Help me decide

[THE GIMP]

Greetings

I have been planning on a major upgrade for a while. It is time to decide.
I have acquired a 300 RR Starfyre (used w/ a few scratches), an older 180 glass which seems to be the perfect size for where it could go (single overflow, no return), a 90 Plexiglas (good condition). and a cs12 (48" tall skimmer -going to mod to a recirc)

My intent was to go with the biggest tank I could find, and since I've had it, the remod plans for the house have changed. I was going to add a fish room by enclosing a patio and cutting it into the wall. I have since decided that I like the windows, despite the lack of a view. My home is a raised foundation, it is possible to support it, which leads me to the 180.
I bought the 180 because for a time, the 300 was just too darn big, and the price was right, and I would come ahead by selling the 300.
Then I had the great idea of connecting the two tanks, the 180 in the house -w/ halides, with the 300 in the garage -on solar tubes. I would make the 300 a refuge/ frag/grow tank with all the noise and equipment.

Recently, I stumbled onto the various threads on BB's and rock cooking, -ultra clean systems rather than attempting a mini ecosystem. Although I greatly enjoyed the process of my first reef tank (DSB), I would like to try a bb.
Therein lies the question:
Since I do not need a fuge, nor the huge system I was planning, would you:
1) Use the 180, get a shorter skimmer, and keep it simple
a) comfortable supporting this tank with concrete and wood, inside the house.
b) better fit in the location
c) fewer lights
d) has center brace, which I do not care for
e) not RR, would have to drill or hang over the side for the return
f) I would use streams and a wave box

2) Use the 300, use the 48" skimmer (I would build a cabinet to match)
a) not comfortable with supporting this monster on concrete and wood -I would do a slab, this would take much more planning and more moola.
b) I have a few ideas to make it fit
c) RR and drilled, just like I would order it
d) center braces are perfect, I am planning on an open top
e) bigger pumps, possibly more noise
f) 30" deep, will need much light
g) need to buff out scratches (could you buff out sf?)

3) Go with the plan of both tanks connected, bb.
a) I have it, why not use it
b) 500+ gal system
c) system is elaborate, lots of stuff
d) cost of running it
e) don't really need it "that big"
f) would be nice to have a tank in the garage ..."man country"
g) maintenance

4) Sell everything and start over with a new 180 sf?

I plan on having clams, clowns, and tangs -the bio load small, lot of corals, hard and soft.

Thanks for the advice, and thanks SeanT for posting and pointing me to Bombers and other wonderful bb tanks. What do you think of Zeo?

 

[nyvp]

go with the 300 and don't look back

 

[Blocka]

go big or go home, LOl i would go with the 300 cause eventualy if you went with teh 180 you will wish you just did the 300

 

[Alphabet]

300 all the way!!

 

[bstone]

go big or go home, LOl i would go with the 300 cause eventualy if you went with teh 180 you will wish you just did the 300

Hey, that's my mofo! LOL:lol: I would go as big as you can, or you will regret it in the future. I went as big as I could, meaning, I physically could not go bigger due to space and cost. That is why I went with a 120x48x30h tank! Go Big or Go Home!!

 

[Bebo77]

if you go big you will never complain about hainv no space for stuff... bigger is better!

 

[Kent E]

I swore my last tank would be the biggest I would go. That was a 120. Now that tank sit across its soon to be replacement...a 450. Go 300! Save the time although it will take much longer, and the money even though it will cost much more.

 

[THE GIMP]

You guys are killing me , I thought I had it all worked out to go with the 180. ....

I'll come up with some ideas.:mixed:

 

[Saltywater]

I would set them both up. Have one a reef and the other a Fowlr but run them as one system. That is what I am in the process of doing. I am moving my current 180 reef tank to my office as a fowlr system and adding a new 400 gal reef system.

 

[THE GIMP]

Thanks all for your advice!
I am leaning tward using the 180 and setting that up independantly, until I finnish the garage. Then I will set up the 300 and connect them both. It will fit better in the room, and the wife wont have me locked up. The build out for the 300 would be too costly and I need to spend the money for other improvements at this time.

