Which substrate is best?

[tufacody]

I'm setting up a new Marineland cube and will be searching for a blue haddoni, perhpas gig. What substrate is best? Should I go sand or something more like the special grade?

 

[Toddrtrex]

For a Gig the substrate most likely won't matter.

All my tanks have Carib Sea Special Grade Sand in them, and all my Haddonis seem happy.

This stuff,

 

[clowns101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15680720#post15680720 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
For a Gig the substrate most likely won't matter.

All my tanks have Carib Sea Special Grade Sand in them, and all my Haddonis seem happy.

This stuff,

This is what I used when I had my Haddoni.I think that it works very well and I have not had any problems after the anemone was out of the tank.

 

[tufacody]

Was hoping you would answer Todd, ty both. I have the special grade in my gig tank, and as you noted he likes to anchor to the base of the rock and not the gravel. My only complaint is that I noticed that it tends to clump up easily. I have a fine sand in my 180 on the same system and no clumping. I've also noticed my nassarius dont seem to delve into the special grade like they do the sand. Has anyone noticed that?

If I hear no other complaints on the special grade I'll likely use that again.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I haven't noticed any clumping issues (( I can't remember exactly the reason, but when that happens one parameter is off, I think Randy has addressed that issue in the Chem forum )).

As for Nass snails, before they get eaten by my Haddonis, they never seemed to have any issues with this sand. Have both the large and snail nass snails.

 

[tufacody]

Ok cool. Since i have your attention Todd, can you suggest a good fixture for this 24" tank? I have an Outer Orbit 250 watt on my gigantea and love the fixture, but I think its too bright for it, and have to keep eggcrate on. Unfortunately this model doesn;t seem to be offered anymore. I'm thinking a 150 watt MH fixture of some sort, or I could go T5. Any ideas?

 

[tufacody]

BTW, I don't want to cheap out but don't need to spend a ton either.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Yea, Current isn't making those MH fixtures anymore, which is too bad -- I have always liked them.

Over my cube (( 20" deep )) I have a single 250 MH (( SunPod fixture )) and recently added a 20" PC --- mainly for dusk to dawn. The Haddoni that I have in that tank seems to love the light. I can't speak for T5's since I have only used them for actinics. While I haven't used it the new Hamilton fixtures (( BELIZE SUN )) look pretty nice and have heard good things about them. They don't see all that expensive.

 

[tufacody]

Yea, I'm looking at them too, but they are almost $500. I see on the Belize Sun you can order an HQI ballast or an Electronic one. I'm not sure what type came with the Outer Orbit. Is one any better than the other?

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15681507#post15681507 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tufacody
Yea, I'm looking at them too, but they are almost $500. I see on the Belize Sun you can order an HQI ballast or an Electronic one. I'm not sure what type came with the Outer Orbit. Is one any better than the other?

The 250 watt Outer Orbits came with HQI mag ballasts, the 150s (( I believe were E ballasts -- internal to the fixture )).

I am personally a fan of E-ballasts, mainly because they don't run as warm.