I just needed fish food, but left with a 300 gallon Starphire divider tank!!!
- Thread starter Lildragon
- Start date
I was actually thinking of using as much of it as possible! I was thinking about doing two closed loops, which would take care of the Hammerhead, PCX-40, OM 4-way and OM squirt. I was going to use the MH lights over key zones in the tank (where I am going to have my SPS) and supplement with 8 T5 actinic bulbs.
Because I am planning on upgrading my livestock, the large skimmer, UV, sulphur-denitrator, and carbon/phosban reactors will probably be very necessary.
I had two WON brothers heaters (the digital expensive kind) and one went after 13 months (warranty is 12 months :mad2: ) and the other went 3 weeks later! Tried contacting the company and didn't even get a response.
I am considering having the tank drilled for my 4-way, but I was a little nervous about the bulkheads. My LFS also suggested silicone, so I will probably go that way...if I go over the top, there are too many 90s and it will cut my flow way down (not that I NEED 5800 gph!
)The sump I bought is only a 90 gal and it looks like it is set up for maybe 50 gallons while running. I am planning on having a big refugium (100 gal?) with another DSB. I have a slight nitrate problem in my current tank - it has to do with the new powder blue and unicorn tang I bought, and the fact that I stepped up the feeding schedule....I just set up the denitrator 2 nights ago, so I will have a full 8 months testing it to see how things go!
I am hoping I won't need a chiller (my current tank is fine with just 2 computer fans) and I was going to put a more powerful fan in the canopy of the new tank....however, I am not currently running halides, so I am sure that will add a lot of heat.
Yawn.....stretch............first post after 10 months....
Update: the house is almost finished and I moved the tank into the new basement before having the rec room framed.
To answer the questiion as to whether the tank would survive -40 degree temperatures: One of my braces was loose and came off very easily!!! The silicone was very brittle, so the first order of business once I move into the house, is to cut all the silicone off the tank and re-caulk everything.
Update: the house is almost finished and I moved the tank into the new basement before having the rec room framed.
To answer the questiion as to whether the tank would survive -40 degree temperatures: One of my braces was loose and came off very easily!!! The silicone was very brittle, so the first order of business once I move into the house, is to cut all the silicone off the tank and re-caulk everything.
Fish room planning:
My LFS suggested that it wouldn't cost me much to run a second FOWLER tank with a little planning.
My fish room (11' x 12') will have a rack built on one side of the room. The top tier will house my current 100 gallon tank, which I will be using as a salt reservoir. The second tier will house the sump for my 300. The bottom level will have the sump for my 150 FOWLER tank.
The thinking is that I can drain the FOWLER sump, then drain the 300's sump into the FOWLER sump (through a filter sock). That will create a 40 gallon water change for my FOWLER. Although it is not "pure" water, the water will be clean enough, coming from an SPS tank.
I will then drain 40 gallons from the salt reservoir into the 300's sump, and my water change is done! All will be accomplished using ball valves and good old gravity. Since my 300's sump holds 90 total gallons, that would allow me to do a 30% emergency water change if needed.
On Wednesday the tank is being stripped of silicone AND my LFS is coming over to change out the end panel from regular glass to Starphire. This will make all three viewing panes in Starphire! I'm also going to get him to drill 4 holes in the bottom for my large closed loop.
My LFS suggested that it wouldn't cost me much to run a second FOWLER tank with a little planning.
My fish room (11' x 12') will have a rack built on one side of the room. The top tier will house my current 100 gallon tank, which I will be using as a salt reservoir. The second tier will house the sump for my 300. The bottom level will have the sump for my 150 FOWLER tank.
The thinking is that I can drain the FOWLER sump, then drain the 300's sump into the FOWLER sump (through a filter sock). That will create a 40 gallon water change for my FOWLER. Although it is not "pure" water, the water will be clean enough, coming from an SPS tank.
I will then drain 40 gallons from the salt reservoir into the 300's sump, and my water change is done! All will be accomplished using ball valves and good old gravity. Since my 300's sump holds 90 total gallons, that would allow me to do a 30% emergency water change if needed.
On Wednesday the tank is being stripped of silicone AND my LFS is coming over to change out the end panel from regular glass to Starphire. This will make all three viewing panes in Starphire! I'm also going to get him to drill 4 holes in the bottom for my large closed loop.
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