getting a new tank soon....best amount of lighting?

[bluelagoon]

ok, so my mom is giving me her 10 gal tank, since she didn't have a lot of success with it. no rock or livestock, just the tank, power head, glass cover, i dunno about anything else tho.
what i wanna do is get some lighting for it! i can't afford to get halides that can only be used on a small tank, since it would have to sit over the tank cuz i live in a dorm. so i guess i'm going with pc lighting. what would be the best setup for it? i was thinking maybe two sets of lights, at least one with an actinic light. i don't know the best possible route though...
any suggestions would be helpful! also what kind of corals would i be able to keep with your suggestions?? i've discovered i love corals so much more than fish! lol. but in the tank, i will have 2 ocellaris (i have one, i'll get a second one though so he's not lonely!), a skunk cleaner shrimp i already have, and some snails and hermits. the tank will be bare bottom (i just can't have a sand bottom since i have to move the tank between dorm and home).
also i can't remember what watt heater i should have, i have a 25 watt heater in my 5 gal tank, is that gonna be alright for 10 gal??
thanks for the help everyone!

 

[jakebtc]

I think most say about 5 watts per gallon for a heater, and for light I would just go with 1 96 watt compact flourescent quad lamp and a lil diy hood and take the glass off the tank.
Then you could keep anything you want in it and it would only take up one outlet wich can be good in a dorm when outlets are hard to come by.

 

[bluelagoon]

oh don't worry i have my trusty powerstrips! lol. one power strip now with my tank, computer, and desk lamp on it. i wasn't really planning on using the glass, cuz my room can get pretty warm....
thanks for the input! i still have a while before i want to get this new tank set up.... gotta make sure it'll be ok where i'll prolly be living over the summer (thankfully only like 5 min transport for the tank rather than an hour from school!)
i also have plenty of time to get more opinions, i know how everyone can differ, so i just wanna hear everyone's opinion and go somewhere in the middle!

 

[jakebtc]

they only cost like 70-90 $ and they would fit your tank perfect and at 9.5 watts a gallon . well you know :joy: good luck

 

[bluelagoon]

well you know that watts per gal doesn't really mean anything...
and i don't really want to make it myself...i'm not that handy and i really don't wanna electrocute myself. lol.
well i was thinking maybe this light then:
20" Coralife Aqualight
Quad Strip
(96W Total)
1X 96W (50/50 Quad)
(The quad lamp is a 4-pronged lamp. All other power compact lamps have two prongs)
i dunno tho.... any other suggestions??

 

[jakebtc]

it's the same exact thing with a pre made hood around it
and watts a gallon means alot on a small tank especially when it's not deep

 

[bluelagoon]

i was also wondering what other additional things i should get, depending on the types of corals i know. i'm sooo bored with just a few mushrooms that my mom gave me.
i don't believe that i'll have a freezer next year, and i don't think my roomie will appreciate all sorts of stuff in there anyways.... lol. she's excited that she gets to pretend she has a fish and look at it and not have to take care of it cuz she killed several goldfish this year before she gave up! lol. but anyways, we might be able to keep one fridge cold enough to freeze everything in it, but i'd prefer non-frozen stuff. lol. too risky.
also i just have the basic test kit that tests ammonia, trites, trates, and pH. which other tests would i need to get?
i can only spend money once i get my new cell phone plan tho... don't wanna spend too much and have no phone! i'm already goin nuts without text messaging for the month!

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
well you know that watts per gal doesn't really mean anything...
and i don't really want to make it myself...i'm not that handy and i really don't wanna electrocute myself. lol.
well i was thinking maybe this light then:
20" Coralife Aqualight
Quad Strip
(96W Total)
1X 96W (50/50 Quad)
(The quad lamp is a 4-pronged lamp. All other power compact lamps have two prongs)
i dunno tho.... any other suggestions??

Go with the 20" coralife...is there a kelvin rating on it? 10k would look nice in that tank.
You could keep most coral with that light.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
i was also wondering what other additional things i should get, depending on the types of corals i know. i'm sooo bored with just a few mushrooms that my mom gave me.
i don't believe that i'll have a freezer next year, and i don't think my roomie will appreciate all sorts of stuff in there anyways.... lol. she's excited that she gets to pretend she has a fish and look at it and not have to take care of it cuz she killed several goldfish this year before she gave up! lol. but anyways, we might be able to keep one fridge cold enough to freeze everything in it, but i'd prefer non-frozen stuff. lol. too risky.
also i just have the basic test kit that tests ammonia, trites, trates, and pH. which other tests would i need to get?
i can only spend money once i get my new cell phone plan tho... don't wanna spend too much and have no phone! i'm already goin nuts without text messaging for the month!
You could keep most coral I would think with that light.
If you are going to keep other coral, you will need to probably get a 2 part alk and calc buffer system...like b-ionic. You will also need test kits for alkalinity and calcium.
Obviously a thermometer, and since you are on a budget, a hydrometer should be ok, as long as you have it calibrated yourself (compare it to a refractometer and adjust your readings.)

