shopping list so far for 40gallon breeder

[saltnut]

tank + cabinet
Indo-Pacific Black sand 0.2 - 2mm 20lb water packed
10-15 lb's BR + 10 lb's LR
Nova extreme 36" T-5 156watt light
Seio 620 flow pump
100watt visa-stealth heater
Coralife dual power strip with 2 built in timers / not digital
Coralife digital thermometer
Well thats the hey lets get it set up and start the cycle list.
My son is setting this tank up for me for when I move down to FL.
I will ship some of my live rock down there also.
Not sure how much of my live stock I will ship down and how much will be in the car with me when I finally go. What everhe can not find I will order on line and ship to him. At the time I will order test kits.

Any suggestions? What else is needed to get started?

 

[JayM]

I would be nervous about the Coralife timers, and you might be a little light on LR, but it looks good otherwise.....

 

[moespeaking]

Id probably up the heater to atleast a 150 up to a 200.

 

[JayM]

skimmer?

 

[saltnut]

Thanks everyone
I will be sending some live rock from the tank I am running now.
I checked out several 40B set ups and they were using 100W. I may up it though better safe than sorry.
A skimmer is in the plans later. I do not think it is needed till after the tank cycles but I could be wrong. Let me know if I should get for during the cycle.Thanks again

 

[Dave]

Any plans on running a sump? I would take a look at the Tunze nano stream 6025 or a Hydor Koralia. 100 watt heater should be OK in Florida.

 

[saltnut]

I am not doing a sump yet. This tank is being set up at my son's home but will be moved. I am going to live at my son's for a few months. While I shop for a new place. Will use a HOB skimmer after cycle and a sump after I am in my own place. I am really nervous about a long distance move for my live stock. I have to try and keep the set up functional but simple till I am there. Thanks for the heater note. Probably need info on chillers which I have no experience with at all.

 

[jdeb101]

I also would suggest upping the heater. You may or may not need the extra wattage in FL but also consider the extra gallons if you add a sump. And for another buck or two why not? Good luck on the move!

 

[RichConley]

I also would suggest upping the heater. You may or may not need the extra wattage in FL but also consider the extra gallons if you add a sump. And for another buck or two why not? Good luck on the move!

The increased chance of livestock death in a heater failure is why not.


You're in florida, you dont need a heater.

I'd get rid of the timers, and if you havent bought those lights, buy some with individual reflectors.

 

[saltnut]

The increased chance of livestock death in a heater failure is why not. Does the chance of heater failure increase as the wattage gets higher? I am not being funny i never thought of that.

You're in florida, you dont need a heater. 100W just in case.

I'd get rid of the timers, and if you havent bought those lights, buy some with individual reflectors.

Do you know who makes a good one to check out?

 

[RichConley]

Do you know who makes a good one to check out?

Unfortunately, theyre all crap. Chances of failure dont go up as heater wattage gets higher, but the effect of failure does. If you need 75w of heat input to stay at 80', and you've got a single 100w heater, if it sticks, you're pumping a continuous 25w of extra heat in, and your tank will get real hot. If you have 2x50w heaters, when one sticks, the other shuts off.

Thats why I'd recommend multiple smaller heaters. If you want to spend some money for a quality product, spend it on something like a Ranco controller, or a PLC (Aquacontroller, Reefkeeper, etc)


That being said, i dont think you really need to worry about it. Temperature stability isnt important, IMO, and as long as the tank has a natural temperature between about 70 and 85, I think you'll be fine.


My heaters tend to get pulled out of the tank around May every year. Theyre not worth running if you dont need them... added risk with no real benefit. Around October they go back in.

 

[saltnut]

OK got it. Very logical.
I actually made that list coping atank on NR. It has been up for awhile now and looks very nice. No shopping has actually happened yet. Any ideas on what company makes the T-5 with individual reflectors?

 

[MikeG]

OK got it. Very logical.
I actually made that list coping atank on NR. It has been up for awhile now and looks very nice. No shopping has actually happened yet. Any ideas on what company makes the T-5 with individual reflectors?

The new TEK unit has individual reflectors. Aquatinics fixtures have individual reflectors as well.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28_111_112&products_id=573
I just looked at the TEK fixture on Marine Depot and it looks like it is still one reflector and not individual like I thought.

 

[saltnut]

OK time to compare. Come on poeple join in here and let me know what you think.

Nova Extreme 36" T-5 156watts 4 bulbs 39w each included 10K + 460 nm actinic with 3 white LED, one pc. German Parabolic reflector, with mounting legs
under $200. on line 3 different web sits

Aquactinics 36" TX5 195watts 5 bulbd 39w each not included lets say thats about $100.00 buy some mounting legs not included around $25.
This fixture does have individual reflectors. The price in that link is $322.
So around $445.00

Are individual reflectors worth that much more?
I am not being cheap but $200.00 on coral frags almost fills the tank. Well maybe not but you know what I mean.

 

[jc9394]

The new TEK unit has individual reflectors. Aquatinics fixtures have individual reflectors as well.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28_111_112&products_id=573
I just looked at the TEK fixture on Marine Depot and it looks like it is still one reflector and not individual like I thought.

FWIW - got this from reefgeek.com

"Tek Light T5 fluorescent lighting system complete with individual parabolic reflectors for each bulb made from German Tek 95% reflective aluminum, built-in electronic ballasts, two 8 ft power-cords and two on-off switches and I-bolts with V-Hooks to suspend the unit."

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...-Output_Fixture_with_Bulbs_by_Sunlight_Supply

 

[jc9394]

OK time to compare. Come on poeple join in here and let me know what you think.

Nova Extreme 36" T-5 156watts 4 bulbs 39w each included 10K + 460 nm actinic with 3 white LED, one pc. German Parabolic reflector, with mounting legs
under $200. on line 3 different web sits

Aquactinics 36" TX5 195watts 5 bulbd 39w each not included lets say thats about $100.00 buy some mounting legs not included around $25.
This fixture does have individual reflectors. The price in that link is $322.
So around $445.00

Are individual reflectors worth that much more?
I am not being cheap but $200.00 on coral frags almost fills the tank. Well maybe not but you know what I mean.

Tek 36" from Reefgeek is 350 and comes with your choose of blub, but the tank mounting kit is 60 additional.

 

[jc9394]

Two more T5 choice...

ATI Powermodul - ReefGeek
Fauna Marin - Aquarium Obsessed

 

[JayM]

Are individual reflectors worth that much more?

yes.

I have a NOVA Extreme T-5 on 1 tank without the reflectors, and a retrofit T-5 on the other WITH individual reflectors. The difference is night and day.

I plan to retrofit the NOVA fixture with IceCap T-5 reflectors, once my wallet recovers from my most recent reef spending.....like in 2027

We recently met with a financial planner who was asking about monthly recurring expenses for the household. I had to pad my vehicle costs to hide my reef costs, because who would believe (other than a fellow reefer) that it's several hundred dollars a month

 

[saltnut]

We recently met with a financial planner who was asking about monthly recurring expenses for the household. I had to pad my vehicle costs to hide my reef costs, because who would believe (other than a fellow reefer) that it's several hundred dollars a month

Too funny

 

[JayM]

More importantly, my wife doesn't read here.