plastic canopy
- Thread starter ha-y-n
- Start date
T
thomas712
Guest
Build yourself a wood one to replace the old plastic one, then get some proper lighting based on what type of tank you want. If a fish only then lighting really doesn't matter, but if fowler or reef you will enjoy better lighting with much better results.
Thomas
Thomas
ha-y-n
New Member
can u point me in the right direction with the lights. Ive read a lot, but everyone has different ideas. My tank is a 72 gal 48x18x22. It will be a folr...no reef for now. Also will the stand that came with the tank( it was a set from aga ) hold up with 80lbs rock, 1" LS...so about 50lbs? Thanks
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thomas712
Guest
I don't know about your stand but if it was sent by AGA then it should be fine. My stand is wood and holds a 90 gallon tank thats 160 pound of glass, near 1000 when filled with water, and I have over 100 pounds of live rock. Hard to believe but it does hold.
My preference is VHO lighting, that should do fine with a fowler. You can either look up a 2 bulb set or a 4 bulb set. Trick is that a 48 inch light bulb doesn't usually fit into a standard 48 inch canopy. The bulb with endcaps winds up 49.5 inches long, so if your building watch for that.
My canopy is 48 inches like yours but I use 46.5 inch bulbs that are 110 watts per bulb, 4 bulbs, + Metal halides.
Some folks like PC bulbs and all the fancy stuff that goes with them like moon lights.
Up to you
Thomas
My preference is VHO lighting, that should do fine with a fowler. You can either look up a 2 bulb set or a 4 bulb set. Trick is that a 48 inch light bulb doesn't usually fit into a standard 48 inch canopy. The bulb with endcaps winds up 49.5 inches long, so if your building watch for that.
My canopy is 48 inches like yours but I use 46.5 inch bulbs that are 110 watts per bulb, 4 bulbs, + Metal halides.
Some folks like PC bulbs and all the fancy stuff that goes with them like moon lights.
Up to you
Thomas
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thomas712
Guest
Here is a for instance on the 46.5 inch retro fit kit.
46.5" 4 Lamp VHO Retrofit Kit (w/ ARO Model 4L ballast)
Bulb1: URI Super Actinic VHO(+$20.00)
Bulb2: URI Actinic White 50/50 VHO(+$23.50)
Bulb3: URI Super Actinic VHO(+$20.00)
Bulb4: URI Actinic White 50/50 VHO(+$23.50)
Dual_Ballast_Upgrade: None 256.00 256.00
This does not have dual switches so that you can run bulbs seperatly, but you can find such if you like for another $135.00.
This should allow you to add many soft corals and even LPS corals if you decide to go that route later on.
46.5" 4 Lamp VHO Retrofit Kit (w/ ARO Model 4L ballast)
Bulb1: URI Super Actinic VHO(+$20.00)
Bulb2: URI Actinic White 50/50 VHO(+$23.50)
Bulb3: URI Super Actinic VHO(+$20.00)
Bulb4: URI Actinic White 50/50 VHO(+$23.50)
Dual_Ballast_Upgrade: None 256.00 256.00
This does not have dual switches so that you can run bulbs seperatly, but you can find such if you like for another $135.00.
This should allow you to add many soft corals and even LPS corals if you decide to go that route later on.
T
thomas712
Guest
I have a special ballast on the VHO's with intigraded timers. I usually run them about 12 hours. I run the MH for only 4-6 hours. So far I don't suffer heat issues, the tank is in the basment and I only run about 80-82 degrees, sometimes its a touch more, but I also have fans in the canopy.
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thomas712
Guest
I was thinking about finally seeing what my pillow looks like but what cha got?
ha-y-n
New Member
this is what i got so far:
72 gal bowfront
asm g2
lr and sand ill get down the beach-i live in hawaii so hmm is that a good idea or will they have too much bacteria or something. Im going to use it from the start to cycle my tank.
I have a rr tank so the 1" drain(durso) is going to my sump with a skimmer and a return pump(no fuge), and the 3/4" drain is going to a closed loop. Im also getting some powerheads for movement on the bottom of the tank. Is that enough movement for the tank?
lights-whatever u said. I can a canopy i think(family business=general contractor)
dont know what else i need.
72 gal bowfront
asm g2
lr and sand ill get down the beach-i live in hawaii so hmm is that a good idea or will they have too much bacteria or something. Im going to use it from the start to cycle my tank.
