110 build ?s

[chrystyan20011]

Im currently setting up a 110gallon reef and i have a few ?s this is the first deep tank ive had and unsure of a few things its gonna be a sps dominant tank. What would be the best lighting to have over it? Currently have 250 mh also would it be best to run it with a dsb or bare bottom? I know flow is very important to a sps tank and i use to have a 75gal mixed reef a few years ago i just want opinions on what i should get and shouldnt get for this build also i was wondering about going sumpless

[sponger0]

DSB or BB is a personal preference for the most part.

As far as lights you can pick any. MH would be fine but possible heat issues. T5 quality light fixture with a minimum with 8 bulbs or LEDs would all work.

[chrystyan20011]

the thing im worried about is not enough light getting to the bottom. Ive heard that T5s dont do great on deep tanks my 110 is 31" tall so im concerned that it wont reach the bottom on my 75 mixed reef i ran dual 250w 10k halides and it did great. im buying all new equipment for this as well so i want the best for the lowest amount as well unless its a must to have that brand etc

[sponger0]

Well MH = possible chiller

LEDs = No bulbs to buy in the future

[chrystyan20011]

im gonna wait on leds for awhile til they are on the market for a bit id hate to drop 1k on leds and loose all the sps i plan to keep. Also are calcium reactors a must for a sps dominant tank because my mixed reef didnt use one and it did great also i was thinking about going sumpless whats your thoughts on that

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by chrystyan20011

im gonna wait on leds for awhile til they are on the market for a bit id hate to drop 1k on leds and loose all the sps i plan to keep. Also are calcium reactors a must for a sps dominant tank because my mixed reef didnt use one and it did great also i was thinking about going sumpless whats your thoughts on that

1) Calcium reactors are not a must. Stable alklinity is a must. I dont use one and just keep my alk from swinging more than .5 and everything is fine.

2) You are starting off new, LEDs are well proven, no reason not to get them now as opposed to waiting and having to buy a brand new fixture and acclimated a ton load of SPS. You will lose them if you dont acclimate them correctly to the light.

[chrystyan20011]

ok what led fixture you recommend bc i know jack bout those

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by chrystyan20011

ok what led fixture you recommend bc i know jack bout those

I got some corals from a guy local to me and he has a 150+ tank with LEDs and had MH before. He said his corals starting growing like crazy.

These is where he got them from

http://reefledlights.com/

I was going to get lights for a 90 gallon. He said to get 2 36 LED Phoenix kits. Only about $500. Im sure that would also work for you

[sponger0]

Oh yeah and he has a massive SPS system

[scarface70706]

You WILL want a sump trust me! anything over 30g i recommend a sump lol. also LEDs do grow corals so that myth is busted. get your self a nice set of LEDs and be done with it. like stated above why wait and then have a full reef going and then risk all your corals by switching to LEDs trying to acclimate them to new lighting. its a pain trust me im doing it right now. i wish i just went LEDs right off the bat. i recommend Ecotech or AI. you really cant go wrong with either of them. i know ecotech's LEDs can light up a standard 120g easily with 2 units and they can reach their lights to the bottom.

now to your question about a calcium reactor it really isnt a must but then again its hard to say since you dont know your tanks personality. but for starters i recommend for now a good ATO system and just use Kalk with it. then after your tank stables and your testing your water then you will know if you need a calcium reactor.

and lastly flow; Flow is very key to a sps tank and you will find on here that people love ecotechs vortech pumps and Tunze's pumps. you really cant go wrong with either of them. but in my opinion i feel that the vortechs made by ecotech are one of the best pumps on the market. also if you get them and get the ecotech's LEDs they will talk to each other wirelessly. they are pretty sweet setup if you ask me.

and one more little thing... research everything and remember you get what you pay for. good luck

[scarface70706]

here you go. check this video out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgkPx...ature=g-user-u

[chrystyan20011]

as far as led light should i go with pendant type or the strips like the marineland reef capatable one

[chrystyan20011]

also how many fixtures would i need?

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by chrystyan20011

also how many fixtures would i need?

4 foot tank??

[scarface70706]

i really dont have any experience with those LEDs so i dont recommend them. like stated above if you go leds i recommend ecotechs leds or AI leds. they are by far the top sellers. if you cant afford these fixtures then i recommend talking to some of the crafty guys in the DIY section. they make led fixtures at a fraction of the cost of factory built leds.

[chrystyan20011]

yes 4ft and i looked at the ecotechs 700+ for one is a little much atm

[sponger0]

You would need 2 fixtures from the Reef LED Lights. You will get bot DIY kits for less than $600

[scarface70706]

yea they are a pretty penny then DIY would be the next best thing to do if money is tight. im not 100% sure but if there is something out there you might want to consider makeing your LEDs dimable. really cool feature.

[chrystyan20011]

yea i saw that being a possiblity what are your thoughts on Odysseas 48in 716w mh and T5 combo it has 2 250w lights and 4 54w T5s and it don't have that bulky look to it do you think it would be good bc leds are way out of my budget