new to it all please help

[rafaln]

ok so here it go's

I just got a 65 gallon tank
about 4 feet long
with stand,
the tank has a over flow in the back right corner, with 2 inch bulk head, so pretty big,

dont have anything else yet so checking what would be good

question 1?

i was thinking of using compact florecent lighting about 3 tubs 55w-60 w and maybe a mh bulb or 4 compact florecent a bit stronger lik 65w if they make them

what would be better now i also dont want to spend a arm and leg on the electricty bill,

question 2

live sand i heard youc an mix regular sand from aquairam stores with the live sand and it will all be come live sooner or later,
i want my sand bed about 2-3.5 inchs so i was thinking of getting about 70-88 pounds in total about 20 lbs live

sound good or no?

question 3

live rock this and that?

at my local stor them charging $15 per pound i dont really feel like paying almost 1000 for rock
some one told me to get say $200 worth of the live rock and use lava rock with it? or is there any other way around it??


now here comes for the sump questions

i was thinking of gettign about a 30 gallon tank for sump


i found a picture of one here kidna the same set up i wanna do but I wanna also use a sock filer on the incoming water from the tank it self

pic is here
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/585/107810flow.jpg

also the thank will be a bit smaller like i said a 30 gallon tank
so the sizes will not be the same


I was thinking of using a berlin protine skimmer witha 600-700 gph pump
and then use a 600 gph bump for going the main tank

in the sump i plan to put in say about 4 inchs of live sand and some live rock as well



i plan to have all my heating and in the sump as well and a bit of litting like a 55 w compact florecent.

any thing i'm missing??


anything i'm thinking wrong?

any suggestions>??
dont want to kill no fish and trying to keep it preety maintance free, except for the bit her and there


please let me know all your suggestions

[rafaln]

oh ya forgot what power heads would you recommand? i thought put in about 2-3

[kevin21]

sounds good,

with the live rock try www.liveaquaria.com.

they have good prices on there live rock, youll save a ton from buying from LFS.

GL

[crpeck]

If you're going to go all power compact, you'll be happier if you get at least 4x 96 w, 2 white and 2 actinic. If you can swing the metal halides, you'll be happier yet and just use pc for actinic. But on a tank that size you'd need two metal halide lights. You didn't say if you have a glass or acrylic tank and if there is a canopy. I would love to have metal halides, but I have an acrylic tank with an acrylic center brace and a low closed canopy. MH are too hot and might crack my center brace so PCs it is for me. If I had it to do over, I would have found a way to do metal halides. On the other hand, I saved a lot of money using PCs and have grown a tank full of beautiful corals that I'm really happy with.

Your LFS rock price is outrageous. Look on line. I've not bought rock from liveaquaria but have had good luck otherwise with them.

Good Luck!
Cathy

[Freed]

On line stores will only run you $4-$6 per pound on live rock probably and will be much better than the stuff you can get at your LFS. Don't pay that much for it($15) at the LFS.

[Billy1234]

Here (http://www.phishybusiness.com/live_rock.php) is some good Live Rock. And, since nobody said it,

[welcome]

[fishaholic911]

live rock at www.oceanproaquatics.com I got it for 2.25 a pound shipped Just remember any rock you get shipped will need to be cured and the longer it takes to ship the more die off you will have