More Questions before i start.... again

Redhawk44 · 03/01/2007, 09:07 PM

The last reef tank i had was a 100g, and put around $6000 into it before i had to go over seas for quite some time and sold it. I made alot of mistakes, and wasted alot of money, by not planning everything out first. Its been a while since i have been a hobbiest, and dont want to make the same mistakes twice.

I have been looking at a 110g Tall tank drilled anywhere i want, with stand and canopy at my lfs, for $800. Seemed like a good price but havnt purchased it yet. It has the same foot print as a 55g just much taller, i think around 30 or 32 inches tall. It is a great looking tank but just not 100% sold on it yet. Im wanting to do a wide variety of corals and clams. But im wondering if it will be too tall of a tank to use.

Im thinking about T5 lighting, and the lfs said that they would be fine on such a tall tank, with no need for MHs to keep any thing i would want growing, including clams on the bottom. The only differance would be that i wouldnt get the water shimmer with T5s and they are not as hot. Im not against MHs. I have used them before, just had small temp. problems and didnt have a chiller.

I already know that i will be doing a sand bed with sump/refug filtration, and already a skimmer rated for a 200g, have pc for lighting on the refug and pumps/powerheads to get good water movement in any tank under 150g.

I just dont want to spend $800 on a tank and $600 on lights if they are not going to work together to get the outcome im wanting.

Anyone have any good advise, i cant afford to make mistakes this go around.

bertoni · 03/01/2007, 09:17 PM

To Reef Central

One problem with the tall tanks is that they're not good for gas exchange. If you stock lightly, that might not be an issue.

As far as lighting, T5 are likely fine, and probably more efficient for that footprint. What are the exact dimensions? That'd be useful to know.

AngeloM3 · 03/01/2007, 09:23 PM

that tall of a tank... t5's would do the job. Would probably need a lot of them for clams and such. also they have t8's and t10's out... not sure if they have any in Actinic.

Redhawk44 · 03/01/2007, 09:26 PM

i think the dimensions are 48 x 12 x 30ish. What do you mean by gas exchange?

Lotus99 · 03/01/2007, 09:34 PM

Also remember that the tank is fairly narrow, which makes aquascaping hard.

Redhawk44 · 03/01/2007, 09:38 PM

this is very true lotus. I havnt thought about that, thats why im wanting all the advise i can get ... so i can have everything planned out before i melt my Visa at the lfs. lol

bertoni · 03/01/2007, 09:40 PM

With a tall tank like that, there's very little surface area per gallon of water, compared to a shallower tank. That can lead to problems.

Redhawk44 · 03/01/2007, 09:44 PM

Even with having a large sump/refug, i could still have problems with gas exchange??

Redhawk44 · 03/01/2007, 10:06 PM

anyone else have any ideas that i may not have thought of before i start this adventure again?

bertoni · 03/01/2007, 10:10 PM

When the power goes out, more surface area is good, in my opinion. The tank will have minimal circulation and the sump won't be running, unless you invest in a generator.

Sk8r · 03/02/2007, 07:44 AM

Basically---no filter except live rock and live sand in a modern reef. THe sand releases frequent bubbles of nitrogen gas toward the surface that need to escape, plus the contact of the atmosphere [no lids, either] helps facilitate escape of what needs to escape and acquisition of what needs to come in, oxygen, among other things. Some sumps have a vigorous [and a little noisy] waterfall that helps oxygenate and exchange; a skimmer's bubble-froth can help clear out the spare amino acids, and you need a good one: to have anything less means trouble as the tank ages.

DO plan for a sump of adequate size. I just spotted one at my lfs that's a full 30 gallons with space for a refugium, and that would do very well for a 100g tank. They are out there, but where they're coming from, as opposed to the bioball [remove] style sumps, I'm not sure.

Redhawk44 · 03/02/2007, 02:49 PM

I was planning on a custom 55g sump/refug with skimmer, reactors, and pc lighting. the tank is drilled so this will make things a little easier.
just want room to do water changes and topoffs, without going into the show tank.

