Haven't been on here for awhile. My friend ordered a custom tank 120x36x32 about 600 gallons but he won't be able to put it up so I am buying the tank from him.I am gonna have a fish room plan on having like a 120 or so gallon sump(should I go bigger?). The plan is to put it in my living room wall and turn it into a full reef tank(as time permits). But as far as lighting goes what will be best metal halide? or do you all think high quality led's or diy led's could penetrate down 32inches to keep corals and what not.He has a couple pumps and what not so I will get the make of that later today when I go and check what he has bought already. As I am still rather new to reefing any suggestions are appreciated.
Need Input
- Thread starter mjhall85
- Start date
ZombieExistence
New member
I'd go 200 gallon sump, 2 100g in tandem daisy chained at the end to interlink them. 120gal is just not enough. You'd be using 1 return pump in each sump linked tubing up to 1 final return tube, what this will do for you is give you the ability to do a water change without having to turn off any main display tank items, or stop the drain/return process at all. Because, you would just turn one side of the tandem sumps off, the other one will still be draining/returning while your siphoning the water out of the 2nd sump and all that. After water change is complete open the ball valve that connects the 2 side by side sumps, kick on the 2nd return and your tank never had a down time.
bugs713
In-A-Gadda-Divita!
I have a 185 that is 38" deep and currently using two 250w (14k & 20k) MH. I don't believe these 25w MH will give me what I need, but haven't checked par yet. I am planning a DIY 72 Cree 3w LED build and maybe with a supplemental MH. Not sure if I will need the MH add on, but will see what kind of par I get when it is completed.
I am a little deeper than you tha's why my concern with par at that depth; yours at 32" should be okay with the right LED mix, rather DIY or commercial made. Also, have you considered sun light tubes, sun power? I'm currently renting, but will be buying next year and will be going this route. You will find some good info on here regarding sun power.
Sounds like a big fun project and will watch for your build thread.
Good luck!
I am a little deeper than you tha's why my concern with par at that depth; yours at 32" should be okay with the right LED mix, rather DIY or commercial made. Also, have you considered sun light tubes, sun power? I'm currently renting, but will be buying next year and will be going this route. You will find some good info on here regarding sun power.
Sounds like a big fun project and will watch for your build thread.
Good luck!
Zombie i love your idea so that will make water changes a lot easier.
Bugs i have considered solar tubes cause I saw ryan I think his name is with the 540gallon tank has them and his tank is quite impressive wanna try and take a look at his if possible sometime, it sure will be a big project think the wife might hate me for a couple months while it is all going on but she will love the ending picture. Thanks for all the input
Bugs i have considered solar tubes cause I saw ryan I think his name is with the 540gallon tank has them and his tank is quite impressive wanna try and take a look at his if possible sometime, it sure will be a big project think the wife might hate me for a couple months while it is all going on but she will love the ending picture. Thanks for all the input
ZombieExistence
New member
Welcome 
Stole the idea from an episode on youtube from infinity aquariums. 
Stole the idea from an episode on youtube from infinity aquariums. 
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
As someone who has about those exact measurements for that tank I warn you, your about to go down a long expensive road.......
Yes I know I am going down that road.I have told the wife already and myself it is gonna be quite pricey kinda like a new car HAHA Would love to come check out your setup one day to get some ideas if that is at all possible I would appreciate it and of course any suggestions you might have. I think once it's all done with it will be worth the cost
Weyrman
Active member
Check this guy's thread out. He know's what he's talking about.
[/QUOTE=mjhall85] it sure will be a big project think the wife might hate me for a couple months.......[/QUOTE]
A couple of months is what you told her? Got a good lawyer on your side?
A couple of months is what you told her? Got a good lawyer on your side?[/QUOTE]
haha luckily she is pretty understanding hope it doesn't come to that:ape:
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
Your welcome to stop by, just PM me. And yes a nice new car is about right to do it in a way that you will enjoy for years. You could do it cheaper but it would show and to have that size tank and have it look cheap sounds crazy to me.
Danny_B
New member
I never like the 2 sump idea, however you need to make that decision but i would say a 180 gallon would be awesome for a sump. I say go rapidled.com, email them and tell them your dimensions and they can guide you to a number of leds. 40 degree optics will burn through 32" of water no problem. Off hand i would say about 300-400 leds (xp-g series with 40 degree optics) to cover everything and have power for sps everywhere. The new XM-l are more powerful, so you would need to inquire mike @ rapidled with those. Colors i would do 50% royal blue, 40% cool whit/warm white mix, 10% blue/green/cyan/ violet mix. The driver planning would be pretty crazy to diagram out, 28 standard meanwells would create to much inrush current. fun to think about.
I have a 300 gallon 10 foot tank and before I redid everything I had a pair of 100g tanks plumped into the system in addition to the sump. One was for fresh water and one was the mixing tank. Normally the mixing tank was part of the system, but when I wanted to do a water change I would just flip two valves (one to bypass and one to drain). Once it was drained, I closed the drain and opened up the valve on the freshwater tank to fill the mixing tank. Add salt, mix for a day, then flip the valves back and you instantly have a 100g water change.
