new 240g room divider yeah!!!!

[downlimit]

Well after many years in the hobby, and several aquarium changes, I am finally going big again. Today I ordered a new 240g tank, this will become my main reef and my current 75g tank will become my quarinteen tank. The tank will be viewable from 3 sides, although technically speaking I could set it up so that it is visible from all sides, since the overflow will be located right smack in the middle of the tank, so there will be no need to hide any sides of it.

I will also for the first time try and build my own stand for it, I will publish my thoughts on what I think I am going to do, but your input will be appreciated.

I will list all the equipment that I have already and what I will be ordering shortly so that in 2 weeks when the tank is delivered I can finally start to build this beast.

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I am, cause I tell you what I cant wait to get this tank going and watch it grow.

well lets have fun!!!!

This is a picture of what the tanks dimensions should be, however the tank construction will be slightly different due to the design of the overflows I made.


[url]http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/98967240TOverflows.jpg[/url]

 

[asnatlas]

 

[downlimit]

ok now that the tank is ordered, I am wondering how biga pump should I get for the closed loop system, I am going to be keeping a mix reef, with some sps, lps and softies.

The filtration system I am going to employ is going to cycle the tanks water only about 3 to 5 times the volume of the tank. Hopefully doing it this way I can get a more thorough filtration and skiming of the water that goes that way.

Finally, I am curious as to whether I should stay with a mix of VHO and metal halides, or change over to a t5 lighting system. any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[asnatlas]

I would stick to a Seq Dart...

I would also use MH and T5's...

 

[downlimit]

Heres a list of filtration equipment and its use, please let me know if you think I am missing something, as with everything coming together so quickly I just know I am going to forget something.

1/3HP chiller jbj
110 gallon sump
4 foot counter current skimmer
natureef denitrator with phosphate option, for the elimination of both nitrates and phosphates
all kinds of probes measuring ph, orp, ca, oxygen levels.
uv sterilizer
ozone generator

things to get still that I can think of now

new lighting system
new calcium reactor
200 lbs of additional live rock or base rock, im not sure which would be best
400 gallons of sea water or equivalent salt mix

Current tank inhabitants of my 75 gallon tank that will be moving to the new tank are:
1 blue surgeon fish
1 yellow tank
1 sailfin tang
2 pseudochromis
1 lawnmower blenny
1 true percula clown fish

Fish I am looking to add:
2 purple tangs
1 additional yellow tang
1 Majestic angel juvenile
1 emperor angel juvenile
200 Mexican Turbo Snails
50 blue leg crabs
25 nassarius snails
1 paired blood red shrimp
1 paired scarlet cleaner shrimp
25+ brittle stars
5 sea cucumbers.

Im sure my cleaning crew will have to be augmented in some ways but that is so far what I have on order, and expected to arrive a week after the tank is setup. So I have 3 weeks to get everything finished, and quite frankly Im not sure that will be enough time. The fish and corals I will have to wait and find the right specimens before I purchase them.

 

[kevin21]

theres no need for 200 mexican turbos.

i think 15-20 will be fine for you. they eat like mad and will eat to much(believe it or not) and not have any food left.

 

[downlimit]

on my current 75 gallon I have close to 60 right now, and actually they recently spawned, I have about 30 baby snails crawling all over my tank.

 

[pennyguy23]

I agree way to many. 60 is also to many for a 75 unless your tank is just filthy and don't do water changes. or are you talking about turbo snail?

 

[Jon770]

I think you're talking about a regular turbo snail. 60 Mexicans in a 75 is rediculous...

 

[downlimit]

the species may be incorrect, they have been in the tank for about 4 and a half years, the tank is not filthy in any way, water changes are done weekly, so I may have mis quoted the species.

So you think since on this order I am getting Mexican Turbo snails I should reduce that amount to something more like 20 or 30?

