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sps tank setup need help

M

mark3517

setting uup 75gal sps ..........
i have reef tanks for a long time, LPSand softies but never had luck with sps
can some one help me out
 
M

mark3517

right now i have 46gal bow 4*39 T5. sio pumps and a skimmer
sps are now doiiiiiiing good,

i am going set up 75 w/ 2*250mh and 4 t5s just ordered
20gal sump, 9watt uv and cal reactor i need help with , i bought from a friend everything but cal reactor, co2tank ,that "valve" on the tank, ph controler-pinpoint.......
 
M

mark3517

yes, i have no idea how calc work

are you an sps person too....?
i might need some saving of my millies and some other sps they are not doing well and i am afraid that i am going to loose them.
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
i do have a few years experience with SPS. I wouldnt call myself an expert but I think I can help you out. Right now are your millepora's under the T5 lighitng? If so what T5 lighting system do you have?
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
i am in monmouth county. pretty far from you. First off your lighting really isnt suffecient to keep millepora. T5's are great bulbs but if you dont have individual reflectors on each bulb there really isnt much difference between VHO's and PC's. Are the corals browning out or bleaching out? What are some of your other water paramteres? (temp,ph,alk,calc)
 
M

mark3517

ph8.2 calc380 temp78
everything normal
and yes they are brouned up

i think my biggest problem is lighting.........what do you think 2*250MH plus4 T5 for the new 75gal that i am going to set up
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
yea that would do it. I even think you could get away with 150's over a 75 gallon. The tank isnt very deep. you could even go with the tek light t5's with individual reflectors which would work to. where is your alkalinity at? My water levels looking strikingly similar to yours. Instant Ocean by any chance?
 
M

mark3517

alk3.something like that don't remember

for my 120 i have euroreef skimmer
don't want to spend that much on the skimmer for this tank what you think if ill get that aquamedic 1000 ...............................or maybe you know something good for like $200-$250

what calc reactors are good?
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
off the bat I think you could even go with the coralife superskimmer. It should run you about 130 bucks for the large one. It is a very good cheap skimmer. I would also incorpaorate a refugium either spereate or built into the sump. If you dont have experience with calcium reactors I would stay away with them for now. I would just dose two part additives and drip kalk as needed. Cal Reactors can do damge on your tank especially if you dont know how to use them.
 
M

mark3517

i already have everything i need for calc even the reactor it self but the drip thing is broken plus its old you can't put the ph probe in there, thats y i want to get a reactor new

refugium , yes i have a 30" hang on but i'll see what kind of skimmer i get and maybe ill have it in the sump
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
if the fuge is a hang on it is better to put it on the main display rather than in the sump. you dont want any of the good critters getting chopped up in the return.
 
I

IrradiatedReef

2 - 250 watt MH over a 75 is a lot. Your looking at almost 7 watts per gallon plus your suppliments your looking at almost 9 watts per gallon. You will have wicked growth in your tank.

2 - 150 watt MH will give you 4 watts per gallon plus your suppliments will put you at 6ish, which is roughly where you want it to be for decent light penetration and growth.

Rule of thumb I have always read and followed is you want between 5-11 watts per gallon for SPS... I always aim for 7-8ish
 
N

nick

but the thing is, you cant always go by watts per gallon, 250 watts of mh wont be the same as 250 watts of pc. and another thing, if you canput the coral the same distance from the light in the 75 as you can in a 10, it will do the same thing in both tanks
 
I

IrradiatedReef

Your absolutely right! Its just a rule of thumb/guide line. There are many factors that are involved with lighting. One big one is the depth of the tank. If your tank is really deep, you have to use a higher wattage just because of penetration.

My point i was trying to get across is that even though both the 150 and 250 watt bulbs will work in the tank, the 250 will have more penetration and will give the tank more PAR thus helping the growth of the corals more. It will also effect your electric bill more. If thats an issue or you already have 150 ballasts, the 150s will still be effective, just not as much.
 
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