yup, but thats fine, I just wanted the tank I paid for, and I got it :mrgreen: I'm a happy camper, plus shipping is paid, so its not trouble

So after the move into the new tank do you think I could get away with using my 250w MH if I suspend it say 6-12 inches above the tank? it has fans but the new lid will be that plastic egg crate stuff, any concerns with that melting?

It won't melt at 12" away. 6, maybe :)

thanks! now I just have to figure out how to rig up some wires to suspend it, there are mounting kits online but I can't find any at the LFS's

Just follow Aquattros instructions. Pretty simple move. Your putting a 250W MH on a 20G? Is this for the first time? If so take precautions and I doubt you'll need a heater.

well I have a t5 metal halide combo, I have thought about it, but have never had it turned on yet, I know if I do put it on its definitely going to need to be on a timer and slow acclimate my corals too it over a few weeks or more, I'm not 100% sure if I will use it, but if I do I have 3 PC fans I am going to use for heat, as well as the built in fans on the light, but again I'm not 100% on it yet

The T5s will be fine but I would start the MHs at only an hour a day and slowly increase the time every couple of days by about 15mins. You dont wanna bleach everything or fry all your stuff. That sucks. Than we'll all be looking at another hundred posts of yours. HAHA Sorry just kidding,:wink:

haha no I know what you mean Yeah I was planning maybe starting 30 minutes to an hour a day for a week then 1 1/2- 2 hours and so on, but I think it'll just be like from 12-4 or 5pm for the afternoon kind of light. Anyone know of a good way to do a small ato for a small tank? I think it might be a good Idea if I run my MH

Some people do up to 50% waterchange without the tank going through a cycle, adding 5g of water to the tank isn't going to make it cycle, although disturbing the substrate may cause more of a cycle than anything else.

A few tips on transferring the tank: (some might be the same as most have suggested)

- remove rocks and corals into a bucket or container, while doing this drain 40% of the water into the holding tank.

- another bucket drain another 4g of tank water and catch fish and inverts and place them into the bucket.

- leave about 5% of water and sand, clean sand with hand by mixing it up then drain the water as much as you can and dispose it.

- remove sand and place it in new tank, scape the tank with lr.

- pump water back into the tank from container holding corals and lr, when doing this step use a saucer or shallow plate in the tank and put your finger over the tube to regulate flow returning the seeded tank water. The idea is to let the water slowly diffuse on the saucer or plate so that you disturb the substarte as little as possible.

- return corals back into the tank, then add fish and remaining water.

-Have your premixed saltwater and top off the tank!

If you really want to you can add the new saltwater abit over the span of a week essentially it's like doing a water change every other day, if it was me I'd do it all at once.

As for the MH I would say it's ok to use it now because the days are cooler, but watch out when summer arrives as your tank will easily hit high 20s unless your suite has AC.

Good luck with the transfer!

Thanks! :) we have AC so no worries there, hust have to maybe get an ATO for my tank eventually