 

[Kent E]

Okay, just don't get rid of the 300, you'll be needing it later :lol:

 

[THE GIMP]

I took a look under the house, and found that the joists run the long way instead of what I expected to find. The room is split by footings at thirds with cross members from end to end. Truly a bonus. Any of you engineers out there, I am thinking about adding one additional cross member between the wall footing and piers directly under the edge of the 300. 4 piers, even split within 8-10 feet. The new cross would match existing and be 6x4x10'. The risers would be 4x4. I would double the joists, using the footings on the outside perimeter and span to the existing cross at thirds. The new cross member would be in the middle of this, or there abouts. If ya think that would be enough to support all that weight, or if I'm close, please advise.

I had to set up the 90 as a BB and take down the 55. It was not looking good, the two additional tangs I rescued tipped the scale as I had feared. I didn't want to trade them for credit, since all of my pets are refugees in a way. So the next best thing was to upgrade. Of course, the 90 that was intended to be a temporary thing really looks darn good where it is. Therein lies the "New Plan".....
The 300 instead of the 185, and the 185 as an equipment tank on the patio that I was going to close in, doubling as a frag tank, since it will get direct sunlight in the afternoon. The 185 will be about 6" off the ground. The skimmer would go in there, being fed directly by the over flows. I will plumb in the 300 as well as the 90. Whatcha guys think?

 

[pcpm75]

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! Before you change your mind!

 

[THE GIMP]

LOL, no doubt......

I'd like to say that I am committed, but I need to know what the extent of building supports will be for the 300. I have visions of it dumping 300 gallons and filling up my living room 2" deep......

 

[pcpm75]

Can you post any pictures of your current supports? Do you have a full basement or is your house like a slab or just a crawl space? I'm trying to get an idea of it but i need more info.................:hammer:

 

[BJJ]

If you like large tanks and pass up the 300, you will probably regret it later.

6 years ago i installed a 240 room divider, 2 years later I took it out thinking I would like to slightly downsize for simplicity. Last year I put in a 125 room divider in the same location as the original. One week befor Christmas I was about the fill the system with water ( construction took a while because of the detail and time I had available. WELL... just before I added water I made my mind up and tore out the 125 to put in a ...you guessed it a 240Gal back in. It turns out that I really regreted downsizing because it affects how far you can go as far as stocking. Now the system is cycling with 150 lbs of LR.. I feel that during this whole ordeal I know I made the right decision.

Good luck

 

[BJJ]

In response the the recent posts/concerns Try not to let challenges such as structural issues cloud your thoughts - provided that the solutions are affordable. I had a similar concerns with my current structure, but with determination, patience and diligients anything can be done. I consulted the joist mfg for loading requiements and consulted a structral engineer for alternatives. I did all the construction. I may cost $$ and take a little longer to do it right but at the end you will REALLY have what you want instead of settling for second best.

 

[ruiny]

I think the big factor is how the tank fits the room.
The structure problems can be worked out.
Put some tape on the floor or get something large to simulate the tank and stand and see if it complements the room or detracts from it or would be to overbearing.
I am setting up a 64 x 34 x 30 in my living room and went with that size because I felt it would fit the room.
Now that being said if the 300 is in good shape and fits well, then don't let things like the floor or skimmer make the decision for you.
go for it.

 

[THE GIMP]

Thaks for the advice and insight.

Its a crawl space. I can't do pictures yet, but it is in the works.

 

[THE GIMP]

Sorry for the long delay, but work became heavy.

I set up the 180 in the living room. It was allot of work to set four new piers to support it, not to mention making sure it came out level. The intent is to use the 180 as a temp setup for the next year while I complete the many other projects. As usual, I overbuilt the supports for the "temp" tank..... boy it looks good....

Any how, I am setting it up sumpless, as simply as I can. I kinda had too, I had two trash cans full of LR, and the 90 is where the 300 is going to go....... I could see a positive reaction in the tangs with the change from the 55 to the 90, and I will feel better about having them in the 180. I have enough LR in there to stock the 300, so I am not too worried about upgrading the skimmer just yet. I am testing a Rubble bottom on a raised platform. If it works like I hope it will (pod farm), I will do the same in the 300.

Pics will come soon! Thanks again!
PS. glad I didn't sell the 300......