Tank Progression: 60 gallon

[*GSP*Fan*]

I think that should work as a sump/fuge. You'll have to alter it a bit, by adding baffles.
Do you have a skimmer large enough for a 90g now?
You can certainly build your own canopy.

How hard are adding baffles? I'm not one for DIYing lol.

The one I have is rated for 100g by BRS, they rate under what the manufacturer does on their site. Its the Reef Octopus BH 2000. If it'd fit and work on the 'sump' that'd work out much better. I got it at that size so it would be rated for almost double the water volume I had though.

I don't know if I could, I swear I have never built anything and kinda try to avoid it. I don't know why, I've just been like that. My dad is actually a contractor, you'd think I would have picked some basic stuff up.

Any real benefit of a canopy? It just hadn't been something I was worried about.

Think 600 is a fair price or that I should even offer less? I was going to offer less and see what he said I just don't want to seem unfair either. Especially seeing as its not and actual sump and no skimmer.

I was thinking when you mentioned the 600 that would be for a setup that wasn't running and therefore probably no live rock after seeing the post for this 90. Thought that was at least a plus.

[Pufferpunk]

So how are the lights installed?

[*GSP*Fan*]

So how are the lights installed?

I have no idea but my LEDs will be hung. Still working on that actually. If I picked up everything I need tonight I'd like to go ahead and get them up later on tonight, hooks are already in the ceiling.

I wouldn't want the metal halides, for my use anyway.

I'm still trying to figure out if I want the setup or not. I don't want to have to purchase or start from scratch building a sump really, not yet anyway. It'd be different if I was starting from the beginning. The 90 is going to have to go where my 60 is so I would need to get it all setup and moved in one day. I don't know how I'd even mange that. Trying to work that out I guess.

I kinda hate to pass up a 90 already drilled with the live rock and all. Hard to say when I'll see another one. There really isn't much of that listed in my area and this one is an hour away.

I still know someone who has a 90 and stand for $200 but its not drilled. How terrible would it be to run 90 without a sump, or add one down the road if needed?

I really would love to have a larger tank and more to work with.

Just don't want to jump into something I'm not ready for or anything that might would cause problems down the road.

[Pufferpunk]

I really, really, really wish you'd hold onto your $$$ with the LEDs for now. If you're already going to receive MH with the tank, you might want to try them, 1st. I'm very happy with mine. Are there also PC bulbs in the fixture?

[*GSP*Fan*]

I really, really, really wish you'd hold onto your $$$ with the LEDs for now. If you're already going to receive MH with the tank, you might want to try them, 1st. I'm very happy with mine. Are there also PC bulbs in the fixture?

I already bought them a few weeks ago. I did just get them up last night though. I do really like the looks of them over the T5HO but obviously thats not the important part. The PAR readings are pretty good and will certainly be sufficient for keeping what I want to, even SPS if/when I decide to. Guess we'll see.

I am going to hold onto the T5HO fixture though.

I don't know much about the metal halide that is with the 90g, or metal halides in general. I could ask more about it if I knew more of what to ask.

He didn't seem to know much about it, I believe he said it was one his dad had used with his setup at some point. I remember him mentioning something about having changed the bulbs but thats about it.

The only coral he has is a mushroom of some type, frilly or something, I forget.

[PufferMe!]

I think you'll be happy with LED's. The light does tend to be more intense, so be careful and acclimate your corals to the light. You may want to hang the light higher from the tank to start, and see how that goes, and lower later, as your corals get used to them. Very pretty light, no changing bulbs, much more efficient and corals do very well under them. IMO The colors of corals are much nicer under LED light also. I love when my blue lights are on at night. So cool!

The fish and corals all look different than they do under the white light.

