260watt PC on 55G tank

Hello everyone,

Im fairly new to the reef hobby and am in the process of setting up my first tank. I have ran my 55G for about 3 months as a fowlr, it has about 40lbs of live rock, Im going to add about 30 more lbs in a few weeks. I bought a 4x65watt PC light on ebay its made by Catalina. It has 2x10,000K bulbs and 2xActinic bulbs. I dont want anything hard to keep I was just thinking of some mushroom corals and some palythoas/zoanthids...maybe some clove polyps or green star polyp.

I have 2 BakPak skimmers, 1 Aquaclear 70 stuffed with Purigen, Polyfilter and Chemipure, 2 Aquaclear 50 powerheads and a Koralia 1 Powerhead. Also about 40lbs of live sand.

 

Sounds cool. I use a 130 watt pc on my 29gal and i keep a zoa colony and a torch coral and they seem to be doing well, I think your light should work fine for what you want

I too converted from a FOWLR, one thing you will want to do is monitor all water parameters too see if your ready for coral, stuff like Ca , phosphates, and Mg, in addition to the FOWLR stuff like NH3, NO2-, NO3-, salinity, pH , and alk.

running for 3 months sounds like its time for coral, good luck!

 

Thanks, Im in the process of switching from Oceanic salt to Seachem Reef Salt I have around 50G mix left of the Oceanic mixing it 50/50 wth the Seachem till I get almost out then mix in more of the Seachem. My Calcium level is 480, dKH is 9, and phosphate is .25.

When I order the new live rock in about 2 weeks I will probably give it a month to cure in the tank, and order the rest of my clean up crew. I also want to keep a clownfish...probably a tomatoe. Do you think an anenome would survive in my lighting? If I put it on the top of the rock it would probably be around 8-10" from the bulbs tops.

Also what is a compatible dwarf angelfish with my proposed corals?

 

Sounds good, I use 4x 54 w t5s and atinics on my 55.

 

Awesome, thanks for the replies you two

Any opinions on the anenome?

 

I would not go with the anemone. They are high light requiring animals and do not stay where you put them. I would suggest when it comes time to change bulb in 6 months that you buy a 460nm blue bulb instead of the 420nm actinic. It will allow you to put more types of coral in your system.

 

remember we need pics..lol

I knew I forgot something.;D

 

anemone is a no go under PC lighting. Additionally, anemone's by and large require established (1+ year) tanks. They are much more difficult than the stores lead potential moneys givers, er shoppers, to believe.


PC's are fine if you want to stick with softies, leathers, mushrooms and maybe a handful of LPS coral. But they will limit you.


I'd recommend adding more rock than you are currently planning (maybe an additional 10-20 lbs on top) but I also would recommend you not pay for live rock. Get much cheaper dry, dead, white, base rock. It will become live soone enough in your tank... no curing needed.


You will need to get the phosphates under control to do well with coral. .25 is pretty high. Primary typical sources are over feeding (usually flake food) and using tap water.

Good luck!

 

I am using tap water, I plan to get a couple gallons of RODI from my campus lounge each week for a waterchange. I also just put in the ChemiPure Elite so Im hoping it drops the phosphate down to a more acceptable level in combo with the 50/50 mix of RODI and tap

The actinic bulbs Im getting are split 420/460. I have 20lbs more baserock I could add. I could cure the rock in a rubbermade, but I would like to add some with some macroalgae and more coraline to speed up covering the base rock in coraline.

Thank you again everyone!