Lighting and HOS sump/skimmer

[CrayolaViolence]

I asked in the lighting and filtration section but no one seemed interested in answering.

I have another tank I am setting up and considering a hang off the side sump. I've seen some pictures but not sure how well they work. Also saw a hos skimmer, but thought the combination might work better.

Also, with lighting. I was wondering about LED lighting and how many watts I need. This particular tank is 12 inches deep 48 long. Shallow. I'd like to also ad LED to my larger tank 24 deep and 48 inches long (60 gal). Currently it has two halide and two actinic and then two moon lights (for night time).

After my original disaster with lighting (getting sold the wrong kind), and almost losing what little bit of coral I had, the larger (used) light I mentioned above has made everything so much better. I thought I'd lost my xenia, which popped off it's rock and disappeared. I actually found that sucker today and it was all back to waving and pulsing, but floating around the rocks. (I am still arranging rocks as I ad frags so it was apparently hiding). Anyhow, I still feel like even this tank could use a bit more lighting. Was wondering what people thing of the "spot light" type LEDs and if they are worth the money and give good coverage.

Out of curiosity, how much light (of each kind) should my corals be getting. The actinic lights come one at 4 am when I get up, and go off at about 6 pm. The Halide come on at about 7am and go off at around 2:00pm. My local retailers said not to do more than 8 hours of the halide lights so I've got everything on timers, but damn, I sure do miss the lights.

Anyhow, if anyone can offer me any input on the hang off the side sump and skimmer or just skimmer I'd appreciate it. I'd really like to know about the sump because the ones I've seen seem difficult to tell how they work.

And of course the lights, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

 

[NJAB]

The watts per gallon are an older method of determining light, for LED's what you want to look for are the PAR numbers, PAR numbers go down the deeper the tank but you still need a good amount of PAR hitting the sand bed now as far as brands go what changes a lot form model to model are the different diodes used for instance i have (2) Mars Aqua LED 165W dimmable models hanging over my 75 Gal with SPS corals near the top, LPS in the mid section and Zoas and mushrooms near the bottom the daylight lights have a lot of yellow in mine with spectrum from 7500k to 10,000k the blues or nighttime lights on the unit balance out the mixture but i would still recommend the mars aqua brand or for a little more there's a LED aquarium Facebook page group that works with a company that sells a very good light from what Ive seen but i have no experience with it. Each company will have a different mixture of diodes using different spectrum's, here is an article that helped me learn about different lighting systems in the aquarium http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

 

[CrayolaViolence]

The watts per gallon are an older method of determining light, for LED's what you want to look for are the PAR numbers, PAR numbers go down the deeper the tank but you still need a good amount of PAR hitting the sand bed now as far as brands go what changes a lot form model to model are the different diodes used for instance i have (2) Mars Aqua LED 165W dimmable models hanging over my 75 Gal with SPS corals near the top, LPS in the mid section and Zoas and mushrooms near the bottom the daylight lights have a lot of yellow in mine with spectrum from 7500k to 10,000k the blues or nighttime lights on the unit balance out the mixture but i would still recommend the mars aqua brand or for a little more there's a LED aquarium Facebook page group that works with a company that sells a very good light from what Ive seen but i have no experience with it. Each company will have a different mixture of diodes using different spectrum's, here is an article that helped me learn about different lighting systems in the aquarium http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

Thank you. I really am enjoying the article. Will probably read it several times. I emailed the writer hoping he'd give me specific recommendations based on his experience. We'll see. And yes, I am looking at what is in the article, but still a bit confused, as I said, still reading and will re-read several times. Only part that I really understood was the part on quantum mechanics. LOL Never studied light though beyond how it "works" on a quantum level and color scheme (for art).

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Any suggestions of the Hang off the back skimmer/Sumps? Thanks

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I have a HOB/HOS skimmer that I really like it's called the Bak Pak 2. I've got a 40b DT and a 20g sump and it works very well.