 

[kevin21]

yes, you must have meant reg. turbo snails.

i think 15 would be good.

i have 4 in my 75 and im beginning to worry there isnt enough algae for them!

good luck with the new tank.

 

[downlimit]

well thanks to the advise of Kevin 21 I just saved myself about 150 bucks, thanks Kevin.

Now onto other things, as I mentioned before I have heard that t5 lights can very well suffice for a reef tank by themselves, if my memory serves me well, I think not to long ago there even was a TOM that used such a setup, but I would like to know what you gusy think. Should I go with T5 only or should I break the piggy bank and add MH as well.

 

[asnatlas]

Iwan's Tank

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6798523#post6798523 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downlimit
Now onto other things, as I mentioned before I have heard that t5 lights can very well suffice for a reef tank by themselves, if my memory serves me well, I think not to long ago there even was a TOM that used such a setup, but I would like to know what you gusy think. Should I go with T5 only or should I break the piggy bank and add MH as well.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6792390#post6792390 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downlimit
I am going to be keeping a mix reef, with some sps, lps and softies.

I have heard that softies donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t like T5's much... If you were going to do mostly SPS I would maybe say go with an all T5 setup... Since you are going with a mixed reef I would go with a mixed lighting (MH and T5s) setup... You can do "spot" lighting so that you only have the MH over where you need them and you could have a combo of 250w and 400w if you needed and "fill" in the rest of the tank with T5s...

 

[downlimit]

"I have heard that softies donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t like T5's much... "

Has anyone experienced the above mentioned phenomenon. Cause quite frankly, and now I am dating myself, I remember when they used to say the same about MH. I may be wrong, but I think as long as the proper light wavelengths are being delivered by the bulb and at the correct intensity, which kind of bulb should really not matter. After all these are photosynthetic animals, all they really need is the correct wavelengths and intensity for them to acquire enough energy to drive the ATP creation by their cells that would generate enough energy for them to grow and sustain life. Right!!!!

 

[sidewinder770]

So where did you end up ordering the tank from? The tank in the pic looks like a glass cages tank. What are the dimensions of the tank- kind of hard to tell from the pic but it doesn't look like your "standard" 240. As for the T5's I'm not sure- I know of several people who run mixed T5 and MH with softies but can't think of anyone who runs T5 only and has softies. I'm sure someone out there had experience with it.

 

[James Fox]

Additional LR or BR

Additional LR or BR

Just my .02 worth....

If you are going to transfer the live rock from your current 75g, then I would fill the new tank with base rock, and then let the live rock seed that. You would save some $$ in the long run, which you could use to buy more toys/better lighting with, as BR is $1 - $2 less per pound.

 

[downlimit]

sidewinder770 - you are right on, the tank is from glass cages, the dimmensions are 72x31x25. I wanted a wider tank that they had available.

James Fox- I amnot transfering much of the live rock from that system, as I will continue to operate that one as well, I am simply going to convert that tank into a more of a fowler tank. But good thought, I like your thinking.

 

[downlimit]

Ok, new developments today:

Let me start by saying that I am not mechanically inclined, but for some reason I thought it would be cool to build my own stand for this beast. Well a couple of hundred dollars later, and a lot of wasted wood, I decided to retire from my stand building career and just buy one. LOL....

Anyway so I called around and found a stand, and since I had just blown some money, I thought well lets continue that trend, so I went looking for a refugium, and a frag out tank. I have never used either of these concepts, but I figured this will give me an excuse to go to our local club and trade for other corals or buy more stuff.

But as far as the plumbing I have always done that part so at least I can take credit in that aspect.

 

[downlimit]

Update:

I finally got the call letting me know that the tank is on its way, it will be here on March 4, a full week ahead of schedule, so I guess that means I better get moving with the other stuff, still have to find lights and a good pump for the cls. Suggestions welcome, So far I have 2 votes for T5 and 2 votes T5 by themselves.

If it was up to you, which SPS would you choose to be the focal point of your tank.