90 gal setup

nikygm · 11/04/2006, 10:09 PM

i've got a 90 gal tank and would like some input about some equipment

what do i need for a heater one 250w or should i go with two 150w to even out the heat in the tank (one on each side)

lighting i'm thinking of going with the coralife lunar aqualight 48" pc setup that has 4 65w bulbs i'm just doing some soft corals like grape corals, bonzai tree, and a bubble tip anemone

thanks Greg

lessthanlights · 11/04/2006, 10:14 PM

I have two 200w Ebo Jager heaters for my 90. Two smaller heaters is better than one. Less chance for cooking if one goes bad. For lighting I would skip the pc and go for 6x54 T5s but it can be done with PC.

hubris007 · 11/04/2006, 10:30 PM

no sump, i take it?

demonsp · 11/04/2006, 10:33 PM

Yea on that 90 gal i would use 2 200 watt heaters , sometimes bigger is better. On the light , you will be much happier with a t-5 light. Bulbs are longer lasting and cooler. With a plus like being able to keep clams and anenome's and lps's and sps's if you wanted. Also a sump or refug. setup in beginning is a great start.

hubris007 · 11/04/2006, 10:39 PM

I would second the fuge recommendation. You can get a 20long dirt cheap and modify it for use under a 90. Gets all those unsightly cords out of you tank, too. You may be the exception, but i've yet to meet someone who's stopped at softies. Always better to get more than you need now and grow into it.
Fuges are AWESOME for nutrient export and can be as fun to watch as the main tank, especially when you're display lights are off and you can't sleep (run the fuge lights oposite cycle to display tank). That being said, i'd still go with 2 heaters in the sump.

ACBlinky · 11/04/2006, 11:37 PM

If you're just setting it up, definitely consider adding a sump. I went sumpless for quite a while and just finished setting up my 90g with a 30g sump/fuge and despite a few minor hitches along the way I'm LOVING it. The only piece of equipment in my tank is a single Seio powerhead, everything else is in the sump.

I chose to go with a single 300W heater, but I agree that having two smaller heaters offers more security than just using one that's more powerful.

I'd go with T5 or MH lighting - I wish I'd gone with one of these from the start. I had PCs (two fixtures, total of 5 x 96W) on my 65g and wasn't really happy with them - even with lower light corals I could see they wanted more light. Now that I've upgraded to a 4' tank I decided to buy a MH/T5 combo fixture - it's still on the way here from California, I can't wait to see how much brighter it is compared to my PCs

hubris007 · 11/05/2006, 03:59 PM

Grats on the new lighting, blinky. I'm sure you'll see a huge dif with the new lights.

sarduci · 11/05/2006, 06:46 PM

Sumps are handy to have, but not needed. Go with two heaters, and set one slightly lower than the other, so if one fails the other will kick on or if it one can't handle the load the other can help regardless of if you have a sump or not.

You should have enough water movement in the tank that the water is all the same tempature over the whole tank. Minimum is 10 times turnover, some people have tanks that they have 75+ times turn over an hour. A lot depends on the layout of rock in your tank for what is best and the animals you keep. Don't worry about placing heaters all around your tank.

I ran 250w DE MH lights on my 90g tank and had good luck with LPS's on the bottom and middle of the tank, the top half of my tank was open for fish to swim around in and easy access to the intakes of my closed loop that I had drilled into my tank. With 150w lights you could keep SPSs in the top, LPS in the middle, and lower light (soft) corals on the bottom.

nikygm · 11/05/2006, 07:42 PM

thanks for all the great input, just one question my tanks doesn't have any holes for a sump of refug, my tank is an All Glass brand the bottom is tempered so they can't be drilled in the bottom so where should i have the holes drilled and should the exit pipe be on one side and the return on the other side at the top to give the water a ripple effect? whats the difference between a refug and a sump? my buddy just got me a 6 month old remora pro from his neibour for $125 can. cause he upgraded to a bigger tank. how big of a sump do i need in LxWxH might get my brother inlaw to make me one he works at crystal glass so i can get 6mm glass for free. how much rock should i get too i don't want the tank to be crowded i thought about 60lbs or so?

if you have any pics of you setups if you wouldn't mind sending me some my email is nikygm@hotmail.com

Thanks Greg

hubris007 · 11/07/2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nikygm

just one question

just one? Ok, so long as it's just one...

my tanks doesn't have any holes for a sump of refug, my tank is an All Glass brand the bottom is tempered so they can't be drilled in the bottom so where should i have the holes drilled and should the exit pipe be on one side and the return on the other side at the top to give the water a ripple effect?

You could always go with an SOS tidepool or crp overflow instead of drilling...

whats the difference between a refug and a sump?

Wait a sec, that's 2 questions, no cheating....
A sump is an extra tank where guts are stored (heaters and such) away from the main tank. Refugiums are "refuge" areas from the reef inhabitants. A safe area for copepods and whatnot. Often people will put macroalgea and other nutrient exporters in there too. You can have a refugium with the sump incorporated into it.

my buddy just got me a 6 month old remora pro from his neibour for $125 can. cause he upgraded to a bigger tank. how big of a sump do i need in LxWxH

You're really pushing the envelope, aren't you. Fine... the bigger the better. Bigger the sump= more stuff you can put in there. Want a bigger skimmer? need more space in the sump. Want more macros, DSB? Bigger sump...

how much rock should i get too i don't want the tank to be crowded i thought about 60lbs or so?

That's it. NO SOUP FOR YOU!

