# New Tank



## MrFish (Apr 23, 2007)

Hi folks.

This is my first post here so please forgive any 'newbieness'.

I have just got a Cleair 42 gallon corner aquarium that came with a boxed in filter.

I have a number of questions that I would like to pose.

I intend on using the tank for marine fish (my first time doing this).

Firstly would you recommend using the filter?

I intend on buying a protein skimmer but due to the fact that it is a corner unit would you recommend using an in-tank skimmer?

I would also like to know whether you think a uv filter system is worth buying?

Any further info regarding starting a new tank is more than welcome.
Thanks


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## Age of Aquariums (Apr 13, 2007)

What do you mean by "boxed filter?"


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## nbassis (Apr 12, 2007)

Take a picture of the filter if you can so we can look at it. It maybe be better to put the Protiegn skimmer in the filter as in a sump. As for a UV, very worth it, yet you do not need it ASAP. I would give it 2 or 3 months before getting one.


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## MrFish (Apr 23, 2007)

nbassis said:


> Take a picture of the filter if you can so we can look at it. It maybe be better to put the Protiegn skimmer in the filter as in a sump. As for a UV, very worth it, yet you do not need it ASAP. I would give it 2 or 3 months before getting one.


Here is my tank (although this is off of the Cleair website). If you look closely at the back you can see the filter. At work now so this is the best pic I can get at the moment.

I want to have a reef system - is this possible, ie is there a restriction due to the size of my tank etc?

I would also like some help on the lighting. I have at the moment four tubes running across. Two are white flourescent one is blue (actinic I think) and the other is pink and as far as I am aware they are 20W. This was a gift and came with no user manual or documentation so I am getting the wattage information of the Cleair website.

All help much appreciated.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

that looks like a overflow not a filter


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## nbassis (Apr 12, 2007)

For a tank like this you want as little to show as possible. That does look like an overflow so you do want to think about a wet/dry system. Just build your own out of a smaller tank maybe 20 gallons or out of acrylic. It be nice, then you can put the protiegn skimmer and UV in the wet/dry and they will not show above. Also think about building a refugium down there, but that might come a bit later. IF you want LR and or corals you need better lighting. I am not sure what you need. I pressume Metal haloide or High pressure sodium. But ask others about that. That will be a nice tank when complete. Good buy.


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## nbassis (Apr 12, 2007)

I went to the Cleair website and that does not sound slike a overflow. I do not know what a box filter is. IT would be great if you could take picture of the filter. Take it out if you can and take some pictures of it. Or describe it in DETAIL, so that we can know what is inside and how it works. Then we can help you will what you will need to do.


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## Age of Aquariums (Apr 13, 2007)

My LR and corals always did fine under a power compact light.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

You must have no SPS corals. Also I would put money on it that if you put them under some nice MH lighting they would look even better. But also what tank is this? I have yet to see a tank with life in it.


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## Age of Aquariums (Apr 13, 2007)

I took it down. My LR in my 10 gallon is good I just never took a picture. AndI still have the 10g set up.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

i just went on that website and its a simple box filter with a pump on it. If you plan on having a reef system just pack it with live rock rubble, between that and a good skimmer and rock in your tank that will be fine for your filtration. Those filters are very outdated but i think it will work.
heres some specs from the website on your lighting. 4 x 20 Watt (24") Light tubes MODEL 1000


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## MrFish (Apr 23, 2007)

Do you guys know whether it would be easy to change the light fittings on the unit so that I could put t5's on it?

Also in terms of the internal skimmer (as it is not a wet/dry) can you recommend any good ones?


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## Mrmofo (Feb 11, 2007)

hehe, id do a DIY on it, 2 VHO's on the outside straight bits that face against the walls and maybe 1 or 2 MH's about 150 watts each set apart, 2 ballasts and some timber and a lil bit of know how


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## MrFish (Apr 23, 2007)

Yes I was thinking of doing something like that. But, the unit that houses the current lamps, ie the T8's, looks like it will come apart. Therefore could I not take it apart and replace two of the T8's with T5 units?

Also I have been looking at other topics and noticed that people recommend 10W per gallon. I know that this is not the best way of measuring how much light to use but for arguments sake lets say it was 10. If I have a 42 gallon tank I would need 420W right? Therefore I would need a substantial number of T5 lights to get anywhere near this number.

Either I can't multiply (which I think I can) or I am not understanding this topic very well. :? 

Please help, I am baffled.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

If your not gunna have a sump than you will need a hang on skimmer, No internal skimmers. I can recomend a few good brands of hang on like coralife, aqua c, and deltec. But i will recomend either the aqua c pro with the mag drive 3 or the deltec model MCE300. Because they are perfectly sized for your tank and are very slim so you can still keep your tank tucked in a corner. 
http://www.deltecusa.us/proteinskimmers/mc500.php
For the question about lighting, this can be a never ending argument but ill give it my $.02. If your using t-5,pc,vho, ect than the watt per gallon rule is exeptable for detirmining how many watts you should have. But if your using metal halide than the wpg rule is a little less usfull. to try and answer your question yes you could use 420 watts of t-5 lighting over your tank but you could also use one 250 watt metal halide pendent and two actanic bulbs(dont know the dementions of your tank so i can recomend a wattage) But the wattage will still be under 420 watts but you will have better lighing with mh than with 420 watts of t-5. Caferacer mike is stetting up a 400 gallon reef tank heres his lighting settup.
''4 400w lights in Lumenarc reflectors and 6 72" VHO retro kits''
6 72 watt vho's is a total of 960 watts of lighitng, with another 1,600 watts of mh lighitng witch equals out to somewere around 2,600 watts of lighting. Thats alot! but as you can see its hes not following the wpg rule cause if he did than he would have 4,000 watts of lighting. So the whole idea im triing to get through to you is the wph is not that great. If i were you i would build my own wood canopy, buy a 250 watt mh and use those lights that your tank came with as actanics.


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## MrFish (Apr 23, 2007)

Yes that's what I am starting to talk myself into. Trouble is the dimensions of the tank are 1metre across and 70cm along the sides that touch the wall. The current flourescent run across the front and therefore this only allows me a small space to put the MH in. I suppose I could mount it on the wall and cut some of the rear of the hood out but that angle may not be the best.

Anyone with ideas please feel free to give some tips.


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