LIghting and skimmers, your suggestions?

[Gdbyrd]

What can you guys recommend for a skimmer? I have a BakPak, but it's VERY loud and the more I read, the more I feel it's not going to work out. Looking to spend about $200. I really want to get rid of my biowheels, but before I can do that I want to make sure i have a good skimmer.

Next order of business is lighting. Right now I have an Actinic bulb, one of the 15w ones from Petsmart. I really want to have some soft corals in my tank EVENTUALLY, but while I'm buying for the tank now I'd like to start getting it together(from the top of the tank to the sand it's 27"). I don't want anything exotic or something that's extremely finicky, one of the slightly easier ones to take care of.

Thank you guys.

 

[mblack]

for a skimmer i'd recommend either a deltec mce300 or if you can find one second hand a mce600. I have one on my 47g and it's great.

For your lights, t5s will do all soft corals and the majority of lps, you could even get away with sps at the top of the tank. For your tank I would go for 4 x 39w (2 marine white, 2 actinic).

hth

matt

 

[yote]

Matts got you covered.
But it might be easier to find an Octopus skimmer on this side of the big pond though.

 

[dcantucson]

Invest in some good lighting and skimmer. It will payoff. Most always want to upgrade, so get it now and you'll save in the long run.

 

[Gdbyrd]

For your lights, t5s will do all soft corals and the majority of lps, you could even get away with sps at the top of the tank. For your tank I would go for 4 x 39w (2 marine white, 2 actinic).

hth

matt

Thanks. I've been looking around for lights and I'm having trouble finding ones that will fit my tank, it's about 2ftish across. All those lights are low wattage, unless I'm looking at the wrong place.

Yote, specifically what would you recommend from octopus? THe BH-100 SHOULD do it right? Or should I go for the 100f if I can find one?