tank planning stuff?

[Riona]

Hm. Must. Make. Not. Longwinded. . .

Hm, well, after all that my tank has been through, I think I want to upgrade it. I'm still just hoping and planning for the moment, since there's a slight chance I'll be moving cross country at the end of the year and would rather have a smaller tank to move than a bigger one. Anyway. I'm looking for a 24X24X12" tank. So far it looks like I'll have to build one since the only place I've seen that size for sale at is glass cages. Definitely not going with them.

As for livestock, I plan on a coral heavy, fish light tank. I am going to have 2 blue leg hermits(may up that to 3 *shrugs*) a few(up to 5 of each species, more like 3 for most though) nerites, nassarius and ceriths. Probably a single fish, a yellow tail blue damsel. Maybe a different one, but I'm going to limit it to one small fish only. As for coral, I(currently) have a montipora digitata, a candy cane, a hammer, a lot of zoanthids, some FL ricordeas, a green striped mushroom, a maze brain and some sort of unidentified clove/xenia type of thing.

For my lights, would a 150 MH be enough? Or would I need more than that? The only sps I want to have is my montipora. So I don't have to have a ton for anything else, but I want everything in the tank to have enough.

The lighting is my biggest question at the moment, but thanks in advance for any responses :)

[dogstar74]

I think you could go with several more Hermits and be just fine. Maybe a dozen in a tank that size. They really are small.

As for the light. 150 is the biggest I'd go. Also, I'd choose if you want to stay with mostly LPS like you have, or convert to SPS. I'd keep the mixing to a minimum. Just because there is some chemical warfare that occurs and you may not ever figure out why you just can't get xyz to grow. And I'm sure that a 150 is plenty in only 12" of water. The only downside to the 150 is finding options of bulbs, color temps, and manufacturers. Anyway, good luck with the tank.

Another thought, from the sounds of it, moving and all, you are wanting to keep this simple. I'd stay away from the SPS right now. Moving a CA reactor, Kalk reactor, etc and keeping the PH and temps right etc. Doesn't sound like an easy proposition. That's not to say that LPS will fare any better, but It just sounds like you may want to postpone the hard ones until you get yourself planted. Just my .02. But I have moved a tank from Des Moines IA, To Utah, To Tucson AZ, and up to Wyoming. Not everything faired well, but I think I did ok.

Good luck
Aaron

[gumby007]

I don't dare talk anyone out of using MH lighting, but with a 12" deep tank, I think you could get away with using a T5 system. Probably something like a 4x24 with individual reflectors. I have seen them in shallower tanks grow SPS like crazy, and your color spectrum choices are much greater. Maybe it's because I am partial and that is what I use :) I agree with getting your self settled in before getting too deep, but whatever toots your horn :), GL