Phillstone · 11/08/2006, 12:24 AM

Ok word to the wise , Do Not use a CPR overflow, unless you like wet carpet.

your heater question has been answered - use 2

lights are all dependant on what you want to keep , I ran my 90 w/ dual 400w mh and 2-110 vho for 4 yrs , tank was mainly sps and clams, heat became an issue w/ out a chiller.
You will not be able to keep clams or sps long term in a 90 w/ PC or T5 - its too tall.

IME Phill

btw i am in the process of converting that tank to 2- 250 HQI and 2-110 vho actinics

11/04/2006, 10:09 PM	#1
nikygm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada Posts: 40	90 gal setup i've got a 90 gal tank and would like some input about some equipment what do i need for a heater one 250w or should i go with two 150w to even out the heat in the tank (one on each side) lighting i'm thinking of going with the coralife lunar aqualight 48" pc setup that has 4 65w bulbs i'm just doing some soft corals like grape corals, bonzai tree, and a bubble tip anemone thanks Greg

11/04/2006, 11:37 PM	#6
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	If you're just setting it up, definitely consider adding a sump. I went sumpless for quite a while and just finished setting up my 90g with a 30g sump/fuge and despite a few minor hitches along the way I'm LOVING it. The only piece of equipment in my tank is a single Seio powerhead, everything else is in the sump. I chose to go with a single 300W heater, but I agree that having two smaller heaters offers more security than just using one that's more powerful. I'd go with T5 or MH lighting - I wish I'd gone with one of these from the start. I had PCs (two fixtures, total of 5 x 96W) on my 65g and wasn't really happy with them - even with lower light corals I could see they wanted more light. Now that I've upgraded to a 4' tank I decided to buy a MH/T5 combo fixture - it's still on the way here from California, I can't wait to see how much brighter it is compared to my PCs __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

11/04/2006, 10:14 PM	#2
lessthanlights Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Duluth, MN Posts: 606	I have two 200w Ebo Jager heaters for my 90. Two smaller heaters is better than one. Less chance for cooking if one goes bad. For lighting I would skip the pc and go for 6x54 T5s but it can be done with PC.

11/04/2006, 10:30 PM	#3
hubris007 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 1,520	no sump, i take it?

11/04/2006, 10:33 PM	#4
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Yea on that 90 gal i would use 2 200 watt heaters , sometimes bigger is better. On the light , you will be much happier with a t-5 light. Bulbs are longer lasting and cooler. With a plus like being able to keep clams and anenome's and lps's and sps's if you wanted. Also a sump or refug. setup in beginning is a great start.

11/04/2006, 10:39 PM	#5
hubris007 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 1,520	I would second the fuge recommendation. You can get a 20long dirt cheap and modify it for use under a 90. Gets all those unsightly cords out of you tank, too. You may be the exception, but i've yet to meet someone who's stopped at softies. Always better to get more than you need now and grow into it. Fuges are AWESOME for nutrient export and can be as fun to watch as the main tank, especially when you're display lights are off and you can't sleep (run the fuge lights oposite cycle to display tank). That being said, i'd still go with 2 heaters in the sump.

11/05/2006, 03:59 PM	#7
hubris007 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 1,520	Grats on the new lighting, blinky. I'm sure you'll see a huge dif with the new lights.

11/05/2006, 06:46 PM	#8
sarduci Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wausau, Wisconsin Posts: 1,278	Sumps are handy to have, but not needed. Go with two heaters, and set one slightly lower than the other, so if one fails the other will kick on or if it one can't handle the load the other can help regardless of if you have a sump or not. You should have enough water movement in the tank that the water is all the same tempature over the whole tank. Minimum is 10 times turnover, some people have tanks that they have 75+ times turn over an hour. A lot depends on the layout of rock in your tank for what is best and the animals you keep. Don't worry about placing heaters all around your tank. I ran 250w DE MH lights on my 90g tank and had good luck with LPS's on the bottom and middle of the tank, the top half of my tank was open for fish to swim around in and easy access to the intakes of my closed loop that I had drilled into my tank. With 150w lights you could keep SPSs in the top, LPS in the middle, and lower light (soft) corals on the bottom.

11/05/2006, 07:42 PM	#9
nikygm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada Posts: 40	thanks for all the great input, just one question my tanks doesn't have any holes for a sump of refug, my tank is an All Glass brand the bottom is tempered so they can't be drilled in the bottom so where should i have the holes drilled and should the exit pipe be on one side and the return on the other side at the top to give the water a ripple effect? whats the difference between a refug and a sump? my buddy just got me a 6 month old remora pro from his neibour for $125 can. cause he upgraded to a bigger tank. how big of a sump do i need in LxWxH might get my brother inlaw to make me one he works at crystal glass so i can get 6mm glass for free. how much rock should i get too i don't want the tank to be crowded i thought about 60lbs or so? if you have any pics of you setups if you wouldn't mind sending me some my email is nikygm@hotmail.com Thanks Greg

11/08/2006, 12:24 AM	#11
Phillstone Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Waukesha, WI USA Posts: 241	Ok word to the wise , Do Not use a CPR overflow, unless you like wet carpet. your heater question has been answered - use 2 lights are all dependant on what you want to keep , I ran my 90 w/ dual 400w mh and 2-110 vho for 4 yrs , tank was mainly sps and clams, heat became an issue w/ out a chiller. You will not be able to keep clams or sps long term in a 90 w/ PC or T5 - its too tall. IME Phill btw i am in the process of converting that tank to 2- 250 HQI and 2-110 vho actinics