[*GSP*Fan*]

I think you'll be happy with LED's. The light does tend to be more intense, so be careful and acclimate your corals to the light. You may want to hang the light higher from the tank to start, and see how that goes, and lower later, as your corals get used to them. Very pretty light, no changing bulbs, much more efficient and corals do very well under them. IMO The colors of corals are much nicer under LED light also. I love when my blue lights are on at night. So cool!

The fish and corals all look different than they do under the white light.

Hey, you didn't leave!

I believe I will be to. I mean I know I like the look of them already, I'll just have to see how they do with the corals and all. They should work great according to the PAR and they are 3w Cree LEDS.

Definitely brighter! I wasn't thinking when I first plugged in the light after receiving it, just to see if it works, I was holding it pointed directly at my face. Took me a bit to see right again

I actually bought a controller so I can dim the lights, it is kinda a need effect but makes me feel better about getting the corals used to the new lighting. It has a little remote too, pretty neat. I can't actually set anything with the remote besides the time but can turn all the lights on/off and dim them with it. The controller takes an SD card but I haven't messed with actually programming the scheduling of the lights and intensity. The guy who runs the site selling the lights did it for me when I told him what my schedule is like. I believe the blues are on at 100% but the white are dimmed.

I do really like that I won't have to worry about and pay for changing bulbs. It not heating up is a plus too.

The blues are nice, definitely brighter than the ones on my T5HO. They're obviously not important but they are neat. Since I finished setting up the lights so early this morning I did snap a quick photo of the tank with just the blues on. Not a very good one but I just wanted a photo. I'm not sure what level there were at though.

[Pufferpunk]

I think you'll need to add reds/pinks.

[*GSP*Fan*]

I think you'll need to add reds/pinks.

Maybe, I've read conflicting information on the 'colors' needed, seems theres certainly people on both sides.

If they don't provide what the corals need I'll return to the T5HOS and will get new bulbs for it.



I'm still unsure of 90 gallon. I know I want to upgrade and a 90g is a size I believe I'll be happy with. I'm worried some about the upgrading process in general, moving everything over/setting up and all from two tanks all at once. This would have been easier if I would have been a little more patient to begin with, or knew more about what I wanted, and went for a larger tank then.

Still worried about the idea of a sump and all of that. Just because it isn't something I have have much of a clue about now. I'm sure I'm making it out harder than it needs to be, I was worried about a skimmer at first but seeing it in person and actually getting to mess with it helped out so much. I feel I'd be the same when it comes to a sump and the plumbing/etc it requires. I'm just so afraid of messing something up or something going wrong and having a flood or something on my hands. While I'm standing there clueless. I think I worry too much

Also finding it hard to spend $600 on the drilled 90g when I can get another 90g and stand for $200, not drilled though. I also haven't seen that one.

Would it be a bad idea to run a 90g without a sump, or maybe without one for a while and add it later?

[Pufferpunk]

Did you follow up on any of the links I gave you to contact any local reef clubs? I think it might benefit you to make some friends there & go check out their tanks.

[*GSP*Fan*]

Did you follow up on any of the links I gave you to contact any local reef clubs? I think it might benefit you to make some friends there & go check out their tanks.

Yes I did. I found the one on facebook and actually sent a message. It is a good distance from me but thought it may be worth the drive when I was able to make it for any meetings and such (not really sure what else to expect). My response from them was that they were going to look for one closer to my area as well, haven't heard back yet.

I also found an ad on Craigslist about a Reef Club, it was listed as in VA, just not sure where in VA. Depending on where it may not be that far. Haven't heard back though.

I definitely think it would benefit me, thats for sure.

I actually just remembered a friend of mine saying something before about I believe it was a cousin of hers, keeping a reef tank. I believe it was a reef tank. I'll have to ask her about that tonight and see what she knows. He would be much closer to where I live and if he still has a full setup running that'd be great. If not, depending on what all he has worked with, he might be able to help in some way.

Edit: I had forgot to mention, my ricordea have been opening up starting yesterday I believe it was. I think there was one that was not open and the others weren't quit as open as I have seen them, but much, much better than they had been. Makes me happy I like the ricordeas.

