A fresh start-75gal

[Ichthy]

I am giving my 75gal a fresh start
A very bad thing happen sometime this week, no i will not mention what happen, please dont ask if somebody else wants to tell about it, i'm asking nicely to not post it on this and honestly, i wish to leave it in the past.
But needless to say, i took a HUGE deep breath and will be starting over with my 75gal tank. And when i get my 125gal, i will want advice on that as well.

I want any ideas and advice to make my 75gal & 125gal successful. If my Equipment is maybe wrong or not enough, please do tell me. If anybody is willing to come help me, i will not reject any and i will happy to pay for time.

What i have running:
1 fixture with 1-10,000k 54watt White bulb and a 1 54watt blue bulb of the High output T5 of the brand, Aqualight.
A duel sump/fuge, that hangs on back of tank.
2 aqueon circulation pump model 700 and i believe the other is 950
1 skimmer up to 150gal.
2 Flitstar xp3 size 6 filters both running the spray option.

I do plan on selling the hang on back sump/fuge and getting one that sits in the stand but my tank is not drilled. I am looking for a 125gal Reef ready.

Test:
Ph: 8.3
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Calcium: 400
Ammonia: 0ppm

Currently in the tank: maybe 30 pounds of live rock and 2 small crabs

[jrsatx20]

Welcome back. General rule of thumb is 1-2 pounds of rock for each gallon of water. Should consider adding at least another light fixture of the same kind. Some coral may be fine with just the 2 bulb set up but will not thrive. Circulation may need a lil more unless you plan to keep only fish.

[Ichthy]

Thanks :)
The pounds of rock, i'm not 100% sure. I believe 2 are 8 pounders because when i bought them they were $8 a pound and i know i spent $80 on them at AD.
But i can most likely buy a scale and weight each one to be sure.
But all rocks will be going into the 125 minus 2 of them.

In the 75gal, i plan on only have a lionfish.
In the 125, i plan to make it complete reef which i will be getting different lights one with atleast 6 bulbs.

[Europhyllia]

I think the weight thing really depends on the rock too. If you got very porous or dry rock you use much less.
On my 125 I ordered something like 150 pounds of very porous dry rock and that was way too much.
I bet you could fit around 50lbs easily into a 75 though

[Mr Cob]

Glad to see you have a positive attitude. Welcome back.

I'll tackle lighting real quick. What do you plan to keep?

That's not much lighting on a 75g tank. It will be fine for fish, mushrooms, xenia, GSP and maybe a few leathers but you will want to upgrade that to more bulbs.

[Ichthy]

Thanks :) I have loved salt water for a really long time, i dont wanna give up :)
In the 125gal, i plan to keep pretty much everything [bad with names] LSPs, anemones, corals like candy canes and japanese deepwater zoas.
And Regric25, showed me lights with 6 bulbs [a 2 fixure] for the 125gal which i will be buying.
36in 6x39w sunlight supply tek light high output fluorescent lighting fixture: http://www.marinedepot.com/Sunlight_Supply_Tek_Light_High_Output_Fluorescent_ Lighting_Fixtures_24_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fix tures-Sunlight_Supply_Inc-SL2111-FILTFIT54U-vi.html

which 2 of them is what i'll be buying.

The lights on the 75, i think i'm going to keep or switch out the blub bulb for another one cuase the lionfish will only be in there, no corals at all!

[Ichthy]

Europhyllia: I believe mine are all live rock.
The rock i have are going to the 125gal when i get it which hopefully will be next saturday.
I might buy the stand at Polly's and order the i believe is Reef ready with overflow system from Petco.com

Because i'm sure it's better to order if reef ready rather than do it later or is that personal choice?

[Ichthy]

Most likely a stupid question and i'm sorry.

But it is better to have a tank "Reef ready" at purchase than trying to do it later?
Is there anybody i can go to to make it reef ready if i buy a tank undrilled? Or will that cost more than getting it reef ready?

[Mr Cob]

The lights on the 75, i think i'm going to keep or switch out the blub bulb for another one cuase the lionfish will only be in there, no corals at all!

Well, if it's fish only then that will be plenty of light.



But it is better to have a tank "Reef ready" at purchase than trying to do it later?
Is there anybody i can go to to make it reef ready if i buy a tank undrilled? Or will that cost more than getting it reef ready?

I prefer to purchase reef ready. Seems to me to be much easier than having to worry about getting it drilled (most of the LFS will drill for you for a fee).

[Ichthy]

Yeah in the 75, only a lionfish will be in there, i've been looking at what it'll eat, i would like it to eat brime shrimp but i think from what i've heard from other people is it has to be trained to eat it.

K, i was told by my pet store :) that they can order a reef ready and i trust them more than petco so i'll be getting a reef ready and i believe having someone build my sump because i have no idea on that.

[syncere]

I saw that you were looking into the sunlight supply tek lights. I recently got the 24" fixture and love it so far. I ordered mine from reefgeek.com and it came out a lot less with the bulbs than buying the fixture and bulbs separately.

[Ichthy]

Another member told me about those and even though, i barely know him, i do trust him because he has given me advice and has helped me almost as much as Polly's.
Really? thank you, i'll look at that :)