Equipment wish list what would it be.

[eagle9252]

I currently have a 75DT and a 36sump. This is a first setup for me as I have had FW w/ HOB filters in the past. This is my 2nd sump and never used the first and I want to build a 2nd one as I have found that I need to make more changes. I know they say about 10% of DT for sump and I have about 20gal of actual water in the sump. This started out as a temporary tank to begin with as a test and learning tool.

Now the time has come to start planning the upgrade. I have time it wont be until February before I can do this. The wife told me at the beginning to keep it cheap to start with and I could by a bigger tank later. I built the stand to hold a 150DT 48x30x24. It actually measures about 52x48. I took down part of the wall and it’s in the middle of the living room and kitchen. It was to have the sump on the LR side and a cabinet and counter space on the kitchen side. The wife had decided after I started building it that she wanted a shelf in the LR under the tank so this moved the sump in the kitchen. She then decided that she wanted the counter top to be like a breakfast bar, so you could eat and watch the fish swim. I’m not anywhere finished with the build and at the moment the aquascaping is kind of one sided. I had to pull the cheap seaclone out of the sump as I did not have room for the 7” filter soc. But the wife says she likes to watch the tornade swirling around.

Now that I had rattled alone. I guess I should get to the point. I have been thinking, if I get a used tank instead of new I will have more money for equipment. If I have to sacrifice size I might, it just depends whats available when the time comes.

I know I want a drilled tank but which way? I don’t want anything blocking 3 ¾ sides of viewing. When facing the front I will only have the left side about 16” from the front available. This means if it’s the 150DT I planned for it’s 30” deep I’ll have about 14” and if it’s a 120DT then it would only be about 8”. I have not looked at the OF calculators yet. But the OF and return would be on the same side or should I plan on bringing the return up in the opposite corner any way or run it overhead in the canopy?

I would like to have a closed loop inside of the tank so I would not have to look at PH hanging on the glass but I just might have to live with it.
The next would be the other equipment. I love DIY stuff and prefer making everything but I will way my options. I know first off I will replace the seaclone PS but with what? I don’t know if I could fit a 40B tank in for a sump but I think I could drill the tank for an external setup. My sumps intake side is only 7” x12” and water is about 14” deep. The fuge part which I’m getting some cheato this weekend is about 18x12x14 with about 2 ½ LS and some rubble and the return pump is a undersized Mag 7 but the return area is about 7”x12”x 6”. I’m getting about 331pgh but that’s all she’s got captain. I also already have a DIY ATO. w/ RODI water.

What about reactor Phosban, calcium and carbon? I have heard good and bad. Some say if everything is running correctly you don’t need it and some say you do. My ultimate goal is do water changes and kind of forget it. I want mostly a living reef with lots of color and some colorfully fish swimming around.

Lights…. I think I’m going to wait on this one til later. I currently have a 6 bulb T-5 fixture. It has two 12k white, wave point, two 420 actinic blue, zoo med, 460 actinic blue, wave point and a 420 purple, wave point. I would like to go with LEDs. I was thinking about rebulbing but want to see how the market does with the LEDs.

What would your suggestions be if you had to do it over again?

[gofor100]

I actually am in the process of upgrading my current tank, and here's my equipment checklist:

To answer your initial question about the overflow and return, it all depends on what your tank is drilled for. If you have one overflow with only one hole, then you'd be stuck with plumbing your returns "externally", and I think most plumb them so the return water is coming from one or both of the tank's back corners. My new tank has three holes in the overflow, two for drains (I'm using the Herbie Method of plumbing so that it is super quiet), and one for the return which will be ran through a hole in the overflow.

As for powerheads vs. closed loop, I personally don't mind having powerheads, but then again, I have two Vortechs (MP40wES) which are low profile, and will also be placing two Tunzes on the back wall corners. For you, it'll all be about what you can find used.

As for the protein skimmer, you can go high-end (i.e., Bubble King/Vertex or ATB) or Economical, but still good quality (SWC and other brands)... I personally don't skimp when it comes to protein skimmers, but if you're running on a tight budget, then you could probably get away with going with a more economical brand like SWC.

As for reactors, it's kind of a "to each their own" thing. I personally run both Carbon and Phosban, and will be using the a BRS Deluxe Media Reactor for each. But I also would recommend "Three Little Fishes (TLF)" brand since I've used those in the past and they work great.

As for calcium/alkalinity/magnesium dosing... depending on what you want to keep, weekly water changes may keep up with the tank's demands. But if you're keeping SPS or other calcium demanding inverts, then dosing these elements will be required. I personally use a LiterMeterIII dosing pump set-up. Others will recommend Profilux (both are really good, but on the higher end). If you want to get some cheaper dosing pumps, then you can go with Bubble Magus dosing pumps (which are more affordable). Otherwise, you could be stuck with dosing by hand every day or so (again depending on what you're keeping). The other option is a Calcium Reactor, but in my opinion, if you don't go high end here, then you'll be wishing you did later. I personally don't have one at this time, but if I did get one, it would be a GEO reactor with an Aquarium Plants regulator.

As for lights... you should be okay with your T-5's in the meantime (again depending on what inverts/corals you want), but since you're a DIY-guy, LED's might be in your future. I personally like my MH and run LumenMax Elite Reflectors (from Sunlight Supply), but you'll find fans of every type of light out there. It'll just come down to what you prefer and how much you want to spend.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

-Chad

[eagle9252]

Remember my tank is just 8 weeks old but I think what I have in it is below.


SPS Purple Montipora
SPS Montipora
SPS Montipora
soft Polyp, Orange/Green
LPS Candy
LPS Frogspawn
LPS Brain, favia
SPS Pocillopora
SPS hydnaphora
LPS Hollywood stunner chalice
soft Clove polyps

I did not want some of the harder stuff till later but I got an offer I could not refuse and honestly I did not know what I was getting but liked what I saw. The tank I have now is not drilled. I built a HOB OverFlow for the 40B that I had first but found the used 75 that I have now. I wish I had not rushed it and drilled it. So the next will be drilled. I have not decided if it will have an internal overflow tall box or a coast to coast. I think bringing a return up thru the intake is too close for the water. I think it would be better for the return to be at the opposite side.

I think I have several things that need calcium. I don’t have a test for that yet and will be next weekend. Would there be a specific safe dose that I could do without a test. I think I should wait.

[gofor100]

I would just wait and test this weekend. Once you get the test results, then dose accordingly.

It does seems like you're rushing a bit, so word to the wise, take things slowly, 'cause in my experience, nothing good in this hobby happens fast, but a lot of BAD things do.

Good luck,

Chad