[bertie 83]

Being a horticulturist by trade, land plants need a range of colours throughout their life cycles to get the best from them. White and blue are indeed the most important spectrum colours for growth, the red ad or pink spectrums allow them to display better colours or flower depending wether it is a coloured leaf plant or a flowering plant. The sun provides all these spectrums. Now I know nothing at all about corals but feel you should provide everything the sun would in their natural environment. You already have the LEDs to provide white and blue, perhaps add a t5 or two with the red spectrum and its a win win situation? Just wanted to relay the thoughts running through my head.

[*GSP*Fan*]

Being a horticulturist by trade, land plants need a range of colours throughout their life cycles to get the best from them. White and blue are indeed the most important spectrum colours for growth, the red ad or pink spectrums allow them to display better colours or flower depending wether it is a coloured leaf plant or a flowering plant. The sun provides all these spectrums. Now I know nothing at all about corals but feel you should provide everything the sun would in their natural environment. You already have the LEDs to provide white and blue, perhaps add a t5 or two with the red spectrum and its a win win situation? Just wanted to relay the thoughts running through my head.

I'd like to give it some time but you do make some good points. I also didn't think about just doing T5 in addition. That would be the easiest/cheapest route if I didn't want to stop using the LEDs. To buy new LED fixtures would be expensive, though I might could just get LEDs of different colors and maybe even replace some of the white/actinic. If I go back to the T5HO I'd just mix up the bulbs, right now it just has two white and two actinic.

The LEDs on the fixtures are:

(2) Purple 427nm (blue channel)
(4) White 10000k (white channel)
(4) White 14000K (white channel)
(4) White 20000K (blue channel)
(6) Blue 460nm (blue channel)
(4) Royal Blue 453nm (moon light)

If I see any issues out of these LEDs, relating to the corals/etc., I'll definitely post here to see where to go from there.

[PufferMe!]

Your tank looks lovely. Be prepared, you'll probably get some diatoms because you've added new lights. I had some with the LED's but they went away quickly. I love having a drilled tank, but with all you've been through getting this tank set up, perhaps you should enjoy it, and wait a bit longer to decide. Is this your first tank ever? Had you ever had a freshwater tank, or did you go right to saltwater.

[*GSP*Fan*]

Your tank looks lovely. Be prepared, you'll probably get some diatoms because you've added new lights. I had some with the LED's but they went away quickly. I love having a drilled tank, but with all you've been through getting this tank set up, perhaps you should enjoy it, and wait a bit longer to decide. Is this your first tank ever? Had you ever had a freshwater tank, or did you go right to saltwater.

Thank you! Need to see some photos of yours

I've still got some diatoms going on, nothing bad, just mainly on the rocks. Every now and then I see some on the glass, none on the sand though.

I guess the biggest decision between the tanks comes down to the sump. The one tank, not drilled, I'd have to go about a sump in a different manner (don't know much about that way either). But it would be easy to just get up and running and not worry about a sump now, also cheaper up front.

I'm just thinking with the other drilled I'm going to have to buy an in sump skimmer right away, which are pretty pricey, on top of the $600 for the tank and all. It'd just be nice to kinda see how things would go without a sump without spending the extra money.

But again I'm sure drilled is easier....ugh I don't know.

I've thought that as well, I mean I haven't had this one long, I wouldn't be making any drastic changing to the stock or anything of that matter, just upgrading the space basically. I began thinking a while ago I would like a larger tank and would upgrade at some point I just wasn't in any rush to do so. It got brought up now because of the two tanks that are available to me for sale, I know we've talked about how limited craigslist and such is in my area, so I kinda hate to pass it up.

I had freshwater a long time ago and then started up a small freshwater before the saltwater for breeding snails. This tank has been cycled since the very beginning of November and I started researching tanks a month or so before joining this forum.