180 Gallon FOWLR

[FadedSpy]

Hey guys, this is a continuation from another thread ( http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259736 ). I wanted to create a new thread to give an update as to what's going on and to continue seeking advice for this build.

My friend just picked up with tank last Sunday, it was shipped from Glasscages to Omaha, NE and then picked up and brought to Sioux City. It measures 96" Long x 25" Tall x 18" Wide with a Starfire front panel. It has 2 overflow boxes installed in the back corners, inside each overflow box is a 2" and a 1" hole with threaded bulkhead fittings included.

This tank will be a FOWLR tank with a pretty heavy bio load so I'm recommending 150 pounds of dry rock and 100 pounds of live rock to start with. It came with an acrylic 65 gallon sump as well so some of the rock will fit in the refugium area

He decided to go with LED pendants. I have a contact at Cidly.com who manufactures them and had given me a couple choices. I don't know much about LED's yet but that's what he wants so that's what he'll get. These pendants are pretty neat and we've narrowed it down to 2 models. One is a 120 watt dimmable fixture and the other is a 165 watt non dimmable fixture. If we go with the 120 watt fixtures then we will need 6 of them as they are only 8" x 15" x 2.5". If we go with the 165 watt fixtures we would only need 4 of them I believe as they are 15" x 11" x 3.25". My question is, how important is the need to be able to dim them? I could see if there would be corals in the tank you may need to dial it back a bit but is this really important with a FOWLR tank?

This is the 120 watt Dimmable fixture (ZA Series)

And this is the 165 watt non dimmable fixture (Apollo Series)

Curious to know if any of you can offer and LED advice for me.

I also need a skimmer than can handle 200 or so gallons with a heave livestock load. Probably a RO, but which model?

Need a return pump or pumps. With two 1.5" bulkeads they can handle quite a bit of flow with one overflow being a full siphon. The other will act as the emergency. I was thinking maybe a Waveline DC10000, what do you think about this pump?

The big one...He wants a controller than can he can operate with a smart phone, do they make these? If so where can I find one? I know nothing about controllers, so please help.

Heaters...I was thinking two 300 watt titanium heaters with a thermostat

Powerheads..Was thinking Four EVO 1500 gph powerheads...Too much possibly? Maybe the 1150's will do the job or maybe just 2 of the 1500's? I'm not sure.

Stock List Includes but not limited to...

1. Powder Blue Tang
2. Emperor Angelfish
3. Yellow Tang
4. Trigger (Not Sure which one they want, possibly Picasso?)
5. Flame Angelfish
6. Lemonpeel Angelfish
7. Potter's Angelfish
8. Multicolor Angelfish?
9. One Spot Fox Face
10. Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
11. Black Cap Basslet
12. Maroon Clownfish
13. Percula Clownfish
14. Burgess Butterfly
15. Mandarin Dragonette
16. Lionfish
17. Snowflake Eel
18. Goby (No idea which one(s))

I know not all fish on the list are compatible but I'll work with him to help him make the right decisions, especially the mandarin which wont be able to join the community for a at least a year.


I welcome an advice you guys are willing to toss my way, thanks in advance!

 

[azjohnny]

Try going with less rock, I have 120lbs in my 180 and I am doing fine, just make sure its really porous rock, this will give your fish more swimming room. Think of how big your fish will get, you might want to back off on the fish load.

As far as your return pump goes I would try to match the return to what your skimmer will be able to process and you will need a quality skimmer to go with that bio load. I think the Waveline 10000 would be way over kill, I have a Laguna 1500 that is valved back.

I also set up my circulation pumps like a reef tank, IMO circulation is just as important as a skimmer or lighting. I did spend extra money and went with Vortechs, I tried going with Korallia pumps but was not happy with the flow, no other pump produces the undertow a Vortech does

 

[azjohnny]

I have a tank upgrade in the works and I will either go with a 225DD (72x30x24) or a 84x30x30 and it will be a bare bottom, it is easier to keep clean and you will have less phosphate issues, the sand will absorb phosphates and than when it reaches a point, and if not removed leech them back into the water.

