Proper Equipment?

brannock_16 · 06/25/2014, 03:29 PM

Hello Everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on the boards, but am starting to get back into the hobby after graduating from college and finding a steady job that wasn't in a kitchen.

I am going to get back into the hobby with a smaller tank than last time (120 G) and want to see what everyone thinks about the equipment list before anything is purchased.

I have an amazingly built, 60 inch stand that I will be utilizing for this build (I may add an additional tank since I'll have the stand space down the road), but the only downside to the stand is that the interior is only 17 inches wide. Due to this, I will have to get creative with a sump.

This tank will be a custom 40 breeder:

40 Breeder tank - drilled with GC nano overflow box

Sump - custom, was thinking a 10 gallon gravity fed (from dt drain) fuge which will then drain into a 20 ish gallon sump for the skimmer, reactors, return.

2 x Tunze 6015

1 x Eheim 1262 - this will have a manifold for reactors and will be t'd so I can plumb another tank in down the road

1 x Jäger 150 w heater

*skimmer - still undecided...possibly the Bubble Magus NAC 8 or Reef Octopus Prime 150 INT. SUGGESTIONS here please?

*lights - want to go LED (last tank was T5 and was awesome, but want to try something new) but there are an overwhelming amount of options here. Best SUGGESTION for an SPS dominant 40 B?

2 x TLF media reactors for carbon and GFO

1 x aqua lifter and JBJ ATO

What other suggestions do you guys have? I will probably add a controller when I find something used and in my budget.

Thanks in advance,

Robert

EllisJuan · 06/25/2014, 03:48 PM

Sounds like a good time. Equipment has a lot of personal preference. There is nothing wrong with anything that you are planning, so take this as my personal opinion from what I have owned and used...

I prefer 65g over a 40b. More volume, more hight for aquascaping

For the money I prefer Jebao of Tunze. I would give a pair of RW-8s a try. If you are a Tunze loyalist, I completely understand. They make rock solid pumps.

After owning a DC return pump, I will never not run one again. Silent and adjustable flow at the push of a button.

Skimmer - Aquamaxx CO-1 is the best skimmer I have ever owned hands down. A silent beast. I would work well on a 40g or 60g.

I have owned TLF reactors and prefer the BRS ones. I would run two separate like you plan.

jjmccloud2011 · 07/07/2014, 04:57 AM

I run a diy 36 cree led light on a 20"x6" heatsink from rapidled with a 2x36" T5HO retrofit kit to even out the light spread and it works very well

jjmccloud2011 · 07/07/2014, 04:57 AM

Oh yea +1 on the BRS reactors

06/25/2014, 03:29 PM	#1
brannock_16 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 618	Proper Equipment? Hello Everyone, It's been a while since I've been on the boards, but am starting to get back into the hobby after graduating from college and finding a steady job that wasn't in a kitchen. I am going to get back into the hobby with a smaller tank than last time (120 G) and want to see what everyone thinks about the equipment list before anything is purchased. I have an amazingly built, 60 inch stand that I will be utilizing for this build (I may add an additional tank since I'll have the stand space down the road), but the only downside to the stand is that the interior is only 17 inches wide. Due to this, I will have to get creative with a sump. This tank will be a custom 40 breeder: 40 Breeder tank - drilled with GC nano overflow box Sump - custom, was thinking a 10 gallon gravity fed (from dt drain) fuge which will then drain into a 20 ish gallon sump for the skimmer, reactors, return. 2 x Tunze 6015 1 x Eheim 1262 - this will have a manifold for reactors and will be t'd so I can plumb another tank in down the road 1 x Jäger 150 w heater skimmer - still undecided...possibly the Bubble Magus NAC 8 or Reef Octopus Prime 150 INT. SUGGESTIONS here please? lights - want to go LED (last tank was T5 and was awesome, but want to try something new) but there are an overwhelming amount of options here. Best SUGGESTION for an SPS dominant 40 B? 2 x TLF media reactors for carbon and GFO 1 x aqua lifter and JBJ ATO What other suggestions do you guys have? I will probably add a controller when I find something used and in my budget. Thanks in advance, Robert __________________ 120 Gallon LPS Dominant Reef Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon tank, Tek 48 inch 6 bulb T5, Vertex 170 Alpha Protein Skimmer, 2 Vortech MP 40W ES, 1 Vortech MP 10W ES, LPS Dominant reef!

06/25/2014, 03:48 PM	#2
EllisJuan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 1,366	Sounds like a good time. Equipment has a lot of personal preference. There is nothing wrong with anything that you are planning, so take this as my personal opinion from what I have owned and used... I prefer 65g over a 40b. More volume, more hight for aquascaping For the money I prefer Jebao of Tunze. I would give a pair of RW-8s a try. If you are a Tunze loyalist, I completely understand. They make rock solid pumps. After owning a DC return pump, I will never not run one again. Silent and adjustable flow at the push of a button. Skimmer - Aquamaxx CO-1 is the best skimmer I have ever owned hands down. A silent beast. I would work well on a 40g or 60g. I have owned TLF reactors and prefer the BRS ones. I would run two separate like you plan. __________________ 24x24x12 Rimless RR * Apex * Reeflink * Radion Pro G2 * MP10wQD * JNS CO-1 Skimmer * Advance Acrylics Custom Sump * Jebao DC2000

07/07/2014, 04:57 AM	#3
jjmccloud2011 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Columbus, Indiana Posts: 69	I run a diy 36 cree led light on a 20"x6" heatsink from rapidled with a 2x36" T5HO retrofit kit to even out the light spread and it works very well