Couple of questions for a new reef

[cowdawg]

Hi Guys!,
Im not necessarilly new to the site, but havent been around for a couple of years, so... Hello! (again)

Anyways, Im going to be setting up a 40 gal reef from scratch, and I have a couple of questions. First off, my friend has a 400 watt mH that I can have for free. I know this is a good light but I was wondering if it is TOO strong for the 40 gal. The light is a sunlight supply grow lamp so Im not sure if I need a special bulb for the aquarium, as opposed to the horticultural lamp it comes with? I hope it will work, because a 175 watt mH at my LFS is 300 $. (Im trying to save $ where I can).

Next off, I am not sure if I should make a sump from a tank at the LFS or buy a pre-made one. Is there one that any of you would recommend for my 40 gal? Im thinking that I can design one myself for around 75 $.

And last for now, I was looking to purchase an urchin or urchin pro skimmer. Am I on the right track with one of these? I have heard good things about them, and they are reasonably priced.

Thanks for the help!

[D to the P]

400 watts is too strong. You would have to pour SPF 45 sunscreen into the tank haha. No, it would work but you would have to hang it like 3 feet above the aquarium. I would look into T5 lighting. Check out the Current USA Nova Extreme Pro 36". Not a bad price, comparable to 150 watt metal halides (all you would really need), cheap bulbs, cheaper to run, bulbs last longer. IMO they are all around better. Something to consider though. Haven't used an urchin, so I can't speak on them.

[uscharalph]

Get a bigger tank.

[cowdawg]

I already have my tank, stand, and other parts. Ive figured my budget out for the 40 gal, and cant afford to do it right with a larger tank. I def. want mH lighting, the thing is the 400 watt will be cheaper than a smaller light, because my friend will gift it.

It will hang from the ceiling, so it can be a ways above the tank. Am I dreaming? Or should I buy a new 175 watt for 300$?

[Playa-1]

The 400 watts is too much for the 40 gal.
I would go with a retro t-5 in a 40 gal. It would be inexpensive and energy efficient.
I'm not familiar with an Urchin skimmer. I think there are better options out there for you. I would also go with a larger tank for salt water. Your not going to be able to do much with a 40 gallon tank. You may want to look into purchasing a complete system that somebody is selling off to move or upgrade. You can really get some good deals on used equipment if your patient. I would use the 40 for a sump/fuge. Use the stand for firewood :)

[cowdawg]

My previous tank was a 20 gal. reef with a 10 gal. fuge/sump, so the 40 is quite a step up. Trust me, if I could afford a 120 gal. I would but... Right now I have most everything in a budget that is upward of 2 grand. Buying a larger tank is kind of out of the question for me. I am already going to have to buy 60 lbs of LR at 4.99$ a lb. from my ONLY LFS nearby.

So, if the 400 watt is too strong, then what about a 175? 250? There are like 10 Hydroponic stores near me, so I can find pretty much any type of halide I want. I just liked the idea of a free one!
My previous tanks always had T5 lighting, and I'm pretty set on a halide for this tank.

Are halide grow bulbs the same from the hydro store as ones from the LFS? Different spectrum maybe?

[kaskiles]

Hi,

See if you can get some specifications off the bulb packaging, and find those bulbs listed in Sanjays site:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/selectperformancedata.php

Otherwise, I'd expect that those bulbs would be similar to reef bulbs based on the Kelvin temperature rating: 10000, 13000, 20000, etc.

I would think you could do what D to the P said, and just hang the light higher. The big thing you'll probably need to adjust the height for is water temperature rise. I'd think you could cook 40 gallons pretty quickly with 400 watts. Make sure you have some serious water flow in there, see if that friend also has an extra EcoTech, VorTech propeller they can sell you cheap. And put one of those big stand fans nearby.

Put some house plants around the tank to soak up all the light overflowing the edges of the tank :)

[spider86]

I had a 400w over a 37 gal w/n 10 in off the water inside a canopy. I ran this for a couple years. So you can do a 400w, BUT you need fans and a chiller. The only reason I downgraded was the cost of running it. Also if you do go 400w inside a canopy, you MUST be very carefull of how you mount it so the heat disapates. Also, you do not want to use the grow bulbs that come with it. They are usually very low Kelvin and may cause excessive algea growth.

[demonsp]

400 high but you might be able to use at a higher distance from the tanks surface i would research that. Then the bulbs to need replaceing yearly so consider that.

Then urchines love coralline and in a 40 will out grow this fast and only bother all coral.

[D to the P]

urchin brand skimmer demonsp, not an actual urchin. :lol:

[demonsp]

My long spine urchine kept my coralline at bay with visible scrape marks on LR from snacking. I would think an urchine would be the culpret and not sure why any skimmer would cause coralline to die unless it was to small and water had high ammonia reading.
No? Did i misunderstand?

[D to the P]

Well urchins are known to eat coraline algae, but the OP was talking about buying a protein skimmer whose brand name is Urchin. Not the actual animal.

[nmbeg]

demosp, no offense... but are you trying to be funny or just totally confused????

he was asking if anyone knew anything about "Urchin" brand skimmers.... I don't know where the issue of eating corraline came in..... :)

[demonsp]

Wish i knew, this reply was for the "whys my coralline dyeing" thread.This happens alot and i dont know why. After subscribing to a thread i usually only answer to the reply not re reading figuring i was in the right place.
Either that or brain damage.(No its not a free shot)


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527777#post12527777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nmbeg
demosp, no offense... but are you trying to be funny or just totally confused????

he was asking if anyone knew anything about "Urchin" brand skimmers.... I don't know where the issue of eating corraline came in..... :)

[nmbeg]

ha ha that's funny... because the original question was about urchin brand skimmer, and your reply was about urchins and skimmers......

talk about confusing.

[D to the P]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527819#post12527819 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demonsp
Wish i knew, this reply was for the "whys my coralline dyeing" thread.This happens alot and i dont know why. After subscribing to a thread i usually only answer to the reply not re reading figuring i was in the right place.
Either that or brain damage.(No its not a free shot)

:lol: I know how it is being caught up in threads.

[cowdawg]

thanks for the replies. I talked to my girl, and I think Im gonna get a 75 gal with a stand and use the 40 as the sump/fuge. the 400 watt should be fine on the 75 gal I think.

and yea, I was asking about urchin skimmer, not the critter!

[Nano Chris]

Nice maybe a year down the road you can get a 180 gallon if u play ur cards right!

[Steve 926]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12528398#post12528398 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cowdawg
thanks for the replies. I talked to my girl, and I think Im gonna get a 75 gal with a stand and use the 40 as the sump/fuge. the 400 watt should be fine on the 75 gal I think.

and yea, I was asking about urchin skimmer, not the critter!

I'm using an Urchin skimmer in a 15 gal sump/fudge on a 50 gal reef.
The Urchin / pro, is the same as a Remora / pro. The difference is that the Urchin model(s) is designed for use in sumps only.
I upgraded the Urchin pump to a Rio HP 6, & modded the skimmer to lower the spray noise that you get from all of them. It now runs very quiet & skims like crazy ! I had to fit the collection cup with an overflow & tube to an external container so I don't have to empty it all the time.

The pro model is just a taller unit than the regular Urchin model.
I recommend that you upgrade the pump if you use one, & think about an external collection container !!

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x152/Steve0926/PICT0214.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x152/Steve0926/PICT0158.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x152/Steve0926/PICT0120.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x152/Steve0926/PICT0121.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x152/Steve0926/PICT0122.jpg

Steve

:smokin:

[tankjunky]

Is the urchin the same thing as a ramora because it looks just like mine