Setting up another tank, advice needed...

[siskiou]

It probably sounds crazy, but I purchased a 60G cube/stand/canopy/sump/skimmer/return pump/lights set-up.

 

I'll be picking it up within the next few weeks and it will take the place of my current 20H which has been running for about 5 years now.

Everything in it is doing great under 130w of pc lighting (candy cane, monti cap, various leathers, red shrooms, brown polyps, xenia, GSP, an occelaris clown, a yellow watchman and his pistol shrimp friend).

There is a HOB fuge with macro and a PCI skimmer on it, it has about 30lbs of LR and a 3" sand bed.

The cube's footprint is only slightly more, compared to the width of the 20H plus the fuge behind it.

 

I've got a little more live rock ready to go from my 120G set-up.

 

First question: if I put most of the water from the 20H into the cube and add another 20G from the 120G, can I immediately shift everything from the 20H into it (minus most of the sand, since it's been in there for 5 years), plus the other cycled live rock?

Or do I need to cycle the cube for a few weeks first and keep the 20H going until it's ready?

 

Second question: the cube comes with a metal halide pendant (250w HQI). What would be the best way to acclimate everything to the new lighting?

 

Third question: I'm planning on adding a couple of T5s or VHOs for actinics.

Can I use the workhorse 7 ballast I have for two 18.5" VHO bulbs or T5 bulbs?

Or should I cannibalize my current pc fixture (cheapo from ebay) instead.

 

I'd also like suggestions for water movement.

The set-up comes with a Gen-X 4100 return pump (are these noisy?)

Can I use MJmods in a 24x24x24 tank, or are they too strong?

[Guest Mbeef61]

first...i think you will be ok doin that...its pretty much cycled

 

second...i think you could either run it raised at first and lower slowly or you could use a diffuser

 

third...couldnt really tell you but im cheap i would cannabalize that sucker

 

fourth..i think that pump is loud...not sure but i think ive heard that...ive heard those mjmods can reach 2000 gph...there are tons of options from CL to koralias....tunze...seio etc...

[siskiou]

Thanks!

 

I have a back-up Eheim 1262 that I can substitute for the Gen-X pump, but I need something cheap for circulation, or my husband is going to turn into (enforcer)(threaten)!

 

Though he was the one who told me I should keep Luna, the coral eating tang! So I told him I needed a tank I could put the pestered corals into, and the 20H is full. (naughty)

 

I'll take that Jebo fixture apart and see if I can fit the bulbs into the canopy as soon as I can get the tank set-up from Portland to Eugene.

[dsoz]

(minus most of the sand, since it's been in there for 5 years), plus the other cycled live rock?

Or do I need to cycle the cube for a few weeks first and keep the 20H going until it's ready?

 

IMO, if everything going into the cube is from an established tank, there will probably be little or no cycle. Especially if the rocks stay wet, and are only out of water for a couple of minutes. Then there should be no die-off, and no new cycle.

 

As for the sand, if you are making a new sand bed, be sure to add a layer of sand from your current tank on top so it can seed the new sand with all the good stuff from your old tank. But you probably already knew this.

 

dsoz

[mister crabs]

the MJ mods wont be too much especially if you put em in the back corners and havethem bounce off the front center glass. lots of random flow. just try to avoid blasting them directly at your corals.....seems like only sps like that.