Please critique my planned 225

[lastlight]

Hi folks,

I'm getting back into the hobby soon and I've just got the ball rolling on the tank itself. It's a 225 gallon (72L x 30W x 24H) with 3 sides starfire, external overflow centered on back with 2 x 1.5 holes and eurobraced top with 1" holes in each top corner for my returns.

The rest of the system I have planned as follows and would love some input. My goal is a mixed reef but I plan to eventually have more sps than anything. It's also in my living room so it needs to be really quiet. The tank will be open top to keep it cooler.

- Poseidon PS4 return pump
- BK Supermarine 200
- (2) Tunze 6061 with 7095 multicontroller
- (3) 250w Galaxy ballasts
- (3) Lumenarc III reflectors
- (3) XM 10k SE
- (2) Sunlight Supply T5 retrofit kits (2x54w on each side of LIII)
- (3) Giesemann Actinic +
- (1) Korallen-Zucht Fiji Purple
- (1) Aqua FX 75 gpd RO/DI

I'm not sure how I want to maintain parameters. I can go the reactor route or just dose as needed. If I dose I'd do it manually at first and then later with dosers.

If I get reactors they'd maybe be the following:

- (1) Geo 618 calcium reactor
- (1) Geo Kalwasser reactor

As for monitoring temp, ph etc I am looking at something simple and not too expensive. I'm not very sure what to do here but maybe a Reefkeeper 2 or Aquacontroller jr. My concern is how I can monitor tank ph and reactor ph. Can these units support 2 ph probes?

That's about where I am in the planning process thus far.

Please comment and help me build this right the first time!

Thanks,

Brett

[mcliffy2]

Looks like you have a good initial plan. A few suggestions:

1. Since you will get the custom made tank, can you fit 36" depth in your living room? the extra width is nice. Also, on height, you can bump up a couple inches without adding much cost (cost about $70 to go from 24 to 26" high on my 60x36x26).

2. I don't think the Supermarin 200 is quite enough, I'd bump up to the 250 since it is only 150 more.

3. You'll need a lot more flow than that. I'd say 3-4 Tunze 6101s or Vortechs.

Other than that looks good, I'm tagging along.

[tbone28]

I run a PS3 return pump. Had a PS4 on my last tank. They are silent and have a small footprint. But will add some heat to your water. Something to consider. I run T5s only, so I can use the free heat during the winter months.

I also think you should get a bigger skimmer. I run the SM250 on my 180g. Also agree with more flow.

I run a GEO 612 calcium reactor, and I really like it.

[lastlight]

Great thanks guys. I'll look into fitting the SM250 into my budget and beg the wife later for more tunze.

As for the tank dims...I had to cut myself off at some point because I previously built a 400 gallon in my old house which I tore down before moving. Never saw water and cost me a penny! I realized after I had it built that it was a litte out of my league money-wise.

Again thx for the feedback.


Brett

[mcliffy2]

Also, on the skimmer, you could look into a Reeflo Orca 250 which will rock on that sized of a tank. It will save you a few hundred dollars as compared to the BK.

[lastlight]

yeah my only concern there is the noise. I'm willing to spend a bit extra for the BK if it's as silent as I've heard.

I've heard from a bunch of people inlucing my dealer that you don't want to oversize your BK tho. Until now I've been under the impression that the SM200 would be more tha large enough but I'm currently between the 200 and 250.

[mcliffy2]

I don't think the 250 will be oversized. Once you factor in sump volume, you are going to be around a 300 gal system. I think the 250 will allow you to add as many fish as you like and not worry about it.

[lastlight]

yeah that's a good point. I hadn't planned on a sump much larger than to hold my skimmer but maybe I should make it as big as the stand allows.

Shouldn't i also have some floorspace in the stand for items not sump-bound or build platforms above the sump?


After some reading I'm thinking of using the Litermeter III to dose 2-part rather than go the reactor route. Frees up some stand space too as I'll kee my containers of 2-part in the basement on a stand and just pull from them.

[tbone28]

lastlight - regarding the skimmer, the SM250 is rated 150g-800g, so I think you're fine there. Also, what do you plan as far as bioload?

And yes, my SM is silent.

[lastlight]

Eventually I'll have quite a few sps, maybe an anemone, pair of clowns, pair of bangai cardinals, school on anthias, royal gramma, lawnmower and perhaps 1 larger fish such as a tang. Wife wants naso but I think 225 is too small.

Tbone: 225 falls inbetween the ranges for both and even the mini 200 if I dare go there. I though the BK's were pretty accurate in their ratings and was gonna save $200 by getting the SM200. Either way I want my skimmer always skimming and not off and on. If the 250 won't be too much I'll go bigger because I am male and it's not much more $.

[tbone28]

Your fishload sounds light. Except for your anthias, you don't have big eaters. You could do a 200, although I personally don't think a 250 is "oversizing".

I have a 180g with 220g total volume, and my skimmer keeps working. There are pics of my nog on the equipment forum "BK Skimmer Club" thread.

However, I have 5 tangs among other fish (including anthias), and I feed quite heavy 2-3 times per day. It doesn't sound like you have as big of a bioload as I do. I also plan more fish additions.

