New lighting - BTA possible?

[vid660]

I upgraded my lighting on my 75g FOWLR tank. It's a T5 4-54w bulb DIY with icecap reflectors. The bulbs are:

Blue plus
Aquablue
GE Sun
Blue plus

Do I have enough light to get a BTA for my clown?

 

[GSMguy]

you could keep a BTA for sure thats allot of light just so you know the BTA might hide at first those icecap retrofits rock.

 

[vid660]

Thanks. Ya, this thing is bright! I love it!

Before I run out and get one, I'd like to make sure my tank is mature enough. I don't want to kill it.

Tank has been set up for approx 4-5 months. I don't think I have any coraline algae. I'm getting a calcium test kit tomorrow to make sure my calcium is correct. (buddy told me not to get a BTA until I have coraline algae growing to ensure my tank is mature enough)

75g FOWLR
75-100lbs of LR
20g sump/refugium and skimmer
powerheads
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: <5ppm

Should I wait awhile longer before adding a BTA?

Thanks

 

[55semireef]

I would it give it another month or two. Others might say otherwise.

 

[GSMguy]

the coraline does show that you have stabil parameters. but can also come before your ready sometimes IMO the coraline is a good indicator that your holy trinity of CA/ALK/MG are in line and you should get tests for all three and phosphate as well.

for a Bubble tip anemone the two or three months may not make a difference especially if your husbandy stays the same as it is now. id try and get that nitrate down to 0 first.

 

[vid660]

Sounds like I'm going to need more test kits than I thought.

As far as the nitrates, it's actually at zero. It's been that way since I installed my refugium two months ago. The reason I said it's less than 5ppm is because one of my LFS told me that's impossible. I even brought in a sample of water. He tested it and said my cycle is not competed cause I don't have any nitrates. I asked him to explain why tank is not cycled if my ammonia and nitrites were also zero. He said my cycling has not started yet. At that point, I thought it would be a better idea to post here for advice. That's the reason I said less than 5ppm, to avoid any arguments.

I'll try to find all three test kits tonight. What should my parameters be? I'm not interested in doing a reef....well......at least for now.

One more thing. Are all buffers pretty much the same, or are there only a few that are any good?

Thanks

 

[GSMguy]

i didnt notice that it was less than.

if your not getting any on the test kits that is a healthy level

im sure that the LFS thinks nitrates is normal in FOWLR but it doesnt have to be that way.
do you run a Wet Dry filter.

 

[vid660]

No wet/dry filter. Sump consists of:

skimmer | refugium w/chaeto | return pump

No filters of any kind, just powerheads and LR.