40g SPS Tank Lighting/Circulation

mikeach · 04/25/2008, 03:06 PM

I'm setting up a 40g breeder as a SPS tank and have a couple questions I'm hoping you guys and gals can help me with.

Currently I have a dual 96w PC light on the tank, I also have a dual 70w MH setup I could use instead of the PC but the 2 together are to big. Someone has offered me a 36" light with dual 175W MH and dual 65w PC, that's 12w per gallon. I don't think either the PC or MH I have are enough by themselves but is the 12w per gallon too much light?

My other question is about circulation. I have an Oceans Motions OM Squirt with 2 of their Revolutions indexing outlets. What I'm thinking of doing is using a Quiet One 4000 (1017gph) pump on a closed loop feeding the Squirt with the 2 Revolutions and 2 hydro rotating deflectors to really mix up the currents. Since the hydor's spinning speed changes with the amount of pressure coming out and the squirt feeds 1.5 ports as it indexs this should cause the hydors to go from nothing to spinning slowly, then to spinning faster and finally to slow back down before coming to a stop until the drum comes around again in the squirt. Between that and the revolutions indexing each time the aquirt provides water to them the current should change all the time, but with that size pump it's about a 25x turn over per hour. Is this too much current for SPS?

The only other current will come from a Prizm HOB skimmer, which is very little. Eventually I'll be drilling the tank and adding a sump, but for now this is what I've got to work with. Any advice would be really great.

Thanks.

mikeach · 04/27/2008, 08:41 AM

Anyone?

Fishbulb2 · 04/27/2008, 08:51 AM

looks good. The 2 175W halides are more total wattage then you need but conveniently, they will help spread out your light over the entire 40g. I have a 40 also with a single 250W bulb. The center of the tank is bright but the edges are dimmer and the coral are all leaning towards the center of the tank. You shouldn't have that problem. All T5's I think would be an even better fit.

I don't know about your closed loop idea. I really dislike QO pumps. My QO3000 would never restart for me and pentair never replied to my emails so I am done with them. I switched to eheim and I am glad I did. Flow wise though, the QO3000 alone was not nearly enough flow for my tank. I'm using 2 tunzes nanos now and that is working great.

FB

Chris2500DK · 04/27/2008, 09:03 AM

I'd go for the dual 70W MH since you have them anyway. It's a fairly shallow tank so I think you would be fine.

hahnmeister · 04/27/2008, 09:31 AM

4x39 or 6x39 watt T5 PWNs a 250watt halide for a 40B. I used both on three different 40Bs... the T5s came out on top in the end in every way.

hk855 · 04/27/2008, 10:31 AM

I dont think you would have too much light with the dual 175 MH but you could run into some heat issues. Im assuming that they are free or pretty cheap so that would probably give you the best bang for your buck if you dont want to spend a few hundred on t5's, and there are more bulb options with the 175's than the 70's

mikeach · 04/27/2008, 12:40 PM

I have a friend who has a 40g with a 6 bulb T5 setup and it's beautiful, all kinds of SPS in it and they are thriving. I would love to go with one of those but they are so expensive.

For the 70w setup, I have 4 additional ballasts so I could build something with more bulbs but I don't like the idea of 4 x 70w DE bulbs and already have the 2 x setup built.

I'm talking to someone about trading me the dual 175w and am waiting to hear back from him on what he wants for trades, if we work out a deal I think I'm going to try that.

As far as heat goes I think a small fan should take care of most of the problem since the tank in is my basement, currently my heater is still running a lot to keep it warm and it's usually only in the hottest part of summer when the temp rises a little, I'm in Maine so the heat doesn't usually get too bad, heck we still have snow in our yards!. So I think I can manage the heat issue.

I am concerned the 1000gph might be too much and might create a sand storm, if that happens I might try just layering some rubble rock over top of the sand bed, that should keep it down but not look as pretty, on the other hand it'll create quite the pod life with all the rubble rock.

bdare · 04/28/2008, 09:56 AM

How's it going?

I have a 40 breeder with a single 250W halide (Phoenix 14K) with 2x39w T5's for supplementation (blue+ / aquablue). I love the lighting setup. LOTS of par and really bright.

I think your flow sounds good. I'm currently running an eheim 1260 (~600gph) for the return from my sump and a PanWord 1100 gph pump for a closed loop.

The CL is split using an OM 2 way and each side is then split again into 2 outlets.

I aim all the outlets relatively high. This creates high flow at the top which is good for SPS, but also good for lower flow animals at the bottom (LPS zoas).

I have a tank thread over at Nano-reef.com under the same username.

Feel free to PM me with questions.

