Office Tank Advice

DrTrey · 11/01/2011, 07:45 PM

Hello everyone! I currently have an Elos midi & 160xl at home, and I have decided to champion a project to add a nice, relatively low-maintenance tank to the waiting room for our Central Office at my radiology practice. Since my home reef tanks essentially require daily maintenance, I'd like to get some idea and feedback regarding the ideal waiting room reef tank, which would need actual maintenance tasks performed twice weekly.

So here's a general idea of what I'd like to have: A 100-150 G mixed reef, with functional yet attractive stand and sump, as well as an ATO with Kalk reactor. And begets more than just a few questions:

1) What tank to buy? Custom tank versus prefabricated. Would spending the extra cash at ReefSavvy be worth it in the end for a custom made 150G tank?
2) General stand and lighting setup? I'm planning on a Tek light T5 setup, with possible supplemental BLue LED strips, but I suppose for a waiting room tank that I should go with a canopy enclosure to keep children and miscreants from getting into things. What sort of cost-effective stand would perform well in an office setting? Something elegant, yet understated...
3)Sump? What size and type of sump would be best.
4) Controller? I'm thinking that the Neptune Apex Jr would do just fine for this bread and butter setup.
5) Water flow? Low-noise and super-dependable return pump is what I will need, as well as something pretty darn powerful since I won't be able to use Vortechs on this tank. Hopefully a couple of well hidden Tunze or Korallia powerheads will suffice for supplemental flow.
6) Filtration? I'm planning on about 100 lbs of live rock and a shallow sandbed, and will probably use Warner Marine EcoBak Biopellets as well.

7) LIVESTOCK: What sort of reasonably-priced and hardy fish should I go with? And what bombproof corals would be the best to start out with? Again, a simple yet beautiful tank is the goal, with maintenance required no more than twice weeky.

Please feel free to add any and all constructive input and ideas that you feel would be helpful. Hopefully, there is someone out there who has undertaken and triumphed over the exact same task, and I would love to benefit for their experience. Thanks.

florida reef1 · 11/02/2011, 11:23 AM

Bizump.

username in use · 11/02/2011, 11:28 AM

I would just do a softie lps reef. Nothing too light demanding or cal demanding. That can reduce your needed light which will reduce excess algae growth. I would also try to make it in wall for safety reasons, but if not make sure its all enclosed really well and locked if need be.

DrTrey · 11/02/2011, 05:01 PM

LPS and softies will certainly make up the majority of corals in the tank, although I think that a few carefully selected ORA acros, ocean blue polyp Stylo, and a Millie or two will do just fine under moderate T5 lighting. I'm still not sure if I want to risk putting an anemone in there though.

username in use · 11/02/2011, 05:38 PM

I only suggested softies/lps from an ease of maintenance stand point. An office tank should bring you all the calmness and beauty without any of the extra work.

DrTrey · 11/02/2011, 06:22 PM

A beautiful and serene marine scene with minimal maintenance is indeed exactly what I'm looking to achieve.

What sort of return pump and supplemental fliw would be ideal for the office setting?

DrTrey · 11/03/2011, 05:43 PM

Bummmmmmmm. P.

Retired Reefer · 11/03/2011, 06:08 PM

In an office setting where quite is key look into Red Dragon Pumps.

chaderic26 · 11/03/2011, 06:22 PM

I would get an external return pump for your return. My experience has been that they need less maintenance as far as cleaning and throw less heat off in to the water. I use a Panworld on the setup at my office.

DrTrey · 11/03/2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retired Reefer

In an office setting where quite is key look into Red Dragon Pumps.

Are the Red Dragon pumps still available?

DrTrey · 11/05/2011, 02:33 PM

Bump for some expert advice....

