overwhelmed

[aladatrot]

Hello! My name is mandi, and I am a new member to these forums. While I wouldn't consider myself a newcomer to saltwater, I have been tankless for ten years or so. There seems to have been some new innovation within the hobby such that it makes my old set ups look like they were in the dark ages! I bought power compact lighting when power compact lighting was the new deal and it seemed like a rarity when I got mine.
My tanks were very basic - about a pound and a half of live rock to each gallon I had, a cheesy sea clone skimmer, and a part time uv sterilizer. I ran several powerheads for circulation, but never ran with a sump tank, or any drilled plumbing. I kept live rock, some soft corals (shrooms), feather dusters, flame scallop, brain coral, and misc other inverts. Had percula clown and a cleaner wrasse, and some type of sand sifting goby.
Now, I am wanting to dive off into another set up and was thinking of breathing new life into my old 29 acrylic. I am not certain if I still have the skimmer or the uv sterilizer. I will be starting from scratch. With all the new ideas out there, I am a bit overwhelmed with how to get back in.
If you had a 29 gallon acrylic and wanted to keep some easy corals and inverts, what would be your ideal set up for the tank, and what would be your basic needs or wants? Led moonlighting? Metal halide or power compact? Sump or no sump?
I know this subject is like beating a dead horse, but I am reading past posts and I am really overwhelmed...
Thanks in advance.
Cheers
M

 

[saxman]

With a 29, you could go simple, like a HOB power filter (we use Aqua-Clears on some of our smaller setups), or you could run with a sump, which gives you the advantage of more water volume, but also gives you a home for much of your unsightly equipment.
Since your tank is acrylic, you can drill it yourself and run an external standpipe, or you can slot the back and add an external O/F (not a HOB type). You can also put a few more holes in the tank and run a CL for additional circulation without unsightly PH's.
As for lighting, go with T-5's, as you'll be able to keep most inverts and/or plants "happy" under them without the added heat of MH.
Ditch the Sea Clone and the UV unit, as there are much more efficient skimmers out there (I'd run a HOB on the side of the sump or an in-sump model). As for UV, they only affect waterborne critters, and most of the pathogens we see as aquarists are not found in the water column.
JM .02...

 

[jerth6932]

Quote:
Originally Posted by saxman http:///forum/thread/386532/overwhelmed#post_3395843
With a 29, you could go simple, like a HOB power filter (we use Aqua-Clears on some of our smaller setups), or you could run with a sump, which gives you the advantage of more water volume, but also gives you a home for much of your unsightly equipment.
Since your tank is acrylic, you can drill it yourself and run an external standpipe, or you can slot the back and add an external O/F (not a HOB type). You can also put a few more holes in the tank and run a CL for additional circulation without unsightly PH's.
As for lighting, go with T-5's, as you'll be able to keep most inverts and/or plants "happy" under them without the added heat of MH.
Ditch the Sea Clone and the UV unit, as there are much more efficient skimmers out there (I'd run a HOB on the side of the sump or an in-sump model). As for UV, they only affect waterborne critters, and most of the pathogens we see as aquarists are not found in the water column.
JM .02...
+1 on this.... the only tweek if you want to go with a better lighting system, LED's rock. But they cost more dough then the T5's.

 

[aladatrot]

Thanks for the input, folks. I really appreciate it. Ten four on the sea clone. I used to have to hold my mouth just right to get it to work, and every three months or so I would need to readjust. Cheesy, for sure.
About how much should I expect to pay for t5 lighting for the 29, and how much am I looking at on led? Figure it is cheaper to do it right from the start than to mosey posey about until I end up with the good lights anyway...
Also, is there a particular brand or model skimmer I should be looking at?
Thanks again.
Cheers
M

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by aladatrot http:///forum/thread/386532/overwhelmed#post_3395866
Thanks for the input, folks. I really appreciate it. Ten four on the sea clone. I used to have to hold my mouth just right to get it to work, and every three months or so I would need to readjust. Cheesy, for sure.
About how much should I expect to pay for t5 lighting for the 29, and how much am I looking at on led? Figure it is cheaper to do it right from the start than to mosey posey about until I end up with the good lights anyway...
Also, is there a particular brand or model skimmer I should be looking at?
Thanks again.
Cheers
M
Hi, Welcome to the site,
I use the linkable T5HO on my 30g and it cost $119.00 for one unit, so far I can keep all kinds of soft corals with just the one. It can link up to three units if you should decide you want an anemone and it won't cost an arm and leg for an upgrade, just add on and keep going for the same price you paid for the first one.
I love my Tunz nano skimmer. It has a magnet so it stays where you put, it and the cup pulls out to clean super easy and it really does a good job pulling out dark brown yuck from the tank. Best $150.00 I ever spent.

 

[jerth6932]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386532/overwhelmed#post_3395902
Hi, Welcome to the site,
I use the linkable T5HO on my 30g and it cost $119.00 for one unit, so far I can keep all kinds of soft corals with just the one. It can link up to three units if you should decide you want an anemone and it won't cost an arm and leg for an upgrade, just add on and keep going for the same price you paid for the first one.
I like the though process here but..... if Aladatrot wants a good system to start with as to keep overall costs lower, AI is coming out with a nano LED set up. That should run $350, that will push that 29g really nicely! Look over aqua illumination leds at : http://www.aquaillumination.com/
Great lights and you can go 5+ years till you need to even think of replacing any of the LED's

 

[snaredrum]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[aladatrot]

Thanks again, yall. I have been checking out the t5 Ho lighting as well as the tunze nano skimmer. Now I'm searching led lighting, and found an ai dealer here in Houston.
Incidentally, I was cruising reef central and my account was last active in 2003. It's been a while I guess...
Cheers
M