New to Hobby 20g Long Pic attempt

[Heavy]

The light that is on there isn't the PC I've got, I need to take the legs off the PC and get some mounting hardware to hook it to the desk.
Some tank pics:

The Mini Skimmer hard at work, or hardly working? (rotated it in photobucket, can get it right side up here, but you get the idea).

Here's some purple that I'm thinking is the good algae, there's like 30+ dots of it:

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Well I think you have a start some something beautiful! Are there holes in the back to make way for a sump, our are you going to keep the freshwater equipment?

 

[Heavy]

Thanks for the compliment, hope I can live up to it. I really like the way the branches look, I'd do them justice if I could turn them purple w/ coraline algae.

Here's the main thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13518239#post13518239

The tank is not drilled, its just the picture that makes it look that way, and I'm trying to avoid a sump, I don't like the overflow potential from what I've learned so far, which is limited. I think I'll keep the FW filters on there, unless there's a reason not to, or untill I add a DIY mini refugium.

 

[rams]

Great start, my only concern would be what the evaporation might do to the shelving above your tank? With intense lighting and mid to high 70s temps you will have evaporation.

caught the cardinals key chain, you from the Lou?

 

[Heavy]

I've actually had a tank in there before and the evaporation just beads of the plastic like sealant on the boards. I am a bit worried about the heat from the Current PC 2x56. How good of a light is this for zoas and cloves? I wanted a T-5 initially but my LFS sold me on this PC. I can probably find the space for the light and ventilation but won't do it if its going to burn the house down. There's a light socket that came w/ the desk that has a standard light socket screwed right to the bottom of the shelf above the tank, I'm touching it now and its as hot as concrete that's been in the summer sun all day, can only touch it for a second or two at a time, 100-110degrees? So I should be OK, the PC has a fairly loud fan, hmmm. How good are those T-5s?

 

[rams]

personal opinion T5s + the right reflectors can be just as intense as halides. PC lighting would be ok for coral survival with the depth you have but not optimum. You will never really get the colors you desire of your zoanthids with PCs. I would choose T12VHO over PC lighting. Let me see if I can dig up some pics for comparison.

 

[rams]

these are some back in the day pics haha

3 x 65 watt PC

4 x 75 watt T12 VHO

I realize the VHO setup had one more bulb and more wattage than the the PC setup I did. But take a look at the colors. plus the actinics on the T12 setup made the corals pop with color and coraline didn't start growing like crazy until I went this route.

 

[rams]

a few monthes later after the bulbs burned in a bit...

 

[Photo_John]

LFS always a great place for miss information

 

[Heavy]

That route being a T-12?

I may not have made it exactly clear how much space I had, but didn't really know. Everyone seems to think my lights are bad but what should I get instead?

 

[rams]

t5s with some good reflectors. that would be the route I would suggest... garage sale the PCs

 

[Heavy]

really, like a tek? where can I get one of those at a decent price? I can probably return the PC to the LFS seem like that why they wanted to sell it to me so bad. Haven't really used it but for a day.

 

[rams]

Premium Aquatics is a good place to deal with online for us in the midwest... they are or were a sponsor on here

there are also some good DIY kits out there and you could add the good reflectors with a nice canopy if you are handy with wood. I see alot of T5 users with great tanks just ask which ones they use.

 

[Heavy]

what sort of wattage should I have in a T-5 for a 20g long? What's the max safe wattage, is there a max w/ t-5s? What's the max I would need?

 

[Heavy]

I'm thinking about a Sunlight Tek Light T5 Hood - 24" x 4 bulb - bulbs are 24 watts, should I trade in my PC 2x56 and pay $200 more, or am I already able to grow (not just keep) zoas and clovers?

 

[Heavy]

Got a new Nova Extreme 4x39W T-5 36" and traded in PC. New pics soon, probably in the other thread though.