i plan on getting 2 after my cycle, does having a powerhead help my cycle period? if so ill go get one sooner then later...(lights are in the mail should be here soon)
It won't help your cycle, but it will help keep your water cleaner. Without one, you'll probably see a film forming on the surface pretty soon. If you plan to get one in the future, no big deal -- it can go without for now.
Reminds me of when I set up 2 years ago... Oh how little I knew then.... Lets just say I had shop lights hanging over my tank for a bit until I too bought a 4 bulb fixture from aquatraders =P That light is doing great and helping to grow SPS with my ATI bulbs ;)
Thanks guys I'm really looking forward to the end of my cycle (about 2 weeks left) my rock is really tanking off and turning purple from the coralline Algee
don't know if its a problem but I've got a 4 bulb t5 fixture on the top of my tank, now I've got the problem to where as water splashes on the acrylic protector and it becomes dry because of the heat from the lights leaving salt all over the acrylic protector, should I remove the protector and dip it in the water to return the salt or just wash it off regularly (salinity would go down slowly?)
I would just wipe it off with a towel dipped in a water/white vinegar mix (makes the salt come off a little easier). You shouldnt be getting a ton of splashing on the light guard, I wouldnt worry about its effects of lowering the salinity
I would try to minimize the splashing.
You should have to clean it off once in a while but not that often.
The more salt that shield collects, it blocks a significant amount of light from reaching your corals. So I would minimize the splashing best you can :)
there's nothing I can really do, the return flow of my filter causes bubbles and when those bubbles hit the surface they go pop lol causing splashes every other second