10 Gallon setup
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1291
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Topic: 10 Gallon setup
Posted By: Kevin
Subject: 10 Gallon setup
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 11:44am
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Well, I have a friend that has decided that he would like to set up a 10 gallon nanno tank for some clown fish and an anemone. Since I don't know too much about nano tanks and their setup this is the advice I gave him.
I told him to do the typical 2-3" sandbed with 10 lbs of live rock. I also told him that he could get a skimmer but many people are choosing not to use them and their tanks work well. I also told him that for an anemone he would require a high amount of light so I suggested a DIY workhorse ballast VHO setup because it is a relitively inexpensive VHO setup. Finally I told him to set up the tank with water and sand, put some powerheads in for and just let it run for a day or two. Then add the liverock and wait a month. After that to add the clown fish one at a time and over a period of 2 months and add the anemone last due to their delicate nature. I just wondering if I seriously goofed in any areas or if my recomendations seem acurate. Is there anyone in the club that lives around Utah Valley that could help me help him wire a workhorse ballast? Does that electrical supply store keep those ballasts in stock? Any comments or suggestions are welcome. |
Replies:
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 12:00pm
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Get ready to see a post by Jon Finch...... ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Kevin wrote:Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 12:36pm
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Get ready to see a post by Jon Finch...... You rang?... Is there anyone in the club that lives around Utah Valley that could help me help him wire a workhorse ballast? I can help if you have questions. Have you searched the DIY forum on this site for this info. It's all here, but sometimes it is easier to talk face to face. Have you considered compact flourescents for a tank that small? How long is a 10 gallon tank? Will VHOs fit? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: tfowers
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:01pm
| There are 3 of us in American Fork that just got nanos going at work(7 bow, 6 cube and 20 long) We each did things a little different - come in and see them! 10 is a tricky length - I'd suggest the $9 'wal-mart special' power compact lighting, just buy better bulbs. There is a 32 watt PC you can get too(CSL Smart Light) , little more $$, but fits right inside a standard hood. - Tim |
Posted By: kini
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:08pm
| Where are you located in American Fork? There are 4 of us that have reef tanks (only one at work) here at Authorize.Net just off the 500 East Exit. |
Posted By: Kevin
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:11pm
| I hadn't considered wheather the bulbs would fit or not. Hmm. I assume it is a standard 10 gallon tank, what ever those dimensions are. Will the 9 dollar walmart special be able to keep an anemone thriving? |
Posted By: Kirklan
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:15pm
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------------- SE Idaho 67G Rimless Reef |
Posted By: Kirklan
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:20pm
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Sorry about the previously blank post. About adding the clown fish. If you want the clown fish to pair up and not kill each other, he needs to either buy already paired clownfish or put 2 juvenile clowns in at the same time. If you were to put in the clowns in seperate over the span of a month the first clown will have already staked it's territory and likely attack the newly added clown. ------------- SE Idaho 67G Rimless Reef |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:26pm
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I've wired in a workhorse ballast and am down in orem. I also second the clownfish bit. Better to buy a pair of small clowns together. Try from the sea. They previously had a sale on ocellaris clowns.
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Posted By: Sarnack
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:53pm
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Standard 10 gallon = 20" wide X 10" deep x 12" tall
18" VHO's would fit nicely and at 40 watts each 2 or 3 would be plenty. If you are considering power compacts these are worth a look (only 64 watts but has a moonlight and no canopy to build and relatively cheap at $115): http://www.customsealife.com/f_powercompact-moon-lite.htm |
Posted By: tfowers
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 1:57pm
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There are 3 reef geeks here at Novarad in Dentrix building.(look out your window) and working on a fourth. PM me - let's get together. We do runs to aquatica for lunch couple times a week.
Walmart special is a yellow PC "worklight" that has a ballast, plug, bulb(6500K) and crappy reflector, take apart or use as whole. The bulb is 13W so you would have to use 2-4 of them to get anemone happy. Condylat-something anemone is a cheap hardy one, bubble tip and long tentacle come in some really good colors. Tim |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 6:34pm
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Is there someone who makes 18" vho bulbs? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 7:38pm
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The effective use of LS and LR has brought the reef aquarium hobby onto a new road.
