Finally did it!

[Little.big.bro]

Hey! I have a 36g bowfront myself. I put it together on the cheep lol. It's a simple tank. Filstar xp2 filter, ehim surface skimmer 350, current orbit marine led light. I house two clowns(one black percula and one mix breed ocelaris x percula) a yellow watchman goby, star polyps, Xenia, red mushrooms, a tiny plate coral, and a cespitularia. It's a work in progress but a great little tank.

Awesome to know it can be done!

 

[40B Knasty]

Probably accurate

So here is what I came up with.
ATI bulbs Blue+ & Coral+=$40
A 30" fixture can only hold 24" bulbs that are 24W a piece to fit in that acrylic area.
Deep Blue Solarmaxho2 HO T5 or the Solarmax HO T5. You can do this with for $118.
So aside of taxes you are under $180. It is the best cheapest fixture out there that will get you started, the ability to hold coral life in the softies range no problem like zoanthids, frogspawn, hammers, pulsing xenias, torch, and green star polyps which people consider beginner corals. Basically corals you don't have to dose and spend money on PAR meters, APEX, and dosing pumps. What I call chest puffer corals. Pay out the wazoo to lesson your headache when you can use the KISS theory of "Keep it simple stupid" then you don't have to worry about headaches. I get where you are going with your tank. Go with it. It will work. A protein skimmer I will recommend if you don't have one already. If you have a sump. You would have to ask someone else. If you are looking for a HOB(Hang off the back) Reef Octopus HB1000 & 2000 are quality ones. Just don't buy a skimmer with a paddle wheel. It has to be a needle in the pump for the skimmer. Good luck my friend. Enjoy the hobby! Any questions just ask.

 

[domination2580]

Welcome! Looks great!

 

[Little.big.bro]

So here is what I came up with.
ATI bulbs Blue+ & Coral+=$40
A 30" fixture can only hold 24" bulbs that are 24W a piece to fit in that acrylic area.
Deep Blue Solarmaxho2 HO T5 or the Solarmax HO T5. You can do this with for $118.
So aside of taxes you are under $180. It is the best cheapest fixture out there that will get you started, the ability to hold coral life in the softies range no problem like zoanthids, frogspawn, hammers, pulsing xenias, torch, and green star polyps which people consider beginner corals. Basically corals you don't have to dose and spend money on PAR meters, APEX, and dosing pumps. What I call chest puffer corals. Pay out the wazoo to lesson your headache when you can use the KISS theory of "Keep it simple stupid" then you don't have to worry about headaches. I get where you are going with your tank. Go with it. It will work. A protein skimmer I will recommend if you don't have one already. If you have a sump. You would have to ask someone else. If you are looking for a HOB(Hang off the back) Reef Octopus HB1000 & 2000 are quality ones. Just don't buy a skimmer with a paddle wheel. It has to be a needle in the pump for the skimmer. Good luck my friend. Enjoy the hobby! Any questions just ask.

Yea man you nailed it. Simple and classy is my direction. Love the zoas and the colors. Tank is doubling as an attention grabber for my son. And no sump just a canister filter. I appreciate all the great help I'll post again when I have something alive in this thing

 

[LIreefguy106]

+1 on needle skimmer. Remember HO stands for high output = high electricity bill. Not to mention the heat from those fixtures. Food for thought if you're considering bulb vs LED

 

[LIreefguy106]

Sump if you have the room as well.

 

[Little.big.bro]

+1 on needle skimmer. Remember HO stands for high output = high electricity bill. Not to mention the heat from those fixtures. Food for thought if you're considering bulb vs LED

I'm sure LEDs would be more expensive right

 

[40B Knasty]

If you have not picked up a filter. Get a FLUVAL C2, 3, or 4. I have the C4 on my 40B. It is awesome! 5 stage filter. Easy setup. Just rinse the sponge in your used tank water in the bucket during a water change. Carbon filters don't last long. 2 days - a week. Pull that carbon filter out after using it. Get a bottle of purigin for $20 and bag that can hold this fine material. Stuff that in the carbon bag slot. Every 6 months. Cut the bag open. Dump the old purigin out. Put more purigin in the bag. Done for another 6 months. So much room in there you can put a bag of C-nodes on top of that bag of purigin to give you more beneficial bacteria or a fluval 50 ammonia bag. That is what I did. Those you have to change out every month. The C-nodes is better of an idea. Probably the fluval 50 or 70 bag if you don't have time to buy a quality C node and make your own bag. Those you will never have to pull out.

 

[Little.big.bro]

Filter is good for my tank

 

[LIreefguy106]

I'm sure LEDs would be more expensive right

Think of it as any other light in your home. Buying bulbs over and over vs one time purchase. Not swaying your decision just my advice. Budget, tank layout and livestock play a factor in deciding your fixture.

 

[40B Knasty]

Agreed. LED is cheaper and will last you 5 years. Finding a good LED that is cheap, good quality, and will last 5 years. I don't think anyone can come up with a good answer. At least you can get a cheap T5, but put lights in of the highest quality. Plus better PAR and health for the flesh under the coral. Watch the BRS WEEK 19 video on T5 lighting. Also ATI T5 FLUORESCENT BULB COMPARISON PART 1&2. The under part of a corals zooxanthellae needs to be fed lighting to promote photosynthesis for the whole coral.

 

[Little.big.bro]

Agreed. LED is cheaper and will last you 5 years. Finding a good LED that is cheap, good quality, and will last 5 years. I don't think anyone can come up with a good answer. At least you can get a cheap T5, but put lights in of the highest quality. Plus better PAR and health for the flesh under the coral. Watch the BRS WEEK 19 video on T5 lighting. Also ATI T5 FLUORESCENT BULB COMPARISON PART 1&2. The under part of a corals zooxanthellae needs to be fed lighting to promote photosynthesis for the whole coral.

Man you have all the answers lol

 

[40B Knasty]

Haha ya man. I am very meticulous. Still to this day I am learning a lot after a year. I don't have the money to go wasting, the time for headaches, or want to throw another piece of equipment in the closet. Did that with w/ 2 aqueon filters. What a pieces of garbage. Single carbon filter is all that is it and you throw that out every month. Basically the carbon is done in a week and the fiber that holds your good bacteria is gone when you throw it out.

 

[40B Knasty]

Man you have all the answers lol

Click on my profile picture. Click on "find all started threads" when the black box pops up. The middle thread of "New with a small/nano tank" pretty much covers it all.

 

[LIreefguy106]

Use a carbon reactor. TLF reactor works great. I had the brs reactor that broke (worked fine just kept getting clogged after a while). Fill it with carbon and GFO (granular ferric oxide). Both will eliminate yellow coloring pigments and odor substances

 

[buckroe07]

So do all clowns like anemones or is it just certain combos

They like those. They also like hammer corals, torch corals, alveopora corals, and gonipora corals! All corals need proper lighting as already mentioned. And some prefer a much more mature tank than others. This is a fantastic place to be, welcome!

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Anemones require high lighting so you may want to lean towards some of the LPS corals to host your clowns. The ones mentioned above are good choices.

 

[Justfbilly]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Little.big.bro]

The torches look sweet and pretty much just like an anemone

 

[Mr Hughes]

How much for a reasonable fixture

I put this fixture on my 29 gal. I wanted something with a timer since I, like you, don't have a controller currently. I currently have ATI coral+ and purple+ over a mixed bag of corals including zoas, acans, euphyllia and birds nests that are all growing great. I added an acro as well to see how it'd do and it's still doing fine after 2 months.

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticL...quariums-AquaticLife-AK01301-FILTFIT5-vi.html