new w/ 125 copper/lighting q's

mollymonticello · 07/03/2006, 03:39 PM

ok...I'm getting a hand-me-down FW 125 gallon tank. I would like to keep seahorses, pipefish, shrimpfish, live rock, low-light filter feeding corals like gorgonians and some peaceful inverts.

1st question: There is a chance that someone may have used copper based meds in this tank (they have no clue). What effects would that have on my Live rock? on my inverts? on my corals? on my fish?

2nd question: How are incandescent reptile bulbs different from "aquarium" bulbs? I know I need something like 4-5 watts per gallon if I want to keep most corals. Metal Halides are outrageously priced. And if you get those, you need a chiller, which are also expensive. Why couldn't I just slap a few 250 watt reptile UVA/UVB bulbs on there? I've done it for my FW tanks. Anyone know what the difference would be in degrees Kelvin or the spectrum? What would happen if I tried it? Anyone know?

Thanks in advace for any answers.

bertoni · 07/03/2006, 04:56 PM

1. I would rinse the tank with dilute muriatic acid (10:1 water to acid) or full-strength vinegar.

2. I thought seahorses liked lower light levels. There's a seahorse forum here on RC that might be useful. Metal halide lamps don't necessarily require a chiller. I have two setups, no chillers, not even a fan. I suspect the spectral output of reptile bulbs aren't going to be good for corals. For your setup, a few good T5 fixtures might be fine. I'd look into them.

mollymonticello · 07/03/2006, 05:07 PM

thanks! would that help extract the copper, if any, residue in the tank's seams and glass?

I'm cheap. If I can get around paying $300-800 for T5 or 500-1500 on Metal Halides, I will. Im aware that seahorses like low-light. But not as low as my lighting is right now (non-existent). I have a few aquariums, too, so the lighting question was a general, theoretical question.

bertoni · 07/03/2006, 05:11 PM

The acid bath should remove any copper, and a lot of other things as well.

If the tank had only fish and live rock rock, any cheap NO fluorescent lighting would be fine. You could upgrade later.

mollymonticello · 07/03/2006, 05:28 PM

so Not fluorescent?

bertoni · 07/03/2006, 05:32 PM

Oops, NO = normal output, standard FW tank lighting, for example.

07/03/2006, 03:39 PM	#1
mollymonticello Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 563	new w/ 125 copper/lighting q's ok...I'm getting a hand-me-down FW 125 gallon tank. I would like to keep seahorses, pipefish, shrimpfish, live rock, low-light filter feeding corals like gorgonians and some peaceful inverts. 1st question: There is a chance that someone may have used copper based meds in this tank (they have no clue). What effects would that have on my Live rock? on my inverts? on my corals? on my fish? 2nd question: How are incandescent reptile bulbs different from "aquarium" bulbs? I know I need something like 4-5 watts per gallon if I want to keep most corals. Metal Halides are outrageously priced. And if you get those, you need a chiller, which are also expensive. Why couldn't I just slap a few 250 watt reptile UVA/UVB bulbs on there? I've done it for my FW tanks. Anyone know what the difference would be in degrees Kelvin or the spectrum? What would happen if I tried it? Anyone know? Thanks in advace for any answers.

07/03/2006, 04:56 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	1. I would rinse the tank with dilute muriatic acid (10:1 water to acid) or full-strength vinegar. 2. I thought seahorses liked lower light levels. There's a seahorse forum here on RC that might be useful. Metal halide lamps don't necessarily require a chiller. I have two setups, no chillers, not even a fan. I suspect the spectral output of reptile bulbs aren't going to be good for corals. For your setup, a few good T5 fixtures might be fine. I'd look into them. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/03/2006, 05:07 PM	#3
mollymonticello Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 563	thanks! would that help extract the copper, if any, residue in the tank's seams and glass? I'm cheap. If I can get around paying $300-800 for T5 or 500-1500 on Metal Halides, I will. Im aware that seahorses like low-light. But not as low as my lighting is right now (non-existent). I have a few aquariums, too, so the lighting question was a general, theoretical question. __________________ - Felicia - Current Tank Info: 55 + two 20 gallon refugiums coldwater with puffer, seahorses, gobies, crabs, starfish all from the Atlantic. 90 gallon w 20 gal refugium with Tilefish, Swallowtail Angel, Blue Tang, Clingfish, Naked Clown, Fancy white clown, brachio blenny, mollies

07/03/2006, 05:11 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The acid bath should remove any copper, and a lot of other things as well. If the tank had only fish and live rock rock, any cheap NO fluorescent lighting would be fine. You could upgrade later. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/03/2006, 05:28 PM	#5
mollymonticello Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 563	so Not fluorescent? __________________ - Felicia - Current Tank Info: 55 + two 20 gallon refugiums coldwater with puffer, seahorses, gobies, crabs, starfish all from the Atlantic. 90 gallon w 20 gal refugium with Tilefish, Swallowtail Angel, Blue Tang, Clingfish, Naked Clown, Fancy white clown, brachio blenny, mollies

07/03/2006, 05:32 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Oops, NO = normal output, standard FW tank lighting, for example. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni