Lighting the reef

AquaNovice · 08-21-2006, 10:48 PM

I want to thank the many people on this site for helping me out with my other posting, great help, so here's another post, hope this one goes as well.

Tank plans 75 gallon main tank, with a 25-30 gallon sump/refugium, asm g3 skimmer(still need to purchase, welcome to other suggestions, opinions, but don't really want to go over $300-$350 at most right now), thought about a fowlr system at first slowly switching to reef(maybe) or just start out as reef , unsure on lighting choices currently, want to go ahead and get the lighting required for the reef setup either way, but not sure on requirements(as far as wattage), and whether i want to get MH or PC lighting. Any help in that area?? I like softies, frog spawn, pipe organ?? Not familiar with all the sps, lps, softie names (still working on that, there's so many). Just ordered a 100 gpd 6 stage ro/di unit today with a 4 gallon storage tank (this system will replace my current one, and feed 2 refrigerator ice makers, and 3 ro faucets) .

Fly Guy · 08-22-2006, 03:18 AM

If you want to set yourself up for a reef tnak i would suggest 2-250 MH and possibly a couple of 65 or 110 vho actinics. The actinics are pretty much for visual purposea and the 250's wil set you up for now and the future and you wont run into anything you cant keep becaseu your lighting is marginal or just simp;ly insufficient.
That ASM is a great skimmer and i would have suggested it regardless if it is cheaper than some of the others.

jenajet · 08-22-2006, 03:30 AM

yep mh is the way to go. I suggest the mr1 from my reef creations. I am loving mine. I believe it is $250. I have a 90 gallon and use the mag 12 for the skimmer and mag 9.5 for the return.

AquaNovice · 08-22-2006, 07:57 AM

ok, thought i'd probably use MH, just confirmed it now, how about the light color??? 10k, 14k, 20k??? Does "my reef creations" have a website i can check out?

jenajet · 08-22-2006, 08:01 AM

myreefcreations.com sorry I couldnt get a link with the browser I am using right now but if you type it in exactly like that it will take you to the home page. as far as bulb depends on what you like. I like the 14000k hamilton. It's bright white with hint of blue so I don't need acentics.

AquaNovice · 08-22-2006, 08:04 AM

thanks, i happened to find the site, it was a link above the forum. that was easy

. The pumps are not included with the MRC skimmers are they?

jenajet · 08-22-2006, 08:06 AM

no you have to buy seperate. You don't have to go with mags that just what I have and are great. Don't get rio tho!

jenajet · 08-22-2006, 08:07 AM

general classifieds or local club forum is great place to look for pumps.

AquaNovice · 08-22-2006, 08:08 AM

ok, thanks again jena, now back to the lighting, any good places to purchase that from, should i check ebay? or are there much better places?

jenajet · 08-22-2006, 08:17 AM

You can get good deals on ebay but make sure you check buyer feedback! Look at our sponsors too trt members get 10%discount at reeftanklighting.com. Oh and I saw at MRC they do have a skimmer pump package for $335 if you want to check it out. At the top of skimmer page you see a link that says skimmer packages. I would shop around prices vary from site to site.

partobe · 08-22-2006, 08:20 AM

I have 2 175 watt mh with 15000k and love them. I just switched from 10000k. The 10000k was way too yellow.

Fly Guy · 08-22-2006, 10:31 AM

If your interested, i have a mr-2 6 months old(only used for 2) with a pcx 55 that is only 2 month old. $300 + shipping. I bought it for a 80 display but i just broke the display down and built another system and i dont need it.

AquaNovice · 08-22-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

If your interested, i have a mr-2 6 months old(only used for 2) with a pcx 55 that is only 2 month old. $300 + shipping. I bought it for a 80 display but i just broke the display down and built another system and i dont need it.

How would i go about purchasing this, if interested??? are the mr skimmers good, compared to the asm?

Fly Guy · 08-22-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaNovice

How would i go about purchasing this, if interested??? are the mr skimmers good, compared to the asm?

This is my biased, yet honest opinion.

The MR skimmers are great. They have the ability to pull out more crud than an ASM under one condition.

You gotta keep it clean. If you run a MR side my side with a ASM it will for a couple fo days kick its butt. But dont touch either of them for 2 weeks and the asm will still be chugging along doing a good job while the MR 2 is floundering.

Just my experience on the one MR that i have owned. Somebody else with more experience with them may chime in and make a better sales pitch than i just did

AquaNovice · 08-22-2006, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

This is my biased, yet honest opinion.

The MR skimmers are great. They have the ability to pull out more crud than an ASM under one condition.

You gotta keep it clean. If you run a MR side my side with a ASM it will for a couple fo days kick its butt. But dont touch either of them for 2 weeks and the asm will still be chugging along doing a good job while the MR 2 is floundering.

Just my experience on the one MR that i have owned. Somebody else with more experience with them may chime in and make a better sales pitch than i just did

Great job promoting, and useful info, i have to go out of town 2-3(at most) days at a time sometimes, not real often (Why do some NFL player think that everyone should come to them) anyways, off topic. Would the mr be ok compared to the asm for 2-3 days??