Biting Off More Than I Can Chew?

[TallChap]

Newbie here. Please advise best course of action:

I have 75g acrylic, wet/dry with added skimmer, Fluval 403. Bought the tank used with 4" purple tang, 4" spotted boxfish, 4" clown (possibly Cinnamon), a 2-3" pink and white puffer fish (only comes out during darkness), plus a couple of yellow tail damsels. Eventualy I want to transform this into a reef tank. I know the boxfish will eventually have to go, and possibly the others too! I understand that, just don't want to kill them by having the tank down (no where to store them).

I have the tank running with the fluval only plus a powerhead right now, with live sand at the bottom of the tank - just to keep the fish alive for now. I hope to get some live rock tonight to begin the process or converting to reef... From reading and advice I've received so far, I understand that adding live rock and slowly removing the bio-media from the wet/dry is the least tricky/expensive way to go. Any other advice? Should I just trash what I have and begin again?

Lighting is NO T12 Fluorescents. I'll likely go to compact fluorescents later (due to the hood design. MH will be a difficult thing to achieve).

 

[ChrisRD]

Yeah, ultimately (IMO) you're best-off with some good live rock, lots of circulation and good skimmer. If you want the tank to be a reef, that's the direction I would head for. The canister may still be handy in the future for periodic detritus removal, carbon filtration, etc.

HTH and :welcome:

 

[ChrisRD]

Also, when you get to the point where you're considering a lighting upgrade, read-up on it and feel free to ask questions here. There's a lot of misconceptions floating around about MH lights. Ultimately, most who stay in the hobby end-up with them so that should probably speak for itself.

 

[TallChap]

Thanks for the advice. I'm prpbably going to go with a LR, Berlin type affair. I've been running the canister to keep everyone safe and clean and happy. I have a purple tang who was in a sorry state (fin rot - likely from the disgusting mess the last owner had the tank/filters in). He/She is getting better every day and eating up a storm. It's a black clown that I have, he's fine. Yellow boxfish is very healthy, and the yellow tailed damsels seem healthy. Remember these fish were inherited. I didn't plan to have these fish at all! Just want to make sure they are healthy and happy before I find them new homes.

Still haven't identified the puffer I have - he's about 2 1/2" long, very pale, with light pink spots. long nose, blue eyes. Seems to be nocturnal (or at least very shy!). Nicknamed slug-bug, 'cos he seems to be a bit of a waste of space.....

With regard to lighting, the canopy I have probably won't allow MH without a radical rebuild, but I might succumb to that at a later date. I'm considering going to a "whole mess" of bi-ax fluorescents.

One question on Metal Halide lamping: I know the HQI style lamps are prevalent, and have proven to be very effective. However, the lighting industry moves at an incredible rate, and the "next generation" of MH is the ceramic arc tube lamps. I'm thinking that the G12 T6 style creamic metal halides might be the way to go. They have less color shift than HQI/Medium/Mogul type standard tube lamps, and excellent CRI. Has anyone successfully used these lamps? I ask because I am in the lighting industry, and have access to lamps/ballasts/lampholders etc. at very low prices.

 

[ChrisRD]

I'm not aware of any aquarium lighting that has gone that route yet, so lamp availability would probably be an issue. Most halide lamps in the reef hobby are stronger in the blue spectrum than what is typically used in commerical applications. As of now, lamps intended for the mogul and double-ended socket setups you see in the hobby are all that's readily available in the spectrums we want (as far as I know).

Another lighting system to look into if you'd like to stay with fluorescents are T-5 setups. They're a bit more expensive to setup than other fluorescents initially, but they're far more efficient, and supposedly have better lamp life. Make sure to stick with a good company like Sulight Supply that have high efficiency reflectors as that will make all the difference in how the system performs.

HTH

 

[TallChap]

Wow, quick reply!

With the new rules going into effect on March 1st (all T12 lighting to be phased out by the end of the year - although I don't know how this will affect the specialized lamps...), I'm thinking of changing what I have sooner rather than later. T5 and T5HO are quite fantastic. The compact fluorescents are, basically, a T5 lamp that's been twisted! I could, I guess, have about four tubes in my canopy (have to modify/remove the reflector).

I can't see too much of a difference in the color availability for the ceramic metal halide, and the HQI/Mogul etc. Perhaps it just the lamp prices that put people off (about $50 each!).

 

[ChrisRD]

T5 and T5HO are quite fantastic. The compact fluorescents are, basically, a T5 lamp that's been twisted!

The T-5s in the aquarium hobby are HOs. Also the reflectors available for T-5 HOs in the hobby are much more efficient than anything currently offered for other types of fluorescent lighting (including PCs).

I can't see too much of a difference in the color availability for the ceramic metal halide, and the HQI/Mogul etc.

Not sure I follow you... ...is there anything available in ceramic halide lamps in a spectrum suitable for a reef tank?

Perhaps it just the lamp prices that put people off (about $50 each!).

Heh, $50 a lamp is CHEAP for reef aquarium halides. :wink: Lamps with the bluer spectrum that are commonly used in the hobby are MUCH more expensive than standard commerical lamps. $75 per lamp is common and some are over $100 per lamp!!

 

[TallChap]

Whoa! I think I just found my new career!
That's seriously a lot of money. I need to make aquarium lighting. If that's the kind of money everyone is spending, it's a serious "KERCHING" for the manufacturers!
Not that you're getting "ripped off," but retail prices are soooo much more than the trade/manufacturing prices of the components.

Thanks for the advice. This is a cool forum. This will help me keep the little darlings happy.

 

[Len]

Note: Most of these pricey bulbs were originally targeted at other markets (studio lighting, effects, etc.), subsequently adapted for reefkeeping use. It's only recently (last decade) that we're seeing speciality bulbs designed for aquarium use ... and actually often cheaper then their predecssors.