[DA KING]

Being that I am very new at this I was looking online at some equipment that I am going to need for my tank and comparing prices online and at the LFS. I found a New T5ho t5-ho 3ft / 4LAMP Aquarium lighting online for 100.00. I was surprised because I have been told this lighting systems are sometimes three times that price. I am just starting off do this seem like an okay purchase or should I wait?

[IceMan]

haven't seen th kit you are talking about but be warry of cheap... you often get what you pay for.

[DA KING]

this is the light system i was planning on getting let me know what you think of it.. New T5ho t5-ho 2ft / 4LAMP Aquarium REEF lighting - eBay (item 120279907669 end time Jul-11-08 11:39:42 PDT) i also found a protein skimmer for really cheap... let me know your opinion on the lights

[IceMan]

T5 are supposed to be great but i'd be weary of it, the ballast used means everything, i see no info on that...

and i saw this -
Accommodates ultra efficient, high output T-5 lamps Included 2 x 24w 10000k blue and 2 x 24w 10000k white

10000k is toward th yellow end of the spactrum, the higher the k rateing the bluer... 10000k blue n 10000k white makes no sence... i say you will be better servered to put some money in your kit and get value, so you don't have to replace it shortly after buying it... or worse, cheaper electronics over a salt tank add in salt creep sounds really bad. even high end stuff stands a chance n should be regularly inspected but i'm just saying...

and be carefull of cheap skimmers, you get what you pay for, go cheap on skimmers and water quality suffers. these cheap red sea prizms and sea clones are junk that you WILL regret buying. don't take me wrong, i am only trying to help you not regret buying them...

[DA KING]

thanks... i really like that fact that you are helping. remember i am patient and want to do it right, what type of skimmer would you suggest, also is it best to have the skimmer and the heater before i add the rock?

[IceMan]

heater is bebateable but not critical until you have critters in threre... skimmer is a must, while your tank is cycleing it will put out stuff you won't believe came out of your tank.

as to what kind, if you aren't gonna have a sump i'd go with a coralife needlewheel skimmer. if you do run a sump (strongly reccomend aswell as a refugium) then i'd say get you an ASM

how big is your DT (display tank)and are you gonna run a fuge and sump?

[IceMan]

https://www.petsolutions.com/ASM-Pro...17606+C43.aspx

i reccomend you avoid the mini, i had one, didn't like it but the others are great.

[IceMan]

descent price good quality lights here

https://www.petsolutions.com/Nova-Ex...01121+C33.aspx

also foster n smith had some good prices on MH lighting recently

[DA KING]

no i wasn't going to run a sump being that i am new to the whole thing... i really wouldn't know where or how to build it. my tank is a 46 gallon bow..

[IceMan]

i have a 46 bow and a 55

my 46 i have a 20g i made my sump from and a 10g i made my fuge from. it is VERY helpfull and i'd strongly recomend both or a combo of the 2, many use a section of the sump as a fuge. search through th threads here for ideas on how to build it. you'll be glad you did, also if you were not intending to use a sump i assume your tank isn't reef ready... at my LFS i know it's cheap to have the tank drilled, like 15 bucks a hole, that will be much better that the overhang overflows.

[DA KING]

thanks a lot IceMan for all the advice, so honestly do you think it would be better as a beginning to just do a saltwater tank only being that i wasn't planning on using a sump? if so would i need the live rock for a saltwater fish tank only?

[IceMan]

either way you go you still need the liverock, and skimmer. these are the way your water is cleaned. you could still do a reef tank without sump/fuge but i would strongly advise adding them. if you do the upkeep and watch it like you should you can do other things and get by without it, they just make your life a lil easier...