30 Gallon

[3fsh]

I am setting up a 30 gallon so that I can separate the two triggers (they are starting to get a bit cramped ) and I want it to eventually become a reef tank (once the trigger moves). So, basically, I want to set it up as if it was a reef tank now... ie- good lighting, etc. What lights should I get? I have an egg-crate-type thing that I can use to set the live rock on, but how do I get good water flow underneath it? (I have a powerhead, could I use that?) (Also, can I put some type of screen on top of it? I don't want any small fish to get sucked underneath. ) Lastly, what type of filter should I get? I don't have the money to get a skimmer right now, so that will have to wait 'till later on. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Navarre]

IMO you are going to need more than 30 gallons to house each trigger. they get large and require alot of swimming space )

However...
The lights for a 30 gallon need to be strong for a reef setup. However, Halides might well cause a temperature increase. I would opt for T5s in this instance. It will allow you to keep any Soft coral you want and possibly hard corals if they are positioned near the surface.

To design and run a reef rack go to this link

Thread discussing reefrack

I answered a few questions regarding reefracks on another post in this forum and i have linked it via the above.

If you are using Live rock for the reef then you dont need another filter. Save the money and get a skimmer instead. Externals are ok but not essential. I would say that if you are running live rock alone then its probably more important to get a skimmer than an external filter at the moment

 

[3fsh]

LOL! I would never even dream of keeping a full grown trigger in anything smaller than a 100g! I can just imagine a trigger that big in a 25g... probably wouldn't even be able to turn around. This is just temporary housing until they grow a little bit. They're still babies anyway... Kihei is only 2in and Bandit is barely 3in.

I know this is going to make me sound like a newbie, but what are T5's? )

Don't I need to get the tank cut, tho, to use a skimmer? It has a plastic frame running around the top of the tank. It's not so much the cost of the skimmer itself, it's the cost of getting the tank cut.

 

[Ed4567]

For what its worth I have a single 150 watt halide over a similar tank and love it- while it does increase temperature a bit this is managable, it also didnt cost me much more than a decent T5 setup, although these would work.

T5s are a type of fluresant (sp?) tube that is thinner than the normal ones and gives out more light.

Ed

 

[Navarre]

NOrmal tubes are called T8s but a T5s is smaller and thinner. Thus allowing more tubes under the hood.
Here is a piccy of T5s

You can get hang on skimmers that should fit over the side of the tank. a Prizm will fit over the edge of a Juwel tank and this has a plastic surround at the top. There is no need to make alterations t the top of the tank (although the hood needs to be cut)Ed is right, I had a 150w halide over the tank and the temperature wasnt too bad (this was my 40 gallon). Its really down to price and these days you can get halides at very competative prices to the T5s ranges.
Gotta love those glitter lines with halides too! (well worth it IMO)

 

[3fsh]

Thank you so much for all of your help! I appreciate it soooo much! I have just one more question, tho...

Is there some type of netting I can place over the egg crate to keep small fish/invertabrates from being sucked underneath?

 

[Navarre]

Um... they dont get sucked underneath.. the powerhead blows water up and out.. so if anytthing it will blow the fish out and not suck them in. The flow is not that strong though. My Banana wrasse live under the rack and loves it there (i still cant figue out how he gets down there because he is too large to fit through the eggcrate ). Every now and then he will venture out for a quick check of ht elive rock on the surface then he pops back downunder the rack to do whatever he does downthere )

Remember... the powerheads blow water down in into the rack thus forcing the current out and not sucking it in

 

[3fsh]

Okay, cool! I am so excited about this tank! It'll be kind of boring until I get the trigger out, but when I do, I'm going to have so much fun with it! Thanx again!