Questions about DSB and QT...

[WinnipegDragon]

First marine tank will be purchased this year, and I think I'm going reef. I'm currently looking at a 75g AGA Magnaflow.

The first question is this: if you have, let's say, a 4" DSB, how do you mount your live rock? Do you just do 3.5" lengths of cut PVC or is there a better way? Are you just better off to do a RDSB in your 'fuge or sump and throw 1" or 2" into the display tank?

Second question is about SW QT/Hospital tanks. I was going to set up a second tank (Maybe a 20g or so) that will house a little bit of LR just to work as a QT/Hospital tank. What kind of lighting/filtration should I use for this? Can you get away with just standard CF lighting and HOB filters (i.e. a 20g starter kit) for these tanks, or is that a recipe for disaster?

[WinnipegDragon]

Might as well add my other question as well. Can you put MH lighting in a canopy, and do they make canopies designed for this sort of application?

[WinnipegDragon]

Anyone?

[WinnipegDragon]

I'm talking to myself apparently :) Here is a more specific question that I might be able to get some feedback on.

Trying to keep with cooler lights, and I was wondering if I could put AH Supply lights over a reef tank. This would let me use them in a standard wooden canopy with a little bit of drilling for air vents and maybe some 110cfm fans mounted on the sides.

I'm back and forth between a 125g (72" x 18" x 22") and a 75g/90g (48" x 18" x 20"/24").

In the 125g, I should be able to throw 6 x 96w and run 4 10K bulbs and 2 Actinics. That will be three ballasts, staggered two wide in the back with one 10K and one blue each, and one centered in the front with 2 10K bulbs. That's 4.6 watts per gallon.

Layout on the 75g/90g is a bit trickier. For 75g, I can get 4.4wpg if I go with 3 dual 55w ballasts in the same layout as above. For the 90g, I guess it's 4 dual 55w ballasts to get to 4.8wpg, or I could go with 2 dual 96w and still pull 4.2wpg.

Is this a better option that MH, or at least equivalent? It seems to me that going T5 HO is cheaper initially, cheaper over time (bulb cost), easier to mount, and cooler.

Am I missing something in the equation?

[rockethippo]

I would get the 125 gallon. The bigger the easier to keep stable. The water changes will be a bit messier, but it will be worth it. If you want to keep lots of corals get 2 250 watt MH's and 80 and above watts of actinic. MH lights and T5's are the best lighting. GOO CANADIANS!! WE ARE GOING TO RULE AC!!