Here's a pic when I first tested the plumbing:

Ben

04/25/2008, 03:06 PM	#1
mikeach Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 42	40g SPS Tank Lighting/Circulation I'm setting up a 40g breeder as a SPS tank and have a couple questions I'm hoping you guys and gals can help me with. Currently I have a dual 96w PC light on the tank, I also have a dual 70w MH setup I could use instead of the PC but the 2 together are to big. Someone has offered me a 36" light with dual 175W MH and dual 65w PC, that's 12w per gallon. I don't think either the PC or MH I have are enough by themselves but is the 12w per gallon too much light? My other question is about circulation. I have an Oceans Motions OM Squirt with 2 of their Revolutions indexing outlets. What I'm thinking of doing is using a Quiet One 4000 (1017gph) pump on a closed loop feeding the Squirt with the 2 Revolutions and 2 hydro rotating deflectors to really mix up the currents. Since the hydor's spinning speed changes with the amount of pressure coming out and the squirt feeds 1.5 ports as it indexs this should cause the hydors to go from nothing to spinning slowly, then to spinning faster and finally to slow back down before coming to a stop until the drum comes around again in the squirt. Between that and the revolutions indexing each time the aquirt provides water to them the current should change all the time, but with that size pump it's about a 25x turn over per hour. Is this too much current for SPS? The only other current will come from a Prizm HOB skimmer, which is very little. Eventually I'll be drilling the tank and adding a sump, but for now this is what I've got to work with. Any advice would be really great. Thanks.

04/27/2008, 08:51 AM	#3
Fishbulb2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,807	looks good. The 2 175W halides are more total wattage then you need but conveniently, they will help spread out your light over the entire 40g. I have a 40 also with a single 250W bulb. The center of the tank is bright but the edges are dimmer and the coral are all leaning towards the center of the tank. You shouldn't have that problem. All T5's I think would be an even better fit. I don't know about your closed loop idea. I really dislike QO pumps. My QO3000 would never restart for me and pentair never replied to my emails so I am done with them. I switched to eheim and I am glad I did. Flow wise though, the QO3000 alone was not nearly enough flow for my tank. I'm using 2 tunzes nanos now and that is working great. FB __________________ Just getting back in, but trying to do it right! Current Tank Info: 40 gallon tank. SPS, LPS, few softies

04/27/2008, 10:31 AM	#6
hk855 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 297	I dont think you would have too much light with the dual 175 MH but you could run into some heat issues. Im assuming that they are free or pretty cheap so that would probably give you the best bang for your buck if you dont want to spend a few hundred on t5's, and there are more bulb options with the 175's than the 70's __________________ For some dumb reason I tore down my tank. New goal, plan, build and conquer the ultimate sps nano. Current Tank Info: Taking a break, ultimate nano in planing

04/28/2008, 09:56 AM	#8
bdare Salty Dude Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rockwall, TX Posts: 1,322 Blog Entries: 3	How's it going? I have a 40 breeder with a single 250W halide (Phoenix 14K) with 2x39w T5's for supplementation (blue+ / aquablue). I love the lighting setup. LOTS of par and really bright. I think your flow sounds good. I'm currently running an eheim 1260 (~600gph) for the return from my sump and a PanWord 1100 gph pump for a closed loop. The CL is split using an OM 2 way and each side is then split again into 2 outlets. I aim all the outlets relatively high. This creates high flow at the top which is good for SPS, but also good for lower flow animals at the bottom (LPS zoas). I have a tank thread over at Nano-reef.com under the same username. Feel free to PM me with questions. Here's a pic when I first tested the plumbing: Ben __________________ 220 Mixed Reef GeoCaRx, GHL Profilux 4, Octopus Skimmer, Kessil 360X 2 x Maxspect Gyre XF350

04/27/2008, 08:41 AM	#2
mikeach Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 42	Anyone?

04/27/2008, 09:03 AM	#4
Chris2500DK Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 171	I'd go for the dual 70W MH since you have them anyway. It's a fairly shallow tank so I think you would be fine.

04/27/2008, 09:31 AM	#5
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	4x39 or 6x39 watt T5 PWNs a 250watt halide for a 40B. I used both on three different 40Bs... the T5s came out on top in the end in every way.

04/27/2008, 12:40 PM	#7
mikeach Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 42	I have a friend who has a 40g with a 6 bulb T5 setup and it's beautiful, all kinds of SPS in it and they are thriving. I would love to go with one of those but they are so expensive. For the 70w setup, I have 4 additional ballasts so I could build something with more bulbs but I don't like the idea of 4 x 70w DE bulbs and already have the 2 x setup built. I'm talking to someone about trading me the dual 175w and am waiting to hear back from him on what he wants for trades, if we work out a deal I think I'm going to try that. As far as heat goes I think a small fan should take care of most of the problem since the tank in is my basement, currently my heater is still running a lot to keep it warm and it's usually only in the hottest part of summer when the temp rises a little, I'm in Maine so the heat doesn't usually get too bad, heck we still have snow in our yards!. So I think I can manage the heat issue. I am concerned the 1000gph might be too much and might create a sand storm, if that happens I might try just layering some rubble rock over top of the sand bed, that should keep it down but not look as pretty, on the other hand it'll create quite the pod life with all the rubble rock.