500 Gallon Tank, Help

urbor · 10/13/2008, 07:02 AM

OK so I got this new 500 gallon tank

its 8' long X 38" tall X 30" wide

I need to figure out how many M.H. and VHO to put over this tank.
4-400W MH 10K (I dont know what brands to get)
4-6ft VHO Super Atinics

I want to keep zoos, mushrooms, lps, softies, maybe a few clams and sps also.

The 500 gallon will be in the living room on the ground floor while the sump will be a 240 in the basment.

my question is what pump should I get for the return pump and how much flow do I want.

Maybe I could go with a little smaller pump and supplement the tank water movement with some type of powerheads in the 500 gallon display.

BangkokMatt · 10/13/2008, 07:33 AM

I would get 4x 400w MH - Icecap electronic ballasts with lumenmax elite reflectors.

You will definitely need some powerheads in there regardless of your return pump. I would consider 4 x Tunze 6205 with a multi controller. That will give you some good random flow.

There are other options but that will set you up really well. Hopefully someone will pipe in with some return pump suggestions.

rrcg50 · 10/13/2008, 07:57 AM

depending on how high the pump has to go. distance from the upstairs tank mto the basement is going to determine what size pump. also what bulk heads are installed and how many returns you have. are you looking for a closed loop or using power heads? alot of questions need to be answered first. i do think the four tunze will be good though. are you going bare bottom or dsb because that will also have an impact on how much flow.

urbor · 10/13/2008, 08:14 AM

No this tank will no have a closed loop, there are no holes for it and I don' t want to get the tank drilled.

As for the sand I will have a few inches of sand bed; I prefer the look of the sand more realistic.

the 240 sump will sit on a stand in the basement as well 500 gallon in the living room will be on a stand; I'm thinking the pump will have about 12' of head.

urbor · 10/13/2008, 11:29 AM

bump

jamesdawson · 10/13/2008, 01:24 PM

Sanjay has a 8' x4' tank and he runs 3 LumenArc reflectors with 250w Geisemann bulbs. He switched to them from 400 watters because they make roughly as much PAR as the 400w bulbs did

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ghlight=sanjay

James

Sanjay · 10/15/2008, 08:50 AM

No, I did not switch to 250s on my 500G tank... it was on my 180G that I switched to 250s.

If its only 30" wide and 38" tall, I would go with the Lumenmax Elite, or the Lumen Brite reflectors. Depending on the aquascape you plan you can get away with 3. I would try with 3 and then may be latter add a 4th if you really need it.

sanjay.

urbor · 10/15/2008, 09:23 AM

so if i run 3 400watt metal halides

do i need to supplement with vhos also

jamesdawson · 10/15/2008, 09:47 AM

Sorry Sanjay, my bad.

James

urbor · 10/15/2008, 10:02 AM

where do you guy buy these lumen brights reflectors

JRaquatics · 10/15/2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by urbor
where do you guy buy these lumen brights reflectors

Reefspecialty.com
http://www.reefspecialty.com/Lightin..._28/index.html|

kdblove_99 · 10/15/2008, 12:16 PM

Check out the lumemmax elite i have one. they are super nice and no hot spots. my whole reflector stays cool to the touch

urbor · 10/15/2008, 01:07 PM

i dont see the elites on that site am i missing them

also what ballast and bulb would you guys run

i also need ideas for my return pump

urbor · 10/15/2008, 02:34 PM

heres a pick of the new tank, crappy pic from my cell phone

ill get some better ones

10/13/2008, 07:02 AM	#1
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	500 Gallon Tank, Help OK so I got this new 500 gallon tank its 8' long X 38" tall X 30" wide I need to figure out how many M.H. and VHO to put over this tank. 4-400W MH 10K (I dont know what brands to get) 4-6ft VHO Super Atinics I want to keep zoos, mushrooms, lps, softies, maybe a few clams and sps also. The 500 gallon will be in the living room on the ground floor while the sump will be a 240 in the basment. my question is what pump should I get for the return pump and how much flow do I want. Maybe I could go with a little smaller pump and supplement the tank water movement with some type of powerheads in the 500 gallon display.

10/13/2008, 07:33 AM	#2
BangkokMatt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Krung Thep Posts: 3,100	I would get 4x 400w MH - Icecap electronic ballasts with lumenmax elite reflectors. You will definitely need some powerheads in there regardless of your return pump. I would consider 4 x Tunze 6205 with a multi controller. That will give you some good random flow. There are other options but that will set you up really well. Hopefully someone will pipe in with some return pump suggestions. __________________ I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fish. The rest I just squandered. Current Tank Info: 150g sps Reef (now FOWLR after a devastating crash due to chiller) , 2x400w MH (Icecap ballast, Lumenmax 2, Reeflux 12k SE), Deltec AP701, Grotech Tec III, Chiller, 2 x Tunze 6101, 1 x 6205 (+ m/c), bla bla

10/13/2008, 01:24 PM	#6
jamesdawson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: I AM THE SEA Posts: 1,303	Sanjay has a 8' x4' tank and he runs 3 LumenArc reflectors with 250w Geisemann bulbs. He switched to them from 400 watters because they make roughly as much PAR as the 400w bulbs did http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ghlight=sanjay James __________________ Old Reefers Never Die, they just...join the crew! Current Tank Info: I'm expanding my reach

10/15/2008, 09:47 AM	#9
jamesdawson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: I AM THE SEA Posts: 1,303	Sorry Sanjay, my bad. James __________________ Old Reefers Never Die, they just...join the crew! Current Tank Info: I'm expanding my reach

10/13/2008, 07:57 AM	#3
rrcg50 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: venice, fl Posts: 1,294	depending on how high the pump has to go. distance from the upstairs tank mto the basement is going to determine what size pump. also what bulk heads are installed and how many returns you have. are you looking for a closed loop or using power heads? alot of questions need to be answered first. i do think the four tunze will be good though. are you going bare bottom or dsb because that will also have an impact on how much flow.

10/13/2008, 08:14 AM	#4
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	No this tank will no have a closed loop, there are no holes for it and I don' t want to get the tank drilled. As for the sand I will have a few inches of sand bed; I prefer the look of the sand more realistic. the 240 sump will sit on a stand in the basement as well 500 gallon in the living room will be on a stand; I'm thinking the pump will have about 12' of head.

10/13/2008, 11:29 AM	#5
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	bump

10/15/2008, 08:50 AM	#7
Sanjay Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: State College, PA Posts: 2,302	No, I did not switch to 250s on my 500G tank... it was on my 180G that I switched to 250s. If its only 30" wide and 38" tall, I would go with the Lumenmax Elite, or the Lumen Brite reflectors. Depending on the aquascape you plan you can get away with 3. I would try with 3 and then may be latter add a 4th if you really need it. sanjay.

10/15/2008, 09:23 AM	#8
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	so if i run 3 400watt metal halides do i need to supplement with vhos also

10/15/2008, 10:02 AM	#10
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	where do you guy buy these lumen brights reflectors

10/15/2008, 12:16 PM	#12
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	Check out the lumemmax elite i have one. they are super nice and no hot spots. my whole reflector stays cool to the touch

10/15/2008, 01:07 PM	#13
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	i dont see the elites on that site am i missing them also what ballast and bulb would you guys run i also need ideas for my return pump

10/15/2008, 02:34 PM	#14
urbor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 312	heres a pick of the new tank, crappy pic from my cell phone ill get some better ones