Help me pls! 101 Questions

[VILLAIN™]

hi bro i juz start my 4ft tank olso other ting i dnt noe but 1 ting i do noe is e elect bill is high... mine noe is abt 200.... n b4 is 80

Hi, care to share what are the equipments you have?

[sharkfin]

aiya villian nothin much lah... juz a 3/4 hp chiler, 2 MH, CR, a canister, skimmer onli. all e basic need for a 4ft tank. and i on my light onli 4 abt 6hrs

[VILLAIN™]

and i on my light onli 4 abt 6hrs 

Hi bro, speaking of which......

If one on a single 150w MH for 8 hours is it the same as 'oning' 2x150w MH for 4 hours? Can one do that to achieve the same result for those light dependent creatures or what not? Thanks

[hotlemond]

Hi bro, speaking of which......

If one on a single 150w MH for 8 hours is it the same as 'oning' 2x150w MH for 4 hours? Can one do that to achieve the same result for those light dependent creatures or what not? Thanks

its not easy to compare in this manner.

cos light intensity is of a concern too. Just like you will never achieve good result with a light-hungry sps 2.5 ft below a 150w MH even at 10hrs period. But a single 250W may do the job better at 4hrs period.

[VILLAIN™]

I guess found out that lightings for reef are damn expensive. Just keeping to the bare necessities for a 4 footer is gonna cost thousands!Goodness!

Seriously, what is the most cost effective lighting suppose I go for some of those 'easy' corals. What are my choices actually? FL, PL, T5Ho?? MH is out. Won't want Singapore Powers to cut off my utilities due to non-payment.....unless I manage to 'tap' from outside my house... kekeke

Forgot to add, I've just got myself a second hand 4x1.5x1.5 tank. Or should I go for a smaller tank since over here, money is kinda hard to come by.

[VILLAIN™]

Another one....

Where can I get an Euroreef skimmer? Deciding between an Euroreef and Tunze. Any advice?

[VILLAIN™]

Yet another one...

Been reading about lightings and I think I'm going for T5s but does any one knows where to get good individual parabolic reflectors? Pls suggest what are the brands to look out for. Thanks in advance..

[VILLAIN™]

Can anyone tell me what a closed loop pls?

[w3ish3ng]

why not you get a aquaC skimmer? its a good skimmer. my friend have 1 for sale. ev180 with aquaBee 3000 at 350bucks. low power consuming and it have very good performent

[hotlemond]

Can anyone tell me what a closed loop pls?

some form of water circulation that does not piped down to the sump. The water that the closed loop is circulating is within the display tank only.

[hotlemond]

Forgot to add, I've just got myself a second hand 4x1.5x1.5 tank. Or should I go for a smaller tank since over here, money is kinda hard to come by.

wat is the thickness of the tank to start with?

if you wan a EuroReef/ASM then you may need a sump.

Tunze got Comline skimmer that can be hung to the display tank.

If money kinda short then bear in mind that a euroreef isn't affordable either. You are better off with a local assembled Beckett. but still need a sump.

[hotlemond]

Yet another one...

Been reading about lightings and I think I'm going for T5s but does any one knows where to get good individual parabolic reflectors? Pls suggest what are the brands to look out for. Thanks in advance..

they are of almost similar performance.

I would prefer getting from Horizon Venture or DE lighting since they have been around for some times and thier products had been reviewed here quite a few times. Do a search in the hardware section. After sales support are good too given that they are easier to reach.

[VILLAIN]

wat is the thickness of the tank to start with?

if you wan a EuroReef/ASM then you may need a sump.

Tunze got Comline skimmer that can be hung to the display tank.

If money kinda short then bear in mind that a euroreef isn't affordable either. You are better off with a local assembled Beckett. but still need a sump.

It an acrylic one by i-aquatic. Comes with sump and refugium but no cabinet thus cracking my brain to see whether can recycle something into a stand instead. PM a few makers but so far no reply..... Maybe busy due to year end. Kinda like those chengai racks, would prefer an open 'concept' rather than a cabinet.

Saw the review of another bro here regarding the Tunze 9010(I think) seems quite reasonably priced. Euroreef I have no idea at all. But seems like overseas quite popular so am curious to find out the costs of the cheaper ES series.... Can anyone point me to the right directions regarding the euroreefs. Thanks.

As for the beckett - and all other equipment for that matter - I would prefer them to be cheap to run rather than cheap to buy but ex to run. I figured that if I take the plunge now and buy what I can afford, I save lots more in the long run. One example is one that I read here about expensive pumps like those ORs, it's cheaper to run and I guess(hope) they can last for quite a while. Like the local saying "buy car easy, 'keep' car difficult"

Another thing is that previously, I stated that I'm not going for MH but after some serious considerations, I decided there's not avoiding MH anyway. Part of the reason I'm now into this hobby is mainly because of the aesthetic appeal... And whom can deny the shimmering effect contribute a great deal into how a reef set up look? To be blunt, without the effect, the aquarium looks dull, not much difference from a FW setup. Unless of course I'm mistaken.... Perhaps someone here can teach me how to achieve that shimmering effect with other more economical lightings than MH. Thanks