General Thoughts on my Tank Setup

[mwithy]

Hi all, I am new to the boards recently. Been getting a lot of great advice already about a lighting question I had from Charlie. Anyway, wanted to get your thoughts on my actual tank setup.

Equipment
72 Gal Bowfront
Power Compact Lights (soon to upgrade lights to Nova Extreme Pro T5)
Wet/Dry Sump powered by Mag-Drive 7 Pump
In Sump SeaLife Systems Protein Skimmer, powered by additional Mag-Drive 7 Pump
1/4 HP Chiller

This was once a fish only AQ that I converted to a reef tank two years ago. I am very happy with the tank overall, but didn't know with the above and to really grow as a reef aquarist, if I need to be looking to replace any of the above. I have learned the 72 Gal Bowfront isn't the greatest design in the world for the reef tank, but am trying to keep it in the picture.

Thanks for the thoughts and advice,

Mark

[Parrothead]

Hi all, I am new to the boards recently. Been getting a lot of great advice already about a lighting question I had from Charlie. Anyway, wanted to get your thoughts on my actual tank setup.

Equipment
72 Gal Bowfront
Power Compact Lights (soon to upgrade lights to Nova Extreme Pro T5)
Wet/Dry Sump powered by Mag-Drive 7 Pump
In Sump SeaLife Systems Protein Skimmer, powered by additional Mag-Drive 7 Pump
1/4 HP Chiller

This was once a fish only AQ that I converted to a reef tank two years ago. I am very happy with the tank overall, but didn't know with the above and to really grow as a reef aquarist, if I need to be looking to replace any of the above. I have learned the 72 Gal Bowfront isn't the greatest design in the world for the reef tank, but am trying to keep it in the picture.

Thanks for the thoughts and advice,

Mark

You don't mention if the tank is reef ready, or if you have a hang on the back overflow to the sump, if reef ready, I'd upgrade the return pump to a mag 9(more flow) look into a couple of Korilia(sp?) K-3 powerheads, one for each side of the tank, and if your wet/dry has bio ball in it, when you add your live rock and live sand get rid of the bio balls, Don't know enough about your skimmer to comment on that and excellent choice for the lighting upgrade

[mwithy]

Thanks so much for the reply. Guess I left out some information I should have included to be a little more specific. The AQ is pre-drilled for the wet/dry, so nothing hanging over the tank. It have live sand/live rock already without the bio-balls in place. I have had it as a reef tank for a couple of years now. I had some problems with brown algae like stuff on the substrate, so my LFS recommended using to remove it (which it did). I am now seeing some green algae like stuff on the glass. My LFS believes this is a problem with the lighting. the bulbs in my Compact are about a year old, so that is why I was trying to determine if I should just replace the bulbs or spend a few more $$$ to upgrade. I am hoping the algae problem will clear with the new lights (from everything I read anyway it should). I have a flower pot, a torch coral, a green brain, a red brain, Xyneia (which I wish I didn't put in there), a bubble tip anemone (in there somewhere, haven't seen it in a while), some star polyps, and a finger leather. My LFS convinced me that this small hard coral I have that is green/yellow piece would be fine to have in my tank with the Compact lights, but it isn't lookin too good right now, color has faded and the ends are graying. .

Things are OK in terms of the corals, but just do not look as healthy and seem to grow as I would like them to. The levels for the salanity, PH,Akalinity, and Calcium are checked and keep those at the recommended limits.

I am really hoping the new lights will help my tank problems. Thanks for the suggestions about the power head and increasing the mag-drive pump.

Mark

[Parrothead]

Thanks so much for the reply. Guess I left out some information I should have included to be a little more specific. The AQ is pre-drilled for the wet/dry, so nothing hanging over the tank. It have live sand/live rock already without the bio-balls in place. I have had it as a reef tank for a couple of years now. I had some problems with brown algae like stuff on the substrate, so my LFS recommended using to remove it (which it did). I am now seeing some green algae like stuff on the glass. My LFS believes this is a problem with the lighting. the bulbs in my Compact are about a year old, so that is why I was trying to determine if I should just replace the bulbs or spend a few more $$$ to upgrade. I am hoping the algae problem will clear with the new lights (from everything I read anyway it should). I have a flower pot, a torch coral, a green brain, a red brain, Xyneia (which I wish I didn't put in there), a bubble tip anemone (in there somewhere, haven't seen it in a while), some star polyps, and a finger leather. My LFS convinced me that this small hard coral I have that is green/yellow piece would be fine to have in my tank with the Compact lights, but it isn't lookin too good right now, color has faded and the ends are graying. .

Things are OK in terms of the corals, but just do not look as healthy and seem to grow as I would like them to. The levels for the salanity, PH,Akalinity, and Calcium are checked and keep those at the recommended limits.

I am really hoping the new lights will help my tank problems. Thanks for the suggestions about the power head and increasing the mag-drive pump.

Mark

Mark, take the money you would be spending on replacement bulbs throw a few more bucks with it and look at the Nova extreme pro 6 Bulb t-5 fixture, your corals will love you forever with that light and replacement bulbs for the T-5 are about a third of what the pc bulbs will cost you, so you will get you money back in both short and long term as the T-5 setup does not suck as much electric as the pc's do and as stated bulbs are about a third of what you're gonna pay for the pcs

[mwithy]

Thanks Robert, exactly the path I was heading in. I can't wait. How often do they recommend replacing the bulbs under "normal conditions"? I have heard once a year. . .

[Parrothead]

That's the other benefit of the T-5's, the bulbs last alot longer