Need to convince the wife... help me out

tgillespie

New member
Had a tank about 5 or 6 years ago. Graduated college. Moved around, but now I've got the itch again, but the wife needs details (darn money) before I tear into the house. Here is what I'm looking to do.

Build a 60 gallon cube into the wall/closet.
Plumb down to the basement for fuge.
Light the thing for some SPS.

My questions are...

What brand of pumps are people buying these days? I have about 7 to 8 vertical ft to pump up.

Any recomendations on where to buy 60 gallon cube? I found these.
http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=25

Lighting? People are using LEDs these days?

With that, here is a rough idea of how the tank would look in the closet/wall.

Image%202012-08-23%20at%2012.19.03%20PM.png


My rough budget...

$350 tank
$400 AI SOL
$200 Mag 24
$200 Skimmer (used)

That sound reasonable? Whats your input?
 
sounds reasonable, but dont forget

controller for AI SOL $80.00

tank for Fuge $75-100

Misc supplies like plumbing$75-100

and then you get to fill it $$$$$$
 
man that would be a cool little setup...unless your dead set on going LED I would reconsider MH for a SPS dominant tank. LED's have come a long way but I dont think they are really suited for sps dominated tanks.....the only fixture that ive seen come close to working well for all sps.
 
If you're in CO, I wouldn't go with LED.. just go with MH/T5 combination. I'd skip the Mag 24 as it will have trouble pumping head. Should get a real pump for that.
 
If you're in CO, I wouldn't go with LED.. just go with MH/T5 combination. I'd skip the Mag 24 as it will have trouble pumping head. Should get a real pump for that.

+1!! mag24 will be really hot under that much pressure from head loss.....you might consider a nice pressure rated pump also
 
Thanks for the advice. After thinking about it a bit more, I think I've made a few changes.

No longer plumbing to the basement. There is adequate room in the closet for a 20 gallon sump, which will eliminate some headaches and the need for a big expensive pump. So with that, what pump would you recommend 60g DT, 20g sump, with about 4 or 5 ft vertical head?

I also think 150w MH with T5 supplements would work better. With our state being so mary jane friendly, ballasts and reflectors are cheap. I was looking at LED for the power savings, but it might not make sense cost wise. This setup looks swell... http://www.marinedepot.com/Aqua_Med...ight_Fixture_-Aqua_Medic_USA-AQ19711--vi.html

Any people used GlassCages before? Or horror stories on acrylic tanks?
 
I have a 60g cube. I only use a maxijet 1200 for the return at about 4' head. Most of the flow is from koralia pumps in the tank. You don't need very much turnover through the sump as long as you have good flow in the tank. Obviously you'd need more from the basement if you went that route.
 
I use a Mag7 on my 58 oceanic, sump is directly under the stand with two 90 degree elbows before the bulkhead.
 
i would use use MH or T5 as well. If your sump is in the basement it should stay cool year round b/c my basement hovers around 72-73F year round so you don't really have to worry about the heat from MH. I would also go with an external pump like a panworld or something like that
 
One of main things you need to consider is regular maintenance. I love having my sump in the basement because I can make a mess dripping things when I pull the skimmer for cleaning, change the carbon, change the filter sock, fill the CR, water changes etc. and my living room hardware floors stay dry. :)

Also..coming from a former closet reefer (by that I mean keeping stuff in a closet) you have to watch evaporation, heat and moisture buildup in a closed room that isn't designed for a wet environment. I eventually came out of the closet and moved my setup to the basement. :)

If you do change your mind and go back to the basement setup, don't think that you need high flow from the basement to the tank. I have a 240g tank and 100g sump and I only get about 60gph from my return pump. All of my circulation is done through power heads in the tank (and one in the sump since it holds 30% of my live rock). There are a lot of theories on high flow vs. low flow sump returns...IMO high flow is not needed. It's needed IN the tank for SPSs, but not through the sump.

And probably the most important advice is give your wife some choices on fish and let her pick a few...it's much easier to keep her approval if she thinks she has a say in it. :)

Good luck.
 
On average, figure about $20 - $30 per gallon for your setup. High end equipment will be the $30 / gal, low end (but still usable) around $20.

