Upgrading Question(s)

[Mr_Cool]

I currently have a 55 gallon with about 85-90 lbs of live rock and a 5-6 inch DSB. My lighting is not great by any means. (2 x 55 watt power compacts and a 38 watt T-5, I think.) My overflow is DIY over the back, and the sump is DIY and holds about 15 gallons operational. The return pump is only a Rio 1700, but it does a good job, and I have two other powerheads that provide a good amount of flow. My skimmer is a Remora, and it does pretty well, too. I only have 5 fish and some softies for live stock along with various snails and blueleg hermits. Here's the question(s)....


If I were to get a really good deal on a 125 gallon, how much money would I need to put into it to make it work for me? I'm thinking I could use the 55 gallon as a sump, and my current overflow would probably work, too. I know my lighting would need to be upgraded, probably to MH's right? Would I need a bigger skimmer, though? What about live rock? Would I need more? I could probably make some if needed. Am I missing anything? I know it's hard to give prices on hypotheticals, but what about some ballpark figures? I'd hate to miss my chance on something like this. I just need to know about what I'm getting into as far as upgrade costs go. Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Ram_Puppy]

hey cool

the question really is, what do you want to keep?

There is no need for heavy duty lighting unless you want to keep some SPS.

If I was going to do a 125 I would go the following route:

3 x 250 watt metal halides (I always go for the best I can find and afford, for me it would bee icecap ballasts and Reef Optix 3 reflectors, HQI.)

2 VHO actinics running the length of the tank (I have T-5s on my current tank because of the size and shape)

lighting and skimmer are what will cost you the most. Figure out what you want, that dictates what you need as far as equipment.

[Mr_Cool]

I don't know if I'm ready for SPS's yet. Could I use PC lighting or VHO and do softies? Personally, I really like Zoos that are colorful. I also like how the soft corals will sort of move with the flow. Torches, hammers, and frogspawn are cool, I think. I also like how some of the leather corals and mushrooms look.

Isn't a 125 gallon like 6 ft long? Would HO flourescent lighting be sufficient for these types of corals? I know people will say to buy good equipment now rather than upgrade again later, but really, I don't know if I want to get into all the SPS's anyway. Thoughts on that?

[Ram_Puppy]

good does not equal SPS. good = best you can get for what you want to keep.

if you don't want to keep SPS then you can forget Halides...

I am not sure HO's will cut it, but you might want to get a more informed decision, but VHO's and PC will probably do the trick.

[villjr]

ansonluna has the exact setup you are thinking of getting. Ask him.

[donniekim]

I used (6) 6' VHO's on my 125 and it worked great for everything but SPS!

[GaryP]

My 75 gal. softie tank is lit with VHOs. I have 4 X 110 watt, 46.5" bulbs, 2 white, 2 actinic. The leathers, shrooms, zoos, xenia, clove polyps, ricordea, and pipe organs are all doing well in there. I just took out a toadstool that had grown to at least 24" across and was taking up half the tank. I have also kept some nice LPS in there in the past as well.

The toadstool has gone to Instar's house and will soon be producing several hundred baby toadstool frags in a project we will be working on together as soon as he gets his green house up and running.

I also have a tang, foxface, CBB, 2 GSM clowns, a blennie, and a pseudochromis in the tank. Its a very happy tank.

[hobogato]

i ran a 125 with 8 - 65 watt PC retrofits and everything but clams and SPS did great.

[Mr_Cool]

Is everything else I have okay for a 125, though? What about the live rock and skimmer? The more I think about this, the more I want to do it. Someone convince me I can do it without spending an arm and a leg. Please?!?

[Ram_Puppy]

Mr Cool, it's hard for us to throw together a ballpark figure and convince you. Research is an integral part of this hobby, your going to have to do some footwork and find out how much this tank will cost you, then your going to need to add a hunred or two dollar to it in anticipation of things that go wrong or you forget.

good luck!