New Tank Set Up Few Questions/Opinions Needed

Trolldoll · 11/12/2009, 07:46 PM

I need to upgrade and need some advise. I plan to keep my current BC29. I'm going to transfer some of my livestock over.

In the process of purchasing equipment for a 40br. So far I have
40br
20g for my sump/fuge
NEP 36"
2 Koralia 1s.
150w stealth heater
CPR50 HOB 300gph overflow
Vertex IN80

Fuges and Sumps are new to me. I can't decide which return pump to use. I've read that the flow through the fuge should only be 3x-5x. My head loss will be 4' plus 2 90's. I was leaning towards a Mag 3 or Eheim1250. With having this low of flow will I have to worry about cyano algae?

For my LR and LS I have local guy that sells out of a green house with very good prices. He has Ultra Fiji for $3.50lb and LS $.50. Should I just buy all LR? I cant see paying $2.50 for base rock. How much LS is needed for 1" bed?

AquaVolGP · 11/12/2009, 07:49 PM

whoops

bertoni · 11/13/2009, 06:40 PM

Buying all live rock is fine. I tend to do that. There's a sand calculator off the home page of RC that'll help determine how much you need:

http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php...bed-calculator

ChadTheSpike · 11/13/2009, 06:56 PM

I used to work aquarium install and maintenance and I got a few of those stealth heaters as freebees... IMO they are not worth it, every single one of them failed on me, one in the on position and two with significant voltage leakage into the water.

What you are thinking about will work, although flow in your fuge may need to be supplemented. If you plan on using chaeto in your fuge (which I recommend), it generally likes higher flow than lower.

spleify · 11/13/2009, 11:03 PM

I think you are on the right track. I personally have had great luck with stealth heaters, and run them in all my tanks and have for years!

You are correct with the 3-5x turn over, your chaeto will love it, trust me. Slow flow offers a lot more touch time with the macro algae and skimmers. I didn't see you mention anything about a skimmer, are you planning on running one, I personally would recommend it. Buying all LR is a fine idea. Use the calc that Bertoni posted and you will be good to go.

Good luck and have fun

Trolldoll · 11/18/2009, 10:09 PM

Thanks for the responses. I wish I would have used this site when I started this addiction.

Bertoni thanks for the calculator. I need to use the search function.

Chad thanks for the warning on the Stealth heater. I've been using one on my current set up with no issues. I plan to use a RKL to control my temp. IMO all heaters have the potential to get stuck in the on/off position.

spleify Im going to run a Vertex In80 PS. PA had them on sale and after reading all of the great reviews on the Vertex owner thread I made my decision to get one.

bertoni · 11/19/2009, 04:24 PM

You're welcome! Good luck!

Trolldoll · 11/27/2009, 01:51 PM

Im a little closer to the set up. I just purchased a RKL 3 and float switches from PA and 50lbs of rock from Marco. Love Black Friday sales.

Its driving me nuts having all of this equipment sitting in my house.

I'm going to use some of my LR out of my current tank for seeding.
How much rock is safe to remove? I have a very high bio load and I was concerned that taking to much away may cause problems.

Current Tank
29g BC with Remora Protein Skimmer
30lbs LR 1 1/2" LS

Aqua Keepers · 11/27/2009, 03:01 PM

At least you have a current tank to look at. I am in between tanks. All I have to look at is pics of other tanks on RC. It's driving me nuts.

spleify · 11/27/2009, 04:31 PM

Nice looking tank Trolldoll!

Depending on how much rock you are getting for the new tank, I would only take one or two pieces out of your old one for seeding, it shouldn't take much. You can always replace the rock out of the old tank with some pieces of the new rock you buy.

Trolldoll · 11/27/2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleify

Nice looking tank Trolldoll!

Depending on how much rock you are getting for the new tank, I would only take one or two pieces out of your old one for seeding, it shouldn't take much. You can always replace the rock out of the old tank with some pieces of the new rock you buy.

Thanks spleify

As you can see I have very little room left. I had no idea how fast the corals would grow. All corals were purchased as small frags. My two worst mistakes were getting the galaxia in the back right and buying a small BTA. Galaxia sweepers are nasty and the BTA has split into 4.

Johnnydee · 11/27/2009, 07:47 PM

Sounds good to me, but i would lean towards the mag 5 or eheim 1260. Just my opinion.

