The Making of an 80g Lagoon

[Yonkers28]

I first had 1 200 w dim Evolution led about 16" from water line
And worked great but there were some dead spot on the sides.
Now I just added one more 150 w Evo and more corals are growing like crazy.
My arcos love them lol

 

[jackson6745]

Nice!

Should I go with 2 x 250 metal Halide OR the 36 Tek 6 bulb fixture I have now?

Tek's are ok but I would try to get a used ATI fixture. They are substantially brighter. IMO halides with supplements will give you the best look but you know what's involved....... Heat, electric, bulbs etc..

 

[JonnyJ]

T5 with a reefBrite!

 

[nanoreefer22]

Rich,

You're right, heat and bigger bills are always a concern. I'll keep my eye out for an ATI fixture.

I like the reefbrite idea, I could just attach those to my fixture right?

 

[JonnyJ]

Yah, you can use the supplied brackets and mod them to the front of the fixture.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Interesting, they're kind of pricey but I mean a strip on either side would probably add a nice shimmer effect too.. :scratch:

 

[JonnyJ]

1 will be enough. They help with pop and definitely shimmer.

Google Rehypes nano, he runs 6 bulb t5 with one reefBrite strip on his tank an the colors are beautiful.

 

[nanoreefer22]

That tank is really nice. I can always start with one and add another if need be. I'll keep an eye out for a used one.

 

[nanoreefer22]

What about a sump? Thinking a 40g, but wondering if a 75g would be a better size to fit skimmer/fuge, etc..

I've also been playing with the idea of having a 12g rimless (have the tank sitting around) as a fuge/display with mangroves some xenia and plumbing that back to my main tank. Would place it in front of a window to avoid having additional lights in the spring, summer, and fall months. Thinking a mangrove "forest" would be nice sitting next to the display. This would allow me to keep a smaller sump (40g).

Just not sure yet. Thoughts?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Whatever you can fit in the stand kris and make sure u can fit a fuge i wish i could...

 

[thirty6]

I really like the idea of display fuge

 

[nanoreefer22]

How big of a fuge?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Me too..gonna have to convince the wife it can look like more than just green "stuff"

 

[Tonyscoots84]

U can cut a window in wherever your fuge is in ur stand

 

[nanoreefer22]

I wanted to put it in front of an actual window so it would get natural sunlight. Some xenia, mangroves, seahorses, pipefish..endless possibilities right?

 

[al0ha]

aiptasia, majano. u can come get some if u want.....

 

[thirty6]

How big of a fuge?

I guess that's a call you'd have to make based on setup/placement
The pipefish sound a lot better than "green" stuff. I think of it as a species type tank that benefits your main..... Pipefish sounds interesting, i saw a mantis in a fuge on you tube awhile ago but it was a large setup that was directly behind the main tank (wall in-between though)

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Kris you would want your fuge light on when ur display lights are off.... I dont think the wifey would like the fuge infront of a window :lol2:

 

[nanoreefer22]

If I go with the separate species tank I think I'll leave out the fuge in the sump, maybe just a huge ball of chaeto.

I do like the idea of of the pipefish too..this could turn out very interesting. Share a sump with the main tank and that takes care of the stability issues.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Kris you would want your fuge light on when ur display lights are off.... I dont think the wifey would like the fuge infront of a window :lol2:

:lol2: Yea if it's in the sump I would, but I'm really liking the idea of a separate species tank plumbed into the system rangehat