| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
12-20-2005, 01:25 PM
|
#1
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
New to reef tanks, help
Hello everyone. I have a29 gallon tank that I have been running for about 4 months now. I have 40lbs of live Fiji rock and about 30lbs of soft live sand. I have a Proclear Aquatic wet/dry with there protein skimmer. I have one power head in the tank for movement. It this point I have one rock with some Zoos on them and a pink open brain. Now lighting is a bit tricky. I have the 30' Orbit 24-Hour lighting Syatem that is putting out a total on 130 watts. It is a PC light system but is it good enough for a reef tank or is there a way I can up grade it without but a complete new one? Any help would be great.
|
|
|
|
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 01:34 PM
|
#2
|
|
Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,603
|
Welcome to TRT,sorry I dont know that lighting system,Im sure someone that does will chime in. 
__________________
Double your drive space. Delete Windows
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 01:55 PM
|
#3
|
|
Professor Chaos
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Arkham Asylum
Posts: 9,756
|
You should be able to keep the easier corals under that. leathers, polyps, mushrooms, etc... If you want SPS you will need to upgrade the wattage and add a MH bulb to the mix. you could keep your current fixture and throw a MH in front or behind but i would recommend getting a combo or MH only fixture instead. the general rule is 5w per gallon but that really depends on how deep the tank is. what are the dims of the tank and what coral do you want to keep?
PS, welcome  to TRT!!!
__________________
I mix twinkies and ding dongs all the time, in Europe they call it a Dinky -- Homer Simpson
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 02:05 PM
|
#4
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Its a 29 gallon tall. Thats all I know. I dont think im going to put SPS corals in there, but maybe later. |
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 02:45 PM
|
#5
|
|
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 22,093
|
29g is prolly 30x12x18 or so
Lighting should be OK for soft corals and most LPS, sounds like theu would be OK in the setup you have.
Does your wet/dry have the bioball in it?
How does the skimmer work, just curious I havent seen many of the combined units that were real impressive, but thats just me
__________________
When considering courage in battle, one should remember that there are 2 sides to every conflict.
The heroism of the losing side rarely gets remembered
but we were all husbands and fathers, sons and bros
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 02:50 PM
|
#6
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Ya it has Bioballs in it. and the protein skimmer sits on the sump of the filter. It didnt come with the filter. I had to buy it seperate from the filter. It works really good. I like it. The only problems I had was brakeing it in......
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:07 PM
|
#7
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 2,072
|
Gee's, I got an Orbit also, but I'm reading the wattage differently. There's the dual daylight (sunpaq 6700/10000K) 130 watts, and the Dual Actinic 420/460, (130watts) these together make 260watts. 29 gal x 5watts/gal is 145 watts, 260 is more than that and should be ok for SPS...that's about 9watts/gal./29gal tank. Lunar lights for play. Three independent power cords, built in fan. Nice light! |
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:09 PM
|
#8
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Well it's a 30' light 2x62 watts and it does have the dual lights in there. But I believe its still 65 watts per pack. You know what I mean.
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:12 PM
|
#9
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 2,072
|
Is it an Orbit Compact Fluorescent Light Fixture? Do you have blue light, and daylight?
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:14 PM
|
#10
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Yes i do :-)
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:21 PM
|
#11
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 2,072
|
I thought the dual daylight bulb (white) is 130watts, because there are 2-65 watt bulbs, the (blue) being another 2-65 watt bulbs;130 watts, equaling the 260 watts when on together.
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:22 PM
|
#12
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Is that true? Or is it a guess?
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:43 PM
|
#13
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 2,072
|
Checked with manufacturer, Total wattage 130 for complete lamp fixture! Sure is a great fixture though!
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:53 PM
|
#14
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 2,072
|
I truly do believe the lighting is sufficient for SPS, maybe not at the bottom of the tank, but higher on the rock. It's the same kelvin rating as a 400watt MH, and the 420n is great for the SPS too! The spectrum may not be as pure but I am gonna put a frag under the lighting to check it out!
|
|
|
|
|
12-20-2005, 03:56 PM
|
#15
|
|
Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 24
|
Let me know how it does and all. Im gonna start buy more coral now and Ill let you guys know how they are doing, Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
