new to saltwater and i need help asap!

[lanceb_reefin]

ok. im new to the saltwater scene and im barely just starting my tank. my homie that reefs recommended i get a Power compact light, daylight(10,000k) and Actintic bulbs(the black light looking ones)... so i know the lights to use and i need help. im gunna start using a 20gal tank and i just wanna do coral for now until i get it down then ill add some fish. so i need help with what hood to get and what i will need for my tank.... any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. thanks for the help.

 

[lanceb_reefin]

ok. im new to the saltwater scene and im barely just starting my tank. my homie that reefs recommended i get a Power compact light, daylight(10,000k) and Actintic bulbs(the black light looking ones)... so i know the lights to use and i need help. im gunna start using a 20gal tank and i just wanna do coral for now until i get it down then ill add some fish. so i need help with what hood to get and what i will need for my tank.... any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. thanks for the help.

 

[Prince916]

Fish first but when you start having more experience on saltwater then start adding corals. Also i would prefer t5's over compacts cheaper and less energy usage.

 

[xrayrider]

You could use almost any type of lighting above a 20 gallon tank. Is it a 20 long, or standard? I personally have never liked power compacts, although they would work. I would use T5 lighting, before power compacts, I think you would be happier. There is more versitility, and the ability to mix more spectrums. I also think they put out more light, and better light. I like halides with Radiums, mixed with VHO super actenics, the best out of all the lighting types I have tried, but I have two much larger tanks. I would use a 150 watt Radium doubled ended halide bulb in a pendant fixture with two t5 420 nm actenics to suppliment, but that is me. If you are just starting out, you probably won't need sps lighting, and just T5 lighting is fine for softies and lps, especially in that small of a tank, but if you decide to go with sps later, you would need to go with a small halide with a Radium, or XM bulb to get the best colors. Then you would need to switch out your lighting. I say buy what you will want in the end, although t5 would be fine with the right bulbs, on that small of a tank, even with sps, you just might not get quit the pop on colors. The best thing to do is look at a lot of tanks and when you see lighting you really like, see what they are using. If you have a local reef club, utilize it to make it easier to find tanks to look at.

 

[sandbar]

i agree with xray

 

[ca2or]

I also agree.

 

[frank a]

Prince916 is right start with fish then get corals

 

[myreef2reef]

T5 or metal halides...why waste your money on them now when you're going to upgrade to T5 or MH in the VERY near future (you can almost bet on that)...they're not that much more than PC lighting.

 

[gilmour01]

ditto ^^^^^^^

 

[brward5]

All good advice. T5 lights, fish first (they're much less finicky than corals about water quality). Once the tank has been up for 3-6mos, then you can start adding corals. If you think you want clams, then consider starting with MH.

 

[lanceb_reefin]

Thanks for the info everyone. It is much appreciated.