lights and bio wheel on nano....????

[Linda]

I got a ity bity 5 gallon nano. Cheap....wally world. didn't want to put a lot of money into it until I'm sure I can do it, but then that could back fire ha? Oh well...my questions: It has, and I quote..."Full Spectrum Floourescent Lighting" whoo hoo. Okay..what kind of lights should I have? Please be kinda specific as I am ......dumb.
Secondly, I was told not to use the bio wheel...and I also read that someplace. Is this true? (It would be good, cuz I either lost it already or it didn't come with the cheap tank like it was suppose to..... )
thanks for the advice in advance.

[Loverotties]

I answered you in your other post!

[DevilBoy]

well Linda... you have to start somewhere. what i am gonna tell you is just my opinion it is not slated in stone. using bio wheels in a marine tank or a reef tank real have no good use. after time the wheels will collect crude and end up throwing nitrates back into your water, that is why alot of ppl call bio wheels nitrate factories. as for your lighting, yea the lighting is not that great, if you are planning to keep corals, the lowest i would go for lighting would be VHO or power compact lighting. i dont know what your hood looks like but i know they make small retro fit kits in the PC and VHO lighting. but if you just plan on keeping liverock and a fish, the stock lighting should be fine. most ppl say there should be at a minimium of 3 to 4 watts per gallon to keep low light corals. which would be your shrooms, and some leathers. i hope this helps. if it doesnt please ask further and i will try my best to help.

[davidsreef]

Linda,
I started with a Penguin ?? filter, that had a bio wheel and disposable filter with carbon. It seemed to work on a fish only sw setup. Yes, I ran the bio wheel, and yes my nitrates were high. Then I got a skimmer, and now my water is MUCH better. Could have the bio wheel affected the water quality?? I don't know for sure, but I am sure it did. So, in my opinion I would take out the wheel and run it like that. Like Devilboy said, they are nitrate factories - and that has been my experience, although it may not kill your fish but it could harm any corals in the future. Just my 2 cents.

[davidsreef]

Also, Devilboy is correct about the lighting, what you have won't support corals (except you may be able to keep a sun coral??? What does everyone think? They don't use light for photosynthesis, so it could be an option. Hmm something to think about ). What corals you want to keep will help you determine what kind of lighting to get. Lighting for 5 gallon will be tricky due to the small size, but not impossible. Metal halide might be too much and too much heat, unless you do a sump! I can help you build one of those, its fun. Another 2 cents from me, now you have 4 cents.

[Linda]

Thanks everyone. I don't know about the corals...was going to get some from Lori, ones that she said would be good for beginners like me.....had fowlr for only a year...little over maybe. I thought I'd be getting them at the meeting saturday, but even if I make it...I have nothing to trade and not enough money to get anything just now. So what else is new...lol. The corals will just have to wait, but thanks for the advice and input. Have fun saturday if you go, and I don't get there to say hello!