A few ? on larger tank setup

[wachuko]

OK... so it looks like this is just like when getting a boat... the minute you buy one you know you want to change it to a larger one...

We have a 72 now... ...and already thinking about a larger tank.. 156-200ish range...

Any special considerations I should keep in mind when going for such a tank? Or pretty much the same stuff that I have now but getting larger capacity of everything for the new one?

 

[thor32766]

what do you plan on keeping in the tank?

 

[wachuko]

What I have now (reef with all the friends you see in my signature)... but since everyone is telling me that 72 is too small for when the tangs grow up... we want to give them more space... and then start adding more corals, mushrooms, etc...

 

[wachuko]

Should have started reading a few threads here before asking this question...

Reading and learning. Some pretty awesome setups... wow...

Thank you all!!

 

[crzy_pig]

just remeber that once you get the 150-200 range your going to want the 450-600 built into the wall w\rear access system!

 

[mflamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11597074#post11597074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crzy_pig
just remeber that once you get the 150-200 range your going to want the 450-600 built into the wall w\rear access system!

So go ahead and build the BIG system.

 

[wachuko]

I just went to get a rough estimate on what I would be looking at... and just for a 156gal (Oceanic Ultimate Drilled Tank), lights, skimmer, sump, LR, LS, chiller, etc... we are talking close to 8K...

We will live with the 72 for a few years...

 

[rlxwcapt]

You are giving up that easy. Come on. I know how you feel. I have a 120 and I want the 450 and I can't afford it. I try to purchase toys for the 450 but my wife gets in the way (we have 2 kids to send to college). I can't wait till she looking the other way. I will win soon. good luck and keep reading.

 

[Opah]

The one thing I have consistently felt in past tank designs is the need for more working space. As the tanks get bigger, it's nice to have more space to work with and more access to various components for tweaking purposes.

 

[steve the plumb]

You could keep it at a low cost.For one if you are not going to buy any more livestock then you know where you stand on that.I have a 300 and stocking a tank isn't cheap.You can keep your 72 as a sump.To save money build your own stand.Don't buy an expensive tank.You can go for the perfecto 220 with dual overflows I think is the largest.Its 7 ft and has the overflows at both ends.Keep your light and place your corals on one side until you can afford to buy another one.Don't buy an entire 6 ft light buy the same one that you have and it can cover the entire tank(if its a 3 ft or 4 ft light.You can even leave the ends of the tank dim.I would look into getting a good skimmer but don't blow the bank on one.There are good skimmers out there for a 220 ish system.If you keep most of your equipment you can get away with buying less.Get another uv unit and run two of them or stick with one until you can afford to buy another.You can also look at glass cages for tanks.Some people are happy with them.I hear mixed reviews. skimmers look here
http://www.protein-skimmer.com/gallery.asp?id=446996&page=2&shopperid=

Lights I got from here http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/index.php?cPath=71

 

[wachuko]

Thank you for your comments and suggestions!!!

oooohhhh boy!! Perfecto 220 gallon Tank 72x24x30" - US$799.00

Now we are talking... I can make the stand. That will not be a problem... maybe out of 1x1 metal material to make it less bulky inside...

Not sure on how I can make my 72 into a sump... drilled bottom, bow front and all...

Out to see what local store carries this tank.

Thank you!!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11607012#post11607012 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steve the plumb
You could keep it at a low cost.For one if you are not going to buy any more livestock then you know where you stand on that.I have a 300 and stocking a tank isn't cheap.You can keep your 72 as a sump.To save money build your own stand.Don't buy an expensive tank.You can go for the perfecto 220 with dual overflows I think is the largest.Its 7 ft and has the overflows at both ends.Keep your light and place your corals on one side until you can afford to buy another one.Don't buy an entire 6 ft light buy the same one that you have and it can cover the entire tank(if its a 3 ft or 4 ft light.You can even leave the ends of the tank dim.I would look into getting a good skimmer but don't blow the bank on one.There are good skimmers out there for a 220 ish system.If you keep most of your equipment you can get away with buying less.Get another uv unit and run two of them or stick with one until you can afford to buy another.You can also look at glass cages for tanks.Some people are happy with them.I hear mixed reviews. skimmers look here
http://www.protein-skimmer.com/gallery.asp?id=446996&page=2&shopperid=

Lights I got from here http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/index.php?cPath=71

 

[ricks]

Running your 220 as an SPS system figure around 1.00 per gallon a month operating cost...

I would say go as large as possible....

 

[steve the plumb]

Well the monthly bills are a different story.I would go as big as you can because it costs more to upgrade twice rather than the first time.You can use the two part dosing system its pretty cheap rather than buying supplements.You can buy cheap drill bits and drill the tank yourself if you want to save.The perfecto 220 is a nice tank and if you get the overflow options the factory drills the tank for you and it comes with 2 corner overflows.I was going to get that tank but I had an 8 ft tank stuck in my head for a long time.I know whats one foot but my head was stuck and that was that.

 

[wachuko]

For where I want to install this (living room) 72x24 is big enough... or I should say, as big as I could go...

