My 200+ new tank

[mehaffydr]

I have been doing FW for 20+ yrs but just got into SW/ Reef in Dec 07. I put together a 58 gal tank I had that was freashwatrer and convertedit to reef tank. What a learning experience. I wish I would have found this forum then.

After much trial and error plenty of error the tank is doing great so I thought I would get something larger and with real overflows rather than siphon type.

So I ordered an Acrylic tank from Midwest Custon Aquariums. ( No Affiliation ) I got it back March but just finally got things set up so I could fill it with water and Live Rock. No fish yet still Cycling.

The Tank is 60" x 36" x 24"

I have a sump that is 36 x 14 x 16

A MRC MR-2R Skimmer

Approx 225-250 lbs live rock.

The water is circulated through sump with 2- Turbo sea 1270 pumps

Also have 3- maxt jet 1200 with the sureflow conversion kits.
operated by a redsea wave controller.
a Gen-x pump on skimmer.

Ok so thats the equipment.
Right now cash is getting hard to come by so I will have to wait for a calcium reactor but that is my plan for next purchase.

Just wanted to run this by you guys with the years of experience and see if I am missing anything before I get to adding fish and corals. I hate to kill things espessially cool ocean creatures.

hers some first pics

Thanks for any help.
Also if any admin type thinks this sould be posted somewere else please feel free to move. I wasn't sure

 

[mehaffydr]

I forgot the lights.
2 Outer orbit fixtures each having 2 250 watt MH
and 4 39 watt T-5 HO

 

[LOTUS50GOD]

only 2 comments...
1. That brass fitting that you have on your bypass. I would replace that with plastic (PVC) or Nylon. That will corrode something quick with salt water.

2. Why have 2 open loop pumps? Why not make one of them a closed loop.

 

[mehaffydr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13107835#post13107835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LOTUS50GOD
only 2 comments...
1. That brass fitting that you have on your bypass. I would replace that with plastic (PVC) or Nylon. That will corrode something quick with salt water.

2. Why have 2 open loop pumps? Why not make one of them a closed loop.

That tube on the brass fitting is a drain for doing water changes and I did not have a pvc fitting that had hose thread so I improvised that brass fitting onto the clear tubing so I could drain to a bucket. I have since taken that off and I just screw on a garden hose and run that to the floor drain. Thanks for the tip. But of course the garden hose also has brass fittings I guess I better work on that.

As far as the pumps One is a return to the tank and is split off to fead the skimmer.
The other one has a return to the tank and the return to the sump becase with both pumps at full power they were sucking the sump dry on the pump end. Water could not flow fast enough through the foam bubbble diffusser. So I let a little of that water just go back to the sump rather than up to tank.

I am open to suggestions if something should be different.

Thanks for the info

 

[cabrego]

Looks good!

What kind of corals are you going for? You may have to upgrade lights at some point.

 

[mehaffydr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13108907#post13108907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cabrego
Looks good!

What kind of corals are you going for? You may have to upgrade lights at some point.

At this point I am not sure. Of couse the cool looking ones, I have been looking at this site for about a week now, in total amaesment.

I plan to go slow and do alot more research here before adding things to the tank. I will have a variety of corals and a few fish.

Right now the live rock has been in for about two weeks and I still have some amonia so just waiting for now. and reading this forum all day while I should be working!