New 55 gallon

[bikencamp]

I just got a new 55 gallon and was thinking of making the leap into saltwater. I was wondeing if I could use a compact floresent it has about 250 watts output. Tank size and info is 48x13x20. I was thinking about coral but want to use what I have instead of buying even more toys(kids gotta eat). Any advice would be very helpful
Todd

 

[m0nk]

The light will work well (assuming it has daylight and actinic bulbs) for soft and LPS corals, which is decent way to start if you aren't specifically after the more difficult SPS stuff right away. I have a Current Dual Satellite 260w fixture on my 55g.

 

[integral9]

Ditto on my setup. 55g w/ Current Satellite 4x65W PC. BTA, LTA, shrooms, zoes, ricos, and a few LPS(hammer and torch) at the top have been doing fine for over a year now.

 

[bikencamp]

awesome I was hoping that it would work and then I could save my pennies for a better lighting system in the future.
Todd

 

[mess88]

see you all have a 55. Me too have a couple. just bought a 60 g ,nice tank. every thing off the 55 fit . 48 x 13 x24 give you a little more. So if your looking to send 120 buck looks great .

 

[integral9]

Originally Posted by mess88
see you all have a 55. Me too have a couple. just bought a 60 g ,nice tank. every thing off the 55 fit . 48 x 13 x24 give you a little more. So if your looking to send 120 buck looks great .
My next tank will be a 180. I think it's like 70 x 24 x 24 or something. There's a lot of options for dimensions on tanks that large. I like the 55 but I do wish it was wider. I should have bought a 75. Same length and height, just wider.

 

[mess88]

That's what i want a 180 ,210 or 220. Just have to come up with the money now.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by Integral9
My next tank will be a 180. I think it's like 70 x 24 x 24 or something. There's a lot of options for dimensions on tanks that large. I like the 55 but I do wish it was wider. I should have bought a 75. Same length and height, just wider.
That's exactly that I'm putting together now. It's going to be all the things my 55 isn't. I've got a sump, MH lighting, room for tangs, will be doing tons of SPS, etc. I thought about a 75 vs the 55 when setting everything up initially, but I knew I couldn't beat the prices I got things for on the 55 setup, and I knew I'd be upgrading soon anyway, so it's better to spend less at first if you know it's not the final product...heh.

 

[integral9]

I'll be combining my 55g softie tank and 30g SPS tank when I get my 180. I'd rather go wider than deeper so I don't have to put on a wet suit just to reach the bottom and turn over that poor unlucky snail. But I also don't want something that is going to just out of the wall 1/2 way across the room and become an obstruction. I'm definately going to have MH hqi lighting over it. But I will do a custom canopy since I am having so much fun building one for my 55. Probably 3x 250 14K and as many PC and t5 bulbs I can fit (rack-em, pack-em and stack-em... well not stack-em, but you get the idea). I've saved all the old lights I've bought (mostly PCs) and while it's going to be painful to 'canabolize' my Current Outer Orbit HQI/T5, it'll be worth it.
I just need about $2000 to get things rolling on this project.