[lastlight]

trust me i've seen your nog pics. they were the reason i ditched the idea of getting the mini =)

I'll go with the 250 since I'm sure I'll get weak and buy many more than what I listed. Plus when I join the club I don't wanna hear how yours is bigger!

[lastlight]

Anyone have other recommendations other than the PS4 for a return? I think with the open top a little added heat won't be a problem but I'm only guessing.

As long as it's quiet enough for a living room and isn't a costly Red Dragon I'm open to suggestions. Based on my reading it was between these 2 for quietest pump.

[mcliffy2]

Originally posted by lastlight
trust me i've seen your nog pics. they were the reason i ditched the idea of getting the mini =)

I'll go with the 250 since I'm sure I'll get weak and buy many more than what I listed. Plus when I join the club I don't wanna hear how yours is bigger!

Good call, you know you'll want more fish Plus, many claim the secret to great and deep SPS coloration is a big fish load and heavy feeding (combined with heavy skimming to keep phosphates and nitrates down) - the poop feeds the SPS.

[mcliffy2]

Originally posted by lastlight
Anyone have other recommendations other than the PS4 for a return? I think with the open top a little added heat won't be a problem but I'm only guessing.

As long as it's quiet enough for a living room and isn't a costly Red Dragon I'm open to suggestions. Based on my reading it was between these 2 for quietest pump.

I hear good things about Iwaki pumps being silent.

[tbone28]

Eheim 1262 as a return. I had that pump on my old ER skimmer and it was almost silent.

[ReefingBuddha]

I have 2 eheim 1262's in my tank do various things right now and they are close to silent, certainly over other equipment. Might not be enough flow for a return pump though. Had a Iwaki pump on my 120g as the main return and eventually upgraded to a Dart just for more flow. I liked the Dart better but the Iwaki was very quite and reliable as well.

Bumping the tunzes up to 6201's would make a big difference but will most likely still not be what your looking for. The 2 6201 tunzes and a vortech might do you well. Better to have to much then to little, can always turn them down.

Also dosing is going to be a PITA on a tank that big and might get expensive unless you mix your own supplements, I think the convenience of a reactor is going to be worth it.

[lastlight]

Anyone see issue with having 2 Eheim 1262's as returns?

I have experience with the 1250 and it was a super quiet pump. I expect this to be louder but still really quiet. My eurobracing is drilled in each corner so a 1262 could feed 2 holes on each side. I read somewhere that 2 returns would fight each other but if i make 2 seperate compartments I'm not sure how they would. Plus I'd have some redundancy which is good. Please advise. As well, would 2 of these add less heat to my water than one PS4?

I like the idea of 2 6201's to start with as they'd be cheaper than 4 6101's. I can adjust them and also add more flow from there. Good call I like that.

As for dosing...sucks to hear that as I was really excited about it. I was on twopartsolution.com and was planning to buy bulk 2-part from them and dose it. It seems the cost of a reactor and CO2 equipment plus the problems I could have with it makes it less than ideal. I am aware the majority of reefers use them but...

I want the system to be safe and reliable. What regulator, valve, solenoid etc would you then recommend? I was looking at the Milwaukee. Is it any good?

[tbone28]

You should be fine with 2 returns. I ran 2 PS4's on my last tank for returns

[rlxwcapt]

Spend a little more at the beginning and save in the end. If you want SPS you will want to have a reactor. Other wise you will spend more time making solotion up. Keep it simple.

[mcliffy2]

I dose 2-part on my 125 and it is a bit of a pain. I have to mix new solution every 1.5-2 weeks (go through a gallon each of calc/alk in that time), and dosing is 2x/day, 100 ml in the AM, 100 ml in the PM. I'm definitely setting up a CA reactor on the new system, although it is undecided which one I'll go with.

[tbone28]

Go with a reactor. I started off my 180g dosing B-ionic, and ended up buying the reactor for 2 reasons. I'd end up spending way more money dosing B-ionic, and I"ll never be able to go on vacation dosing B-ionic

[lastlight]

So can anyone recommend a quality regulator etc?

Thanks for the feedback thus far!

[tbone28]

I like my GEO. well priced, well made, and easy to dial in. Schurna reactors are good, but I've learned from many Shuran owners that a peri-pump is needed in order to get consistent effluent rates. I did not want to pay for another pump, nor did I have the room for it.

The MTC Pro-cal reactors are popular, and the Aqua-C is gaining popularity. I don't know much about these reactors though.

[tbone28]

I saw your post over on the Tunze forum inquring about 6101s vs 6201s. I think you should go 6201s and dial down as needed. Don't buy the sugar-sized sand, but the 1-2mm one.

I have a SSB with 6201x2 and 6101x2, and can keep the sand bed down.

A lot of keeping the sand down has to do with how your rocks are aquascaped, how you direct your Tunzes, and how mature your sandbed is. The sandbed will move less as it matures.

I initially started with 6201x2, and the sand was moving around. I've recently added another 6101. The sand was fine, so I added a 2nd 6101