Paul_PDX

After having reefs for nearly 10 years in early 90's we are setting up a new reef in an 55 galon hex tank. Fortunately I kept most of my equipment and even 100 pounds of coral rock and base material. I still have a Rainbow Lifeguard wet/dry sump that was sized for my 90 gal tank, a 36" protein skimmer, and an overflow skimmer that I used on a 55 gal quarantine tank that I used to keep (I believe it is a one inch output so probably could handle 600 to 800 gal per hour). My old Grundfos/Rainbow pump is shot though so I am trying to pick a good reliable energy efficient return pump sized for this tank. My old pump was external but I am leaning to submersed for this smaller setup. I will have about 5' of head and an 8' return. Any suggestions for size, brand and good places to find them locally? Also trying to catch up on the state of the art in lighting with limited space (under hood): What I currently have is a dual 250W MH and 4 - 48" tube VHO setup that is probably too hot for this tank and/or too big. Probably very inefficient as well with 1988 technology. I also have two small coralife fixtures that hold 1-9watt actinic & 1-9watt 10,000K each. So this can get some extra light to corals near the top of the tank and provides good twilight lighting. The Hex canopy can hold 24" fluorescent bulbs at best. and has four or five inches of space between the acrylic top and the acrylic hood. It is already has clips for four T12 20" bulbs and has a ballast and end caps for two of them. With 4 to five inches space between an acrylic lid and an acryllic hood and a max length of 24" what would people recommend? I love the look of MH ripples are their any new lighting alternatives that provide similar intensity and spectrum? That is probably enough questions for today. Knowns: Goal Reef with few fish -- rock wall from base to top of tank 55 gal Hex tank Wet dry filter Protein skimmer Using Pre-mix Water from Sea Horse to startup Stagnant plenum under two inches of substrate wave timers with multiple powerheads Unknowns: Return Pump Lighting May try refugium