Let's Plan a 120g Upgrade

Nope. It sounds good so far girl. =) I've heard the Outer Orbits are very good fixtures. I think you are making a good choice as far as adding the MH. Did you talk to Greg at Reef Geek? I was thinking of going with all T-5's before, but after talking to him and others on here, it was not the right choice. MH is so beautiful as well...I can't wait to see some pictures. I moved my fish tank about 2 weeks ago. I hope you don't have to move any time soon! What a pain in the butt! Everyone made it thank God. I broke some of my SPS though. =( Really bummed about it. Moving a 120 reef would be really hard. I used lots of totes. I believe I had around 13 total. Maybe more. Anyway, I can't wait to see some pictures of the new tank. Wish the outer orbits were not so expensive. =/ Have you tried to find one on RC? If you don't have tons of money, I'd try here first.
 
No, I didn't talk to Greg. Why did he think it wasn't appropriate for you? Honestly, I'm also afraid of trying something new (and by that I mean that T5s would be new for me). I thought I was going to get some pics up, but I need a few more gallons of water...my ro/di is so slow! I definitely don't plan to move for at least a couple of years...not until I buy a house in 2-3. I thought $800 was a good price for the orbits considering what all comes in the package. I checked ebay, but I didn't check the for sale forums here. I won't say that money is no issue, but I did just start a new job and got a surprise raise. So it's looking better than it has been.
 
msn711......talked to greg the new bulbs be here tomorrow so fixture on next weekish. I'll post pics.

Also, check out the WTB forum, there was a guy looking for a 48" fixture that a few people responded to and two of the had Outer Orbits for 475 and 500
 
Finally...Water!

100_1908.jpg


It has never taken me this long to get water in a tank. The plumbing is working great, I just need a few more gallons in the sump. The overflows are quiet. The super skimmer is still a POS. I'm just going to pretend like it's a really big airstone. Everything is nice and clean under the stand for a change. And I'm about to order live rock and a vortech!
 
Looks good!

I have had an Outer Orbit T5 fixture on my current tank for a year, and I have been very happy with it. I am looking forward to trying out halides on my next build, though.

Enjoy the clean under-stand area for now... you know it won't last.
 
I am very excited about the lights, and the tank as a whole now that things are coming together. I just ordered 50lbs of fiji and 40lbs of tonga (mostly because I found fiji for only a few bucks more than marco rocks, even after shipping) and the vortech with battery back up! Should have more progress on Thursday when my orders should arrive (keep your fingers crossed).

I'm trying to space out the big purchases. So towards the end of the cycle, I'll order the lights and a couple of things to turn the 20L holding tank into a QT tank. My priority on this tank is going to be fish. And I don't want one sick fish wiping out my tank.

With the 2 returns split into 4 nozzles, the flow is pretty weak right now. I'm glad I didn't go with the mag 7 like I was originally thinking.

Quick Recap:
120RR AGA (blue posterboard background)(glass top)
40BR sump
2xAGA Megaflows
AGA Pine Stand
~150lbs Live Rock
60lbs Sand
Outer Orbit 2x250w MH/4x54w T5/18 Lunar Lights
Mag 9.5 return pump
250w Jager Heater
2xFans (blowing over the sump probably)
Vortech with Battery Backup
2xSeio 620s (if necessary...doubtful)
CSS 125 airstone (some may call it a skimmer)...likely upgrade to Tunze 9010
Phosban Reactor
Air Water and Ice RODI
Salifert Test Kits
American DJ Power Center (probably will need another)
Coralife Digital Timer strip
AC Jr. (sometime in the near future hopefully)
20L QT tank (probably just 4 weeks of hyposalinity and 2 weeks transitioning back to normal...every fish except the eel. I think I read somewhere that eels don't take well to QT treatments.)
 
Thanks, but I'm going to try to stick with the outer orbit plan. DC is only a 3 hour train ride to NY, but I couldn't imagine having to haul a 4ft light fixture around.

I have the 2 little fishies phosban reactor. I thought about adding a hanna phosphate tester to my master list of things I want for this tank, but I just don't want to spend that kind of money just to test phosphate! So hopefully it's doing some good. I run hydrocarbon and phosban in it and change it monthly.

Guess I could've stuck with my 150w heater. But I wasn't sure what would happen when it gets cold here later. The 250w is long, but I just stuck it in an overflow...not sure why I didn't put it in the sump. But I've already bought it, so might as well use it.

Oh, now I remember: I'm going to use the 150w in the QT tank. And I have a random black heater (no idea on the name or the wattage) that I use when I prep water for water changes. Guess I did think something through!
 
yeah, i'd be that idiot who for a good deal would probably do it..hehe

Did you use that phosban reactor in your previous setup? I'm thinking of getting it and didn't know your previous experience with it
 
LOL,
Yah I wouldn't want to lug a 4 ft fixture on a train either. I've heard some things on those heaters. You might want to check them out. Do people not like Visitherm heaters? So far I've had great luck with mine. I never hear anything bad about them either. I'd plan on 2 heaters for your tank. Just in case one fails. It's a good plan. It's good you won't have to move for a while! It's not impossible to move a tank that size, but it would be a long day! I'd save for another Vortech. They are really not a big eye sore like some PH i've seen. I love mine. It's awesome because you can turn the flow up or down. You control it on the driver. Not on the unit itself. I still need the battery back up. For now my back up is a battery powered airstone. It really helped during the move. You will really like the air water and ice ro di. Are you getting the Typhoon? It's really nice. I wish I would have upgraded mine to the 100gpd though. I believe mine is 75 gpd. Let me know how you are doing with that center brace. If it doesn't bother you, in the future I just might do it anyway. I guess I have to wait and see. You're quite a bit taller than me though. I hate being so dang short! Don't forget to get a surge protector. Esp if you get a new skimmer and those lights! I've got mine plugged into one. I heard my warranty would not be honored if I did not have one. My American DJ is plugged into one. I'd say that you might need 2 or 3 plus your surge protector. Surge protectors aren't that expensive either. I currently use the ADJ and the Surge Protector. With your tank you will probably need more. I guess it depends.

My Coralife Digital Temp is always off. At least by 3 degrees. I've got 2 other thermometers. 1 is a radiator laser. It works really well. You can get it at an auto body parts store, then I have another one that tests the SG, Salinity, and Temp. Just trying to help. I hope you don't think I'm trying to be a know it all. I hate that. It's just wonderful to see other girls in the hobby. Esp since my bf doesn't care. lol. TTYL
 
honestly I don't think I've used a finer heater then ebo's, they are dead on when it comes to turning on/off. I've used them the past 6 years on all my freshwater and saltwater tanks, wouldn't consider anything else. What did you hear about them?
 
Did you use that phosban reactor in your previous setup? I'm thinking of getting it and didn't know your previous experience with it
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I was using the phosban reactor on the 40, but I didn't have it very long before this tank came along. Not sure whether it's doing anything or not.

I'd save for another Vortech.
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Why? 3000gph is more than I actually need for this tank.

You will really like the air water and ice ro di. Are you getting the Typhoon? [/quote
I already have my ro/di. It's actually the compact reefkeeper, which is probably why it's taken me so long to fill the tank (even when I wasn't out of town). But it's simple and works great, so I love it.

Let me know how you are doing with that center brace.
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The center brace doesn't bother me at all. I'm not sure if the MH will create any shadows because of it, but I'm thinking it won't if the bulbs are spaced apart properly. If anything is an issue, it's the height of the tank. I still wish the stand were taller, but I already have to stand on a chair to work on the tank. And I keep getting my shirt sleeve wet. But no biggie.

Don't forget to get a surge protector.
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There's something I haven't thought about. I also need to figure out how many more plugs I need because I'll probably need another DJ power strip.

My Coralife Digital Temp is always off.
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Yeah, I put a brand new one on this tank and it started reading 82* with just the strip light on. So I grabbed my old one from the 20L, and it was reading 83*. I figure they're close enough for me to concentrate on keeping the temp consistent, but I really hope the temp probe on the AC Jr. will be more accurate. But how can you ever tell what's right? Something is off because the coralife digital temp will reading 82* and I'll notice the heater on at the same time with it only set to 77*. Hmmm...might need to order that AC Jr. sooner rather than later so I can now what the temp. really is.

I hope you don't think I'm trying to be a know it all. I hate that. It's just wonderful to see other girls in the hobby. Esp since my bf doesn't care. lol. TTYL
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Not at all. I was such a bonehead when I first got into the hobby. Ijust refused to listen to anybody. Now I know better and I appreciate all of the advice I can get. Honestly, I can't believe this thread got post page 1. I never get any responses when I post to RC except when I was making the same old newbie mistakes and refusing to listen to anyone else.

honestly I don't think I've used a finer heater then ebo's, they are dead on when it comes to turning on/off. I've used them the past 6 years on all my freshwater and saltwater tanks, wouldn't consider anything else. What did you hear about them?
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I've just always heard they're really good. And heaters are pretty cheap relative to everything else going on/in the tank. Now I'm really trying to figure out if my digital thermometer is way off or my heater???

Next project (besides the temp issue): figure out why ever 20-30 minutes, one of the overflows sounds like thunder just rolled through. I probably just need to shorten one of the drain lines because it's way under water in the sump, but I'm too tired to do it now. It's hard to enter the working world when you've been a student and could always sleep in and skip class.

I never got a confirmation on my live rock order, but I don't think exoticfish.com sends them. At least I couldn't find any old ones, and I've generally used them for live rock orders. So hopefully my rock is here tomorrow with my vortech!
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Etrigo, maybe I am mistaken, but I've heard of system crashes with those heaters. Maybe I am thinking of a different heater, but I am pretty sure it's that one. I know Marc had a problem with it then others chimed in that they had problems too. I've heard that they have broken and ended up frying a couple of tanks. I will try to look it up. That was a while ago though. Back when I first joined RC.
 
The good: The vortech and battery back up arrived today.

The bad: I haven't heard anything about my live rock order.

The vortech instructions are only so-so. The vibration/noise is minimal, and it's supposed to take a few days to break in. The flow is awesome! I can actually feel it halfway across the tank. But it's still on maximum at the moment. I put in some dry fish food to really check it out. 5-10 minutes later, and food is still swirling around. Nothing has settled on the bottom. Flow is all over the tank. And the best part is that not one grain of sand has moved!

Other issues: the plumbing is still fairly noisy, and I'm not sure why. It doesn't seem to be coming from the overflows themselves. Maybe an issue in the sump?

Plus, microbubbles are everywhere. But I think I can fix that.

Still need to hook up the battery back up and upload the pics. Stay tuned.
 
One more thing: the skimmer stopped producing bubbles after about 12 hours of having it hooked up. I'm throwing this thing in the garbage.
 
Sounds good so far. The Vortech instructions are kind of lousy. The pin thing I didn't understand at first. They should just say the rubber pins. You have it cranked all the way up? I'd love to see a video of it. I can't crank mine up that much in my little 40. =) I wonder what's going on with the LR? I am so afraid of buying LR again. I will only buy Marco Rocks next time.
 
I only have it turned all the way up because there's nothing in the tank yet except a few pounds of live rock from the 40. I plan to run it about halfway. But I was also thinking, maybe I could try some more sps on the right side of the tank closer to the vortech, and have the softies/lps towards the left and bottom.

I got an email response from exoticfish.com. Apparently, there live rock supplier got behind on their orders. They expect my order to ship on Monday. I've always gotten good rock from them, so I'm sure they'll come through. I was just hoping to have the cycle going by this weekend. They also said that this was an isolated incident seeing as how live rock is probably their biggest seller.

I'm in no rush to order the lights, but I'm a bit worried about not having any skimmer on the tank. I need to look into those tunze skimmers a bit more. It's the only thing I feel certain I can get into the sump and stand, and even if it doesn't work, it can sit in the tank (probably in the back between the overflow boxes where it shouldn't be very noticeable). I just hope they're really good skimmers and worth the money.
 
I've heard they are good skimmers. I have no experience with them. Have you checked out the BM 200? Those are great skimmers. I have the BM 150. It is the best skimmer i've had so far. Very good. I was talking to my friend that sells them and he said for my future 120 I'd need the 200. He said Bubbleking are the best, but if the pump shuts down and stops working a replacement pump is 800.00! Plus the skimmer itself is outrageous! When I was buying skimmers it was between the Tunze 9010 and the BM150. As long as you keep up with water changes you should be fine for a while. You still have the CSS right?

Sps will love the flow of the Vortech. Mine do. You have to make sure not to place them directly in front of it though. I have mine about 10 in away. Your tank is going to be beautiful.
 
I still have the CSS, but it's never working. I'll check the BM's. The problem is that I only have a few inches clearance between the top of the stand and the top of the sump. I should have gone with something shorter than a 40br as the sump. But it makes it difficult to get anything into the sump.
 
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