11/12/2009, 07:46 PM	#1
Trolldoll Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hampton, VA. Posts: 124	New Tank Set Up Few Questions/Opinions Needed I need to upgrade and need some advise. I plan to keep my current BC29. I'm going to transfer some of my livestock over. In the process of purchasing equipment for a 40br. So far I have 40br 20g for my sump/fuge NEP 36" 2 Koralia 1s. 150w stealth heater CPR50 HOB 300gph overflow Vertex IN80 Fuges and Sumps are new to me. I can't decide which return pump to use. I've read that the flow through the fuge should only be 3x-5x. My head loss will be 4' plus 2 90's. I was leaning towards a Mag 3 or Eheim1250. With having this low of flow will I have to worry about cyano algae? For my LR and LS I have local guy that sells out of a green house with very good prices. He has Ultra Fiji for $3.50lb and LS $.50. Should I just buy all LR? I cant see paying $2.50 for base rock. How much LS is needed for 1" bed?

11/12/2009, 07:49 PM	#2
AquaVolGP Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 133	whoops __________________ Geoff Pettit Current Tank Info: 125G Reef tank, 300 pounds of live rock, 8 54 watt T5HOs, DIY sump, ASM G3 Smimmer, homemade stand and canopy Last edited by AquaVolGP; 11/12/2009 at 07:50 PM. Reason: accident

11/13/2009, 06:40 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Buying all live rock is fine. I tend to do that. There's a sand calculator off the home page of RC that'll help determine how much you need: http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php...bed-calculator __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/13/2009, 06:56 PM	#4
ChadTheSpike Reef Engineer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,526 Blog Entries: 1	I used to work aquarium install and maintenance and I got a few of those stealth heaters as freebees... IMO they are not worth it, every single one of them failed on me, one in the on position and two with significant voltage leakage into the water. What you are thinking about will work, although flow in your fuge may need to be supplemented. If you plan on using chaeto in your fuge (which I recommend), it generally likes higher flow than lower. __________________ ~Chad "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Current Tank Info: 195 gallons of fun

11/13/2009, 11:03 PM	#5
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	I think you are on the right track. I personally have had great luck with stealth heaters, and run them in all my tanks and have for years! You are correct with the 3-5x turn over, your chaeto will love it, trust me. Slow flow offers a lot more touch time with the macro algae and skimmers. I didn't see you mention anything about a skimmer, are you planning on running one, I personally would recommend it. Buying all LR is a fine idea. Use the calc that Bertoni posted and you will be good to go. Good luck and have fun __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

11/18/2009, 10:09 PM	#6
Trolldoll Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hampton, VA. Posts: 124	Thanks for the responses. I wish I would have used this site when I started this addiction. Bertoni thanks for the calculator. I need to use the search function. Chad thanks for the warning on the Stealth heater. I've been using one on my current set up with no issues. I plan to use a RKL to control my temp. IMO all heaters have the potential to get stuck in the on/off position. spleify Im going to run a Vertex In80 PS. PA had them on sale and after reading all of the great reviews on the Vertex owner thread I made my decision to get one.

11/19/2009, 04:24 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome! Good luck! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/27/2009, 01:51 PM	#8
Trolldoll Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hampton, VA. Posts: 124	Im a little closer to the set up. I just purchased a RKL 3 and float switches from PA and 50lbs of rock from Marco. Love Black Friday sales. Its driving me nuts having all of this equipment sitting in my house. I'm going to use some of my LR out of my current tank for seeding. How much rock is safe to remove? I have a very high bio load and I was concerned that taking to much away may cause problems. Current Tank 29g BC with Remora Protein Skimmer 30lbs LR 1 1/2" LS

11/27/2009, 03:01 PM	#9
Aqua Keepers Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Clearwater,Fl Posts: 2,915	At least you have a current tank to look at. I am in between tanks. All I have to look at is pics of other tanks on RC. It's driving me nuts.

11/27/2009, 04:31 PM	#10
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	Nice looking tank Trolldoll! Depending on how much rock you are getting for the new tank, I would only take one or two pieces out of your old one for seeding, it shouldn't take much. You can always replace the rock out of the old tank with some pieces of the new rock you buy. __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

11/27/2009, 07:47 PM	#12
Johnnydee Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 50	Sounds good to me, but i would lean towards the mag 5 or eheim 1260. Just my opinion.