Why do I say that?, you ask. With the addition of some LS on day two and LR+coral+fish periodically from day 2 through 30 an entire tank can be set up and fully populated within the first month. The only restriction to what one considers fully populated is the condition of the LR and the hobbyists pocketbook! The proof is July's Tank of the Month which was fully stocked and thriving in one month. 
(This is a pic of the tank at four months.) "A little revolution now and then is a good thing, don't you think?" from Hunt for Red October ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Kevin
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 10:14pm
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I personally would like to see how to set up and wire a VHO ballast so I think that is the direction we will go. What type of VHO ballast should he buy? I figure he will put 2 - 3 18" bulbs on it.
Last question, any of you that said you know how to wire one of these ballasts, would any of you have time saturday night to teach us? He is going up to the lighting store tomarrow to try and get a ballast and is going to get the VHO endcaps from a fish store. Let me know. Thanks. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: November 18 2003 at 10:38pm
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I used the 27 watt pc from lights of america at home depot for 30 bucks and it looks great for my nano tank that will be populated with seahorses in the future. -Cody |
Posted By: Kevin
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 6:43am
| I tried the lights of america lights for my refugium. I bought them, then waited 2 months before setting them up, and then it lasted for about 3 weeks and died. Since it had been a few months I figured that they woudn't take it back and so I tried my own experimenting trying to get it to work. Needless to say I had no Idea what was wrong in the first place and I had no idea what was wrong. So now it still doesn't work and it isn't the bulb because I tried a new bulb. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 7:32am
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Actually I found that it pays to try.
Home Depot replaced my 2 month old Lights of America light, saying that it's supposed to last much longer than that. I have found that these LOA lights last an average of a year, and I'm not talking about the bulb. As a big DIYer myself, in the long run I've found that it's more cost effective to buy Workhorse ballasts at Commercial Lighting Supply and wire up my own PC or VHO lights. A reflector made of mirrored aluminum from Advanced Lighting and light tubes from the LFS completes the project. (Both companies are in the SLC phone book) I'm such a DIYer that I even made my own end caps with underground sprinkler wire and silicone. Solder the wire to the pin and goop aquarium silicone around all the metal parts. Crazy huh! ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 8:11am
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I wired in the workhorse 3 ballast to two 28 w pc bulbs. What time Saturday? I can come help for a little while. Also which ballast is he going to buy? And do you have all the other parts? Let me know which ballast you get, and what time etc. pm me here or call me at 3623483 Nate |
Posted By: Sarnack
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 1:27pm
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jfinch - URI makes 18" VHO or NO bulbs:
http://www.championlighting.com/e/env/0001dagHdZETmLA5ig0m6m 5/Products/Lighting/lighting.html?link=/Products/Lighting/ur i.html |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 1:50pm
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Well IBD. I should have looked harder back when I had my nano going. 24" was as small as I could find. I went with 36 watt CF. (wonder why hellolights doesn't carry 'em?) ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Sarnack
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 1:57pm
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Not sure but reefsplendor carries them too but they list them as 30 watts not 40... not sure who is right there.
http://www.reefsplendor.com/pages/lighting/uri.html |
Posted By: Sarnack
Date Posted: November 19 2003 at 2:01pm
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http://www.uriworld.com/alamps.html
Guess they are 30 watts... |
Posted By: Kull
Date Posted: November 20 2003 at 2:59pm
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YOu can also buy a $25.00 PC 18watt (5000k) setup that works nicely. I picked one up at Jays Jungle. I am using that a 15 watt Coralife Actinic on my Nano at work. Granted I only have Mushrooms in it right now, but they are doing quite well. The tank is young and I plan to add a few more things to it as time goes by. I'll keep you all posted. BTW I am in AF as well.
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