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To cover or not to cover?

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Reefn00b

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I have a 29g long that has been running for a little over a year (my first real tank attempt). I have managed to kill a decent amount of livestock over the past year (while learning), but things seem to be stabilized now. I set up a 10g sump/fuge with caulerpa recently, and took off my skimmer because I do frequent water changes and the LFS said I really don't need both.

Anyway, it has been FO forever, and I want to get started with some inverts. My livestock is:

Maroon clown
Foxface tang
Blue tang
Cleaner shrimp
2 hermit crabs
4-5 small snails

The tangs are both less than 3", I will move them to a bigger tank once they grow and I get the opportunity to set one up.

I am going to get some new lighting, because my current setup won't keep inverts very well. I had to remove half of the glass cover when I put on the overflow box for the sump (the siphon pipe wouldn't fit with both panes). I might just take the whole thing off. Any thoughts on that matter? Also what might be my best lighting option? I don't plan to try keeping SPS in here.

Thanks!
 
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SnowManSnow

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I have always kept my reef tank uncovered (that being said I have lost one 6line wrase). When you do upgrade your lighting the open top will aid in evaporation. I know it seems like a cookie cutter answer, but I would really recommend just going ahead to a 250w DE MH pendant.. somthing like the AquaMedic pendant or a hamilton reefstar pendant. The MH will be more expensive up front, but I feel like the pros far outweigh the cons.

One more thing. If you are planning on going with more inverts and corals make sure your skimmer is up to par. For a tank of that size an AquaC Remora with a MJ1200 would be GREAT! I actually have one if you're interested (just a note). Just didn't know what your skimmer setting looked like.

Wish you luck!
B
 
R

Reefn00b

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I have a CPR Bak Pak II. It was kind of finicky, I had trouble getting consistent skimmate. I figured it was partly due to not having enough load to generate it. Again I am not very experienced with all this quite yet.

My only concern with having a completely open cover is just HOW MUCH evaporation I would get. I would have to add top-off freshwater more frequently, which has been my only gripe so far.


Oh I also have an external cannister filter, I forget the model/brand. It wasn't expensive.
 
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Reefn00b

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Also, would just one 250w pendant do the job? The tank is 36" long, so a single bulb seems kind of iffy. I guess I would still need some sort of actinic lighting as well.
 
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SnowManSnow

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hmmm i didnt see that it was 36 long. you may opt for 2 x 150w DE bulbs. That would be a TON of light though.. especially since your tank is so shallow.

You can even do 20K at 150 or 250w and you wouldn't need any actinic suplimentation. I have a 14K 400w DE over mine and it looks great. Very nice coloration.

As far as evap goes.. just add it every night and you'll be fine :) especially if you have a sump.. that way the water lvl in the display never goes down.

B
 
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Reefn00b

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Thanks for the help! I am looking forward to adding some corals/softies soon.

Any recommendations for a good starter?
 
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trido

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I agree with SnowmanSnow regarding your lighting. Why spend two hundred now and then spend three hundred two years from now. I have an AGA 30gallon 36"x12"x16" right now I have a coralife Double 96w PC fixture on it and am limited to softies. It works fine for the purpose. If you run a single 250W MH pendant, you can set it a little higher above the tank and should get plenty of spread for the tank. you could have the high light corals in the middle and the lower light "softies" near the sides. Just a thought. BTW, I am the master at only spending a couple hundred now and then spending a few hundred later. The only problem is "later" is always a couple months from now. When I change my 30 to MH I will buy one of these mini pendants. http://www.reefexotics.com/lumenarc.htm That , a ballast and a nice 14k bulb and you really cant go wrong. Right now I have PFO fixtures on the 120 and like them as well..



Just do alot of research and be real sure that the purchase you make is the one that will keep you happy long term. We all have our different opinions. :wink:
 
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Reefn00b

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Thanks for all the great advice. I ended up getting a T5 system because the tank is long, and I would have to have two halides to light it the way I wanted. Plus the mechanics of hanging them, and supplementing with actinics was too much of a hassle for my "learner tank". I should be able to keep most things with what I got, it is about 5.2 watts per gallon.


I did end up leaving the cover on it, the light fixture had enough room, and it had good penetration through the glass. My skimmer is back up and running, and producing some pretty nice (as in nasty) skimmate.


Another question. I have a scarlet and a blue leg hermit crab, and they are decent size (the shells they hang out in are about an inch in diameter). I am thinking about throwing in a couple small blue-legs to help out. Would my big ones be likely to kill the small ones?


P.S. My water parameters are finally all in line, I plan on getting my first coral this weekend! Probably some star polyps and who knows what else. My LFS is pretty good with advice, but are there any particularly good "first corals" that I should keep my eye out for?
 
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