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Its a standard 55 gallon tank so 21" deep.

What is the depth of your tank?

I have the smaller version of the Odyssea, and love it! It's a very good cost effective setup. If you do go with them, I recommend changing the stock bulbs it comes with. Other than that, your set.

Happy reefing,
Caviar

Here is a link for the lights I just bought, http://www.aquaticlife.com/t5ho_six_lamp/index.html, they make a 4 and 6 bulb setup.

I'm running 4 54W T5's over my 50 long, which has the same dimentions as your 55 except about an inch shorter. I've only added SPS corals 2 or 3 months ago, but they seem to be doing well and growing nicely so far. I'm using an IceCap retrofit kit in a custom hood. One of the advanages of T5's is the huge slection of colors available. So you have far more choices than just blue and white. I'm currently running 2 Aquablue Plus (~12,000K) One 10,000K and a Fiji Purple. The blue helps some of the corals really phosphorese and the purple really makes my reds pop. Check out www.reefgeek.com to see just what's available.

i would run 4 blue with the mh/t5 hoods. Dont think there would be any reason to run any white or 50/50 t5 with that set up. Just my opinion and you know what they say about those

Either one of those will work fine. I have a 4x54 T5 on my 75 and I grow whatever i want sans most SPS. I have a 10k, 14k, actinic, and a purlple which comes out with a light blue mix.


T5s get hot, but not like metal halides, so if you have no interest in light demanding corals, I wouldnt do MH. Then again, you may live in an area with mild summers where keeping the house cool isnt really an issue. I just cant handle metal halides in my house during the summers, gets too hot, and I am not open to buying a chiller.

Although it's always sad to loose a fish, you would have had to re-home one anyway, as the 55g really is too small for even the 2 of them when they grow into 6" adults.

I will be using a mixture ive found on various sites. Basically its cement, crushed oyster shells and rock salt. I want to make the different rocks and designs instead of dealing with what i get, also its cheaper. I will be seeding with 10lbs or so, plus 55 or so lbs of what I make.

+1 on the marco rocks. WAAAAY easier and cost effective

What method are you planning to use? rock and spray foam or cement?

Cerameco also has full wall pieces that are reasonably priced as well. http://www.cerameco.com/products.php

Have you seen this from Marko rocks? Looks great for what you want to do. http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?...ROD&ProdID=109

What material do you plan to make this out of?

thats why i am making my stand and rock. Hopefully I can get started on the rock next week, the stand soon after. Shouldnt take more than $100 at lowes for both. Then the pump. I was looking at some pumps on aguatraders, I can get a 700 gph pump for like $40 but I am not sure I want to trust my system to that cheap pump... thinking a mag 9.5 would be perfect and a guy in Tahoe has one for $50. So hopefully Ill be close by the first of the year and will get everything rolling.

Then you better buy everything used to save money.

agreed, however all of that takes money, which I dont have trying to save for a wedding in may

Other than making your own rock, I don't see why those things would take 5 more months to accomplish. A return pump is easy to come by, even easier if it is used. The stand takes a weekend to build, and the following weekend to paint... I think you could have the aquarium running by December if you tried, and added the lighting in January (Christmas gift from your wife?). You can buy dry base rock from MarcoRocks.com or perhaps buy used LR from a hobbyist getting out of the hobby in your area.

The problem is I am no where near ready to set up. Still need my lights, returm pump, need to build my stand and my DIY rock. I am going to continue on getting everything together. We will see when I am ready.

On the plus side I made my PC light for the freshwater tank. The guy had a canopy that he tore the lights out of and was using it just to keep the fish in. Took one of my 96 watt PC kits and painted the reflector white and mounted it. Used acrylic for legs to keep the light up about 8 inches off the tank. Got an actinic blue bulb at the future wifes request and damn is that thing bright!

I had the same problem but I set up my tank anyway and it has been worth it. Because really you don't know for sure when you will be moving. I haven't moved yet and it has been 6 months since I set up my tank. It's well worth it. Selling a house is hard these days.