180 build from scratch!
- Thread starter michika
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michika
red headed step child
I am hoping to push the costs down to $250 a month, but will accept up to $450 in monthly running costs. $500 is my absolute limit because after that it infringes upon the frivolous lifestyle I strive to maintain. <--- I like to buy pretty things, party, and go places!
maroun.c
New member
Catherine check out Marc thread. A couple of pages before he discussed tank sizes were the 5:3 rule seems to be very important in tank design as well as aquascaping. Maybe with little adjustments of your tank size (not necessarily making it lower or thinner you could just make it longer!!!) you could follow that rule and gett he dimensions much better. Its really ugly when one works on certain dimensions only to find out after the tank is running that they were not optimal (not saying your dimensions are not)
erics3000
Active member
You can say that again. Great advice.... I went with a 30 wide instead of a 36 so i can have 6 more inchs in my office. I had to build my wall to make a office and divide a formal living room. I thought to get a few more inchs for the living room and office a 30 would be good enough. Now its killing me. Down the road I will do something if I don't move for sure. This was my first reef tank all I had was a some FO and not much expierence. Well my tank still kind of a FO. ahahaha One day..
Building a mock up tank with some idea on size and aquascape is great idea Catherine..
Building a mock up tank with some idea on size and aquascape is great idea Catherine..
Phillybean
New member
How about a 13' x 3' x 3' ? 875 gallons. I think with a tank as long as that, you need some extra height to match it. JMO
michika
red headed step child
I think I might just stick with 24"H then. I would probably be happy with 20" but I realize it would make the tank look iffy.
I went to Sanjay's new site, which is now part of a forum. Yet I can't find anything about T5s. Am I crazy? I could have sworn I read that he was going to start testing the pars on T5s.
So that aside, anyone know where to get a PAR meter, or where to look for one?
I went to Sanjay's new site, which is now part of a forum. Yet I can't find anything about T5s. Am I crazy? I could have sworn I read that he was going to start testing the pars on T5s.
So that aside, anyone know where to get a PAR meter, or where to look for one?
maroun.c
New member
My tank is a 24 and while it's very easy to clean and work with even at sand bed level I would advise you to go just a bit higher especially if your having a DSB as you would loose 2-3 inches from up maybe more if you plan on having wabes in the tank, also you will loose 4-5 inches for your DSB which leaves you with limited space for coral growth above your rock structure. If I were to do it again I would just make it a bit higher. What dimensions will you be considering for Length and width?
michika
red headed step child
I think we are somewhat settled on 13ft wide, 3ft deep, and probably will stick with 24" high, but only show 22" through a "built-in" like window look. This of course is dependent on the fact that we can do at least some minor renos to the basement. I still love the idea of a zero bottom tank though, and do want to try one out, even if its just a frag type tank.
Well I have time to wait for Sanjay you finish what he is working on and share it with the rest of us. I'm thinking I will probably do 3 or 4 separate moving light racks, either just like I currently have; 1 MH with 4 T5s. However if Sanjay's results come back in favor of T5s I think we will go with a set of 6-8 bulbs for every 2.5 feet of tank length. Again, all dependent on what results Sanjay comes back with.
As of tonight we have a little bit neon green hair algae, very little on two clam shells. The brown new-tank algae many of us has gone through is still around. It doesn't seem to be any less then earlier this week though. Its too late for me to test any parameters tonight; lights are already off.
Well I have time to wait for Sanjay you finish what he is working on and share it with the rest of us. I'm thinking I will probably do 3 or 4 separate moving light racks, either just like I currently have; 1 MH with 4 T5s. However if Sanjay's results come back in favor of T5s I think we will go with a set of 6-8 bulbs for every 2.5 feet of tank length. Again, all dependent on what results Sanjay comes back with.
As of tonight we have a little bit neon green hair algae, very little on two clam shells. The brown new-tank algae many of us has gone through is still around. It doesn't seem to be any less then earlier this week though. Its too late for me to test any parameters tonight; lights are already off.
michika
red headed step child
You're very right, T5s are just as hot, and put off just as much heat. I'm looking at it mostly from a cost standpoint; initial set-up & yearly maintenance, along with electrical consumption, and the lifespan of the ballasts/bulbs.
Its nice that T5s let you tune the colour to what you like best, but it might not be worth the trade off from MHs. If I go with MHs I'll probably stick with lumenarc reflectors; I am very happy with them and probably want to stick with them.
Its nice that T5s let you tune the colour to what you like best, but it might not be worth the trade off from MHs. If I go with MHs I'll probably stick with lumenarc reflectors; I am very happy with them and probably want to stick with them.
michika
red headed step child
So we have come to realize that we maybe have 4 issues with at 13ft tank. Issues 1-4 involve getting 13ft panes of glass (if we go with an all glass tank) into the basement. So the question now becomes do we buy the glass sooner rather then later so that we can get it into the basement before we do renos.
One of the renos means changing out the windows in the basement, and with new windows it means we can't completely remove the window panes anymore.
Last night I figured out how I think we should have our tank room. I need to run it past Kevin. The tank room will involve us giving up half our current basement bathroom for the time being. We think we will eventually relocate it anyways. I figure the floor drain is probably better suited to the tank then anything else.
One of the renos means changing out the windows in the basement, and with new windows it means we can't completely remove the window panes anymore.
Last night I figured out how I think we should have our tank room. I need to run it past Kevin. The tank room will involve us giving up half our current basement bathroom for the time being. We think we will eventually relocate it anyways. I figure the floor drain is probably better suited to the tank then anything else.
Phillybean
New member
I'd get the glass now, while it is easy to move those size sheets of glass. Make sure to bubble wrap the crap out of it though
I also agree that a floor drain is better suited for a tank than a bathroom
I also agree that a floor drain is better suited for a tank than a bathroom
This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1501083
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