Thinking of going Reef

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ocikitty

Guest
I have a 90 gallon FOWLR that recently took a big hit from disease and basically wiped out my fish. Since I only have a Regal tang, an engineer goby and a chromis left I was thinking about converting to a reef tank. My lighting is flourescent so I know I need to upgrade that, don't want to go MH either VHO or compact. Please suggest size, kind, wattage etc. Also I have cc and probably should switch to sand. I have a wet/dry and a prizm protein skimmer. I also have a cc star, a brittle star, a cleaner shrimp, blue legs, queen conch, and snails. What other equipment is necessary and what about supplements to add,ie calcium, etc.
Thanks.
 
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ocikitty

Guest
I want to keep soft corals, tube worms and possibly a clam. Don't really know enought about the different types of corals. I know clams neeed a lot of lighting. Can you have one without MH?
 
jimmy g

jimmy g

Member
Thats a Debated topic....I would say no but other would say only if you have lots of PC on it and its high in the tank.
A squamosa or a derasa would probably be best if you did this....
Again, Its your tank and Its really only my opinion. I just dont want it to die. Clams requier hand feedings unless they are bigger that 3 inches. You are going to have to dose DT's (marine phytoplankton) for the clams and they tubeworms.
If you dont have much flow in your tank you are going to have to buy a couple powerheads.
I hope this helps,
Jim
 
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ocikitty

Guest
I have two powerheads that are 400gph. What I really need help with is the lighting. Kind, wattage, etc. Can't afford MH, so is VHO better than compacts. How many, etc. Thanks for any lighting help you can give. My tank is about 21" deep, 48" long and 18" wide.
Would like a clam is possible. Can you cement them higher in the tank? Do you use the marine cement to anchor your corals? I am ignorant about reefs as I have only done fish so far (4 years).
 
ssweet1

ssweet1

Member
Look into the T5 lighting. I am wondering why you wouldnt want MH's? I have 440 watts of VHO's and on one side of my tank I also have a 400 watt MH which is where I have my clam. I dont run the MH all day and have even skipped a day here and there and all corals and clam still seem fine with just the VHO's I just dont know if it would eventually suffer without the MH. T5 lights are supposed to be better than VHO and run alot cooler. Crocea clams like to be on a rock or empty shell you dont cement them they just attach themselves. The tang and definately the c.c star would have to go or they would eat your corals. You would want to get a refugium going, it would make reefing so much easier. Magnesium strontium calcium iodine kallkwasser are all neccesary, it is a pain but it is so addicting- once you start you cant stop and yea it gets expensive. Carrie
 
gregm779

gregm779

Member
I just bought a corallife fixture with 3 150w HQI bulbs 4 96w actinic bulbs and 4 1w moonlights. The reason I didn't get MHs is because of the heat they put out. I love this light and so do my corals. The HQIs don't get hot at all.
 
gregm779

gregm779

Member
Yeh but it doesn't put out hardly any heat unlike the normal bulbs. I really didn't want to purchase a chiller right now for my tank and thats why I went with those
 
avbryce1

avbryce1

Member

Originally posted by SSweet1
The tang and definately the c.c star would have to go or they would eat your corals. Carrie
I dont really think the tang will eat any corals unless he is very very under fed .
 
new2u

new2u

Member
i would go with the six bulb t5 lighting fixture, they produce a lot of light use little energy and can be customized with different bulb combos make sure you get the tek fixtures, they have special penetrating reflectors, i love mine!
 
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