360g Advice/Review

[VegasMike1]

Long time LURKER and newly registered.

I've been in the aquarium/salt hobby for a while. Started back in '95' and went for about 3yrs (Moved and had another kid). Now been going again since about 2013 and have recently gone BIG.

In '13', I got back into it with a 90g FOWLR and a few softies/Leathers. Then went to a 180g with the same occupants. Now, I've went and did something crazy. Went to a 360g.

Background: I make my own water and run two 55g ressy's for Fresh and Salt.

The tank is in the house with no Fish Room. Everything is under the stand. The Sump is a 90g custom glass sump.

Now then...
I plan to do a LOT more corals. A variety really. I'm not going for a FULL-OUT coral tank, just want to add some color. some LPS and SPS.

Because everything has to be under the tank, I'm running the following equipment.

2 x DC12000 return pumps running at about 50%. My guess (with head loss)is that I'm running about 2200GPH through the tank/sump.

2 x Maxspect 150 gyre pumps. both horizontal on opposite sides of the tank.

Bubble Magus Curve 9

Coralife 12x/36w UV with 450gph pump.

Lighting
2 x 24" Reef Breeder Photon full spectrum lights
2 x 16" Reef Breeder Photon full spercrum lights

I'm also running a refugium with Full Spectrum LED pendant light.

I'm also running an Apex Controller using Fusion.

My questions/Review

I'm going to start dosing KalK via my JBJ ATO. My plan is to do so until I need to Dose. I don't have the room for a Ca Reactor. I will not over stock this tank with fish and will try to keep it at about 12-14 select fish.

At present, I've got about 180lbs of live rock that came from the previous tank. Added about 40lbs more.

I've also put in a Bi-Color Angel and a Flame at the same time. They are thick as thieves and are best friends - worked out awesome. I put in a File Fish (small) for aptasia/Mejano control.... and my big fella. I've got a 7" BEAUTIFUL Naso that will lay in my hand and let me hand feed him. Pretty amazing really.

With the setup that I've presented, what will my problems be? My worry is that I can't clean the water enough. I see pics of large tanks and the equipment side of things looks like they could launch rockets from Cape! :hmm4:

My water changes are about every 3 weeks give or take, and they are 52g at a time. I run my Salinity at about 1.024 and my temp at a constant 77.5-78.5.

I don't have problems with heat, in fact my heater is on/off the entire day. I run a 800w heater controlled exclusively through the Apex controller.

Thanks all... just trying to be a little pro-active here. Seems like I'm missing something. :spin1:

 

[d2mini]

The one glaring thing I see is the huge heater. You are better off running 2-3 smaller ones.
Heaters are notorious for sticking ON and wiping tanks out.
I know the apex should cut power but you never know.
So i'd swap that out to be safe. If one goes haywire, it will take longer to overheat the water. Or if it just goes bad, you still have one or two more than should be able to keep up or at least keep temps high enough to not kill stuff.

 

[VegasMike1]

good call. That's a pretty simple fix. I try to replace them once a year. The next one is due up. Maybe I will simply get two smaller ones.

 

[GimpyFin]

Not sure if you've used those coralife turbo twist uv sterilizers before, but they have a metal inner sleeve on them around the lamp and it rusts very quickly in saltwater. (As opposed to aqua uv or others that just have uv resistant pvc housing.) Anyway, just an fyi.

 

[VegasMike1]

funny you should say that. I had one do that (rust). Called the company, gave them my receipt. they were going to send out a new lower canister. they ended up sending a completely new unit. they ran out of canisters so send an entire unit. Worked out well, just needs to be on a watch list. I think the problem is opening them up... every time you take the the twist component out of the unit and put it back in... I think it tears it up. Just a guess really.

so you guys don't think that I need more equipment? do I have the MUST have's taken care of? The doser will come eventually I'm sure.

 

[davocean]

You seem pretty good for the most part, personally I would have some T5's added to that, but that's my preference to have the combo of LED's and T5's.
I totally agree on having 2-3 smaller heaters as a safety as oppose to one large.
I think no matter what there will always be thoughts at adding new gear, but for now you seem mostly covered.