Bigger Tank, More Questions!

[Nyxe]

Hello again. I've been tossing around the idea of a bigger tank for a while now, and finally I got lucky and came across a great deal.

It is an 80g bowfront. It came with two holes pre-drilled. Today we plumbed the drain and a spray-bar return.

SUMP
At the moment I don't have a sump. The space I have to work with is limited. I have approximately 44"Lx12.5"W of room to put in a sump. Looking at general aquarium size dimensions, I think the only pre-made tank I can buy that will fit is a 30L (36Lx12Wx17H). Would it be better to buy a glass 30L and use that as a sump? Or go for custom (which I'm guessing would be more $$ even if we fabricated it ourselves) and try to go larger? I want as large of a refugium as I can possibly cram under there.

SKIMMER
My other question has to do with a skimmer. I was leaning towards the MSX200 which is rated for 175g w/ a heavy bioload. Then I read about a guy's skimmer not skimming because it was too huge? I read before that you should get a larger skimmer than you need, but now I'm confused. So, is the MSX200 ok? Or would an MSX160 be better? (It's only a $20 difference, so I'd rather get the 200 over the 160 if it's just a monetary decision.) OR get a skimmer rated for a tank closer to my size?

PUMP & FLOW
The tank also came with a Mag 9.5 (which I'll be using for my return), and 3-4 maxi-jet type powerheads. I think I'll be getting the Vortech MP40W (just one, wish I could afford two!). Will one MP40W supplemented by 1-2 of those other powerheads be sufficient? (SPS tank)

LIGHTING
The lighting for my tank is giving me a headache. The guy I bought the setup from didn't actually use the tank. But anyway, the tank came with a canopy and a light fixture (48" Aqualight with 2 250W 10ks, vho, moonlights). However, you cannot put the light fixture on the tank and put the canopy over it. It just doesn't fit! The Aqualight is too wide. I'm not entirely sure what we're going to do with it at this point. We may modify the canopy so that the Aqualight is hidden/attached to it. But I digress. Will 2 250W MH be enough lighting? I'm planning on changing the bulbs out since I have no way of knowing how old they've been used. (I don't have a PAR meter either.)

ROCK
If I go with dry rock seeded with live rock (from my current tank), will 50lbs be too much? I have no clue how many pounds dry I should put into a tank.

If I go with live rock, how many pounds should I get without ending up with a giant rock wall? And what kind of live rock (opinion) look the nicest? Fiji, Pukani, Kaelini, etc.

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Thank you for making it to the bottom. And thank you in advance for any replies!

 

[A sea K]

Ok, I'll give my 2 cents for what its worth as I'm still a newb myself and have made a few mistakes along the way.

Sump, I'd go with the custom if you can build it yourself. Your space is very limiting for any pre-made tank and sump space will be at a premium. If you go store bought you'll regret it later. I also note you'll be using a submersible mag for your return so no need for the extra space under cab for a external.

Skimmer, I'm definately not a fan of the oversize skimmer club. I had a MSX 200 and IMO the 160 will still be somewhat oversized for your system but will do a good job, this would be my choice. If you plan on a upgrade in the near future then go with the larger unit, otherwise stick with one better suited to your tanks size.

Pump & Flow, the Mag should do the job fine and for starters before you purchase the Vortech I'd just use the Maxi's and get a feel for things. I have nothing against the Vortechs as I have never owned one but there are other power heads that will deliver plenty of flow at a modest price. I personally use Tunze but they are $ and well worth it. I also use the Korallia(sp) on my smaller tank and they are a very good alternative.

Lighting, I use a Aqualight pro, the mounting legs keep the fixture VERY close to the water. If you run 2X250 in a closed canopy mounted that close to the water surface you'll probably cook the tank and find you'll need to by a chiller to control heat. IDK how tall your tank is or what corals you plan on keeping but I'm running 3x150 DE on a 29" tall tank and am having good success with LPS, BTA, H Crispa, a few softies and even a few SPS. The T-5 setups are also a good alternative. Decide what you wan't to keep and do some research then make your choice based on the info you accumulate.

Live Rock, basic rule is about 1 to 2 lbs of rock per gallon for adequate filtration. When I redo my tank I will place the majority of my rock in my sump and use just what is athetically pleasing to me in my display to stay away from that "rock wall" look. I use Fiji and Kaelini and I can't remember checking on the Pukani type. Basically the lighter more pourus the rock the better and also will require less rock.

Hope this helps a little and good luck.