Sorry a little late on the start of my cron. But better late than never I suppose. I guess ill start off how it became what it is.
About 2 months ago I was just looking on Craiglist and came across 125 that some guy needed to sell immediately so needless to say I got a pretty good deal. I currently have a 40 gallon with 6 line, blue damsel, 2 clowns, with various corals, (frog spawn, orange plate, Kenya tree, various shrooms and zoo, sun coral, star polyp, some lords, and a leather) which i will eventually transfer over to the 125.
Here is what it included. The guy only had the tank and everything for about a yr so everything is in great condition.
Equipment
-125 marineland dual corner overflows (72x18x22)
-matching marineland stand and canopy
-megaflow 4 sump
-quiet one 4000 return pump
-coralife 220 protein skimmer
-auto top off with mag drive 1 pump
-coralife 4 stage RO system
-200 and 400 watt heater
-coralife wave controller
-2 koralia 4 pumps
-4 vhos and ballast
-tons of testing supplies
-bucket of salt
-cleaning magnet
-fish nets n glass scrapers
- 2 fans installed in canopy
Live stock
-150 lbs live rock (50 of it is Fiji rest is Caribbean which I am going to replace with Fiji)
-120 lbs of sand which I cleaned and am going to reuse
-clown
-urchin
-tons of snails and hermits
All for 600 bucks
I have had all of the rock in the tank along with 2 damsels for over a month now. Ammonia and nitrates and everything read zero. There are a few things I want to upgrade eventually like skimmer and return pump but they can wait for a little.
The main thing I am trying to find is lighting because the old lighting sucks. I def want metal halides. and am going to retro my own ballast and lights, but I am in a fix with what to get, if I didn’t have a center brace I would go with 3 250 watt metal halides but since I have a center brace the middle light would just be shadowed out so it would be pointless to have. So I am debating now between 2 250s or 2 400s. Most likely going to go with the 400's with mogul base. But would like some feedback. Also my canopy isn’t very tall so prob am going to have some heat problems I believe. The distance from water to canopy is 10 3/4 inches. There already is 2 computer fans installed on either side of the canopy as you can see by the picture. Also not sure about what shape of reflector. Here are some links as to what I was looking at. I am on winter break now from college so trying to get this situated away now.
What you think?
Ballast
400 Watt Metal Halide Ballast Kit
&
Reflector
Metal Halide Parabolic reflector Set w/Mogul Base - eBay (item 270217816515 end time Jan-01-09 11:23:18 PST)
Or
Kit
400 watt MH Grow Light BALLAST KIT 400w METAL HALIDE w - eBay (item 180128294797 end time Dec-28-08 06:53:39 PST)
Actinic
36'' 2X 39 T5 HO Retro Aquarium Light Brand New + BULBS - eBay (item 190272906718 end time Dec-19-08 09:03:42 PST)
Anyone see any problems with this lighting or think I am going to have to get a chiller or any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
About 2 months ago I was just looking on Craiglist and came across 125 that some guy needed to sell immediately so needless to say I got a pretty good deal. I currently have a 40 gallon with 6 line, blue damsel, 2 clowns, with various corals, (frog spawn, orange plate, Kenya tree, various shrooms and zoo, sun coral, star polyp, some lords, and a leather) which i will eventually transfer over to the 125.
Here is what it included. The guy only had the tank and everything for about a yr so everything is in great condition.
Equipment
-125 marineland dual corner overflows (72x18x22)
-matching marineland stand and canopy
-megaflow 4 sump
-quiet one 4000 return pump
-coralife 220 protein skimmer
-auto top off with mag drive 1 pump
-coralife 4 stage RO system
-200 and 400 watt heater
-coralife wave controller
-2 koralia 4 pumps
-4 vhos and ballast
-tons of testing supplies
-bucket of salt
-cleaning magnet
-fish nets n glass scrapers
- 2 fans installed in canopy
Live stock
-150 lbs live rock (50 of it is Fiji rest is Caribbean which I am going to replace with Fiji)
-120 lbs of sand which I cleaned and am going to reuse
-clown
-urchin
-tons of snails and hermits
All for 600 bucks
I have had all of the rock in the tank along with 2 damsels for over a month now. Ammonia and nitrates and everything read zero. There are a few things I want to upgrade eventually like skimmer and return pump but they can wait for a little.
The main thing I am trying to find is lighting because the old lighting sucks. I def want metal halides. and am going to retro my own ballast and lights, but I am in a fix with what to get, if I didn’t have a center brace I would go with 3 250 watt metal halides but since I have a center brace the middle light would just be shadowed out so it would be pointless to have. So I am debating now between 2 250s or 2 400s. Most likely going to go with the 400's with mogul base. But would like some feedback. Also my canopy isn’t very tall so prob am going to have some heat problems I believe. The distance from water to canopy is 10 3/4 inches. There already is 2 computer fans installed on either side of the canopy as you can see by the picture. Also not sure about what shape of reflector. Here are some links as to what I was looking at. I am on winter break now from college so trying to get this situated away now.
What you think?
Ballast
400 Watt Metal Halide Ballast Kit
&
Reflector
Metal Halide Parabolic reflector Set w/Mogul Base - eBay (item 270217816515 end time Jan-01-09 11:23:18 PST)
Or
Kit
400 watt MH Grow Light BALLAST KIT 400w METAL HALIDE w - eBay (item 180128294797 end time Dec-28-08 06:53:39 PST)
Actinic
36'' 2X 39 T5 HO Retro Aquarium Light Brand New + BULBS - eBay (item 190272906718 end time Dec-19-08 09:03:42 PST)
Anyone see any problems with this lighting or think I am going to have to get a chiller or any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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