I don't know how this happened?

[traco]

So I innocently start up a 55 gallon saltwater after a couple of years off. Fish only with some live rock, low lighting (around 185 watts) cuz I figured "I'm getting only fish". Then it started to happen, got a sump and overflow, skimmer, then saw some zoas and rics and figured, "well, they should be okay if I place high up in the tank?". Then started to think that maybe I should move my 2 perculas and 40 lbs of live rock from my 55 to my 66 gallon (you know, more room, right?).

So here I stand at the moment, bewildered and wondering what hit me. lol Do I need more lighting for the zoas and rics? Can I move over the sand, fish and rock into the bigger tank without a spike happening? Are those 10 extra gallons and 2" in width going to make a difference?

Someone maybe should just smack me on the side of the head, kay? lol

[don.ald]

***SMACK***
just do what most of us do. keep the 55g and the bigger tank. then get a third..:lol:

[xtreme]

What type of lighting do you have?

[traco]

A 75 RR is $350 ~ can't afford that so was making do with what I had.

Lighting is two 65 watt PC and one 55 watt actinic T5.

[Borderjumper]

Ive never used PC lights but IMO that will keep zoa's and rics alive, but there not going to have nice color. I doubt if you will get much growth either.

Just realize your hooked.. and get some MH lighting:mrgreen:

[christyf5]

LOL it happens to all of us, it just means you're a true reefer. And ditto on Shelleys comment, go for the halides, you won't regret it :biggrin:

[BlueAbyss]

+1 on halides for tanks deeper than 16"... or would that be +2 :lol: with technicalities, of course :wink:

[Whatigot]

it would be pretty obvious quick if a lighting upgrade was needed.
I would try it, worst case maybe switch your actinic t5 to a 10 or 6700k one for better par.

Thats about bare minimum and by the sounds of it, you'll be upgrading soon anyways.

[vazgor]

maby we should start some kinda A-A thing for us poor adictid freaks :lol:
but to be honest you might aswell go get a 120 gallon and slowly pice it
together from difrent used places it will be cheaper in the long run to get the bigest your living space can hold i live in a mobile and im pressing my luck with a 120 :razz:
so welcome to the club man and wile were thinking along the same lines pass the pipe lol:mrgreen:

[traco]

Halides have to be suspended though? Was looking at the thread on "Fish Need It" for lighting. $70 for a two bulb 54 watt T5 (then shipping costs). I see why you guys have big tanks, you need to have the space up top for lighting, right? lol Now if I moved everything to the 66 gallon, I'd have 2 more inches for lights. I could then use my single strip power compact lights and have room for the two bulb T5 light.

[BlueAbyss]

Halides have to be suspended though? Was looking at the thread on "Fish Need It" for lighting. $70 for a two bulb 54 watt T5 (then shipping costs). I see why you guys have big tanks, you need to have the space up top for lighting, right? lol Now if I moved everything to the 66 gallon, I'd have 2 more inches for lights. I could then use my single strip power compact lights and have room for the two bulb T5 light.

They don't *have* to be suspended, you can get hoods with MH in them. Or modify your existing hood with retrofit kits.

Of course, MH is not required if you are only having softies like zoas... just use what you have, add the T5s, and keep the corals in the upper part of the tank. Unless you want them on the sand bed (if you have one), then I would say go with MH... of course if you do that, you might as well get some LPS and then some SPS to go with your softies :lol:

[pterfloth]

I have the same problem. I started in Oct 2007 with a 77 gal FOWLR, small sump and 4-T12's. Just going to have fish only. A couple months later I changed to 6-T5's added some softies and a small skimmer. Another couple of months and I started buying LPS and my first SPS. Added a Phosban reactor. Tank full, need bigger tank. By the fall of 2008 I changed to a 120 gal, 40 gal sump and 2x175w MH plus actinics. Really started buying alot of nice SPS. Had to buy a bigger skimmer. Not enough light. After 2 months I upgraded to 2-250w MH and 6-T5's. Hauling buckets is a drag, need ATO. More SPS. Still not enough light. Another couple of months and I upgraded to 2x400w MH plus actinics. Added moonlights. Now I am looking for a controller...

I think Reefer Anonymous is an excellent idea. Could help with that really tough question my friends ask, and I struggle to answer, "So how much did you spend on this?"