I have a rr tank so the 1" drain(durso) is going to my sump with a skimmer and a return pump(no fuge), and the 3/4" drain is going to a closed loop. Im also getting some powerheads for movement on the bottom of the tank. Is that enough movement for the tank?
lights-whatever u said. I can a canopy i think(family business=general contractor)
dont know what else i need.
T
thomas712
Guest
Good start so far, however.
Do you trust the sand to be free from pollutants around the beach?
Just look around the area where they have dredged the harbor for base rock or live rock, heck my base rock came from there too.
Figure out the gph of the return pump add to that the gph per power head ( I highly suggest the maxi jet power heads, the 900's are good on electricity whereas the 1200's are power hogs. A very good power head. You should have at very least a 10X turnover rate. so a 72 gallon tank should have at least 720 gallons per hour if not more.
Now that I think about it the lighting may be difficult with a bow front, might want to ask other bow front folks what they do.
Use the skimmer while cycling and as long as it is setup right you should be ok.
Thomas
Do you trust the sand to be free from pollutants around the beach?
Just look around the area where they have dredged the harbor for base rock or live rock, heck my base rock came from there too.
Figure out the gph of the return pump add to that the gph per power head ( I highly suggest the maxi jet power heads, the 900's are good on electricity whereas the 1200's are power hogs. A very good power head. You should have at very least a 10X turnover rate. so a 72 gallon tank should have at least 720 gallons per hour if not more.
Now that I think about it the lighting may be difficult with a bow front, might want to ask other bow front folks what they do.
Use the skimmer while cycling and as long as it is setup right you should be ok.
Thomas
T
thomas712
Guest
Sorry went to sleep.
No, you can have a succesful system without a fuge, but I really like mine.
No, you can have a succesful system without a fuge, but I really like mine.
ha-y-n
New Member
thanks for the help guys. By the way how did you know about the sewage in the alawai. I saw on the news today that a guy fell in there and is sooo sick. THey had to amputate his leg and theyre thinking of amputating more stuff. Crazy stuff. They even showed on the news that there were some idiots surfing where the spill emptied out on the beach. so stupid.
mikeyjer
Active Member
I got a 90G Oceanic Bowfront RR, I have Oceanic sump Model #2 that I use the center as a fuge area. I'm getting a custom made canopy done, it will be 18" in height. I will be running 2-250w MH retrofit kit with ARO Electronic Ballast with XM 20k bulbs. I do not need any supplement since I have the 20k. I will install 4 fans on each side of the canopy, the retrofit kit would be separated from the tank with UV shield and with fans running above the shield for the lights and under the shield for the tank. The reason why I had it made so high was because of the shield. Plus I try to keep the lighting at least 10" above the tank. I'll be posting progress in my thread, "New Tank in Progress". I won't get my canopy til sometime next month, it's being made right now. :happyfish
27mtaylor
Member
I made a hood for my 46 gallon bow tank and fitted a VHO kit in it. I made it in a rectangular shape. It came as far up as the front corners on the tank, but didn't encompass the bow (I hope that made since) I kept my glass lid and I have to move the hood back behind the fold in the lid when I do my water changes or have to enter the tank for something. It works out fairly well. Good luck with it.
Oh yeah, the back of the hood is open, to let the heat out.
Oh yeah, the back of the hood is open, to let the heat out.
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by Tang 1
I grew up in Kaimuki until I was 12 and then my family moved to the Mainland. I got plenty of family in Hawaii and we all stay in touch.
I just upgraded my lights last week, got a 60" Outer Orbit, 2 x 150w, 2 x 130 Actinic and lunar lights and I'm plenty happy with the setup.
What size tank is that on? Is that 150 HQI's??? With 60", I would think it's a pretty deep tank, I'm running 2-175w SE MH 14k and 2-110w VHO Super Actinics on my 55 gallon reef. Going to run 2-250w SE MH XM-20k bulbs on my 90G Bowfront. :happyfish
I grew up in Kaimuki until I was 12 and then my family moved to the Mainland. I got plenty of family in Hawaii and we all stay in touch.
I just upgraded my lights last week, got a 60" Outer Orbit, 2 x 150w, 2 x 130 Actinic and lunar lights and I'm plenty happy with the setup.
What size tank is that on? Is that 150 HQI's??? With 60", I would think it's a pretty deep tank, I'm running 2-175w SE MH 14k and 2-110w VHO Super Actinics on my 55 gallon reef. Going to run 2-250w SE MH XM-20k bulbs on my 90G Bowfront. :happyfish