Help me review my reef plan!

silvercharm · Dec 19, 2014

So I am starting my first reef tank! I am starting with a 75 gallon new to me tank with a 40 gallon sump.
I am waiting on my first order of equipment which includes:
Reef Octopus 150SSS Protein Skimmer
Hydor Koralia Powerheads
and salt, sand and other miscellaneous goodies.

The tank came with a T5 and Metal Halide combo light fixture. I am thinking of eventually switching to LEDs. Any recommendations? I live in BC, Canada so would like to order something I can get within Canada. Will the current light fixture do the trick until I can save to buy some really good LEDs? Or should I upgrade now? And if so, to what?

For livestock this is what my idea was, but I am open to input of course!:

2 bangaii cardinals
1 carpenter's flasher wrasse
Pair of ocellaris or percula clowns
One Spot Foxface
A blenny or goby

Anyone have suggestions as to a blenny or goby to add as I'm really not sure what kind to get. I know I want something that is either colorful or has neat behaviours, or both. Is that an ok stock list? Too many? Would you add and/or remove anything?

Thanks for your input!

Longnose Hawkfish · Dec 19, 2014

The light should be sufficient for all corals, but I can't be 100% positive without knowing some more details about it. Switching to LEDs late will be fine. And your stock list looks fine. I personally lek orange spotted prawn goby and for a blenny either the Midas or fang blenny

Feathers&Frags · Dec 19, 2014

If money is an issue you coud wait to switch to LEDs later. I use the Evergrow IT2060 from Barrier Reef Aquariums in Renton, Washington. I know the owner, Cyrus Forrell, lives in Canada so you could contact him about possibly getting them. They are great lights and I've had tremendous success with them. I have three tanks and am using eight fixtures. the light is 24" long. They also have some 16" and 48" if I'm not mistaken.