Need lighting and filtration help.

[pat713]

I'm looking to setting up a 120/125 Reef, I'm wondering what is the best lighting to keep anemones, coral, etc. in it. Also how much plumbing should I have, if any of you guys/gals can post pictures with any explanation, it would help a bunch.
I'll be saving a lot of the info to my computer as well, that way I won't have to search the forums for it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[tizzo]

Your asking a loaded question, and opinions vary, but I will give you my own.
as far as lighting you have 2 choices. Both will be metal halide s it's gonna cost you.
choice 1 is 2 or 3 250 watt moguls or se (single ended bulbs)
You don't want 400 watt bulbs cause they cause quite a bit of heat, then were talkin chillers.
Other option is 3 150 DE or double ended bulbs. They are uncanny powerful.
When you first get corals, I'd have 10K bulbs.
Helps them grow.
as far as filtration. 1.5 to 2 lbs of lr per gallon. best filtration you can have.
and a protein skimmer, everybody should have a skimmer.
hth

 

[pat713]

I meant more along the lines of a sump and refuge. Also, I'd like to get duel overflows, one in each back corner.

 

[beatlesfan]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
Your asking a loaded question, and opinions vary, but I will give you my own.
as far as lighting you have 2 choices. Both will be metal halide s it's gonna cost you.
choice 1 is 2 or 3 250 watt moguls or se (single ended bulbs)
You don't want 400 watt bulbs cause they cause quite a bit of heat, then were talkin chillers.
Other option is 3 150 DE or double ended bulbs. They are uncanny powerful.
When you first get corals, I'd have 10K bulbs.
Helps them grow.
as far as filtration. 1.5 to 2 lbs of lr per gallon. best filtration you can have.
and a protein skimmer, everybody should have a skimmer.
hth
Couldn't have said it better myself. You can have a fuge if you want but the best filtration is a powerful skimmer and lots of LR.

 

[pat713]

One more question before I search for prices on all this fun stuff. Do they make a MH light holder that holds 3 bulbs? Or, since I want to have the lighting spread throughout the day a little, should I just do 3 seperate holders and have them on randomly.
I'll explain.
I want to simulate a real day in the sea, as close as I can anyway, having maybe one light on from 6am to 8am, 2 on from 8am to 11am, all 3 on from 11am to around 3pm, back to 2 from 3pm to 5pm, and just one from 5pm to 7pm. That'll make 13hours of lighting, but not full lighting that entire time. Then, I'll probably do something similar with the lurnar lighting, just instead I'd have it come on at 7pm and turn off at 9pm, then come back on at 4am and turn off at 8am. To kind of simulate the sun comming up or going down.
Just seeing if this is a good idea, 4 hours of all 3 MH bulbs on should be enough to enduce growth that requires all 3. Also, I'd try to have the corals/inverts that require the most lighting in the middle of the tank, that way they can get the most lighting possible.
What do you guys think?
EDIT: Also, are 3 250W 14K MH HQI DE Bulbs sufficent?

 

[zeroc]

turning them on and off like that isn't going to do much because the stuff directly under the light doesn't care what the other end of the tank is getting for light. if you want more stages then i'd supplement with some T-5s and if you want other step then normal output florescences. Do normals on for an hour then add the T-5 the another hour later add the MH then in 8 hours kill the MH, in an hour after that kill the T-5, and an hour after that kill the normal outputs and for even more fun have moon lights on for another hour then kill those and have them come on an hour before you start the cycle over again, you can leave the moon lights on all day, they're LEDs so you're not going to hurt them and running all that other light i don't think 4 more watts is going to kill you. oh, and have fun setting up all the timers.
If you REALLY want more real life conditions then you'd need to get an LED fixture that can dim and simulate cloud cover, lunar cycle and all the fancy stuff but that'll get a much bigger price tag.

 

[trippkid]

[QUOTE=
If you REALLY want more real life conditions then you'd need to get an LED fixture that can dim and simulate cloud cover, lunar cycle and all the fancy stuff but that'll get a much bigger price tag.
It called a Solaris from PFO, if you want to check them out, probably run you about 2000 to 2500. It has all the dimming features you could want. There is one other unit that I know of, pricing is about the same. I am waiting for awhile to see if they come down at all.
Matt

 

[pat713]

How's this...
One long normal output floresent, probably spanning the whole tank. 2 150W t-5s, and 1 250W MH. the MH in the center and the 2 T-5s one either side, leaving enough room on theOr I could have 4 small normal outputs, 2 at the sides, then the 2 t-5s, and 2 more normals then the MH in the center...
Why do I like making more work fo myself?

Each normal output light+hood will be 20" long at most, that way they can fit long ways under the canopy. Same with the MH and T-5s.

 

[tizzo]

Although im not sure i can picture that set up you just mentioned, still it seems rather redundant. Aquamedic has an awesome hood with 3 halides, actinics and moonlights. Google them!
remember a halide bulb will only cover a 2 square foot area.

 

[pat713]

Only problem with the Aquamedic lighting systems, they are not for inside canopies...
Also, I'm not sure if you can turn on or off indivual lights. It looks as if it's either all of nothing with them.

 

[pat713]

Another idea, somewhat simpler...
2 long VHos on the back and from of the canopy, and 3 MH 250Watts in the center of the canopy, like this.

 

[jkcrumb]

Originally Posted by Pat713
Another idea, somewhat simpler...
2 long VHos on the back and from of the canopy, and 3 MH 250Watts in the center of the canopy, like this.

That would cover it...........you could run 2 rows of t5's or VHO's on each side of the MH's to widen your color possibilities. Also, 2 MH's would do the trick but 3 would get rid of any dark area you may get with 2. If your making this custom for your setup you may want to add in some lunars. It makes for some pretty cool viewing late night. How deep is your tank??? If its less than 20" u may want to stick with 125MH's.....the light will still reach the bottom of the tank and it will help with future heating issues.......
Good luck!!!!!!