 

[bluelagoon]

Originally Posted by ctgretzky9
Go with the 20" coralife...is there a kelvin rating on it? 10k would look nice in that tank.
You could keep most coral with that light.
thanks for the reply! it's 10k, that was up at the top of the page i didn't copy and paste.
The 20" Aqualight Quad Strip Light has a Quad bulb that is half 10,000K and half actinic. The Quad Aqualights also have two fans.
this light is also actually a little less than what i thought i'd have to pay at $87. so that is nice. lol
i would so love to get a frogspawn tho.....i'm so in love with those! and pink corals too! pretty much anything pink, except xenia! don't want xenia taking over my tank like they took over my mom's! i don't know why i like pink stuff, but it's pretty! lol. anyways..... i sound like such a girl! lol

 

[bluelagoon]

Originally Posted by ctgretzky9
You could keep most coral I would think with that light.
If you are going to keep other coral, you will need to probably get a 2 part alk and calc buffer system...like b-ionic. You will also need test kits for alkalinity and calcium.
Obviously a thermometer, and since you are on a budget, a hydrometer should be ok, as long as you have it calibrated yourself (compare it to a refractometer and adjust your readings.)
i obviously have a thermometer and a glass hydrometer. maybe for a birthday present i can talk my mom into the refractometer. but she doesn't have one yet either....lol.
i also do my water changes with Nutri-Seawater (the 'real ocean water') i don't have room in a dorm to make my own water and my lfs only carries that and they don't make their own saltwater for sale.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
thanks for the reply! it's 10k, that was up at the top of the page i didn't copy and paste.
The 20" Aqualight Quad Strip Light has a Quad bulb that is half 10,000K and half actinic. The Quad Aqualights also have two fans.
this light is also actually a little less than what i thought i'd have to pay at $87. so that is nice. lol
i would so love to get a frogspawn tho.....i'm so in love with those! and pink corals too! pretty much anything pink, except xenia! don't want xenia taking over my tank like they took over my mom's! i don't know why i like pink stuff, but it's pretty! lol. anyways..... i sound like such a girl! lol

This is the unit that sits above the tank, right? No glass cover?
Also, forgot to mention that you will need one powerhead for circulation...
what are you planning for filtration?
You may be ok with frogspawn...that is an iffy coral..some people have great success, and some of the most experienced reefers cant keep them alive.
lol..ps where the heck is tri state u?

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
i obviously have a thermometer and a glass hydrometer. maybe for a birthday present i can talk my mom into the refractometer. but she doesn't have one yet either....lol.
i also do my water changes with Nutri-Seawater (the 'real ocean water') i don't have room in a dorm to make my own water and my lfs only carries that and they don't make their own saltwater for sale.

Good on the hydro...is it calibrated against a refractometer? No need to get a refrac if you have compared the hydro to one.
The nutra-sea...be careful with that stuff once you go to coral. It has a high sg (around 1.027 i think?) and the alk is low as well as calcium. Not sure on the tests...i saw it posted here on another thread...
Test it, then you will know what you need to add or watch in your own tank.
And yes...you sound like such a girl, but nothing wrong with that lol

 

[bluelagoon]

Tri-State Univ is in the northeast most corner county of Indiana. Angola. lol.
yes this unit sits above the tank, with or without legs to hold it up, which i'm gonna get. i'm not going to use the glass cover, and my mom is giving me one powerhead. for filtration i'm gonna buy a HOB filter with a bio-wheel, i think. the filter i have with my 5 gal will prolly be pitched cuz it's designed for the aqua-tech tank it came with. altho i'm thinking i might keep it for freshwater, i'm not sure.....
i just know that i love corals! my bf took me to shedd's aquarium in chicago and i just stood forever looking into the reef tanks, and barely glanced at the fish only tanks. lol.
ok, i'll check back after work, we unfortunately don't have internet connection in the part of the mall i work in....

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
Tri-State Univ is in the northeast most corner county of Indiana. Angola. lol.
yes this unit sits above the tank, with or without legs to hold it up, which i'm gonna get. i'm not going to use the glass cover, and my mom is giving me one powerhead. for filtration i'm gonna buy a HOB filter with a bio-wheel, i think. the filter i have with my 5 gal will prolly be pitched cuz it's designed for the aqua-tech tank it came with. altho i'm thinking i might keep it for freshwater, i'm not sure.....
i just know that i love corals! my bf took me to shedd's aquarium in chicago and i just stood forever looking into the reef tanks, and barely glanced at the fish only tanks. lol.
ok, i'll check back after work, we unfortunately don't have internet connection in the part of the mall i work in....
whew...you are way up there!
With that filtration, make sure you clean it once a week or so, and do frequent water changes, or you will have a nitrate problem, and coral do not like that situation. The one good thing is you will have great surface agitation with that unit.
Good to use the legs, so your water can exchange gas at the surface easily.

 

[bluelagoon]

yes, way up here! i hope it stays warm soon! anyways... i did look around more at that light fixture, and i'm pretty sure that's what i'm going with.
what kind of filter would you suggest?? i'm completely open to ideas! lol

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by bluelagoon
yes, way up here! i hope it stays warm soon! anyways... i did look around more at that light fixture, and i'm pretty sure that's what i'm going with.
what kind of filter would you suggest?? i'm completely open to ideas! lol

If not a protein skimmer, then I suggest a good, powerful HOB (hang on back) filter. This is easiest to clean and change media, and will provide good surface agitation for gas exchange as well. Make sure to clean it very often...even once a week, to help keep trates down.
Get whichever you can afford. Just make sure it is rated for a larger tank than yours to help with turnover, and is easy to maintain.

 

[bluelagoon]

ok great, thanks! i appreciate the help guys! i can't wait to get back home to pick up that tank! i'm pretty excited! lol

 

[sweetdawn]

im thinking freshwater half with land so that i can have a little ecosystem with frogs and fish and plants lucky the ten is too small gonna get a 20. and i think you should get coal for your birthday same as christmas cause you not coming home for the summer

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by sweetdawn
im thinking freshwater half with land so that i can have a little ecosystem with frogs and fish and plants lucky the ten is too small gonna get a 20. and i think you should get coal for your birthday same as christmas cause you not coming home for the summer

??????huh??????
lol...wrong thread?