Which should I get/do first?

sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
I am setting up my new 55g and am wondering what should I buy/order offline first. Obviously sand and water and a Mag 7 pump is necessary to get the cycle going and a test kit to make to monitor water levels. I'm on a limited budget and don't know wheter to make the big purchase of 90lbs of premium live rock or the VHO kit first. I have a small fluorscent kit that I'm going to use on the sump anyway and a leftover hood that has PC lights from an aquapod. I was thinking of sticking the flourscent lights on the DT momentarily because I don't think the aquapod hood will fit up there and putting the aquapod hood on the sump and getting the liverock first, then saving and getting the lights next before I get fish.

Would this be the right order?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I'd get rock first. Rock is crucial in filtration and will probably make a mini cycle anyways when adding. You don't need any special lighting for fish.
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Ok that's what I thought. Does the sump need any lighting if I don't add rocks to it till I have lighting for it? Will the live sand in the sump die without light?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
No it'll be fine. Actually what I have on my sump growing cheato (macro algae) is a 23w energy effiencient bulb (replaces the 60 or 100w I think) in the 6700k rating range and a reflector to keep the focus over the middle section of my sump. Bulb, refector and housing for the plug in was a total of 15 bucks at Lowe's. The 6700 rating bulbs is great for growing plants.
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3137658
No it'll be fine. Actually what I have on my sump growing cheato (macro algae) is a 23w energy effiencient bulb (replaces the 60 or 100w I think) in the 6700k rating range and a reflector to keep the focus over the middle section of my sump. Bulb, refector and housing for the plug in was a total of 15 bucks at Lowe's. The 6700 rating bulbs is great for growing plants.
Alrighty if the hood doesn't fit over my sump then I'll go check it out when I go pick up some PVC pipes.
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
minimal to no light is fine for rock and sand. I would buy the rock first and cycle that. then save up for the lights while the tank is cycleing. you dont even need the VHO's for fish they dont care what you have for light. the high end lights are for corals. so you could easily start adding fish once your rock is cured, without the VHO's
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Ok new solution, I got an offer on a used 2x54w T5 retrofit kit. He said it has an antic and a blue? So possibly two antics, I don't know, and TEK reflectors. For 70$ not bad even if I have to get different bulbs. So I'm guessing I'll just keep those maybe get some softies later on once tank is cycled, but eventually maybe get either some metal hallide retrofit to more T5HOs.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3137836
minimal to no light is fine for rock and sand. I would buy the rock first and cycle that. then save up for the lights while the tank is cycleing. you dont even need the VHO's for fish they dont care what you have for light. the high end lights are for corals. so you could easily start adding fish once your rock is cured, without the VHO's

+1 Completely agree! Could not have said it better myself.
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/3138433
Should I get a 2x54w T5 with TEK reflectors for 70$ or a dual 175w Metal Halide and dual 110w VHO by Hamilton for 250$?

I personally would go with the halides, if you want high light corals, 2 t-5 aren't a huge amount of light on a 55, if you want to go t-5 I would go with a 4 bulb setup.
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Well my only concern is if it's a good deal or not. Do I need to buy individual reflectors for each bulb or can I get something at HomeDepot or Lowes to make a reflector around all the bulbs? This weekend hopefully I'll go buy some PVC pipe to finish the plumbing and get a Mag 7 (if they carry it) at a pet store and pick up a bunch of supplies I have in storage. Also hopefully get an order in for some other supplies needed.
 
calbert0

calbert0

Member
get the metal halide combo, you will thank yourself later on down the road......
one reflector is fine.
only thing about the MH is heat issues... so when you make your reflector dont design it such that the lights sit 2 inches above the water level.
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Today I went out bought a 1.25" PVC pipe and I don't know what it's called
but it stops the water with a turn of the knob. I cut down the PVC pipe and it fits so if there's an electrical outage I don't have to worry about flooding. I also picked up a heater, nano protein skimmer, and about 40lbs of dried rock from storage. I rinsed the rocks and put them in the sump. I'm going to wait to add the sand to the DT till I put water in and am ready to set it up. Here are some pics:




 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Another question, should I use live rock to cycle the tank? i heard somewhere that instead of curing live rock, if you don't have anything in the tank yet you can use the dead organisms from the live rock to cycle the tank, and do water changes to remove the dead organisms. True?
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
unless you are planning on buying all cured LR (which is much more expensive) than uncured??? Personally, i would save on the money and buy uncured and cycle the tank that way, as far as adding a dead shrimp or whatnot, if your liverock is already cured, when you add it you dont HAVE to have a cycle, you can let it go for a week or so and check the ammonia and all but thats part of the reason for buying already cured,,,
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
I'm looking to get 90lbs of Fiji Premium Live Rock and from what the website says about acclimating and all I'm guessing it's uncured upon arrival.
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
most offline is uncured, but you save alot of money going that route. It also makes more sense when you dont have anything in the tank yet to go a head and cycle with the rock. Have fun, and make sure you stack you rock on the bottom of the tank, not on top of the sand...
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3139477
most offline is uncured, but you save alot of money going that route. It also makes more sense when you dont have anything in the tank yet to go a head and cycle with the rock. Have fun, and make sure you stack you rock on the bottom of the tank, not on top of the sand...

What's wrong with rock on top of the sand? I have always set the rock on top of the sand so just wondering the reason.
 
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