Thinking about a ric tank, got a couple questions.

[glennr1978]

I've got a lead on a great deal on some quality rics and I'm thinking about setting a tank up specifically for them. I'm planning on doing a little 10g and want to keep it as simple as possible. I'll most likely go with a large HOB filter that I can mod into a fuge, and hopefully keep a heater in it as well.

I think I've got things figured out for the most part, but I want to make sure my lighting idea will be adequate. I'm fairly well versed with reef tanks, but the vast majority of my experience is in high light, high flow SPS tanks, so this little tank will be a whole new world for me. Anyway, what I want to do is use a couple of these http://http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753932 along with some blue LED's to give the shimmer effect. Do you guys think that would be okay for a ric tank?

Also, it seems that rics do best with lower flow, do you think the current created from a large HOB filter would be enough circulation for the entire tank?

Thanks guys!

 

[Azurel]

Yumas do best in low flow low light, all of my Florida ricordea in mod to mod/high flow and direct lighting under a 250w 14k Hamilton SE on the bottom half of a 24" tall tank...The link did not work for me so I can't say if the lighting would work or not..The Leds will work like a Powerbright or similar led strip.....Leds put out more par then typical lighting so I would photo-acclimate them to the lighting. I have a ReefBrite 24" blue bar and had to turn it down cause some of my Haitian rics were fading out....So I have slowly turned it up over the last 2 weeks and still not at full power.....What type of lighting is the link to?

 

[glennr1978]

Oops, sorry about that. Here's the link again http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753932&lmdn=Fish. How far are your rics from your 250, and how deep is your tank? I have a few Fl rics now and they don't seem to even like the amount of light that my sundial T5 fixture puts out. Granted, the tank is only 12" deep, but so is a 10g which is why I wanted to go with lesser powered pc's and a powerbrite led strip.

 

[Azurel]

Yea those should be OK .... go with those (multiple bulb configuration) and a power bright with actinic and white you should be excellent plus get really good shimmer from the white LEDs. But I think the blues would be fine as well just not gonna help with growth like a white LEDs would.....Either way I think you are on your way to a great set-up, just remember at least in my case I always found PCs to go bad allot sooner then MH or other fluorescent bulbs....Good luck and keep us/me posted on your set-up would like to see it.

 

[Azurel]

My rics are about 14" or so from the surface of the water and the bulb is about 6" from that.....They are under direct lighting though with none being shaded....My yumas are shaded and in very limited in-direct lighting.....

 

[DeathWish302]

I'm running a 12gal Aquapod Onyx clown tank that has started growing more towards a ric sanctuary. I have 6white & Royal Blue LEDs' in this. The 2 yumas I have were slowly acclimated to MH in my DT until they were directly below the MH. Once they were accustomed to the MH at about 26-28" from the bulb, they were moved into the dimmed Aquapod LED environment. After a few months, the sprouting has resumed with all Florida & Yuma Ricordea. I would definitely advise a dimmable LED setup as the ultimate ric growout system.