I'm back with questions...

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Dolf

A short intro-
I used to keep a 75 gal with a refugium, DSB, no skimmer and a fairly light bio load. It was successful until a power outage during a McMurray winter while I was at work killed everything. That must have been 04 or 05. Now I am thinking that I should get back into the hobby (I am a little more stable- location wise, at least.)

I may have found a 180 gal to pick up. Aside from the added cost to aquascape it and the added maintenance are there any drawbacks to the larger tanks? Are they really that much more work? I seem to recall the 75 not really being that bad to keep up with...

Finally, on a 24 inch deep tank that is 6 feet long what am I going to need to keep clams and soft corals? I realize that MH will likely be a minimum- but how many at what wattage? Will 2 work or will I need more...

One last question- will a lionfish or an angler eat cleaner shrimp or soft corals? I really did used to know the answers to some of these questions... or at least where to find them...

I would say not much more work from a 75 or 90g to a 180g. Guess the larger water changes and more dosing to maintain alk. & calcium, depending on whats in the reef tank. Always figure in the more humidity factor of a larger tank and how to remove it from the house.
....direct venting the hood, HRV, dehumidifier or whatever method you choose, something is needed to remove the moisture in a Calgary winter.

A lionfish would be fine in a reef, except for trying to keep small fish, shrimps, etc. They will not bother corals. Plus, myself being clumsy and always working in my coral tank, I would be worried about getting poked by a lionfish. Esp. if one has bad reactions to things like bee stings.