coral question

bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
i just set up a 120 which is mainly fish... there are 2 shrimp and an anemone though which knock on wood are doing great, ive had the shrimp and anem for at least 5 months now...
i just got some live rock and built it up to add some coral and possibly a clam... what are some colorful easy to take care of coral that would add some color to the tank? i got a good deal on lots of light so i figured id use it....
also what clam if i decided to get one?
if you suggest something let me know what it eats as well...
not trying to go huge reef with this tank because i like fish more but some stationary color would be nice.
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
What you can keep depends on what you have as far as lighting. If it's a standard 120 (48"x24"x24") either two 250w halides or 8-10 T5ho with individual reflectors would allow you to keep whatever you wanted.
-Justin
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by WangoTango
http:///forum/post/2628776
What you can keep depends on what you have as far as lighting. If it's a standard 120 (48"x24"x24") either two 250w halides or 8-10 T5ho with individual reflectors would allow you to keep whatever you wanted.
-Justin
i know i have enough light

that wasnt the question.....the question is which ones look good - as in im not a coral guy but would like some color and wanted to know which ones are easy to feed and keep...
 
paintballer768

paintballer768

Active Member
I would say go look at some frogspawn or hammer coral. You should be able to handle most of the LPS, softies, and zoa/mushroom corals. Depending on how much light is "enough," you may be able to venture into SPS.
Also, if its a mostly fish tank, I would go and research whether theyre reef safe just to make sure.
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by paintballer768
http:///forum/post/2628873
I would say go look at some frogspawn or hammer coral. You should be able to handle most of the LPS, softies, and zoa/mushroom corals. Depending on how much light is "enough," you may be able to venture into SPS.
Also, if its a mostly fish tank, I would go and research whether theyre reef safe just to make sure.

1000 watt metal halide.....i know the fish for the most part are reef safe, i think the only worry is the coral beauty...
those are cool looking coral. are they easy to care for?
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
if you have a single coral or a tank full, they require extra testing/maintaining of water levels.
See this is how full blown reefs start. "I just want somethin small that s bright and looks good in the flow"
You will spend the same time getting yourself outfitted with equip and tank set up. You might consider a synthetic addittion to our tank if your not familiar with corals.
If you are fairly set on something live then softies are generally much more tolerant of water conditions and require far less equipment.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Sorry forgot- if your really looking for easy then look for some Kenya tree, Mushrooms or a Zoanthid colony. They are brightly colored and very easy. More tolerant to swings, and stable through all sorts of conditions.
If you actually kill a kenya I would be suprised. Just go from there with ability and desire for any other addittions. The Kenya will give you a taste of how to treat and react to when caring for live corals.
Good luck
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2628966
Sorry forgot- if your really looking for easy then look for some Kenya tree, Mushrooms or a Zoanthid colony. They are brightly colored and very easy. More tolerant to swings, and stable through all sorts of conditions.
If you actually kill a kenya I would be suprised. Just go from there with ability and desire for any other addittions. The Kenya will give you a taste of how to treat and react to when caring for live corals.
Good luck
thanks. my water is pretty stable so i dont think any coral would be too much of a problem but always better to start with an easy one.
 