DrTrey · 11/06/2011, 12:43 PM

Gentle, yet necessary Sunday afternoon bump

11/01/2011, 07:45 PM	#1
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	Office Tank Advice Hello everyone! I currently have an Elos midi & 160xl at home, and I have decided to champion a project to add a nice, relatively low-maintenance tank to the waiting room for our Central Office at my radiology practice. Since my home reef tanks essentially require daily maintenance, I'd like to get some idea and feedback regarding the ideal waiting room reef tank, which would need actual maintenance tasks performed twice weekly. So here's a general idea of what I'd like to have: A 100-150 G mixed reef, with functional yet attractive stand and sump, as well as an ATO with Kalk reactor. And begets more than just a few questions: 1) What tank to buy? Custom tank versus prefabricated. Would spending the extra cash at ReefSavvy be worth it in the end for a custom made 150G tank? 2) General stand and lighting setup? I'm planning on a Tek light T5 setup, with possible supplemental BLue LED strips, but I suppose for a waiting room tank that I should go with a canopy enclosure to keep children and miscreants from getting into things. What sort of cost-effective stand would perform well in an office setting? Something elegant, yet understated... 3)Sump? What size and type of sump would be best. 4) Controller? I'm thinking that the Neptune Apex Jr would do just fine for this bread and butter setup. 5) Water flow? Low-noise and super-dependable return pump is what I will need, as well as something pretty darn powerful since I won't be able to use Vortechs on this tank. Hopefully a couple of well hidden Tunze or Korallia powerheads will suffice for supplemental flow. 6) Filtration? I'm planning on about 100 lbs of live rock and a shallow sandbed, and will probably use Warner Marine EcoBak Biopellets as well. 7) LIVESTOCK: What sort of reasonably-priced and hardy fish should I go with? And what bombproof corals would be the best to start out with? Again, a simple yet beautiful tank is the goal, with maintenance required no more than twice weeky. Please feel free to add any and all constructive input and ideas that you feel would be helpful. Hopefully, there is someone out there who has undertaken and triumphed over the exact same task, and I would love to benefit for their experience. Thanks.

11/02/2011, 11:23 AM	#2
florida reef1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 29	Bizump. __________________ 90 gallon reef with sps, lps and softies. 6x54w t5, euroreef vs135, 2x mp40w es, fuge and running ecoback and GFO.

11/02/2011, 11:28 AM	#3
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	I would just do a softie lps reef. Nothing too light demanding or cal demanding. That can reduce your needed light which will reduce excess algae growth. I would also try to make it in wall for safety reasons, but if not make sure its all enclosed really well and locked if need be. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

11/02/2011, 05:38 PM	#5
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	I only suggested softies/lps from an ease of maintenance stand point. An office tank should bring you all the calmness and beauty without any of the extra work. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

11/03/2011, 06:22 PM	#9
chaderic26 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: OKC Posts: 1,064	I would get an external return pump for your return. My experience has been that they need less maintenance as far as cleaning and throw less heat off in to the water. I use a Panworld on the setup at my office. __________________ Raoul Duke: There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die. Current Tank Info: 220 Gallon Shined up Turd.

11/02/2011, 05:01 PM	#4
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	LPS and softies will certainly make up the majority of corals in the tank, although I think that a few carefully selected ORA acros, ocean blue polyp Stylo, and a Millie or two will do just fine under moderate T5 lighting. I'm still not sure if I want to risk putting an anemone in there though.

11/02/2011, 06:22 PM	#6
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	A beautiful and serene marine scene with minimal maintenance is indeed exactly what I'm looking to achieve. What sort of return pump and supplemental fliw would be ideal for the office setting?

11/03/2011, 05:43 PM	#7
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	Bummmmmmmm. P.

11/03/2011, 06:08 PM	#8
Retired Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern Calif. Ukiah Posts: 133	In an office setting where quite is key look into Red Dragon Pumps.

11/05/2011, 02:33 PM	#11
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	Bump for some expert advice....

11/06/2011, 12:43 PM	#12
DrTrey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heathrow, FL Posts: 10	Gentle, yet necessary Sunday afternoon bump

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