It ran ok for about a year. The biggest issue (besides the damn Rubbermaid tank cracking) was the debris that accumulated in the tank. Despite the ease of changing water, I eventually decided that it was too much work and I never really followed a consistent schedule. So I eventually ripped it down. I always felt that I never really needed the extra water volume and it reduced the skimmer efficiency.
What I have now is a 100g custom sump and a 14g remote DSB. Also I have 2 @ 55 gallon drums filled with RO/DI water and a 55 gallon drum filled with salt water.
Litermeter #1 adds:
A) 14 liters of water a day to the sump for evap (I have to adjust it once a week)
B) 1 liter of Kalc water a day to the sump (low alk/ca demand right now)
C) 1 liter of water a day to the QT for evap
Litermeter #2:
A) Adds 3 liters of salt water to the sump (I skim about a liter a day)
B) Moves 2 liters of salt water from the sump to the QT
C) Removes 2 liters of salt water from QT
It might sound a bit complicated, but my water changes are done 150 times a day creating a very stable environment. I never have to rely on myself to do anything other than mix new salter water about once a month. Since the two fresh water drums are above the salt water drum, making new salt involves opening a value for a minute or two, dumping in the salt, and turning on the mixing pump. If I ever install the float switches that I bought I will get emails whenever levels drop above or below thresholds.
-Randy
It ran ok for about a year. The biggest issue (besides the damn Rubbermaid tank cracking) was the debris that accumulated in the tank. Despite the ease of changing water, I eventually decided that it was too much work and I never really followed a consistent schedule. So I eventually ripped it down. I always felt that I never really needed the extra water volume and it reduced the skimmer efficiency.
What I have now is a 100g custom sump and a 14g remote DSB. Also I have 2 @ 55 gallon drums filled with RO/DI water and a 55 gallon drum filled with salt water.
Litermeter #1 adds:
A) 14 liters of water a day to the sump for evap (I have to adjust it once a week)
B) 1 liter of Kalc water a day to the sump (low alk/ca demand right now)
C) 1 liter of water a day to the QT for evap
Litermeter #2:
A) Adds 3 liters of salt water to the sump (I skim about a liter a day)
B) Moves 2 liters of salt water from the sump to the QT
C) Removes 2 liters of salt water from QT
It might sound a bit complicated, but my water changes are done 150 times a day creating a very stable environment. I never have to rely on myself to do anything other than mix new salter water about once a month. Since the two fresh water drums are above the salt water drum, making new salt involves opening a value for a minute or two, dumping in the salt, and turning on the mixing pump. If I ever install the float switches that I bought I will get emails whenever levels drop above or below thresholds.
-Randy
JMCAquarium
They are among us!!
Sounds like your getting some good advice.
a question ? your buddy ordered a 600 gallon tank and gathered the funds......only to not go through with it ? did somthing big happen ?
a question ? your buddy ordered a 600 gallon tank and gathered the funds......only to not go through with it ? did somthing big happen ?
yeah he had some life changing events sadly so he won't be able to do it, but lucky for me cause I been wanting a tank about that size to put in my new house now I don't have to go and find a builder and deal with all that. The process just got quicker :bounce1:
Yes it sounds complicated but I am sure it is not. I will have to look into what will be best for my setup and I appreciate your informative post
JMCAquarium
They are among us!!
some simple advice from me
. Keep the plumbing under the tank itself as simple as you can and create some form slanted peice that will fit as snug as possible under the tank. So by chance a pipe breaks or god forbid the bottom blows out most of the water will rush into the room and not inside your walls and living room.
Get frog sensors (water sensor)
Purchase a utility floor pump I got mine at homedepot for $80 and it would suck a flat floor bone dry before loosing suction was the best thing i ever purchased. Also drains a 500 gallon tank into the street in minutes >
. Keep the plumbing under the tank itself as simple as you can and create some form slanted peice that will fit as snug as possible under the tank. So by chance a pipe breaks or god forbid the bottom blows out most of the water will rush into the room and not inside your walls and living room.
Get frog sensors (water sensor)
Purchase a utility floor pump I got mine at homedepot for $80 and it would suck a flat floor bone dry before loosing suction was the best thing i ever purchased. Also drains a 500 gallon tank into the street in minutes >
SohalTang1
In Memoriam
sounds like a long road
JC that is the plan to try and keep the plumbing as simple as possible if that is even possible with this size tank. Surely will be getting a utility pump in case something bad like that does happen by chance.
SohalTang yes it is gonna be a long and costly road. Luckily a good friend of mine is a contractor so he is gonna help with a lot of the house work. It will all be worth it in the end. picking the brains of everyone has surely helped
SohalTang yes it is gonna be a long and costly road. Luckily a good friend of mine is a contractor so he is gonna help with a lot of the house work. It will all be worth it in the end. picking the brains of everyone has surely helped
JMCAquarium
They are among us!!
keep pics coming along the way huge tanks like that are fun to watch
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