New Tank 96x48x26 any advice??

[invincible569]

Invincible:
I may stand corrected if wrong but I understand the three viewing sides will be front, back and one side oposit to the overflow so I assume the corals and rockwork will tend toward the center (Thats why I think 48" wide is best to arrange both viewing sides with lamps in the center.
I would also recommend that the overflow runs the full 48" wide.

Jdieck, your right! My mistake! I also agree with the overflow part too.

firereefer, you should buy 3 10K's (bulbs) with VHOs first and leave the others empty and see how you like the look. If you need it more blue, then add 20K's.

 

[Bono]

The power companies must love this hobby!

I would look into the Tunze Streams for water movement as power consumption is super low and since your tank will be in your basement, you may not need a chiller at all, depending on where you live.

 

[firereefer]

thanks guys keep em coming!!

 

[Stomatopod]

Here is a page that figures out what size chiller you need. http://jbjlighting.com/prod_chiller_size.asp
It sounds like a rad project, the funnest part is the presetup planning. You can still do anything, you get to do all this reasearch, and it is still cheap (as you have not started buying yet). Good luck, and keep us all in the loop.

 

[firereefer]

thanks,

keep em coming!!

I love hearing all my options

 

[kathyharper103]

sounds like an awesome project!

 

[sdmike]

You may also want to try the "big tanks" forum...

LOTS and lots of monsters there...

M

 

[firereefer]

Ya I checked that out, thanks ...great info there.

Any other advice would be appreciated

 

[firereefer]

^

 

[29reef]

as far as lighting i think that as long as you want to keep just about any coral in your system i would go with the 24'' height on the tank b/c of lighting i would have only about a 1/4''min-2''max sand bed of caribsea special grade reef floor sand scattered all over the place so having no sand in some places and having some near the front/viewable areas. i would look into running bolth closed loops draining from the back/nonviewable side and comming out the bottom to help with water movement on the lower parts and then adding tunze streams for surface and mid range flow

lighting i would use a combo of 250W 10K DE HQI's and 6'and 2' actinic VHO
looks like this

VHO-----------------VHO(6')
VHO

 

[29reef]

i will make diagrams on word and post them for the lights and holes it is too hard to just type or describe them i would invest in a CA reactor and a Kalk reactor/ top off and a good RODI unit and......i know im missing things

 

[firereefer]

cool, love to see diagrams...

I have a dual chamber reactor, 6 stage RO/DI, aqua controller II, Aerfoamer 848, hammerhead, mak 5.

Still need to buy lights, closed loop pump, and chiller. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[29reef]

C:\My Documents\a1fish

 

[29reef]

how do i post a word document

 

[firereefer]

can anyone help out with that??i'd love to see diagrams...

 

[condor13090]

Please send this tank to me...probem solved! Thats the tank I'll be up-grading to this winter.
I would install 2 or 3 large sea swirls, 4 400 watt 20k Radiums and some VHO's for starters. A few hundered gallon sump, chiller and alot of rock. An Aerofoamer skimmer, 1000 watts of heaters and a calcium reactor. Besides the Sea swirls, another close loop for circulation with that new rotating 8 port motorized deal.

 

[firereefer]

what about 250 HQI's??? If I go radiums do I still need VHO'S?? What about 2 x sunlight supply maristar 48" = 2 x 250HQI and T5's...will this do or do I need 4?

 

[DStroman]

To get the spread you would need to light the whole tank, probably 4. But at $1025 a fixture plus shipping that could get pretty expensive. I only ran into this thread because I am thinking of a maristar to replace my aquaspace light. Also the fixtures have a 4 wire suspension system and 16 wires attached to the ceiling would look a little strange.

Sounds like your going to have one sweet tank, good luck on your search for the perfect lights.

 

[firereefer]

what would be my best option for lighting???I really like the 250 HQI...

 

[firereefer]

thinking about a surge system as well any advice?