Well let me give you some facts... i have a nc12 and had some sand that expires in a month so why let it go to waste? so i went and bought a 2.5g and a hob filter rated at 100gph and provides pleanty of flow for my tank.
umm lighting will be a 50/50 25w coralife bulb in a tranformer (allready have it) just need to get the bulb it will be mostly zoa/shrooms/ and some lps