My Queen trigger also loves to move sand around like a fresh water Cichlid

I will lay white HDPE on the bottom of the tank to protect the tank from the liverock, and not a total unfinished look

I have made some mistakes with this system, getting rid of detritus is the most important thing, I tried putting live rock in the sump and that acted as a detritus trap, I feel with a FOWLR tank keep it simple with a filter sock/ big skimmer, I vacuum the detritus with a Home Depot Buckethead wet/dry vacuum and it works well.

Running a bio pellet reactor has allowed me to feed heavily and keep the nitrates low

 

[michaellee64]

Powerheads..Was thinking Four EVO 1500 gph powerheads...Too much possibly? Maybe the 1150's will do the job or maybe just 2 of the 1500's? I'm not sure.

For the powerheads , I would recommend the Jebo WP-40's. For this tank you could probably get by with just 1, but I would recommend 2 for plenty of flow. Here is the link to the thread discussing them. I am extremely happy with mine... so much that I just ordered 2 more! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259644

Michael

 

[michaellee64]

no other pump produces the undertow a Vortech does

Except for the Jebo WP-40!

 

[azjohnny]

The WP40 compares more to a Tunze 6105 and that doesn't have the undertow. IMO the WP might be a decent PH but doesn't have the service or quality of a Vortech product.

Jebo hasn't had a very good history of quality

Time will tell

 

[FadedSpy]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I think I'm going to choose the RO Diablo DCS200 (300 Gallons) for his skimmer.

I'll see what he thinks about a bare bottom tank.

He will like the idea of saving money and only having 120 pounds of rock in the display, but you don't recommend having extra in the sump? I would maybe put 80 pounds in the sump. The filter sock should keep detrius from even reaching the rock in the sump?

I was looking at those MP 40's and they are speeenndddyyy. $465 a piece and you've got an MP 60 in your tank as well? Amazing! I don't know if he's going to want to drop a grand on circulation when we can get FOUR evo 1500's for a quarter of that price? I'll run it by him to see what he says though.

I'm looking for that Laguna pump, do you have a link as to where I can find it?

Also looking for the Jebo WP40, do you have a link for that as well?

Google is frustrating me right now, lol.

Also kicking around the idea of using BRS's biopellet reactor with a mag drive 3...any comments?

And what is "white HDPE" ?

 

[michaellee64]

Also looking for the Jebo WP40, do you have a link for that as well?

fish-Street.com

 

[azjohnny]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I think I'm going to choose the RO Diablo DCS200 (300 Gallons) for his skimmer.

I'll see what he thinks about a bare bottom tank.

He will like the idea of saving money and only having 120 pounds of rock in the display, but you don't recommend having extra in the sump? I would maybe put 80 pounds in the sump. The filter sock should keep detrius from even reaching the rock in the sump?

I was looking at those MP 40's and they are speeenndddyyy. $465 a piece and you've got an MP 60 in your tank as well? Amazing! I don't know if he's going to want to drop a grand on circulation when we can get FOUR evo 1500's for a quarter of that price? I'll run it by him to see what he says though.

I'm looking for that Laguna pump, do you have a link as to where I can find it?

Also looking for the Jebo WP40, do you have a link for that as well?

Google is frustrating me right now, lol.

Also kicking around the idea of using BRS's biopellet reactor with a mag drive 3...any comments?

And what is "white HDPE" ?

HDPE is High Density Polyethylene or cutting board material
here is a link, they will cut to your specs and do offer to round the edges
http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/custom.asp

You will still get some detritus that will go through a filter sock, I tried running without a filter sock and live rock in the sump and it didn't work well. With not having liverock in the sump it will be easier to keep the sump clean.

I got my Laguna off of ebay, but they are a pond pump that lays on its side so you will have to remove the pump from its cage and make some sort of a stand. Here is a thread that describes the pump, this is what got me interested in the pump

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2211056

As far as my liverock the reason I can get away with less is I used very porous rock.

it is Fiji Tukani , here is a link to what I have. I got mine from my LFS but its the same i have

http://www.saltysupply.com/Ultra-Premium-Fiji-Premium-Tukani-Live-Rock-per-p/lrw1115.htm