03/01/2007, 09:07 PM	#1
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	More Questions before i start.... again The last reef tank i had was a 100g, and put around $6000 into it before i had to go over seas for quite some time and sold it. I made alot of mistakes, and wasted alot of money, by not planning everything out first. Its been a while since i have been a hobbiest, and dont want to make the same mistakes twice. I have been looking at a 110g Tall tank drilled anywhere i want, with stand and canopy at my lfs, for $800. Seemed like a good price but havnt purchased it yet. It has the same foot print as a 55g just much taller, i think around 30 or 32 inches tall. It is a great looking tank but just not 100% sold on it yet. Im wanting to do a wide variety of corals and clams. But im wondering if it will be too tall of a tank to use. Im thinking about T5 lighting, and the lfs said that they would be fine on such a tall tank, with no need for MHs to keep any thing i would want growing, including clams on the bottom. The only differance would be that i wouldnt get the water shimmer with T5s and they are not as hot. Im not against MHs. I have used them before, just had small temp. problems and didnt have a chiller. I already know that i will be doing a sand bed with sump/refug filtration, and already a skimmer rated for a 200g, have pc for lighting on the refug and pumps/powerheads to get good water movement in any tank under 150g. I just dont want to spend $800 on a tank and $600 on lights if they are not going to work together to get the outcome im wanting. Anyone have any good advise, i cant afford to make mistakes this go around. __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.

03/01/2007, 09:17 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* One problem with the tall tanks is that they're not good for gas exchange. If you stock lightly, that might not be an issue. As far as lighting, T5 are likely fine, and probably more efficient for that footprint. What are the exact dimensions? That'd be useful to know. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/01/2007, 09:23 PM	#3
AngeloM3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,016	that tall of a tank... t5's would do the job. Would probably need a lot of them for clams and such. also they have t8's and t10's out... not sure if they have any in Actinic. __________________ "I'm sick of chasing my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where their going and catch up with them later." -Mitch Hedberg R.I.P

03/01/2007, 09:26 PM	#4
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	i think the dimensions are 48 x 12 x 30ish. What do you mean by gas exchange? __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.

03/01/2007, 09:34 PM	#5
Lotus99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,398	Also remember that the tank is fairly narrow, which makes aquascaping hard. __________________ "So long, and thanks for all the fish" Current Tank Info: 125g reef, gobies, cardinals, softies and LPS; 36g Neo Nano tank; 10+ FW tanks

03/01/2007, 09:38 PM	#6
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	this is very true lotus. I havnt thought about that, thats why im wanting all the advise i can get ... so i can have everything planned out before i melt my Visa at the lfs. lol __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.

03/01/2007, 09:40 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	With a tall tank like that, there's very little surface area per gallon of water, compared to a shallower tank. That can lead to problems. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/01/2007, 09:44 PM	#8
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	Even with having a large sump/refug, i could still have problems with gas exchange?? __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.

03/01/2007, 10:06 PM	#9
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	anyone else have any ideas that i may not have thought of before i start this adventure again? __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.

03/01/2007, 10:10 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	When the power goes out, more surface area is good, in my opinion. The tank will have minimal circulation and the sump won't be running, unless you invest in a generator. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/02/2007, 07:44 AM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Basically---no filter except live rock and live sand in a modern reef. THe sand releases frequent bubbles of nitrogen gas toward the surface that need to escape, plus the contact of the atmosphere [no lids, either] helps facilitate escape of what needs to escape and acquisition of what needs to come in, oxygen, among other things. Some sumps have a vigorous [and a little noisy] waterfall that helps oxygenate and exchange; a skimmer's bubble-froth can help clear out the spare amino acids, and you need a good one: to have anything less means trouble as the tank ages. DO plan for a sump of adequate size. I just spotted one at my lfs that's a full 30 gallons with space for a refugium, and that would do very well for a 100g tank. They are out there, but where they're coming from, as opposed to the bioball [remove] style sumps, I'm not sure. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/02/2007, 02:49 PM	#12
Redhawk44 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 82	I was planning on a custom 55g sump/refug with skimmer, reactors, and pc lighting. the tank is drilled so this will make things a little easier. just want room to do water changes and topoffs, without going into the show tank. __________________ "Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer." "If you're in a fair fight, you didn't plan it properly." Current Tank Info: CAD 39g Pro, 150w mh, sump/refug.