55 Gallon Plans!

So I have finally found a protein skimmer that I think will fit my tank nicely! Hopefully I will be able to buy it tonight!

It's the Reef Octopus 300L Vortex OTP Skimmer. As this is my first saltwater aquarium, I wanted to find a skimmer for a reputable brand and this is what I came across I will be buying it online from this shop 300L Vortex OTP Skimmer

The lighting I want to buy is from the same shop, but before I do I will have to work 25 hours this week of hard intense manual labour to earn the cash. It is going to be so worth it though!
4 X 54W tubes, going to replace 2 of the tubes that are included with actinics. Another cool thing about the lights is that they have LED Moon Lights!!!! And a timer! And they are ventillated!!!!! ;D
T5-HO Light 1200mm 4 x 54W with Moonlight/Timer

Now I just have to buy a tank for the sump, a return pump, all the PVC piping I need and I am ready to put it all together!!

Then I am one step closer to stocking!!!

 

Check eBay or craigslist for used lighting plus rethink the long nose hawkfish he will eat any shrimp you place in your tank.

 

im on ebay every day and I would prefer buying a new product rather than used, which is why I have gone for the lights linked above. I cant get MH either because I am not able to hang anything from the roof.

 

You could do a retro fit kit from Ice build a nice hood something like that. I have a 55gal built a custom hood and put a 3 bulb vho retro fit kit in it with an icecap 660 ballast. all cost around 350. Its worth every bit.

 

That is expensive for what your getting. I don't know if it's just b/c that's what prices are down under though.

 

That does seem like an expensive light, but 25 hours of work is well worth getting the light you want. Hard work always seems to go by faster when I know it is directly related to getting something I want instead of paying bills

 

yea the lighting stuff wasn't to bad but it was the wood and stuff but for the lighting i did that all for about 200-225. The wood used was well worth its price to match my stand.

 

i suspect the exchange rates have something to do with it seeming expensive. the US dollar is worth more than ours. personally i dont think its that expensive for what im getting brand spankin new. LED lights are expensive as it is arent they?
What sucks is i sprained my ankle and couldnt work this week! D=
but I'm going to see if my ankle will be good enough to work next week.

Also I have been trying to decide what type of clownfish to get, and I was wondering if I would be able to have a single tomato clown with a pair of clarkii's and cycle the tank with them? If they are introduced at the same time, will that lower the aggression that might occur?

 

So its been a while since I posted in my own thread lol, work on the aquarium has been slow! But hasn't stopped. Money is the main issue I guess, I want equipment that won't screw me over within 2 or 3 weeks of use!
Anyway, whats left on the list now is lighting, an overflow, a return pump and all the plumbing.

This is what I had in mind for the overflow.
Eshopps Overflow Box PF-300 for Aquarium Reef Tanks NIB - eBay Other, Filtration Heating, Aquarium Fish, Pet Supplies. (end time 26-Jun-10 10:05:54 AEST)

For the return, I have this in mind.
Oceanreefs Marine Aquariums

As for lighting, I did have something in mind but it is no longer available from the site I found it on unfortunately. It was a 1200mm T5HO 4x54w fixture with 2 moon led lights AND a timer! Now the only version available is the one without the timer or moon lights.
I want to find a T5 fixture with at least 4 bulbs (2 daylight 2 actinic) and a timer is important too. Anyone have any suggestions? Keep in mind I'm in Australia!

 

As for the overflow, I have an 800 on my 55, you may want to consider that as IMO, the 300 is a little too slow for my tastes. I would just get the T5 fixture you are looking at w/o the timer or moon lights. Neither is needed, and it's really easy to just buy a timer and plug the fixture into it. I don't know of many fixtures that have built in timers.