to buy or not to buy

[johnsmb]

I need some guidance!! I found a used tank I am considering - it is 65 gallons - 36X18X24. It comes with a home-made hood with 2 96 watt pcs, and not too much room to add more. This works out to about 3 watts per gallon. Is this enough? I keep softies - especially mushrooms and polyps - and also some LPS. I have no interest at all in SPS. I would prefer more light - but it would be tricky to add more.

My current tank is a 25 gallon and it has 130 watts of light over it and things are doing great in there.

Also, the depth is a concern - it is 24" deep. I am a smallish person and I don't think my arm is 24" long!! I would hate to go swimming every time I dropped something Maybe I could trade someone this 65 for a shorter 58 or 60 gallon?

Finally, it comes with a Fluval 304 canister filter. Would this be any benefit to a reef tank? Would I just not use, or would it provide extra circulation? thanks.

 

[jks1]

I thnk you would be alright with this lighting for most softies. If I had a choice I would go with a shorter tank as you will get a little more light penetration- and maint is easier. I would use the fluval as a mechanical filter to be run when vacuuming the substrate of blowing off the rockwork. I wouldnt run it full time though. HTH

 

[Sealab2021]

if you part it out let me know i want a hood like that

 

[aquariumdebacle]

Buy IT!
Then put in a deep sand bed of more than 4 inches that way the bottom is closer!

 

[wanareef]

IF you buy it, you can always redo the hood and make more room for more lights - thinking T-5 here , skinner = more room, more light.

As mentioned already on the canister - I use mine to siphon out the bottom of the tank and that's all (left over from FW days)

My arms are short and I use these 12" tweezers that I got back in Cali at a swap meet. Sure do come in handy to reach the bottom or to picj up stuff the yellow-tails knock off.

hth

 

[bradreef]

You can always add a 400watt to the middle

 

[kevinpo]

I have a 90 that is the same depth and a 75 that is 3" shorter. They both have deep sand beds. I have long arms and have trouble reaching the bottom of the 90 but the 75 is a breeze. It's surprising what a difference 3" makes.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[Ray Pollett]

I have a 90 that is the same depth and a 75 that is 3" shorter. They both have deep sand beds. I have long arms and have trouble reaching the bottom of the 90 but the 75 is a breeze. It's surprising what a difference 3" makes.

HTH,
Kevin

I have them built the stand 3 " lower.

Ray

 

[B-Random]

Adding a 400w to the middle would cast a bad shadow though. I would say 2 96w PC's would be enough light, but you have to consider how hot they run and if that would be a problem for your tank. You should consider using VHO's you could run a PFO 36" Hood on the top of that tank that would provide you with two metal halides and 2 36" VHO's.

 

[jesshimom]

He says he is not remotely interested in SPS so why all the halides?

And, there are a lot of us short people with step stools as best friends.. lol

 

[johnsmb]

Thanks for all the comments to ponder! I think I am not going to get it, because I would have had to buy new bulbs and possibly another light fixture to up the lighting, and when that is all said and done, it wouldn't be that much less than a brand new set-up. I have done some shopping and around and I am thinking of a new Oceanic 58 with either 3X96 or maybe 4X96. But, I'm in no real hurry, so I'll keep looking for used for a few weeks or few months.....

But, now I have a better idea of what I am looking for. I think I really want either a 36X18 or a 48X18 - and only 20" tall.

And yes, I don't want to deal with Halides - they kind of scare me. Plus, I don't care for the looks of SPS, so I will stick to either pc or VHO. thanks again.

 

[gljjr]

Why do Halides scare you? IMHO they are much easier to deal with than Flourescents and work better too. If you are buying new I would look at the 36x24x18 as it will give you more space to put your rock.

 

[Nautilus]

IMO that is not enough light for that tank. VHO is better and MH is best.
You should not be putting your bare hands/arms in the tank anyway who knows what is on your skin that will kill or damage the corals or the fish. Use gloves or tongs.

 

[Ray Pollett]

IMO that is not enough light for that tank. VHO is better and MH is best.
You should not be putting your bare hands/arms in the tank anyway who knows what is on your skin that will kill or damage the corals or the fish. Use gloves or tongs.

I have my bare arms in tanks all day long, most of the time up to my armpits. Not a problem if you use some common sense.

Ray

 

[fishermann]

MH can be way to much lite for some softies, i have a 58 oceanic that is set up for softies and lps and run 4x96 pc and everything is doing great. I have a oceanic 75 that has 2x250 MH which has only sps in, and there are a few mushrooms and buttons that i couldn,t get out with out ruining the reef and they are not happy campers because they aren't in the shadeof any rock. Also if you have no interest in sps why go with the added expense of MH, the bulbs are expensive, they cause heat issues, they use alot more elect. and there is no need to go with them.

 

[szidls]

MH can be way to much lite for some softies, i have a 58 oceanic that is set up for softies and lps and run 4x96 pc and everything is doing great. I have a oceanic 75 that has 2x250 MH which has only sps in, and there are a few mushrooms and buttons that i couldn,t get out with out ruining the reef and they are not happy campers because they aren't in the shadeof any rock. Also if you have no interest in sps why go with the added expense of MH, the bulbs are expensive, they cause heat issues, they use alot more elect. and there is no need to go with them.

Hey John, Sounds like you need a nice Monti-Cap perched above the mushrooms.
Scott

 

[fishermann]

yeah ive thought about it but i have a bunch of different ones now and the softies do ok, their just not as happy with the MH's on as when just the actinics are, beside i really don't want the mushrooms or buttons multipling in my sps tank.

 

[B-Random]

... the bulbs are expensive, they cause heat issues, they use alot more elect. and there is no need to go with them.

Don't your 4x96w PC's cause heat issues?

 

[Nautilus]

I have my bare arms in tanks all day long, most of the time up to my armpits. Not a problem if you use some common sense.

Ray

Do we know any reefers with common sense? :lol: