Help Me Design A 500 Gallon

[Krenshaw22]

Alrighty guys I'm planning on designing a 500 Gallon SPS Reef. I want you guys to help me design it.
I want LED Lights so Which should I go with I want to be able to keep anything really.

On the Overflows what the best style to have them placed and for the return also what do you guys recommend for the power head pumps for flow and how many I want a high flow tank

With the design of the rock scape should I go with a reef wall, or bust it up into sections and have like pillars. Let imagination flow and I'll have sand in the bottom. Also I want to mount Montipora Caps to a frag rack and let them fully encrust it on one of the tank corners.

Also I want to have help designing of good sump and I want to plumb into the tank a big container for pretty much a macro algae and refugium and then have my sump for the heater, protein skimmer, and other filter media.

What Protein skimmer and other filter media should I run on this tank.
Thank you guys and hope to hear good input.

 

[lionfish300]

Tank dimension L X W X H? for a start

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Are you up for "the best" or on a budget?

 

[djryan2000]

I don't recommend making a rock wall. It limits flow and causes detritus buildup as well as blocks access to the back of your tank.

The pillars seem like a better idea.


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[Krenshaw22]

Are you up for "the best" or on a budget?

Not a full budget but there is a limit lol

 

[Krenshaw22]

Tank dimension L X W X H? for a start

120"Lx36"Wx30"H

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

That's 560 gallons, knock the height to 27" & it's 504.9. Easier to get in the home, easier to work on & less demanding on lighting.
Next question, since it's Florida no basement but sump under tank or in a separate room?

 

[Krenshaw22]

That's 560 gallons, knock the height to 27" & it's 504.9. Easier to get in the home, easier to work on & less demanding on lighting.
Next question, since it's Florida no basement but sump under tank or in a separate room?

Would be Room like a walk in closet size enough for 2 people to work in

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Great. Put sump up on a bench, saves the back, knees, head pressure & sanity when doing anything there. As far as a pump, Abyzz & Red Dragon DC pumps in that order of expense would do just great. Can't beat a Royal Exclusive skimmer($$$) many like the Octopus line. Power heads I like Tunze, a lot of people like a Gyre (frequent cleanings) even the Jaebo line. Now Lighting --you will get 100 opinions here, Sanjay claims LED'S will all grow corals, Radion however seem to be the choice of many coral farms.
That should give you food for thought.

 

[Krenshaw22]

Great. Put sump up on a bench, saves the back, knees, head pressure & sanity when doing anything there. As far as a pump, Abyzz & Red Dragon DC pumps in that order of expense would do just great. Can't beat a Royal Exclusive skimmer($$$) many like the Octopus line. Power heads I like Tunze, a lot of people like a Gyre (frequent cleanings) even the Jaebo line. Now Lighting --you will get 100 opinions here, Sanjay claims LED'S will all grow corals, Radion however seem to be the choice of many coral farms.
That should give you food for thought.

That's a great start and I'll start looking at these products and sort their pros and cons.

 

[Krenshaw22]

LIFEREEF VENTURI PROTEIN SKIMMERS I’ve seen people recommending these also what’s the opinions on them vs say the royal exclusiv

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Many still swear by them, I see no reason to dispute it.
They are different styles & Lifereef's can be modified larger if needed.

 

[lionfish300]

120"Lx36"Wx30"H

Like Vinny said cut the height down, much easy to do maintain move rocks and corals around. I have 96 x 36 x 24 and love the 36 wide

 

[Krenshaw22]

Like Vinny said cut the height down, much easy to do maintain move rocks and corals around. I have 96 x 36 x 24 and love the 36 wide

Good to know thank you so much!

 

[Krenshaw22]

Many still swear by them, I see no reason to dispute it.
They are different styles & Lifereef's can be modified larger if needed.

Are they just an older style?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Yes but they work!

 

[Krenshaw22]

Alrighty guys so my plan is to have 6 Radions and then supplement it with T-5 ATI Blue Plus mounting it 2 Bulbs Back then the Radions in the middle spaced 10 inches apart, and then 2 more bulbs up front and have them placed about 16-20 inches above the water.

 

[Krenshaw22]

For Flow I plan on 4- Mp60s and then 4- Mp40s plan on either Bare bottom or a heavy sand which do you guys think is the better option?

 

[Krenshaw22]

Starting to kinda base it off of WWC 500 Gallon tank but not quite.

 

[lionfish300]

This what I have Flow: 4 X MP60, 2 X MP40, 2 X 1" sea swirl from a Reefflow Dart return pump Light : From front 3 rolls total of 6 X 48" T5 Middle 4 X Hydra, 3 X 250 watts Radium Metal Halide Back: 3 rolls of 6 T5