paintballer768

paintballer768

Active Member
1000 watt metal halide is godly. SPS are actually fairly easy to keep, given your water quality is consistently good. They need great water conditions, so if I were you I would research it, cuz theres so much info out on there that I dont think I could post it.
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
i think you will fry everything you put in that tank. 1000 watt halide over a 2 foot deep tank is a waste.
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2629196
i think you will fry everything you put in that tank. 1000 watt halide over a 2 foot deep tank is a waste.
its way more than i really wanted but at the price i got it for i couldnt pass it up.....
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Just thinking of pricing-
All depends on your local KWH rate from your local power company. Bet it would be cheaper to go buy a brand new fixture than to pay your powerbill on that old monster. Sorry if I sound negative as that is not my intention but 1k bulbs are never very efficient and neither are thier ballasts.
I am putting my salt on it being about 75 bucks a month to run JUST that light on a decent cycle. Combined with the bulb's pricing I would opt for selling it to someone that really NEEDS to run monster bulbs. You can turn a small profit for sure selling it and then save a ton with a more conventional set up.
Not tryin to tell you how to captain your own ship. Just concerned and wanted to pipe up before the power company starts sending you christmas cards.
-RFB
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2630253
Just thinking of pricing-
All depends on your local KWH rate from your local power company. Bet it would be cheaper to go buy a brand new fixture than to pay your powerbill on that old monster. Sorry if I sound negative as that is not my intention but 1k bulbs are never very efficient and neither are thier ballasts.
I am putting my salt on it being about 75 bucks a month to run JUST that light on a decent cycle. Combined with the bulb's pricing I would opt for selling it to someone that really NEEDS to run monster bulbs. You can turn a small profit for sure selling it and then save a ton with a more conventional set up.
Not tryin to tell you how to captain your own ship. Just concerned and wanted to pipe up before the power company starts sending you christmas cards.
-RFB
just doing some quick math im only looking at 15 more a month to run the light...the problem will be the ac running more since i just happen to be UNLUCKY enough that the room the tank is in is where the thermostat for the ac is.... the bulbs look like they are only 50 or so off of the 4 letter website
looking at the pictures does it look like a lot of light to you? it doesnt to me for some reason...
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
For a 1k bulb no it really doesnt. You have it backed off the tank a bit further than normal so that could be what making it look dim.
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2630800
For a 1k bulb no it really doesnt. You have it backed off the tank a bit further than normal so that could be what making it look dim.

bulb needs to be replaced im sure....there are no reflectors or anything so taking it up higher is what it took to light the whole tank. i had it sitting on top of the tank and slightly melted the center brace the day i got it....
just out of curiosity, why do you think the power bill would go up that much because of the light?
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Basing it on local KPH pricing on average cycle the conversions of the older equip is not very efficient.
KWH x Cycle time x Inefficiency = rediculous power bills.
Everyone over-quotes and grossly exaggerates how much powr bills jump with MH. Granted it is mostly wives tale, but it stems from the old school industrial conversions that people used to run. They are from old wearhouses and torn down out of parking lots, so most times people are only repeating what they have heard. Modern advances in ballasts and methods for striking MH bulbs have chopped those bills down dramatically. Fully electronic and auto sensing for load make for enormous savings of what they used to be with conventional magnetic ballasts.
The light you have however is most likley exactly what people talk about even if they are unknowing. Its an old school retro based on salvaged industrial parts correct?. About the most ineffective way to run a MH set up. No offense. Absolutley not trying to just sound like I am bashing or downplaying the system. It's bark really is as bad as its bite with those industrial coversions if they are not fairly modern.
And no reflector? That makes a huge difference in output. Prob why it doesnt LOOK like a typical 1k watt'r
 
bgbdwlf2500

bgbdwlf2500

Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2631477
Basing it on local KPH pricing on average cycle the conversions of the older equip is not very efficient.
KWH x Cycle time x Inefficiency = rediculous power bills.
Everyone over-quotes and grossly exaggerates how much powr bills jump with MH. Granted it is mostly wives tale, but it stems from the old school industrial conversions that people used to run. They are from old wearhouses and torn down out of parking lots, so most times people are only repeating what they have heard. Modern advances in ballasts and methods for striking MH bulbs have chopped those bills down dramatically. Fully electronic and auto sensing for load make for enormous savings of what they used to be with conventional magnetic ballasts.
The light you have however is most likley exactly what people talk about even if they are unknowing. Its an old school retro based on salvaged industrial parts correct?. About the most ineffective way to run a MH set up. No offense. Absolutley not trying to just sound like I am bashing or downplaying the system. It's bark really is as bad as its bite with those industrial coversions if they are not fairly modern.
And no reflector? That makes a huge difference in output. Prob why it doesnt LOOK like a typical 1k watt'r
its a plant growing system so it is a complete setup, not a retro made system... it is older so ineffecient im sure it is....KWH here is 7.26 cents... im looking at 10.80/month not including effeciency....
 
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