looking for some opinions

[287C]

I have a 125 that I'm upgrading to a 230 and can't make up my mind on a few things. Sump will be under one side of the tank and a refugium will be on the other side. Tank is 96x24x24. I want to keep a few Tangs and a mixed reef. I had a few in the 125 a couple years ago and it crashed and pretty much lost everything and never figured out the cause.

1. I'm disassembling the tank to re-silicone it should I pre-drill it for a C/L latter or just run power heads. (I have 4 MJ 1200s modded now in my 125) I was thinking of running Vortechs so I could have the battery back-up even though I have a generator just to be safe and have all the flow options they offer.
2. Return pump I would like to T to my skimmer which would you run?
Dart, Super Dart, Super Dart Gold, or would a Snapper be enough
3. I am thinking of running a controller on this tank and would like one that is user friendly, any suggestions?
4. The tank is setup with a center overflow now and was thinking of making a full length overflow is it worth it?

I have 2 400 watt Icecap MH with Radiums that I will be using and plan on adding one more when I set it up. Not sure on reflectors yet, have spider reflectors now and might change to Lumen Brights or something along that line to get a little better dispersion.
As far as the rest of the equipment goes I'll ad more stuff as it gets going probably a C/A reactor next.

 

[287C]

Anybody?

 

[287C]

Really nobody?

 

[nyvp]

Re: looking for some opinions

1. I'm disassembling the tank to re-silicone it should I pre-drill it for a C/L latter or just run power heads. (I have 4 MJ 1200s modded now in my 125) I was thinking of running Vortechs so I could have the battery back-up even though I have a generator just to be safe and have all the flow options they offer.

>>>> CL are great for not seeing the powerheads. that being said power vs watt they don't match in efficiency. That being said if you want to do CL late, drilling it now will make life later much better. Put a bulkhead and a closed off pcs of pvc in it( dont glue the cap on just put it on there so nothing gets in.), so you can install later it when the tank is already up.


2. Return pump I would like to T to my skimmer which would you run?
Dart, Super Dart, Super Dart Gold, or would a Snapper be enough
>>> I would run the smallest pump possible to feed direct to the skimmer then to the sump then back to tank. Then run all you flow from your CL and powerheads. So the snapper would be much more efficient. I used a dart on my 560/g. also instead of a T use a Y much better . (flexpvc.com)


3. I am thinking of running a controller on this tank and would like one that is user friendly, any suggestions?

>>> depending on bells and whistles they all are close to the same. I would go look in the used section and find your best deal.

4. The tank is setup with a center overflow now and was thinking of making a full length overflow is it worth it?

>>> if the center is bringing you enough water to supply your skimmer that why bother I would like at least a 1.5" prefere 2 of them in there.

I have 2 400 watt Icecap MH with Radiums that I will be using and plan on adding one more when I set it up. Not sure on reflectors yet, have spider reflectors now and might change to Lumen Brights or something along that line to get a little better dispersion.

>>>radium 20k on HQI are the best I used 4 of them on my 120x36x30. yes all the higher end reflectors are worth the one time cost by far. I used lumenarc III but any of them are great .3 would be fine for 8-9' they cover about 3x3 nicely.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Re: looking for some opinions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15633715#post15633715 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 287C
1. I'm disassembling the tank to re-silicone it should I pre-drill it for a C/L latter or just run power heads. (I have 4 MJ 1200s modded now in my 125) I was thinking of running Vortechs so I could have the battery back-up even though I have a generator just to be safe and have all the flow options they offer.
2. Return pump I would like to T to my skimmer which would you run?
Dart, Super Dart, Super Dart Gold, or would a Snapper be enough
3. I am thinking of running a controller on this tank and would like one that is user friendly, any suggestions?
4. The tank is setup with a center overflow now and was thinking of making a full length overflow is it worth it?
As far as the rest of the equipment goes I'll ad more stuff as it gets going probably a C/A reactor next.

Re-siliconing is a good investment. Good plan.

I know nothing about MH, so won't waste time and space by addressing that part of your question.

Remember the following is just one opinion - like belly buttons, everybody has one. The following advice is worth every penny it costs... So, if it was me:

I would dump the MJ1200 mods and get a pair of Vortechs. IME a pair of MP40W's makes some serious flow in our 96x36x25.5 tank. However, I supplement with a closed loop. (Check out my build thread if interested - too complex to cover here.)

I assume you just have one overflow pipe coming out of your tank. I have four. I use one overflow pipe just to feed my skimmer. The overflows skim water off the surface of the tank, just what you want your skimmer to chop up... I see no benefit in feeding your skimmer with your return pump. That water has already passed through your sump(s) - so what is left is already "half-clean" water. Does that make sense? You want to skim right out of the tank, if possible...

My 96" tank has a 36" wide exterior overflow box, which holds about 13G water. It is an amazing addition to a large tank, IMO. Nothing sticks inside the tank itself. If there is some way you can modify your tank for external overflows, that would be great... DO NOT put more boxes and crap inside your tank than you absolutley have to - a 24" deep tank isn't that big after you get done aquascaping.

Alternatively, use both holes in your existing overflow box as outflows, (2 homemade dursos are easy enough to make), running the larger pipe to your sump(s) and the smaller one to your skimmer. Then I would run two returns over the top of your tank into the back corners of the tank... With two outflow pipes, you could crank up the return volume through the tank...

You will want to match your return pump to the capacity of your overflow. Find out what it rated for... I am using a Reeflo Hammerhead Gold (4600gph MOL) for my return pump - granted it is throttled back by a third... If you throttle back the pump, do it on the outflow, not the intake. I use a second Hammerhead for the CL, running wide open.

I purchased an Apex controller from Neptune Systems for our new system. Just a personal preference... it's a toss up between the RKE and the Apex, IMO. Right now, the Apex has the edge on network capability. For example, I can control everything attached to the Apex on my iPhone.

Hope this helps. Study the build threads of people building tanks like yours. They paid the stupid tax already and maybe will save you lots of grief. Voice of experience speaking here...

Enjoy your project.

LL