Need advice on equipment

[Deweys Dad]

I'd like to get some opinions as to what equipment to avoid in the following areas: pumps, skimmers, and lighting. These are the next three purchases I'll likely be making, and since I've been out of the hobby for a while now I forget what the better brands are. I'm trying to avoid what I did last time which is buy what's cheap and learn by trial-and-error.

Pumps
I already know to stay away from the Rio pumps, I want to replace the one I'm currently using as a return pump but I'm not sure what to replace it with. I hear a lot of people speak of MAG-3s and MAG-7s etc, but I know nothing about them, how powerful of one I would need, who makes them, etc. Are those the preferred return pumps these days?

Skimmers
Can someone point me in the right direction in this department? It has been my experience that Sea Clone skimmers aren't the greatest but that's about all I remember. My current setup does not have a skimmer amd I want one that I can put in my sump. I see quite a few on eBay right now for between $40 and $100 but I don't want to buy one that will have to be replaced in a year or two, or one that is ineffective.

Lighting
I've been considering changing my VHO lights to PCs but I'm not sure if I really need to. The wiring job on the current setup is rather scary (bought an established system) so I'd like to replace it all that way I'm not worried about it all day long while I'm away from the house. From the reading I've done here and on other forums, it seems that PCs are pretty much the minimum if you are running a reef. I've read of some people using VHOs, but this is an area that I don't want to scrimp on like I did last time. How do I know what wattage I need to run?

A little about my tank
50g AGA
10g sump (housing nothing but a return pump at the moment)
20lb cc substrate
20lb live rock
I want the equipment above to be able to support soft corals

 

[j_beau_13]

list of manufacturers (listed in declining order)

pumps - eheim, mag, quiet one

skimmer - deltec, euroreef, asm

lighting - PCs should be fine for keeping softies

 

[scottfarcuz]

I would look into having the VHO's rewired. I think PC's would be a step down.

 

[LazyD]

I dont personally have experience with crushed coral but I know alot of people stay away from it and also people that do have it, eventually switch it for live sand. I believe it has something to do with the beneficial bacteria and such that lives in live sand and that crushed coral cant always support that bacteria, im sure someone can fill in where I left off.

Otherwise, I have a Mag 9.5 on my 85 with a 30 gallon sump that works great, no complaints at all.

Skimmer Wise, the ones J_beau_13 mentioned are all good brands, I have an AquaC Urchin in sump skimmer that I cant complain about at all.

PCs should be fine as j said.

 

[Rockhead21564]

IMO, if you're going to replace your lights you'd better think about what you want to keep, ie.. hard or soft, clams etc.... I almost always recommend getting more lighting than you think you'll need. I would go with dual 175w MH's and rewire the VHO's to use as actinics. pumps listed are great, same with skimmers, though they are some of the most expensive skimmers out there. Remora is really good for HOT, my favorite is ASM. Good luck.

 

[hopper]

When deciding all of this be sure to keep in mind how much electricity each piece of equipment uses and how much heat they put out. The mags are good pumps, but are known to put out a good deal of heat.
I would pay a little bit more for equipment that uses less electricity. In the long run you will save money.

 

[Deweys Dad]

j_beau_13 - Thanks for the info, I'll keep it in mind when shopping around.

LazyD - I do want to switch over to a DSB, I'm just trying to figure out the logistics of it since it is an established tank.

Rockhead - I currently have 4 VHOs, one looks to be an actinic, two are white and the last one is somewhere in between. When I get home I'll take them out and see what they actually are.

Does anyone else feel that going from VHOs to PCs would be a step down?

 

[j_beau_13]

i think it is but it all depends on the corals you want to keep..

PCs and VHO are more for softies and LPS while T5s and MHs are more for SPS and clams

 

[mg426]

I think that is some good advice that you have gotten. Anything you pick from the suggestions is going to do you well. Also get some good test kits Salifert is the way to go.

 

[Deweys Dad]

For now I just want to keep softies, but in case a clam is in my future I would like to set myself up with some MHs if I can afford them. They will support the softies as well, corect? Or would it be too much? For a 55 gal tank, what kind of wattage would I be looking at? If I went with PCs, would the required wattage be the same?

 

[goda]

VHO;s last longer then PC and are better looking

btw try a tunze skimmer they have 2 types now
doc skimmer is easy to adjust and hte master doc skimmer adjust it self so it never will go crazy. ( i think the mater doc comes out in december i heard. anyways it will deffinitly be worth the wait for a tunze)

 

[j_beau_13]

if going with MH i would go with 150 watt....there is also T5 systems out there you might want to research. dont think you can keep a clam under PCs.

 

[tkeracer619]

If in the future you want MH. Do the upgrade with them now instead of spending money again. You can get a magnetic ballast and se bulb with diy reflectors pretty cheap. Or spend a little more and get electronic ballasts. It will save in the long run and you cant beet the shimmer effect.

 

[rsxs1212]

In my opinion a coralife superskimmer 65 would work good for your setup and it can be in a sump. you may want to go to the 125 though considering the 50 plus the 10 sump is 60. even though it will be less then 60 because of substrate,LR,,...... i like to be safe with capacities. I would think VHO's to PC's is a downgrade,correct??? If anything MH is a good upgrade for hard corals and such. But i would just stick with VHO's and rewire them if your not planning for hard corals and clams

 

[Deweys Dad]

Well, perhaps my VHOs aren't quite as VHO as I thought. The two white bulbs are only 30 watts each, they just say Colortone 30 watts. The third says actinic/VHO-1 and has a very light blue tint to it, and the fourth is a very blue Super Actinic. I have no idea what the wattages are for the last two bulbs.

I'm guessing I should replace them with higher wattage bulbs, perhaps 2 actinics/super actinics (no idea what the difference is) and 2 regular white bulbs? Any thoughts?