What are you running on your tank

[Peterock]

Hello just want to find out what people are using on there tank.


my 90 gallon 60% SPS 40% LPS

lights: 2 250 watt Aquamedic 20K MH, 1 96 watt 50/50 pc, 1 96 watt 10k pc.
3.5 hours of southern sunlight

Filtration: 40gallon refug. no sand with 20-30 lbs of LR.

Skimmer: Coral life skimmer rated for 65gallons.

return system: sedra 900 pump= mini closed loop with spray bar,
1 pengiun 550 p/h, 1 maxi jet p/h, 1 mini p/h.

Chemical additives: daily dose of iodine, kent phos guard, black diamond carbon, coral vite, daily dose kent kalkwasser.

[Teeka01]

tank isn't running yet but i have so far

2 x 250 w HQI MH and 2 x T5 55 w anetics
Euro Reef CS135
Sump (I don't know the gallonage but it is big.
Pacific Coast 1/10 hp chiller

that is all that I have so far.

[FragOutpost]

Hmmm...let's see...

Lighitng - 2 x 175 10K XM (soon to be upgrading to 250's), 2 x 110 VHO actinics, 1 x T5 Nova actinic

Filtration - refugium with various macro but mostly chaeto, dsb, live rock

Skimmer - modified sealife systems impact skimmer

Circulation - tunze stream, maxi-jet ph, rio2500 for return

[EvilTwin]

On my 75g

Lighting - 260w 50/50 Aqualight

Filtration - 45lbs of LR, 40 more curing right now

Skimmer - SeaClone 150 (it's actually working for me)

Flow - 1 Penguin 1140, 1 somthingorother 802 (400 gph)

[D12monkey]

Nice... Let's get this going....

My current reef tank has a 30 gal tall and a 20 gal long acting as a refugium. I currently run a JEBO protein skimmer that puts out more skimate than most other skimmers I've seen and at $30 shipped it was a steal. For lighting I run a 250W 20000 Kelvin XM bulb with 4 75W ushio actinic bulbs and 6 T5's current USA (3 10000 K and 3 Actinic bulbs.) on the display. A TOPs fixture with 2 65W 50/50 PC bulbs for one fuge and another T5 10000K for the other fuge.

As a return pump I use a Mag 9.5 pump connected to a SWCD (squid) on 1 in plumbing.

I also runa Natureef doser for Alk and Cal and An Current USA 1/3 Hp chiller to cool that monstrocity of lighting that's blaring down on my display. LOL

Oh and I'm using a 25W pentair UV sterilizer also.

[Teeka01]

I was under the impression you aren't supose to use a UV sterilizer on a reef. I had posted on another forum that I was going to put one in. Everybody told me not to.

[FragOutpost]

I was under the impression you aren't supose to use a UV sterilizer on a reef. I had posted on another forum that I was going to put one in. Everybody told me not to.

It all depends on how concerned you are with plankton levels.
When I first set up my tank I ran uv for a couple of years. I have taken it off and haven't looked back. But it is nice to know that if I ever have an ich outbreak I can whip it out and hook it back up. There are pros and cons to both sides of the uv issue. It mainly comes down to personal preference.

[D12monkey]

The UV is only one for 2 hours during the day unless I get an infection or I'm introducing livestock.

Granted it kills off all the bad stuff in the tank but it also kills the good stuff too. I.E. micro-organisms. Which is why most reefers don't run UVs. I've found it a good combination to run it for 2 hours a day everyday. As it also has help with the water quality.

[Teeka01]

This maybe a good topic for a chat.

[FragOutpost]

Also good to run when suffering algae outbreaks. Not a complete solution but will help while other parameters can be brought back in check.

[Teeka01]

So is there a switch to turn it off and on? I have thought about having one too.

[FragOutpost]

This maybe a good topic for a chat.
Another good topic. But I'm no expert on uv.

[FragOutpost]

Mine just plugs in. No switch.

[Teeka01]

how big of one is needed for 120 gallon tank? There is some good points to having one.

[FragOutpost]

I don't know for sure. I would guess around 20-30 watts.

[D12monkey]

I Have mine on a digital timer. I have a 25W uv. the Wattage output isn't as important as the flow that it receives.

[FragOutpost]

Very true. The important factors are how much flow it receives and the design/construction of the housing to maximize exposure time.

[Teeka01]

So you want it to move slower thru the UV? Also where is the best place to plumb it in the system?I figure smaller holes for the water to enter from means slower rate. Or is this wrong?

[D12monkey]

I have mine plumbed into at the very end of my chiller line and both run off of a Mag 5 pump. So the flow is very low at the output side.

[FragOutpost]

You want a good rate of flow but in an efficient housing. You can plumb it into the return or into it's own closed loop with it's own pump if you want to run it on a timer.

[Teeka01]

Thank you for all the info.