Returning to the hobby. Having a tank built possibly...

[Shawnts106]

Hey everyone ! I am returning to the hobby after being gone for two years and I have seen so many new advancments made in such a short amount of time, its left me with several questions...

First!:
Im having a tank built possibly.... it will be 36" Long , 24" wide, and im thinking 18" tall...

Im wanting to do SPS in it but also an even mix of a few cool LPS, and just a few zoas and rare softies, not many.

My questions are:
How do you guys feel about a tank in those dimentions?
Can someone point me in a direction to see research done on LED lighting .. I am thinking of a combo fixture with T5's and LED's...
Anyone have a recommended protein skimmer? I am a huge Needlewheel fan. so ... probably sticking to that.

The tank would be around 65gallons... thats all I want right now.

The fixture I was thinking about was one for ICECAP which had 4 T5's and 2 LED strips...

That enough lighting over this tank with it only being 18"...
keep in mind, not doing full SPS in this tank.


Thanks guys!!!! Needing some guidance!

 

[buy_baff]

For a skimmer I would get a octopus needlewheel 150 it would work great for a tank that size and it's fairly cheap.

 

[Shawnts106]

Yes, Octo's were popular two years ago.

Are they cone skimmers now?

Does anyone use ASM anymore?

 

[epleeds]

i am having a 30x24x20 built as we speak. I like the dimensions. I currently run a delteck MCE600 in my sump for my 75, and I will use that on the small tank. the skimmer is really good, pls I already have it.

Who are you having build your tank?

 

[nicknguyen]

just finished building a 40x24x18. 30 gal sump/refugium. mag 9 through OM squirt, 2 korillia 3, 2/250wt radium with lumenbright mini wide, 4 t-5 actinic. PM redline 150. 45 wt led to run refugium, 7 gal top off through kent float valve.

finished the tank, stand, sump and plumbing. still working on the canopy and lighting system.

 

[Shawnts106]

a mag 9 on that size tank???... Can we say Microbubbles?... Id like to know how your preventing that one!

I know deltecs are great, but Im not paying that for them! haha, I know I can get great efficiency out of something much less expensive... Im hearing a lot of hype about the Octopus skimmers... which are much more affordable!

But still.. the question remains for lighting.


EPLEEDS: The owner of the store I work for just purchased an aquarium manufacturing company here... which also makes stands and canopys.... so Ill probably be either building it myself, or having it built by one of our guys.

 

[wickedfish]

Man so basically you can build whatever dimensions you want, yeah I see alot of people doing the 18" height and going deeper, I think for what we do its perfect for that scale of water. T5's the ATI's sun module I believe thats what its called anyway reefgeek sells it anything with 6 bulbs or more and sps are no problem. I would do this type of model and supplement some white and actinic leds for shimmer ( I enjoy the shimmer) this is for canopy of course.

 

[Shawnts106]

Well the Icecap fixture I was looking at had 6 T5 bulbs in it, and two LED light strings... they look like another T5 bulb but they have a series of LEDs in the bulb...

anyone have this?