[NeroIsKing]

I have this. The 14 Gallon BioCube Nano. I'm looking for new lights for it. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, but I want better lights so I can put better corals in it. I'm a newbie at this. I guess Metal Halids are what I need to have the really good stuff. So I'm wondering what I need, the type I need, places online where I can buy them and any other suggestions. Help ASAP would be great.

[charlie]

Is that a pic of your tank?? What lites do you have now, and what type of coral do you want to put in there??
You could check some of our sponsors out, ie., Premium Aquatics, etc. and see what exactly they might have to offer. Lighting for these little cubes is kind of tough to call because of the heat issues that are going to develope.
JMHO

[Ninong]

I think you should operate that 14-gal nano tank the way it came. I believe it has two 32w PC's, right?

If you want to improve the lighting, a single 150w metal halide would work but you would have to remove the tank's original lid because you can't place a metal halide lamp that close to the water's surface.

Why not just choose corals that will do well under the lighting you already have? Later on, if you decide you want a larger tank, you can go with a more elaborate system.

Good luck!

[NeroIsKing]

To reply to you 2:
No that is not my tank. Its and example of my tank. I'm not ready for a big tank yet, but I do want better corals. What type of light is the halid 150?
48 Watt Compact Fluorescent Lighting
1 - 24w 10,000K Lamp
1 - 24w Actinic 03 Lamp
Moon Glow Blue LED's

That is whats in there now. Is there any way I could get metal halids without removing the top? And how hard is it to remove the lid? I'm a newbie at this stuff. Someone also suggested the Current Sunpod metal halide 16"long fixture for my tank.

[Clay12340]

You'll have to remove the lid to run halides. Nanocustoms.com - nanocustoms might have some upgrade kits for the biocubes, but it is more work than it is worth in my opinion.

The downside to removing your lid is that you just wasted a heap of money. A 24 gallon aquapod with the 150watt fixture is $300 at premium. The fixture without the tank is $250. You probably paid upwards of $100 for your tank, 80% of which was to cover the lighting.

Better corals is an opinion. SPS arn't better than softies or LPS. They just require more light and are more picky about water quality. Softies are some of the best looking corals out there, and there are plenty of rare and expensive ones if that is your thing.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by NeroIsKing

To reply to you 2:
No that is not my tank. Its and example of my tank. I'm not ready for a big tank yet, but I do want better corals. What type of light is the halid 150?
48 Watt Compact Fluorescent Lighting
1 - 24w 10,000K Lamp
1 - 24w Actinic 03 Lamp
Moon Glow Blue LED's

That is whats in there now. Is there any way I could get metal halids without removing the top? And how hard is it to remove the lid? I'm a newbie at this stuff. Someone also suggested the Current Sunpod metal halide 16"long fixture for my tank.

Can I ask one more question? Is this the first tank you have ever had?

[NeroIsKing]

Originally Posted by charlie

Can I ask one more question? Is this the first tank you have ever had?

Yes.

[charlie]

That being the case, I would just stick with what you have until you catch on to what exactly is involved with keeping a reef. Starting with a nano is going to be alot tougher on you than starting with a little more water volume, the conditions in a nano tank can swing dramatically because of said volume, meaning, the more water you have, the less that the important parameters will swing. I hope you don't take offense to this honest opinion, I have been in this hobby for close to 10 years and have never attempted anything less than an 80 gallon.
Start with the soft corals and the lighting you have, that is my opinion.

[weez1959]

The coral dealer where I bought my nano has a 24 gallon (like mine) set up in his shop with plenty of gorgeous corals and they are doing wonderfully. Changing the lighting without trying it out first is a waste of money. Halides in a nano means you'll have to go topless, I wouldn't do it.
Here's my new nano:

[NeroIsKing]

Originally Posted by charlie

That being the case, I would just stick with what you have until you catch on to what exactly is involved with keeping a reef. Starting with a nano is going to be alot tougher on you than starting with a little more water volume, the conditions in a nano tank can swing dramatically because of said volume, meaning, the more water you have, the less that the important parameters will swing. I hope you don't take offense to this honest opinion, I have been in this hobby for close to 10 years and have never attempted anything less than an 80 gallon.
Start with the soft corals and the lighting you have, that is my opinion.

Wow! I did not know that. I thought the smaller the easier. Like I see the pictures on here with all the separate chambers and stuff and that **** looks confusing as hell. I was thinking about starting a bigger tank next year. What size would you recommend? And I never take offense. I'll take any advice I can get on this subject, because I'm a beginner and I find aquariums fascinating.

[charlie]

A good starter size is your basic 75 gallon. With a 20 gallon sump, it gives you close to 100 gallons of water. That of course is relative because of displacement, rock, sand, etc. There is plenty of info here on starting up a system, so dig in and keep an open mind. I didn't mean to discourage you, but I know for a fact that the more water volume you have, the more stable an environment you can provide. HTH

[Reefland]

Absolutely, it becomes a matter of balance between size and cost. The 75 gallon is a great size for a reef tank, but it does cost quite a bit more than a nano is going to. For water stability, the larger the tank the better.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by NeroIsKing

What size would you recommend?

As a minimum size starting reef tank, I recommend a 40-gal breeder tank (36x18x16). It can be lit with PC, VHO or HO T5 fluorescent lamps. You will still be restricted in your choice of livestock, especially fish, but at least it's easier to maintain than a 14- or 20-gal nano and really not much more expensive. You could even operate such a tank with a hang-on skimmer and no sump if you wanted to.

After that, I think the next size up would be either 75- or 120-gallons and with a sump. The 75-gal size can be operated with PC, VHO or HO T5 fluorescents but the 120-gal would do better with metal halides.