New 37 gallon set ???

[dyno3394]

Hello all, need some advice on setting up new 37 gallon tank.
I'am planning on getting a protien skimmer , 2 /65 watts pc and about 40 lbs of LR, and a penguin filter. dont reallly want to use a sump. how does this set up sounds? I dont plan on anything special, just a nice reef to look at, maybe adding some simple corals later on. and 2 clowns.

 

[Shooter7]

[welcome]

"Simple corals" are about all you'll be able to keep under those lights. I had the 2x65W on a 26 gal bow and didn't feel like it was enough. Not sure I'd bother with the Penguin filter, you could add a HOB fuge to get some benefits from that and have a place to put your heater. Try to use the best water you can, I prefer RO/DI, as do many others. Make sure you have good flow in there. Good test kits, I use salifert. For a protein skimmer I'd suggest an Aqua C Remora. There might be some other HOB type skimmers out there that I don't have experience with. Good luck.

 

[tanker]

I think Coralife makes a small (24"??) cover with a MH bulb. Not sure of the size of a 37 (Oceanic??), but may fit. If it does your choises of coral are greater.

 

[Gargausius]

I would go with two or four good sized submersible canister filters rather than the penguin hang on the back for a reef setup. Gives the tank better circulation and filtration.

But I don't recommend trying to grow SPS corals, maze brains, or
moons/moonstones with your lighting. You could tweak by with the maze brains and moons/moonstones but they won't thrive like they would under halides or lighting of similar intensity.

I actually recommend using the highest amount of wattage for the length of PC light available on the market with the most number of bulbs you can place under the hood of the tank. It ensures you have enough lighting to see your corals grow.

 

[tanker]

If you get a good skimmer I would do without the filter.

 

[sequential]

Re: New 37 gallon set ???

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6941015#post6941015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dyno3394
Hello all, need some advice on setting up new 37 gallon tank.

Good evening, fellow 37g owner! Is your 37g 30 inches across? If so, do yourself a favor and either get a 40g breeder or something else in the 36 inch group. Always buy tanks in foot increments. Owning two 30" tanks and a 30" stand and having the desire to upgrade makes my wallet cry.

I'am planning on getting a protien skimmer

Pick up a used AquaC Remora in the trading forums if you intend to use a HOB skimmer.

2 /65 watts pc

If your 37g is 22.5 inches tall...

and about 40 lbs of LR

...you will need to have all of your light sensitive animals near the top of the tank to keep them healthy. This probably means more LR or base rock.

and a penguin filter

Don't bother. Pick up a Duetta DJ-100. It's in-tank, does about 90 gph of flow, which is useful for aggitating the surface. It's made by the same people who make Maxi-Jets, and it's every bit as good. I threw out the biological media and chemical media that came with it and filled the chamber with hand picked chemical filtration. This provides a little extra help to the AquaC Remora, helps polish the water, and helps clean unwanted chemicals.

how does this set up sounds?

My 37g is deceptively small. I have a 25" CPR AquaFuge on the back. Nothing else fits back there. The lights sit on the sides, so I have no room for my AquaC Remora anywhere other than the front. Talk about frustrating. I have double the amount of LR you have, 2 power heads, the Duetta, and a heater. Space is at a premium in small tanks.

Personally, I'm moving to a 58g reef ready with a sump, which means buying many things all over again in 36".