If you have to go acrylic go for it, but I prefer glass as it's easier not to scratch...and far less likely to bust a seam.

Here's a rough list:

tank - $300
sump - $100
pumps - $200 - $400
skimmer - $300
plumbing - $50
lumber - $200
lights - $250
RO/DI - $150

Total - $1750 to get it up and running

Rock / Sand should cost you another $500 or so.

So figure on securing about $4K, $2500 for the tank, and $1500 in diamonds/gold for the ol' lady.
 
I agree with Fizz71, f'in around under the tank for maintenance get old really fast. and there's the perk of having a semi silent tank area because all the loud equipment is downstairs.
 
I switched over from MH + T-5 lighting to an AI SOL Blue LED fixture for my 50 cube a year ago and am very happy with the move. My chiller ran constantly during the summer with the old MH (I didn't see a chiller in your costs) and when you add up the electrical savings, the savings from not having to replace your bulbs at least once a year you end up way ahead in long term savings. The tank is a SPS dominated mixed reef and the corals are fine under LEDs.
I'm using an Eheim 1260 pump with about 4' of head so that should work for you as well, it's a solid efficient (all be it more costly) pump.

50Cube002.jpg
 
i would use use MH or T5 as well. If your sump is in the basement it should stay cool year round b/c my basement hovers around 72-73F year round so you don't really have to worry about the heat from MH. I would also go with an external pump like a panworld or something like that

I was going to suggest a Panworld as well. A high quality inexpensive pump that is within your budget. Also, I would rethink the LED's. MH's will be hot, expensive in the long run electricity wise, and you will have to change bulbs often. Same argument for the t-5's.

If you do use t-5's you will have to run them on vho ballasts for your application. In my experience (t-5's are what I run over my mixed reef) you have to replace the bulbs every six months. I use Wave Points and their color shifts considerably past six months, not to mention how often they burn out. In my case that's $130 every six months. Gets expensive; that is why I am going LED.

If you have time, there are a lot of people who sell their used equipment on this site. You can pick up some deals on good equipment. This can help you out in the "darn money" department.

As for the wife, a new pair of shoes every once in a while can make for a nice bribe.
 
On average, figure about $20 - $30 per gallon for your setup. High end equipment will be the $30 / gal, low end (but still usable) around $20.

If you have to go acrylic go for it, but I prefer glass as it's easier not to scratch...and far less likely to bust a seam.

Here's a rough list:

tank - $300
sump - $100
pumps - $200 - $400
skimmer - $300
plumbing - $50
lumber - $200
lights - $250
RO/DI - $150

Total - $1750 to get it up and running

Rock / Sand should cost you another $500 or so.

So figure on securing about $4K, $2500 for the tank, and $1500 in diamonds/gold for the ol' lady.

I call BS. I have never spent more than $20 for anything in or for my tank. Just ask my wife, she will tell you.
 
As a woman, I just can't deal with all these sexist comments. Really? lying to her about prices and keeping her happy with shoes and diamonds? wow, good thing we're not all that shallow. lame.

I guess I'll just buy my guy beer (which he doesn't drink, but all guys like beer right?), Maxim magazine (which he doesn't read) and steak (ok, he'd like that) when I get an $$$ fish thing and tell him it cost $5 because he doesn't know how to google "price for maxima clam."

It goes both ways guys.

I do agree with letting her pick things. My fiance warmed up to the reef tank idea when he got to pick fish and corals.
 
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luckily she does not ask often but when she does i tell her everything costs half of what it actually does =) this encompasses all expensive things i buy if she asks lol. it helps to have a credit card in my name only so she cant see it so half or all goes on that depending on the item. the cost i want her to see goes on the accounts she can see lol =).

although i did recently show her the price on the pump i recently bought for 400 so she knows how much i paid for it, she wasnt happy about it but she didnt have a fit either so its all good lol. if she knew how much was actually spent in just buying the tank and stand alone..... let alone all the $$$ it takes to just setup up..... then the $$$$ it takes to stock.... id be digging my own grave in the back yard lmao!!
 
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