Help setting up new reef tank

[d muha]

I think I put this in the wrong place so I will repost here.

I have a 135 reef ready with a 30 gal sump. Will be running an Aqua-c 240.
I am looking to set up a refugium using miracle mud but I don't know what kind of algea to use in it. I have heard calupra will some times crash. What is the best thing to use?

Next - lighting. I am considering using the T-5 HO. I had a 75 several years ago and ran it on standard florescence. I have thought about the metal halide HQI combo units but I am concerned about the heat that MH put out. The combo units at a 72 inch length have 3 metal halides - seems like alot of heat. Would a 48 inch unit light the tank well enough?

I wil be keeping mostly the easier corals, leathers, polups, mushrooms. The most demanding on the light source will probably be a few clams. I will also have a reasonably heavy stock of fish.

Live Rock - looking for a good quality and inexpensive.
Live Sand - looking for lots of the little critters,I would like to keep a Mandrin

plenum or no plenum?

Any other advice I would greatly appreciate!

 

[Jiddy]

Not tryin to be rude, just helpful, but instead of keep creatin this post to make it go to the top, you can just add a "reply" which is called a "bump" and that brings it to the top again!

I dont know much about the questions you ask, but from my experience, the only way to get good and cheap LR in the same bundle, is from a fellow reefer, otherwise if you want good stuff, you have to pay good money. They have cheap LR 2.89lb shipped to your airport. Other wise like myself, i used 200lbs of cheap baseROck, then seeded with 100lbs i bought off a fellow reefer. The sand is pretty much the same situation, hope that helps!

 

[NaH2O]

Here is a thread: Let's Talk About ~Filtration Concepts~. Around the bottom of page 4 is where talk on Miracle Mud begins. You might want to take a peek at it. Plenum vs. no-plenum will be a personal choice. I would read through threads on them and see if it is something you want to set-up.

On the live sand, you can put in the substrate you choose, then take a cup or so of live sand from a local reefer to seed the sand bed with. This will help populate your sand with critters. There are also online vendors that sell sandbed fauna.

With regards to the lighting, since you would like to keep clams, then I would think MH lighting will be the way to go. If you think you'll just be keeping some softies, then I wouldn't worry about the MHs. Is your main concern the heat? You can always add fans to keep the canopy cool, and to aid in evaporative cooling.

I think I put this in the wrong place so I will repost here.

No problem. That's what the staff is here for - if you make a mistake on where you placed your post, just let one of us know, and we'll help you out !