Aggressive 240g Reef - Would this work?

[95harley]

I'm converting my FOWLR 240g to a Reef run by 16xT5's.
Corals I plan to start with:
Various softies
Leathers
Star polyps
Various and zoos
Mushrooms
Eventually Monti Caps
Livestock would be:
Various Crabs/Snails
Cleaner Shrimp
My Dragon Moray Eel
3-4 Dozen Various Chromis / Damsels
and a Clown Tang
Does anyone see anything for me to be worried about? I know the eel may eat a damsel/Chromis from time to time, but other than that.

 

[fishkid13]

Worries- Inverts and bad water quality. For water large protein skimmer. Besides that I don't see why it shouldn't work, just trial and error I guess.

 

[95harley]

Originally Posted by fishkid13
http:///forum/post/3225308
Worries- Inverts and bad water quality. For water large protein skimmer. Besides that I don't see why it shouldn't work, just trial and error I guess.
Inverts

In danger from the tang or eel?

 

[aquaknight]

Dragon morays have teeth for grabbing fish, not munching on crabs. There certainly is a slight risk of the shrimp being consumed, but the Dragon should leave him around for cleaning.
The tank idea sounds good. Kirk is able to keep those corals with his aggressives, and I'd say your bioload would be about the same, maybe lighter.
Not the topic, but wondering again, why you're going with T5? At 54watt/per you drawing at minimum 880watts. For my 240gal, I probably be with 3 250watt Halides. Have you looked at the cost it's going to be per year to change out those T5? lol

 

[wilsonreef]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3225528
Dragon morays have teeth for grabbing fish, not munching on crabs. There certainly is a slight risk of the shrimp being consumed, but the Dragon should leave him around for cleaning.
The tank idea sounds good. Kirk is able to keep those corals with his aggressives, and I'd say your bioload would be about the same, maybe lighter.
Not the topic, but wondering again, why you're going with T5? At 54watt/per you drawing at minimum 880watts. For my 240gal, I probably be with 3 250watt Halides. Have you looked at the cost it's going to be per year to change out those T5? lol

I agree, I have a 240 gallon DT and a 125 gallon sump in a double closed loop system. I use one 4' T5 (two bulbs) over the sump, and for the DT I have 2-250 watt MH's (one on each end) and 2- 175 watt MH's in the middle. All are running 20k. Works perfect for me.
just my .02 worth.
Carl

 

[95harley]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3225528
Dragon morays have teeth for grabbing fish, not munching on crabs. There certainly is a slight risk of the shrimp being consumed, but the Dragon should leave him around for cleaning.
The tank idea sounds good. Kirk is able to keep those corals with his aggressives, and I'd say your bioload would be about the same, maybe lighter.
Not the topic, but wondering again, why you're going with T5? At 54watt/per you drawing at minimum 880watts. For my 240gal, I probably be with 3 250watt Halides. Have you looked at the cost it's going to be per year to change out those T5? lol

I went with the Ice Cap & 660 ballasts. These will overdrive the bulbs to 80watts per bulb. This will give me over 5wpg without the heat of MH's.
Changing out 16 bulbs at $20 each = $320 vs. 3x$100 MH bulbs = $300 yearly. So $20 won't make a big difference.

 

[95harley]

Originally Posted by wilsonreef
http:///forum/post/3225536
I agree, I have a 240 gallon DT and a 125 gallon sump in a double closed loop system. I use one 4' T5 (two bulbs) over the sump, and for the DT I have 2-250 watt MH's (one on each end) and 2- 175 watt MH's in the middle. All are running 20k. Works perfect for me.
just my .02 worth.
Carl
Do you have a canopy on top & are you running a Chiller?

 

[skate020]

dragon morays generally leave inverts, id be more worried about him taking the clown tang when its small, although if you wanna put a tang in there the clown or sohal, they are aggresive and if needed will strike the eel, not killing it but making sure he knows not to go near them.
also i'd be worried about corals stinging the eel, when hes going in and out of the rocks, and ofcorse if he is to dislodge a rock and it killing the coral.
but thats more or less the only worries, so should be good
oh yes and of corse making sure you have a decent skimmer.

 

[95harley]

I figure the Clown will be a fast swimmer and should be safe. But agreed that is the risk.
As for stinging corals I will make sure I stay away from any of those and most corals will be up high anyway.
And for the Skimmer I have an Aqua C EV-240 run by a Mag 18. I figure if the bio load is not oo great that should surfice.