I was looking at the tank with the factory overflow options (drilled at the factory).

It is going in the living room next to the glass sliding doors that connect with the covered Lanai. I have a summer kitchen in the Lanai where the RO unit is installed. So it gives me an area there to install the chiller, install a water tank, etc. and run the lines next to the wall (there is about 1' of wall where I can drill holes to pass the pipes into the lanai) and into the living room to the tank. Not much heat from the doors since it is a covered lanai, it has blinds/drapes, and there is no direct sunlight hitting them...

Question is on what I will need...

I had the list for the 156... but seems I will need different equipment for the 220...

1. What pumps should I use? Will two of the Blueline External Pump 30HD-X still work? Or do you recommend something different?
2. What size sump?
3. EuroReef RS-250 skimmer should still be OK, correct?
4. JBJ Arctica Titanium Chiller DBM-250 1/3HP should still do the trick?
5. I was thinking about going with the 72" Current 3x250W HQI + 4x39W/3x39 T5 + 12/12 Lunar (model 1079). Any comments?

 

[steve the plumb]

I think a 6 ft light would work nice.6" gap on both sides wouldn't be a lot with that amount of light.An LFS around hear has that light on a 6 ft tank.There tank is 4 or 5 ft wide.They have the coralife unit on one side and a current on the other.I was talking with a worker and he liked the current,the ballast runs very cool.It is a good amount of light and its a nice looking unit.You can go with as large as a sump as you want.More volume the better.I don't think you need a larger skimmer unless you want to overstock the tank.I am not sure what that skimmer is rated for or if you can do a mesh mod to get better performance.You can always get the ATI or the marine extreme witch is similar.I use a dart as a return pump.For one it does push a good amount of water plus it doesn't burn that much electricity.How far will the pump be away from the sump.I have 2 x 1 1/2" overflows.The dart is a bit strong but I have it going into my skimmer also.You could use one dart and split it to power your chiller,feed your skimmer,feed a uv unit and feed your return line.

 

[wachuko]

Well... I just got the most expensive anemone... went to the LFS to buy an anemone and ended up with

210Gal tank... 210 AG 72X24X29 with 2 overflows...
36" Stand (I wanted the extra space for, you know, stuff! )...
JBJ Arctica Titanium Chiller DBM-250 1/3HP
72" Current 3x250W HQI + 4x39W/3x39 T5 + 12/12 Lunar (model 1079)
Sump, 25W UV, 1000Watt heater with controller, etc...

I still can decided on the skimmer... LFS quoted an ASM G-3 G Series Protein Skimmer... I like how easy it is to take out the cup in the EuroReef for cleaning... got to see how that is done with the ASM... any other unit I should consider?

Also, on the pumps, 2 Eheim 1262 (rated at 900gph)...

Comments and suggestions are welcomed... I only have the deposit on the tank, stand, chiller, and light... should be ready by Friday for pick up. Still not sure about the skimmer and pumps...

 

[wachuko]

Also, an idea from Kannin's thread... ordered 3 rackmount power centers... at 15.00 it was the best price I could find...

 

[steve the plumb]

Nice why do you want 2 return pumps instead of one.I had a mag 18 on my old tank and it was fine.I would however get 2 stronger pumps and 2 x wavy sea for return.I don't know how much head loss there is with the eheim pumps.How much loss do you get at 5 ft?With 2 stronger pumps and 2 x wavy sea you will get some nice flow from your return line.I would consider maybe a strong pressure rated pump and maybe 1 wavy sea.I don't know what you want to do about flow.The mj mods are nice but do you want power heads in the tank.I got a tuze wavebox from e bay and it works great.I paid $405 for it.It would work nice on a 7ft tank.I don't know how it would work with 2 corner overflows.This is why I would say to use 2 wavy sea with some good pumps.

 

[wachuko]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11621009#post11621009 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steve the plumb
Nice why do you want 2 return pumps instead of one.I had a mag 18 on my old tank and it was fine.I would however get 2 stronger pumps and 2 x wavy sea for return.I don't know how much head loss there is with the eheim pumps.How much loss do you get at 5 ft?With 2 stronger pumps and 2 x wavy sea you will get some nice flow from your return line.I would consider maybe a strong pressure rated pump and maybe 1 wavy sea.I don't know what you want to do about flow.The mj mods are nice but do you want power heads in the tank.I got a tuze wavebox from e bay and it works great.I paid $405 for it.It would work nice on a 7ft tank.I don't know how it would work with 2 corner overflows.This is why I would say to use 2 wavy sea with some good pumps.

Thank you Steve... it will take me sometime to translate all you said... newbie and most of the stuff you mention I know is English, but I can't understand squat... :rollface:

2 pumps... more for backup reasons than anything else... in the odd event one fails...

2x wavy sea??? Time to do a search on that

 

[lhoy]

Just run one return pump, no need on wasting the energy and just keep the other one (not running) as a backup.

Most people WAY oversize their return pump and then just end up throttling them back!!

Lee

Oh, and go with the Euro-reef, much easier to setup, use, clean, etc.