New Setup

[rjhiii]

So, I am moving on to the world of reefkeeping after good success with Discus next month when I change apartments. It is going to be a 55g that hopefully will at some point be able to support SPS (I know it is kinda cliche, but I like em :) )

1) I want to use hellolights 4x48" VHO kit. It gives me 440 watts which is 8 per gallon. Is this going to be sufficient?

2) Is it possible to buy a tank with an overflow and not use the overflow? I know I eventually want to add a sump, but at the moment don't think I can come up with the cash.

3) I know there are some non-believers in tampa bay saltwater's "the package", but I have heard enough good things (plus the price is right) that I think I am going to go with it. Any suggestions on things I should do with it that tampa bay saltwater doesn't mention?

Thanks for all of the help. Can't tell you how much of a benefit being able to read all of the past post has been.

[NorthCoast]

First...
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1) I want to use hellolights 4x48" VHO kit. It gives me 440 watts which is 8 per gallon. Is this going to be sufficient?
It depends on what you will want to keep. For softies and many LPS you will do fine. It will also depend on the size (depth) of the tank along with the configuration of rock and location of the corals. What are you plans in those regards?
2) Is it possible to buy a tank with an overflow and not use the overflow? I know I eventually want to add a sump, but at the moment don't think I can come up with the cash.
Yes, however, a plastic Rubber-maid type container makes for an inexpensive sump. A MAG 12 pump could be used for a return and they are reliable and inexpensive.
3) I know there are some non-believers in tampa bay saltwater's "the package", but I have heard enough good things (plus the price is right) that I think I am going to go with it. Any suggestions on things I should do with it that tampa bay saltwater doesn't mention?
I don't recall if the TBS package has hermits, if so I would replace with snails or credit to use toward something else...

Keep the questions coming,
NC

[rjhiii]

1) The tank is 20" deep, but there will be approximately 3" of sand (at least if my calculations from the package are correct). What I want to do with the rock work is have two piles (wall?) in either corner going close to the surface with an open space all the way to the sand in the middle. As for what I want to keep, to be honest I am not for sure. I am trying to make my setup as flexible as possible so that if something catches my fancy in all of my research, I will have the ability to keep it.

2) Another part of my sump fears is a large spill caused by a clogged overflow. How often does this happen to people and how do you avoid it?

3) "The Package" has ALOT of hermits, but it is cheaper to go ahead and order them than to delete them. I could just not put them in the tank I guess.

And for entertainment value, I will add another question...

4) I really don't like the look of a DSB, but I understand the benefit of one. If I got a large enough sump, could I put one in it and keep the benefits of one without having to have my guests look at it?

[Eric Boerner]

Originally posted by rjhiii
1) The tank is 20" deep, but there will be approximately 3" of sand (at least if my calculations from the package are correct)... ...I am trying to make my setup as flexible as possible so that if something catches my fancy in all of my research, I will have the ability to keep it.


If you want a system that will support whatever catches your fancy, you'll need Metal Halides in addition to the VHO's that you want. For that size tank, to consider doing Acropora and Clams, you should consider 2 - 250 Metal Halides with 2 VHO using URI Actinics. That would give you the ability to keep pretty much anything in that sized tank.

However..... Being the first time you've kept corals, you may want to start with the easy stuff, like softs. You won't need to dose huge amounts of calcium, and you could go with those 4 VHO and they'd grow really well.

It's easy to crash an SPS tank, much harder to crash a soft tank. Plus the SPS would cost a fortune to replace.


2) Another part of my sump fears is a large spill caused by a clogged overflow. How often does this happen to people and how do you avoid it?


I have never had this happen and have not really ever heard it happen from people I know. If you put fish mesh in your overflow you can keep big stuff from getting into it. You should also put a sponge block on the intake inside the overflow to make maintence easier, and keep smaller stuff from getting sucked in.

If you go sumpless, what kind of skimmer are you going to use, and where will it go?


3) "The Package" has ALOT of hermits, but it is cheaper to go ahead and order them than to delete them. I could just not put them in the tank I guess.


Where are you going to put them if not in the tank? :) You'll need those hermits anyway. I purchase at least 10 new ones every 6 months.


4) I really don't like the look of a DSB, but I understand the benefit of one. If I got a large enough sump, could I put one in it and keep the benefits of one without having to have my guests look at it?

You 'could' do it with a large enough sump. You would have to have some massive GPH flow from the sump to tank in order for the main tank to benefit from it. You would also need to make sure you clean the detrius from the bottom of your main display often, since there wouldn't be any bugs to help process it.

If astetics are the sole reason you don't want a DSB, how about putting extra high trim around the base of the tank? It'll obscure the depth of the sand.

[rjhiii]

1) I think I am going to go with the VHO and if I decide to later move to a SPS tank, I can upgrade.

2) If I go without a sump I was going to use the CPR backpack skimmer. Although I am starting to think that a sump is the way to go.

3) I am very torn on this hermit issue. Some are telling me hermits are bad, others that they are good, others that I only need a few. I think I am going to use them because of the good things I have heard about the package. Plus the guys at Tampa Bay swear by them and say they stay small and don't kill the snails or eat corals.

4) The other reason why I want the DSB in the sump is that "the package" only provides for a few inches of live sand and includes alot of sand sifters. I was hoping that I could get the benefit of the DSB out of the sump while still operating a shallow sand bed in the tank. What kind of water flow would I need in the sump to pull off the DSB?