tank.

if I was doing it I would think about how the corals are going to "point" and that a viewer will be seeing the underside of the corals essentially. (I'm thinking of it like sunflowers and how far angled they would have to be facing the light source in a 36"x36" tank) Could you do it with a 2 bulb fixture shifted a little towards the front of the cube?

This is all assuming you will have other corals. A single pendant shifted a little forward of center would be great for a magnifica on a rock pillar.

 

[OrionN]

A 400 W MH higher up with a good reflector should spread enough light for a 3X3 area, enough for SPS and H. magnifca. Maybe even a 250 W MH. You got to use one of the good reflector however.
Sanjay review and evaluated some of the best reflectors and this information can be found here
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/review

As Flighty pointed out earlier, some H. magnifca requires more light than other. However, a 400 W should be fine.

I got a 36X36X30 inches, I plan to light this witha 400 W MH only with a good and expensive refletor. I think it will be enough. Right now the H. magnifica I have is uner a 150 W DE 14000K MH form Orbit in a 30 g cube. It is doing well and have not move at all under this light. Here is a picture of this anemone, six inches under the water surface and the light is 4 inches above the water line.

 

[Gig 'em]

Thanks Minh, that website was very helpful, and it definitely seems like the 400 W lumen bright would work the best for my situation. I'm looking at lumen bright reflectors on hellolights right now, and if I buy the large there won't be room for any other MH pendant, but it would have a diameter of almost 20 inches, so that would better cover the aquarium.... I was just wondering what your opinions were on putting the four bulb T5 fixture in the back of the tank with the 400 W lumen bright MH right in front of that.
Comments?

 

[OrionN]

It is really how you want to arrange your aquarium. For a 36X36, you can have the anemone in one back corner and the corals lower front and the other side. If this is the case I would put the MH right on top of the anemone, then the T5 to the front or side of that. Then you have plenty of light for the anemone in the back, high with corals in the front and side lower down. I am not sure what kind of corals you want to keep, but the 400 W MH would be plenty of light unless you want an extremely high light requirement corals. You may want to just have the pendant first, then in need, get an additional Orbit type 36 inches fixture with leg to added more light for the corals.
That is how I like to arrange my 36X36X30 tank, somewhat like my small cube as above, but with a larger tank, the anemone does not need to be right in the middle like in my 30 g tank.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14412343#post14412343 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OrionN
It is really how you want to arrange your aquarium.

I agree.
I was picturing your mag on a rock pedestal smack dab in the middle of the aquarium and the light source directly above it.
If that's the case I think any of the lighting you mentioned will be fine. Personally, I'd choose the 250w 10k fixture.

 

[Gig 'em]

Good idea Minh. I think I want to put the pendant on the left and the T5 parallel to it on the right. I think that would provide plenty of light throughout the tank for the other corals while providing the best light for the mag. Now I'm getting really excited!

 

[Gig 'em]

so I guess the question now is 250 or 400 w?

 

[OrionN]

With 250 you may need additional light but with 400 you won't, IMO. Remember your tank is only 24 inches deep.

 

[hottuna]

orioN : if I were you: I would be worried about that mag taking a little midnight walk down the rock ,up the wall , and into one of those koralias...!!!!
they never stay in one place forever...

 

[OrionN]

Will see. He stay there ever since I put him there ?six weeks now. He stay where I put him in the last tank too with similar circulation and light for several months

 

[Rod Buehler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14410443#post14410443 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gig 'em
great, thank you for all the suggestions. The MH Pendant centered in the middle SHOULD spread light throughout the tank shouldn't it?

The edges were a little dim when I had my 3x3 with a lumenbright but not too bad. I wouldnt hesitate to do it again.

I didnt have any supplimentation lighting so I cant help there. I went from a 400 standard M-59 down to a 250 HQI and got more light/PAR out of the trade. At least when I was using XM 10KK. When I went back to the reeflux, I am sure that I lost some PAR but the tank looked better since I wasnt using any actinic.

My 3x3 held a gigantea. 1 of my mags is under a 400 HQI, the second under a 400 (m-59) and the 3rd is under a 250 HQI. (both giganteas are under 250 HQI)

2 of my mags havent moved in years, but the 3rd (a clone) wanders a bit, but the wander is in my tide pool, and may be happier if I would move it to a different set up

 

[Gig 'em]

Rod, thanks for all the examples and info.

Well it was a long day, but I picked up my aquarium and built most of the stand today. I'm pretty excited, the aquarium was a lot heavier than I expected, luckily my friends were there to help me unload it. Here are some pics
Just pulled into the drive way

Gotta have a shot in the tank

Tank with computer in it to see it's size

 

[CaptiveReefer03]

First off nice cube.

I have one that was just added to my 600 cube about a wk ago after much of my own reading and studying...and now it's doing well, which is nice to see it pay off. he is on a rock half way down in the water under ( approx 12") with a 400 w 220v overdriven ballast that has a new radium 20k over top ( approx 12") and loves it. Here are a few things i did to ensure my sucess.... hope it helps...

Things to consider:
when looking for a possible canidate look at how its positioned in the temporary housing tank at the lfs or prior resident tank. How much flow it is accepting , feeding patterns( if any have been established) and perams of the tank. ALSO look at the mouth to ensure it is not gaping and there is no color loss in the foot and the foot is seated firmly and not inflated. IF they are walking they are not happy and ususally do not survive.

If purchasing from a Lfs as many of us have to do... have the customer service rep carefully remove it from the system , and ensure there are not any tears in the foot. A good specimen is usually found towards the bottom of the systems fully active and responsive to its enviroment and any clown fish etc that may be housed with it. (They are super sticky as well.) when going to prepair for shipment place in a full bag of water that way you can drip acclimate when arriving home. slow acclimation is also a key to survival, do not rush this... it pays off.

Once drip acclimated to your water perams from the temp system one of the major things for consderation is the Flow. Mine is in a moderate area with changing currents. Also I forgot to mention be sure and check your water perams and temp as these are sometimes overlooked and are key points to the survival of your new friend. It is always a challenge finding a healthy spec. that doesnt suffer trauma from shippment and handling. or the poor care from lfs owners.

Once its in the system dont move it and watch for series of inflating and deflating periods and large gaping mouths as these are tall tale signs of a dying anem. it may do this for a breif period of time when first introduced so dont panic but if its over several days become concerned and monitor closely. These are very hard to find as a healthy specm. so dont be discouraged I hope some of the tips help and wish you good luck with the build.

 

[Gig 'em]

Thank you for the wonderful advice captivereefer03, it's extremely helpful and I'm sure I'll be reading over that post many times when the time comes. I greatly appreciate it.