New Aquarium Set Up w/ refugium?

[dan19955]

Sorry guys for this being sooo long however i want to include as many details as possible since most are important to understanding my system.

I have been keeping FW aquariums for about 10yrs. (everything form gold fish to Discus) and just set up my first SW. It is currently a FOWLR with future plans of it being a reef(when i have some idea of what i'm doing). Aquarium has been set up for a month now and all readings are remaining at 0 for two weeks.

Current Set up:
75 Gal aquarium
125lbs. LR, 100lbs. LS (about 1.5in deep)
Remora skimmer
maxi jet power head
powerfilter (aprox. 500 gal/hr.) (temporary)
two submersible fluval filters (temporary)

LIve stock:
6 cleaner clams
2 Damsels

Lighting is currently VHO and a regular florsent. I've purchased one 250watt MH 10,000k but need to build a housing for it and will probably purchase one more MH since i don't think it will cover the full 48in. lenth of my aquarium.

I purchased the LR & LS from an established aquarium and immediately put it into my aquarium as well as aprox 45gal. of water from that tank. so it cycled quite quickly i think. and hope.

My Question is does anyone see a problem with my current set up or with the second step of my plan below:

Is it O.K. to set up a refuigium on a new aquarium with little bio-load (I've only got two damsels)

I've got a few 40gal. long aquariums and i wanted to make one a refuigium and just fill one with live rock and plumb them together to the main tank and I'll be adding a 30Gal. sump. my goal is to have as stable aquarium as possible. I want to lay the foundation for a sucessuful reef system. :dance:


I plan on purchasing more fish and having some inverts. and who knows what else i've just got so much to learn about the posible live stock that i feel it will take another month or two before i really have any idea of what i really want in the aquarium. (I've already decided to give the damsels back to my LFS once i start stocking it with anything else. they are just here for me to have something in there.

Anyways if your still with me here thanks for reading this book any input would be great.

Thanks

 

[papagimp]

You call that a long thread? Just wait till you get more RC experience, lol

I'd definatly get that fuge going ASAP...the more pods the better.
Going to need alot more flow than what you have. Look into the Koralia pumps for a cheap, good powerhead. (IMO)
Watch for those cleaner clams...the way they bury themselves, it'll be touch to know when one dies. And that's never good.

Your last statement about taking another month or so for possible livestock options is one of the smartest things I've heard a newbie say in this forum, definatly take it slow, get it right from the start....you'll save oodles in $$$.

two 250w MH's can really heat things up in smaller systems (like a 75g) so just be aware of this, maybe plan ahead and get a chiller or get a cheap clip on fan for now...then see if a chiller will be neccessary in the future. A clip on fan blowing across the surface will increase evaporation and really help cool the tank several degrees.

 

[dan19955]

Thanks Papagimp.

The Koralia looks like a bargan. I know I need to solve the circulation problem and soon. And I'm gonna try that little clip on fan idea too and see how well it works in my aquarium. I've had the MH but because of the summer time and my aquarium staying at 78 already I figured I'd need to wait till the fall to hook up MH but I'll try it w/ the one I've got and see how it goes. The heat is a real concern because it's upstairs and sometimes gets over 80 in the room so I did get an air condidioner for the room but not quite ready do purchase a chiller yet but well gotta do what i gotta do. thanks