Input from anyone please

[buzzword]

Hello all, I am trying a reef again after 5 years out and things seem to have progressed rapidly from my last attempt, which was plagued with bad advice from the LFS and a lot of money wasted. I have researched and read here for 4 weeks and think I'm ready.
Here is the set up please give me feed back on any aspect.
Tank= 120 dual overflows
lights= two 4X65w Current Sunpaq dual retros
4-5 inch DSB
90lbs Fiji LR
30g refugium/sump w/lamp w1200ghr pump w/
Skimmer in sump
1) will the lighting be enough to keep clams?
2) is the DSB deep enough?
3) do i need power heads as well for circulation?
4) how big a cleaning crew once it gets going? I heard I don't really need as much as they recommend.
5) what macro algea to put in refugium?
More questions later I am sure. I have been reading all these forums for weeks and know that there are many knowledgable people out ther so your input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all in advance.

 

[salty cheese]

1) will the lighting be enough to keep clams?
No, you maybe able to keep some of the lower light clams with alot more PC or VHO, but I wouldn't recommened it
2) is the DSB deep enough?
Yes
3) do i need power heads as well for circulation?
Yes, it is recommended that you have a x20 or x25 turnover rate for a reef.
4) how big a cleaning crew once it gets going? I heard I don't really need as much as they recommend.
It is different for each tank, just start slow.
5) what macro algea to put in refugium?
I don't have one yet but it seems alot of people like to use Chaetomorpha or even Xenia.

 

[buzzword]

hey thanks for the reply Salty Cheese. My guy at the LFS seems to think this will be enough to keep clams being 520watts. What clams could I keep with these lights, should i put them up high on the rock? the LFS has I think a deresa and squamosa in his 125 with the same lighting, I think. oh and I have a UV sterilizer from my previous attempt should I use it as well? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks again

 

[salty cheese]

Oops, my bad I didn't see the 2 in front of the 4X65w.
You might be alright with that much lighting for those clams but you might have to feed them. How big are they?

 

[buzzword]

Salty, I have yet to set the tank up I am just getting prepared to do it. The LFS has some nice clams about 3inch at the store. yeah the lighting is 8X65w duals. Any hints about set up and what order to put the DSB in; before LR? After LR? After cycle? Any hints?

 

[buzzword]

Thanks for info so far. I will check back when I wake up, I work nights need to sleep. Hope there are more replies this afternoon. later

 

[salty cheese]

Start with the sand then fill the tank about half way, add your rock and top off the tank.
Are you using live or dead sand? or a mixture?

 

[buzzword]

Hey Salty, gonna use a mixture of live and aragonite. Any thoughts on the use of the UV sterilizer? Anything else I need to do before setting up?
And really, thank you for the input, leave it to a good chedderhead to be personable. i was hopeing for more input from others, I guess not much input was needed or maybe i'ts cause I'm from Denver. LOL

 

[alohami]

Salty just covered it so well, so no reason for anyone else to jump on the bandwagon. lol.
I just have a suggestion for when you are adding your rock. I put the sand in first and then my rock, but when I added my rock I wiggled it around a little bit to settle it into the sand bed. That way if anything burrows around the rock, it will have less of a chance of toppling over.
On UV sterlizers, I am no expert, but from what I read they are not recommended for reefs. That seemed to be the general consensus from posts that I have read here, but you may want to do a search to dig up more information.
Good Luck!

 

[jacknjill]

Originally posted by Buzzword
Salty, I have yet to set the tank up I am just getting prepared to do it. The LFS has some nice clams about 3inch at the store. yeah the lighting is 8X65w duals. Any hints about set up and what order to put the DSB in; before LR? After LR? After cycle? Any hints?
i would try to get a bigger clams because ones that 3 inches and smaller need to be spot fed. try to get one around 4-5 inches to start off with. plus, your tank needs to be very matured and established for a clam and you have to have near perfect water conditions. id say wait about 6 months at the least for your tank to mature

 

[buzzword]

thanks Aloha, yeah I have heard mixed things. have read that they are beneficial, and heard from others that they not only kill the bad micro orgs but good as well. I will research more and maybe get some more replies. Thanks again.

 

[jacknjill]

Originally posted by AlohaMI
I just have a suggestion for when you are adding your rock. I put the sand in first and then my rock, but when I added my rock I wiggled it around a little bit to settle it into the sand bed. That way if anything burrows around the rock, it will have less of a chance of toppling over.

actually, you kind of have it backwards. if you are gonna have burrowing fish, you need to put the rocks on the bare bottom and put the sand around it. if its on top of the sand, they can burrow under them no matter what and cause rock slides. with them on the bare bottom, they cant. HTH

 

[buzzword]

JacknJill, thanks, I am planning on waiting, my thought process was if the lighting was not enough could I afford to go MH at this time. If I have learned only one thing from my research and reading these posts, it is PATIENCE!! and more PATIENCE. I plan on taking it really slow.

 

[salty cheese]

Put the live sand on top of the dead sand, UV's no clue I do not have one.
For rock support you can use PVC for that, just cut it in lengths of that is about equal to your sandbed depth, drill a couple of holes in the side and place it under your rock work, that way if something burrows under your rock it won't shift.

 

[alohami]

Originally posted by JacknJill
actually, you kind of have it backwards. if you are gonna have burrowing fish, you need to put the rocks on the bare bottom and put the sand around it. if its on top of the sand, they can burrow under them no matter what and cause rock slides. with them on the bare bottom, they cant. HTH
No, what I meant was although I put the sand in first, when I added the rock I wiggled it until it was sitting on the bottom.
I just didn't like the idea of trying to put the sand in after the rock was already in place. Seemed like it would be a big mess.

 

[jacknjill]

oh i see now