What to do next? I think my tank is cycled...

Hmm, that would save me twice the money... I dont think im too into the clams right now, so I could live with out one of them, I think I may have to go with the 216 watt one and cut the cost in HALF. Should I go with that one? or with another brand they have at dr. f&s?
 
Reeffreak recommends buying T5s that have individual bulb reflectors. The Current Nova Extremes do not. I'm sure that when he reads this, he can post a link to the T5s that he prefers.
 
And after I get these lights going, am I able to start adding some shrooms and corals my friends dad is willing to give me for free right away? My friends dad has a tank filled with all kinds of coral.
 
Yeah. If your tank is done cycling and all your animals are doing well, you can add corals as soon as you get the good lights. Be sure to look up all the types of corals he is planning on giving you, you don't want to get something that's hard to keep alive, even if it is free.
 
Dang no one chimed in with any individual reflector ones at all... Im torn between the overpowerful 432 watt for 400 bucks and being good to go, or the 216 slightly low for 200$... Biff ill listen to you, should I get the 216, maybe find one with individual reflectors and be satisfied with that? save the extra $200+ and buy something else?
 
Dr. foster and smith doesnt have a whole lot of T5's to choose from, and I am a very impacient person, so I wanna drive and get my lights tonight! They have a bunch of 260 watt compact fluerescent and stuff, but for T5's they dont got a lot of selection...
 
I say go with the 432 watt fixture.
Thats what I'm running over my 75 now.You coould keep any coral,clam,or anemone without the worring if you have enough light.
 
If money is an issue than go with the Nova 4x54w T5 fixture.Even better is the 8 bulb version but yes individual reflectors is single most important factor when choosing T5,IMO.The Nova's don't have them so my recommendation is either a Tek 4-6 bulb fixture or the Aquactinics TX5(5 bulbs).I believe Biff and Yote on being able to keep just about anything under the Nova's,I had the same fixture and kept everything also.I had sps and clam under them for about 6 months and they were growing and looked healthy.Maybe if I had sps/clams under those lights for 1 year+,then I could give you better advice on those lights.

Here's the link....

Tek....Sunlight Tek Light T5 Hood - 48" x 4 bulb: Premium Aquatics
Aquactinics........TX5 Series Aquactinics 48" 5 lamp T5 fixture - no lamps: Premium Aquatics

Those two I linked to does not come with bulbs($20 ea.).The Aquactinics is considered the better of the two.
 
Sorry guys, didnt see any posts, and I got the 216 they had, my tank is shallower than a 55 by 3 inches, and im not planning on any clams. My friends dad just pulled a bunch of corals out of his tank and gave me them, ill take some pics once they are in, but he said they would all do fine under my light. the guy at foster and smith said that with these lights should house anything but some stony corals and clams with caution... it is BRIGHT as hell, holy crap. with these new bulbs, compared to my friends dads with the dual halidae with the antics and stuff along the sides, like the 900+$ lights
 
And about the hunting trip, it was fun, i haven't went out in the woods in like 5 years... Nice relaxing weekend. Didnt get to eat the grouse yet, I was the only one that got that 1 so its in the freezer till we can get a few more...
 
Congrats on the lights.I believe some clams will be fine under those lights.I know the T. derasa will do just fine when your tank matures more.Isn't your tank a little young for corals?
 
Here are some pics of the corals he gave me, he said see how these do and then he will get me some more kinds soon.
Man his tank is FULL of all different kinds of corals, I guess hes had it for like 15 years and the tank is too full, so hes willing to just give me chunks...

Aquarium129.jpg

Aquarium130.jpg

Aquarium131.jpg
 
I dunno, biff said if all my fish are doing fine and my tests are coming back zero ammonia and nitrites yet it should be ok... its going on a month, 3+ weeks i guess and none of the fish have had any problems whatsoever...
Where should I place these corals? Do they like more current or less? sand or rock? and why are they all attached to mushroomy things? or is that another part of each of those? or another type of sponge they all happen to be attached to?
 
My next big adventure... this timer... The guy was telling me how I'm supposed to cycle the lights, start out with the blue lights on first for half hour, then have both on, then just the blues before they go out, then all off but the moon lights. At first he said this timer wouldnt work, but then he looked at it and said I should be able to do that... But from looking at it I dont think it can? Here are some pics of it, can anyone give me some help in setting it up if that is possible or not? I think i wanna go with the lights on from noon to midnight, because I sleep in alot and my tanks right next to my bed... will that be ok for them having odd hours? I'm thinking they should get used to it and have it be normal for them after a little while.

Aquarium127.jpg

Aquarium128.jpg
 
That looks like a leather toadstool coral next to the xenia.

What lights did it come from under?
If you don't know then start low for a week then move them where you like.The leather likes moderate to high flow and the xenias low to moderate.Since they look attached,I say give it moderate flow to both.
 
For lights he a fixture about my length on his 75 gallon with 2 metal halidaes and 2 atinics running the length, im not sure the wattage, but it was a 800$ light i think his son said... And those xenia were all over the tank, in the sand and up towards the top, one even growing on the glass at the very top of the water... What is that other little chunk in the picture? its the smallest one alone on the rock
 
Noon to midnight is fine.Most people set it to there own schedule,heck mine is 11:00am to 11:00pm.

Thats the single timer outlet,right?You can only run the daylights(yellow plugs) and the lunars(blue plugs).You'll still need a cheap timer for the actinics,set them to at least one hour before the daylights and at least one hour after the daylights goes out.
 
Alright, ill have to pick up a cheap timer tomorrow, ohh! the leathery things are having little zit things pop out with little things all over them all of a sudden, does that mean they are happy?
 
Then you can place them anywhere.

I dunno what that one is....its looks cringe up.Maybe wait to take a better pic after it settles in.
 

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