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View Full Version : 65g tank owners please respond


sassyfrassy
11/22/2009, 02:28 PM
I'm setting up 65g. What lights do you use - how does your garden grow?

Michael
11/22/2009, 03:51 PM
to answer that question sassy the 65 gallon owners may need to know what your intended livestock is going to be, as well as your budget.

sassyfrassy
11/22/2009, 05:38 PM
I'm planning on mushrooms, softies, zoos, LPS and possibly SPS later, but no anemones. 24" high tank. I would like to see how others w/small tanks equip theirs -lights, filtration, reactors, etc. who have had success w/ their operations. I consider this will be invaluable info. for me. Thanks everyone.

syrinx
11/22/2009, 05:49 PM
I use 2x175 halides and a couple actinics. I keep the same stuff your interested in, in that tank. Its too bright initially for some things- but they adapt and can be moved up as they aclimate. It might not be bright enough for some sps or maxima clams and such- but if you want that-you would want to set up the tank specifically for them. If i was using HQI halides- which i tend not to, I would use 2x250. I am not impressed with the punch of 150s for a 24 deep tank.

MR HONDA
11/22/2009, 06:20 PM
On my tank i have 1 400 watt 20,000k halide i keep soft corals and a clam and the light would be good for sps when you are ready for them...

jflick345
11/22/2009, 06:59 PM
With proper placement you have lots of options. For my 45g (24" tall but only 12" wide) I have a 4x39w retro w/ IceCap reflectors. It's good for me to keep anything but sps low in the tank or a clam on the sand bed. All I would have to do to be able to do that though would be to overdrive a couple bulbs with an IceCap 440 or 660. With the wider tank I'd probably do 6x39w though.

Saltyfin
11/22/2009, 07:27 PM
Are you going to have an open top. If so single 400 in a lumenbright reflector would be good. I'm running a canopy so I'm running 2x 250w DE pendents

username in use
11/22/2009, 08:15 PM
My brother has a 65, and uses the tek 6 bulb fixture and gets really good light. Has all sorts of sps, lps and some softies, all doing well. He may chime in, I cant recall his bulb selection, but its got pretty good par.

sassyfrassy
11/23/2009, 12:21 PM
What about other equipment, sump? fuge? type skimmer? reactors? dosing by hand W/2 part? or calc. reactor? brand test kit? wellll... just anything you can tell me since just getting started. Thanks bunches!

jflick345
11/23/2009, 12:41 PM
Sump and fuge: largest you can fit. Reactors: Ca - only if you're gonna have a high demand stony tank. Phoshate or carbon - not a necessity in all cases but never a bad idea. 2 part and kalk are plenty of Ca for lower demand tanks. Popular test kit brand are Elos and Salifert. With anything you're going to find people that have preferences for one brand vs. another. Same with skimmer and that will be more determined by the final total volume of you system. I personally think my Vertex IN-100 is great. Started pulling thick black gunk out within a couple days of adding it. Just keep reading and researching and you'll find answers. My one request and recommendation is that if you ask specific questions about specific things people will give you plenty of answers and opinions

Toddrtrex
11/23/2009, 01:08 PM
I have a 58, same footprint, just not as tall as a 65.

I am using 2*250 MH (( Radiums )) and 2*96 PC. My tank is has a good amount of SPS, along with zoas and anemones (( Haddonis ))

I have a 20 H sump, and dose 2 part by hand.

lewk
11/23/2009, 01:32 PM
I have a 3 foot long 65 and I'm running a Coralife Aqualight Pro on mine with a single 250 MH and 2 65 watt PC actinics. I like the light, just don't like the shadow from the center brace. But it does give me the perfect place for some sun polyps...

landers96
11/23/2009, 08:48 PM
I have a 65gal with a 20l sump. The sump has 3 compartments, 1 bubble trap between the skimmer and the fuge, and a piece of acrylic seperating the fuge and return. I run a phosban 150 with phoslock and carbon. I have a 4 bulb t5 fixture and I run 2 geismann actinic +'s, 1 fiji purple and 1 ati Blue plus. I keep softies, lps,sps and gettin a nem. I change 5 gal every week and 10 every 3. I use salifert test's and take my water to the lfs for salinty check. A 65 is a good size, but it would be nice to have more water volume. If you have any other ?'s just let me know and I'll see if I can help.

Clue
11/23/2009, 08:55 PM
I run 2x250 watt MH over mine. No sump currently but I have a remora skimmer and I able to most anything I want. If I could go back in time I would definitely go with a sump, and for size like was mentioned before the bigger the better.

sassyfrassy
11/25/2009, 06:09 PM
I need some more input about in sump protein skimmers. What I currently have is an Excaliber HOT skimmer - not very good I know. Although I have a 65g, w/30g fuge & 20g sump minus rock displacement, I figure around 95-100g total water volume. What would be a good skimmer? Would aReef Octopus NWB Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer be a good one? I know nothing about skimmer brands.

peterpaul
11/25/2009, 08:43 PM
I have a 250W MH 14K Bulb with 2 T5HO Actinic in my canopy. Sump is a 29 Gallon tank with 2 baffles. Skimmer is a Euro Reef RS-135 in the first chamber. Middle chamber of the sump has a deep sand bed with some macro algae on it. The third chamber contains the return pump - Mag 9.5 with lots of live rock and a rmaxijet 1200 circulating the chamber. Main tank contains about 100 to 120 lbs of live rock. Tank has a mixture of SPS (Bird's nest, digitata, porcipora - had no luck with acros) LPS (frogspawn, hammer, fox coral, brain, trumpet, galaxia) and Sofities (zoos, mushrooms, toadstools and a mizture of others). I have 2 Koralia 2 circulating the tank.