55g SPS tank

[liverock27]

I have gotten the bug to setup a second tank and I want to make this one a SPS tank. I have a 55g RR that I had running for acouple of year, this is what I have.
55g RR tank
30g custom sump/refug
Mag5 pump (return pump)
2x Koralia2
1x Koralia1
Aqua Medic Turboflotor 1000 Protein Skimmer
250w Won Brother titanium digital heater
ATO with 5gal water tank
The lights that I currently have for this old system are an Outer Orbit 48" 2x150w MH with 2x130w PCs. I don't think this will be enough lighting for an SPS tank, so any suggestions on lights for the tank would be great.
I plan on adding a Calcium Rx to the system in the future. I would rather not have to use a chiller, but if I have to I have to. Thanks for any thoughts on how I can improve this system. This will be my first attempt at SPS.

 

[jetchris]

I believe you could put SPS in there with what you have now. Get some new bulbs and put the sps toward the top of the tank.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks. The bulbs were run for a over a year and have sat for a year and a half so I know I need to replace those. I just want to make sure that this system is going to give off enough light so that I can pretty much keep any sps that I want. The whole reason for this setup is because I am sick of going by Tim's and seeing all those nice ORA corals he keeps getting in and not being able to get any.

 

[gwhiz]

It'd be cheaper to stop going by Tim's!

 

[liverock27]

I couldn't agree with you more, but I would also have to stop looking at half the posts on ARC.

 

[ralph atl]

Here are a couple of quotes:
"For DE bulbs it is generally recommended for tanks 22” or shorter to go with 150 watt and for tanks 22-30” deep to use 250 watt bulbs. 70 watt DE bulbs can be used for tanks under 15” deep and for tanks over 30” deep 400 watt DE bulbs are usually recommended. These are all just general statements to assist in going the correct route with choosing wattage. Water clarity and quality will also play a big factor in allowing light to penetrate deeper in the tank."


"In my opinion, two 250 watt metal halide lamps would be extreme overkill on a 55 gallon aquarium. The 150's will be more than enough light for most anything you would want to keep.
________________________________________
Steven Pro, yeah that is my real name."



I have 2 x 150 on my 55 (SPS), and I have SPS from top of the tank to the bottom. NO PROBLEM. I use AB 10K's (13k).

 

[liverock27]

Thanks for the help. Do you have any other lights over your tank other than the 2x150w MH?

 

[platyplakia]

Man, I give you two months, tops, before you're trying to set up the 100 or whatever gallon tank. Just bite the bullet and set up that thing, sissy. And I think you'll be fine with the lights you've got.

 

[wolfie]

Outer Orbit 48" 2x150w MH with 2x130w PCs are enought light for sps.

I the same light as your, but with T5 rather then PC and it sitting onto of my 75RL. 48" long. All my sps are growing great.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks Platus. The other tank is a 150g (72"w x 24"D x 20"H). To set it up I would have to buy all new equipment and build a stand. All I pretty much have left from that setup is the tank itself. The 55g is ready and waiting to be setup. As long as the lighting will work all I have to do is switch out the bulbs. Any good suggestions on new 150w MHs would be great.
Thanks Wayne for the info on your lighting. Sounds like I can get going with this project. I guess tomorrow I will be hooking back up the RO unit so I can start making my own water.

 

[ralph atl]

I added one T-5 light strip (actinic) about 6 months ago for a color "pop". Before that no.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks.

 

[dmahoney82]

I have a few sps in my 55 and run dual 150 mh's. I bought the phoenix 14k bulbs a few months ago and love them.

 

[liverock27]

I came across a great deal on a 48" Current USA w/8x54w T5s. Would this setup be better than the 2x150w MH and 2x130w PCs? The Current USA has never been used and is almost the same price as it would cost me to get new bulbs for my current system. I have never worked with T5s so I don't know how this would compare with the MHs. Thanks.

 

[tnyga]

For SPS Id stay with the Halides...Me on the otherhand would love to sell my dual 150's and pick up the T5's...Im not doing any SPS this time...Was that fixture new or used LR?

 

[humptrax]

add a bigger return pump or plumb a closed loop. you're going to want more flow. if heat is a serious issue, i'd avoid all powerheads and get external pumps for returns and closed loops. get a fan running across your sump (this will increase your evaporation rate) to help with the heat issue.

you know, if you're sitting on a big tank, i'd set it up slow and do it right. there's no reason to rush into setting up a tank. if there's one thing that holds true every time in this hobby, it's that good things happen slow, bad things happen fast.

 

[liverock27]

Thanks for the suggestions on the lighting and the flow yall.
I think if my current lighting will work than I will just replace the bulbs.
I have a large clip on fan that I ran across the sump during the summer months that did a great job keeping my temps in the 78-79 range. I did have over a gallon of evaporation a day during the summer, but that is what the ATO is for.
Any suggestions on a larger return pump. Should I also look at upgrading the powerheads, 2x Koralia2, 1x Koralia1? I don't mind having the Koralias in the tank because they do not put off much heat and I am fine with the look.

 

[humptrax]

regardless of how you want to control flow, with an SPS tank, in tank turnover ratio should be extremely high. best results (thick branching acros, thick plating montis) come from tanks that seem to have excessive flow rates (30-40x turnover).

 

[liverock27]

The Koralias alone will give me a turnover rate of 29x in the 55g. According to Melevsreef a Mag5 with a 5 foot return still puts out 300ph. My pump only have to go up 4ft. So even if it is only at 300gph that give me a total of 1900gph and a turnover of 34.5x.
Thanks again for the insight. This is just another thing that I have to think about before I set this tank back up. I am with you on taking my time and making sure I get the right equipment up front. I have had to replace and add equipment too many times and the extra money and the headache of doing replacements while the tank is full is just not worth me rushing this setup.