New 40 gallon reef (any comments please)

[trigger0214]

Hi all,

I plan on setting up a smaller, strickly reef tank to complement my 125 gallon fish/liverock tank. I plan on using a 40 gallon breeder (as I am running out of space with the 125 gallon), and a 30 gallon sump. I have about a case of live rock, that I will will be transfering to the 40 gallon. I plan on lighting the reef tank with a 250 watt 10K metal halide (I picked up the ballasts for free as part of my second job), and supplementing with a 55 watt or smaller PC bulb. I know the metal halide is going to get hot, so I'm building a custom hood to allow for more venting above the tank and cooling fans. I suspect that the 250 watt MH is alot of light for a tank of that size, so I had planned on running it like maybe 6 hours day, and simply illuminating the tank with the smaller PC bulb.

As far as the sump, its actually water volume is around 20-25 gallons. I am growing a lush bed of calupra under a 10K 55 watt PC on my show tank. The entire setup will be transfered to my reef tank once it is set up. I have a extra reverse flow protein skimmer that will go on the set up as well.

Any comments or suggetsions????

 

[Len]

250watts over a 40 gallon is a signifcant amount of light, but not an extreme amount. You can operate the MH for more then 6 hours a day if heat isn't an issue.

Everything sounds fine, although I'm not sure what a "reverse flow" protein skimmer is.

 

[trigger0214]

my bad....I meant to say a counter-current protein skimmer.....

 

[Stringztoo1]

250watts over a 40 gallon is a signifcant amount of light, but not an extreme amount. You can operate the MH for more then 6 hours a day if heat isn't an issue.

Everything sounds fine, although I'm not sure what a "reverse flow" protein skimmer is.

I have a 37 Gallon with 2 55 watt power compacts... and that's only 110 watts of light. Am I seriously "underlit"?

 

[goofyreefer]

I have a 40 gallon breeder with 316 watts of PC's. I started out with 220 watts but added a 96 wattPC about a month ago. I don't have a sump on it but I was thinking about it as well for more water volume and that 30 gallon idea sounds good if I can fit under the tank.

I would fear the heat from the MH but I guess if it were cooled with a fan that may not be a problem.

 

[DJ88]

my 33 (36x12x18)had a 250WMH and three 95W VHO's. I have moved it to a 45 (24x24x18) cube and am putting the 250W and four 75W VHO's. I will be upgrading to a 400W MH in a month or so. So one 250W and a PC is't too much. get some fans and you whould be able to keep it cool enough.

 

[esmithiii]

I have a 37 Gallon with 2 55 watt power compacts... and that's only 110 watts of light. Am I seriously "underlit"?

Unless you plan on keeping strictly soft corals and some limited LPS, then yes, you are under-lit.

Ernie

 

[Stringztoo1]

I have a 37 Gallon with 2 55 watt power compacts... and that's only 110 watts of light. Am I seriously "underlit"?

Unless you plan on keeping strictly soft corals and some limited LPS, then yes, you are under-lit.

Ernie

In my tank:

Frogspawn
Bubble Tipped Branching Torch
Green/Brown/Red/Yellow Button Polyps
Green Star Polyps
Peppermint Coral
Cup Coral (teeny-tiny)
Pom Pom Xenia
Pulsating Xenia
Featherdusters
Mushrooms

Yellow Tang
Flame Hawk
Rustic Angel
Bi-color Blenny
Linkis Starfish
Yellow Cucumber
Cleaner "Skunk" Shrimp

Am I underlit? I have 2 Custom SeaLife 55 watt PC's, one actinic and one 10K. They are brand spanking new, (bought Memorial Day), and the temp is usually around 83-84 degrees F.

 

[geo]

I am going to be setting up a 40 breder soon as well. I had to order the tank, they just called yesterday to let me know its in . I will probably drill it and install an overflow, I am still undecided on that yet. I am going to use the 150 watt HQI 20 k and a couple of vho actinc.

 

[FishDaddy]

They are brand spanking new, (bought Memorial Day), and the temp is usually around 83-84 degrees F.

Stringzoo,
That's a bit on the warm side, especially now that hot weather is here. Are you using glass tops by any chance?

I have a single 96w CSL Smarlight on a 38 FOWLR (I do have some shrooms and Nepthea frags in there so it's technically a reef ). I have glass tops to keep the juvenile Moray in and the temp was beginning to edge up. I took the glass off and replaced it with a sheet of plastic lighting eggcrate to help with evap and temp control.
Dick

 

[Entacmaea]

Actually, 84 degrees is average equitorial reef temperature. There are other considerations when keeping a tank this warm, but this I hope will become more the norm and less the "high end" as it is now. I keep my tank at 84 with great success...

Geo- the 150 HQI are AWESOME I have a 10K with VHO actinics and the light is the best I have evern seen!

 

[SPC]

Posted by Entacmaea:
Actually, 84 degrees is average equitorial reef temperature.

-Are all of your animals from the equatorial region?
Steve

 

[Stringztoo1]

...no..idea...

 

[esmithiii]

Those corals should be OK in that lighting, but many will only grow slowly.

What is a "peppermint coral"? I have not heard that common name before.

Ernie

 

[Stringztoo1]

Sorry... had "Peppermint shrimp" on my mind for some reason... it's Candy Cane Coral, like this:

 

[esmithiii]

That should be enough light for most your corals although growth may be slow.

Ernie

 

[Stringztoo1]

I guess I can't really "up the lighting power" any by adding something... can I? Maybe bring it up to 150-175 watts?

 

[Rich-n-poor]

I have a 37 Gallon with 2 55 watt power compacts... and that's only 110 watts of light. Am I seriously "underlit"?

Exactly the same lighting on exactly the same tank I'm running so IMO no your not underlit. My tank has thrived with this light for about a year.

If your handy and have a canopy you can strip the smartlites reuse the ballasts endcaps bulbs build a reflector outta aluminum and add addintional pc's or a MH.

Double 55 watts pc setups are available that will fit on the tank if you have the money

rich
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