Ska's 28 Macro Algae Display

[Boomboy]

i really like the dimensions of that tank, any new pictures yet??

[skabooya]

No, Its not even set up yet. It still sitting empty because ive been trying to save up money again for it. I had $1000 but i spent it on bookshelves for my office (i needed them).
Because of the price increases i am really re-thinking saltwater I would still love to have one but the cost is just rediculious now.

Ive been resarching so i could do something that is budget wise and 'low tech'

Im trying to see how low i can go for lighting and still keep nicely coloured softies and no lps.
Im more interested in zoas, rics, shrooms, cloves, and xenia anyways
Because these corals like a 'dirty' tank Im wondering if i should just not get the skimmer at all. However I wont be able to do weekly WC. Perhaps every other week or so... But ive read of many people going weeks without a WC and doing only topoffs. Ive even read somewhere of someone not doing a WC for a year!!! Still its not ideal and i dont want the life in my tank to suffer.

I dont know how to edit my list down other than to downgrade the tank but i already have the tank.
So now im wondering if i could go with lower lighting and if so how low and where to buy it. I dont want to spend more than $300 but that doesnt mean i want a $300 fixture. and this includes bulbs.
Im wondering about not getting a refractometer and just going for a hydrometer again
Instead of LR i would be doing dead rock and then seeding it so i can save some cash there
Any other ideas to how i can save more money?


Snaz: yes i already know about not adding all livestock all at once. Im willing to be very patient as you can probably tell by me not having the tank set up yet. The price i quoted previously was just for setup, it doesnt include any livestock.
Boomboy: yea thats why i wanted this size tank because the size is just awsome.

[skabooya]

I did some number crunching and reduced my list and got lower quality stuff but still not horrible. Heres the new list. Tell me what you think.
Ocean Masters Test Kit 54.98
20lbs Fiji Pink substrate 32.65
Coralife 2x96 PC Light strip 269.95 (there is a 1x96PC that im looking at too)
Mounting legs 8.45
HK1 33.95
HK2 42.95
IO Hydrometer 12.35
50lbs IO salt 16.44
100watt Ebo Jagger heater 27.95
Total with taxes $596.93 (This is a lot less than the cost with everything i wanted before but i wouldnt mind reducing it some more)

22lbs Dead rock with shipping and taxes approx 103.89

The entire setup being approx $700.89

The changes i made are:
No skimmer
Refractometer changed to an Instant Ocean Hydrometer
Lights downgraded from 4x39T5 to 2x96PC
No algae scraper (I will just need to use a credit card or something)
No foods added (Wont have any livestock in the tank for quite some time and even so it would probably be corals first so i would just buy food when i get them anyway)
Salt went from 160gal mix to 50gal

By doing all that my costs went down about $400 which is a HUGE difference to me and is much more acceptable than $1000+ when i have so many other renos to do around the house.

[skabooya]

WOOO an advancement!!! I bought my lightfixture. I had to get something cheap but good. I could no longer go with the nova extreme I originally wanted because of cost and the lesser nova extreme 2x39 was not HO and after reading many reviews, very cheaply made (broken bulbs, etc) AND when compared to the hagen glo was basically crapola.

So, I purchased the Hagen Glo 2x39 HO T5 36" model.
I would like to get geismann bulbs to put into it but what combo would be best for my future corals. I want their colours to really shine and i want them to be super healthy too.

I know under 2x39 T5 HO i can keep softies
My list includes: rics, zoas, cloves, shrooms, xenia, and possibly devils hand leather with green polyps.

I know i can keep some lps
My list includes:
hammer, frogspawn.


My second question (1st was about bulb combo) is what other Lps can I keep should I want any? Some people say brain, plate coral, acan, and blasto. Some also say you can keep sps under those lights (I dont think so) but suggestions were pink birdsnest, and monti.
I would like to get the list straightened out so I know what my limits are.
Thanks in advance.

[skabooya]

I read a few threads about bulb combos but with a 2 bulb fixture its difficult because all the combos were for 4+ bulb fixtures.

Here are my bulb options
Im looking at the Giesmann bulbs and my choices from JLAquatics.com are:
Powerchrome - Midday (6000K)
" - Aquablue+ (15000K)
" - Actinic+ (2200K)
" - Pure Actinic (421nm)

I want a blue look where the corals really pop. But I want them to grow. I dont really like the pinky look.

HELP!!!!

[skabooya]

So I ended up finding where to get ATI bulbs *THANK YOU PROGRESSIVE REEF*
Im going to get the Blue+ and the Aquablue special. But holy poop the shipping cost is killing me. The total cost for the 2 bulbs will be $103 From the store to my house. WOW almost as much as my fixture lol

[skabooya]

Bought the bulbs. check totals on first post.