Everyone Chime In On Skimmer/lighting Choice

Dnazta · 12/21/2009, 01:18 PM

Ok heres the deal I just aquired a 125g (72"x24"x17") and a 75g sump. The plan is to build this tank into a full reef that can support all types of corals. The tank will also have a pretty heavy bio-load, not way overloaded but fairly heavily stocked. Anyway with a budget of between $500 to $800 or cheaper if you feel it will be sufficent tell me what lights and skimmer you would choose and a brief explanation why.

nikon187 · 12/21/2009, 01:21 PM

Best bang for your buck skimmer for that size tank would be a msw/swc extreme 200 skimmer. I would do T5 for the lighting.

nanojg · 12/21/2009, 01:25 PM

Do you have a canopy so you can do retrofit lighting or do you need a fixture. That budget might have to be stretched a bit unless you want bottom of the line stuff IMO

Dnazta · 12/21/2009, 01:47 PM

no canopy and I actually have a 48" 4x54w T5 fixture i can add. could I get away with 1 or 2 mh pendants and if so what wattage should i get.

nanojg · 12/21/2009, 01:56 PM

I would do three 175 watt halides

nikon187 · 12/21/2009, 02:02 PM

you could get away with 2 250w MH in lumenarc large/ lumenbrites large pendants. The lumenarcs will spread the light more and the brites will penetrate deeper.

12/21/2009, 01:18 PM	#1
Dnazta Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 15	Everyone Chime In On Skimmer/lighting Choice Ok heres the deal I just aquired a 125g (72"x24"x17") and a 75g sump. The plan is to build this tank into a full reef that can support all types of corals. The tank will also have a pretty heavy bio-load, not way overloaded but fairly heavily stocked. Anyway with a budget of between $500 to $800 or cheaper if you feel it will be sufficent tell me what lights and skimmer you would choose and a brief explanation why.

12/21/2009, 01:21 PM	#2
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	Best bang for your buck skimmer for that size tank would be a msw/swc extreme 200 skimmer. I would do T5 for the lighting. __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

12/21/2009, 02:02 PM	#6
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	you could get away with 2 250w MH in lumenarc large/ lumenbrites large pendants. The lumenarcs will spread the light more and the brites will penetrate deeper. __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

12/21/2009, 01:25 PM	#3
nanojg Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 2,174	Do you have a canopy so you can do retrofit lighting or do you need a fixture. That budget might have to be stretched a bit unless you want bottom of the line stuff IMO

12/21/2009, 01:47 PM	#4
Dnazta Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 15	no canopy and I actually have a 48" 4x54w T5 fixture i can add. could I get away with 1 or 2 mh pendants and if so what wattage should i get.

12/21/2009, 01:56 PM	#5
nanojg Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lubbock, Texas Posts: 2,174	I would do three 175 watt halides