Starting bigger tank

[mic20]

Hi,
I am starting with a reef tank 200 gallon. Mixed reef tank and later more sps. I did a lot of homework but I have a few questions. 1. Do I need to use live rock. 2. Do I need UV-c from the start or add it on later. 3. What is best 3x radion xr 30 gen pro gen 6 or 3x ATI Straton X.

 

[TX_REEF]

Hi,
I am starting with a reef tank 200 gallon. Mixed reef tank and later more sps. I did a lot of homework but I have a few questions. 1. Do I need to use live rock. 2. Do I need UV-c from the start or add it on later. 3. What is best 3x radion xr 30 gen pro gen 6 or 3x ATI Straton X.

• Welcome
• you don't NEED to use live rock, but it will make your first cycle smoother and start you off with better beneficial bacterial biodiversity than starting with dry rock
• UV sterilizers are not necessary but can help keeping water free of pathogens etc. You can add whenever you want.
• The radion option will give you more power, and the fixtures have a more established history of success, so if it were me and those were my only 2 options, I'd go with radion personally. However, I also recommend you check out Kessil and Reefi fixture options. Kessil provides superior shimmer and coral coloration, and Reefi provides the best controllability and power for $ when it comes to high-end fixtures based on my research and experience. I prefer Kessil, for what it's worth. Lighting comes down to preference when budget isn't the main factor.
• BONUS: Why 200 gallons?