Looking for some ideas!

[Patow]

Hey folks,

I managed to score a 37 gallon tank + a nice 40lb piece of base rock. Tank is 20"W x 18"D x 24"H.

I've plumbed this in to my main system (90 gallon display on main floor with 90 gallon sump in the basement). My main tank has LPS, SPS, fish, inverts, etc.

I wanted to do something different with this tank. I was thinking of making it a primarily SPS dominated tank, with possibly a mated pair of mandarins. This tank is in my sump room, so not a lot of people will see it. This is mostly for my own fun, and to try something new and different.

Here is a pic of the rock I got. I put it in the tank about 3 days ago. It'll take quite some time to purple up, and I suspect a lot longer to develop the pod population that I'd need to house a pair of mandarins.

Any suggestions on how to boost my pod population if I choose to go the mandarin route? Phytoplankton feeding? Adding live copepods? I have a 25 gallon fuge in my sump with chaeto and lots of live rock, but I can't say my pod population has ever been that noteable. I see them scooting around occassionally (even at night), but never in great abundance. I don't really have pod eating fish in my main tank (clown, yellow watchman, lawnmower blenny, orange spotted goby), so I'm not sure why my population isn't booming. System has been up for over a year now.

I'm also open to other suggestions, keeping in mind this is plumbed in to my main system (although can be isolated in the event of a crash).

A friend is getting rid of a MH pendant with XM Radium (250W) bulb, so I may pick that up to light this tank for the SPS. I'm also open to other suggestions on lights for this tank. I run a Tek light 6 x 54W T5 on my main tank and I love it. However, the T5 prices on a 24" unit I got from a local ATI retailer were ridiculous and prohibitive. Any other thoughts on a reasonable 20" option (18" deep)?

Cheers!

Dave

[mcoomer]

I'm sort of doing the same thing with a small tank in my garage. I put a 150W pendant over it and an Octopus HOB on the back. I found some really nice branch rock that I stacked in there and I think I'm going to do an anemone tank with a pair of clowns. I'll probably put a couple LPS in there and be done with it. I just want something simple that I can glance at while I'm working in the garage.

Mike