First Reef Setup!! Questions... Please help!

[wackd99]

gotcha - do any of you know much about corals? the only thing left for me to decide is whether I'll need the HQL sunpod...

i didnt plan on needing it, but then again I know NOTHING about corals. Can someone post some general corals that are found in a typical reef tank that DO and DONT need HQL lighting?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

i would just buy a regular like all glass tank you will prolly spend half that for the size you want.

 

[wackd99]

I honestly dont know enough about different filters, stand alone lights, at this point to think about doing it like that - the aquapod type tanks sort of do it all for you ... If you'd like to recommend some solutions I'd be happy to entertain that idea! :D

 

[daugherty]

gotcha - do any of you know much about corals? the only thing left for me to decide is whether I'll need the HQL sunpod...

i didnt plan on needing it, but then again I know NOTHING about corals. Can someone post some general corals that are found in a typical reef tank that DO and DONT need HQL lighting?

Thanks again for all the help!

you dont need HQI lighting unless you cant get a good set of t5's that will fit on the tank or the tank is too deep. but with just pc's you be be limited to softies mainly and maybe some LPS

 

[wackd99]

you dont need HQI lighting unless you cant get a good set of t5's that will fit on the tank or the tank is too deep. but with just pc's you be be limited to softies mainly and maybe some LPS

What are T5's? I was looking at the 150watt HQL - Sunpod. Heres a link:
Is this not worth it?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3730+13976&pcatid=13976

 

[daugherty]

if you got that set up you could keep anything you want with that light. i would got that route or a set of nova pros

 

[wackd99]

Thanks for the help on that one. I might take your advice and just get the normal canopy... I looked at both the nanocube and aquapod... can anyone help shed some light on this?

The Nanocube is about 50-60 bucks more than the Aquapod - is it the lighting that's different?
the 2 light canopies on the Nanocube and Aquapod are as follows:

NanoCube: two 36-watt 50/50 compact fluorescent lamps offering 72 total watts or 3 watts of lighting per gallon

Aquapod: 1-32W square pin Dual Daylight 10000°K/6700°K Daylight bulb, 1-32W square pin Dual Actinic 460nm/420nm Actinic bulb, 2 blue LED lights,

I have no idea what the difference is other than the 8watt difference...

 

[Teixeira29]

your going to have to get a nano korilia pump because your tank is so small! Yote or Dustin no more about this stuff. I have never had one of those before!

 

[yote]

Frogspawn,hammer,and torch corals are all in the same family.
We've got several at the store in a bio-cube with the stock PC lights and they are doing great.I actually think the stock lights would be fine for most LPS corals.

 

[Bifferwine]

I also think the stock PC lights would be fine for most corals. There really isn't much point in buying those types of tanks without the hoods. If you are going to get a different light setup, might as well save a bunch of money and just get a regular tank. The HQI lights are much more expensive, and not necessary unless you want to keep SPS, clams or an anemone.

 

[wackd99]

The local store I went to has a stripped down Nanocube... theres the back filter area still but all the filtration stuff was ripped out. They offered it to me for REALLY cheap - All I'd need is a light on top if i wanted to do a natural filtration set up...

You guys have any ideas on if this would work or how I could utilize the back filtration area to my advantage? This would by far be the cheapest scenario i think!

 

[wackd99]

I also think the stock PC lights would be fine for most corals. There really isn't much point in buying those types of tanks without the hoods. If you are going to get a different light setup, might as well save a bunch of money and just get a regular tank. The HQI lights are much more expensive, and not necessary unless you want to keep SPS, clams or an anemone.

Thanks for all the advice and info! I think I'm going with the 24g Aquapod - what else will I need right away? A Hydrometer and salt obviously... What kind of salt is good for a reef? Any other things? tank treatment stuff?

 

[yote]

Skip the hydrometer and get yourself a refractometer to begin with.You'll think yourself later.As for salt,I personally use SeaChem Reef salt.But I have used Oceanic too.Both are good salts.