Not new to the hobby, but coming back after a long hiatus

[radecatur]

So, It's been almost 11 years since i've done anything with the reef world.
I missed it. Alot.
The wife out of the clear blue told me the other day she missed it too, and is now letting me open the checkbook.

So....
I have a 75 gallon that can be used as a blank slate.
I have been pulling my hair out all day today researching what has changed in the last 11 years so i can make educated decisions. Staggering.... for the good though.

Most of my research back then was on Goniopora L. and S. and required i have as much info as possible. I guess that could be said for any coral though.
Id like to get back to that style of research.
In order to do that i need as much control over the system as possible.
Ideally id like to build my own controller out of a Pi, arduino, or both.
So this leads to the following questions:

General:
What system components lend itself to easy integration with a controller?

Lighting:
I still have a 250/400/1000w MH i can use if need be. I'll just need actinic supliments.
LED is a new concept to me. T5's had JUST been released and were all the rage but MH was still king. What are the caveats with LED?

Skimming:
My favorite skimmer of all time was the Turboflotor. But it looks like its been discontinued. It was the first to use a needlewheel design.
Suggestions on a replacement?

I promise im not a noob, Though i feel that way at the moment.

all suggestions and links to reading material appreciated.
-Rad

 

[ecotanker]

Welcome back!
Look into some filtration tech that is now available:
Algae scrubbers.

Here is a video of a guy that had skimmers, and various reactors,
but still had algae until he added a scrubber. And not that is al he uses is the scrubber and some carbon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAqCZlR_Un8

There is several stickies on this site about them.

Also look into sulfur denitrator, there are threads about them on here too.

I used both of these in my system.

cheers,

Max

 

[Sk8r]

The caveat with LED is that it's direct-down, it's far more intense than it looks, brands differ, and if you can't beg or borrow a par meter, you have to figure by physically moving a coral about and dialing up and do to find the happy spot. I can attest it's not the same as MH. You start at a fraction of power and ramp up very cautiously. We have a couple of stickies up top that may help you, one on lighting, one very general.

 

[reefwiser]

Hello Rad. Welcome back to the hobby some things have changed and some have not.
Your welcome to PM me. I started the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society in 1985 and we are here to help local hobbyist become successful.
We are on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/328716020617540

 

[Greybeard]

I shut down my old reef system in 2005, set up a new 60g system last August...

I went with LED's, I have to say, control-ability, small form factor, low heat, low power consumption, and no replacing bulbs... good stuff. Coloration of my corals is excellent. Growth rates are a bit slower than what I was used to under 3x 400w halides, but if that's the price I pay for the other benefits of LED's, it's a fair trade.

Skimmers are far better. I used to run a Precision Marine Bullet, run on a beckett injector. The reef octopus I'm using now is half the size, uses a much smaller pump, and produces more, and more concentrated, skimate than the old PM was capable of.

The biggest improvement, to me, is the availability of granulated ferric oxide. A bit of GFO in an inexpensive reactor, changed out monthly along with my normal water change, and my phosphates stay right where I want 'em. No hassle, low cost, very effective.

Enjoy

 

[radecatur]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Much appreciated.
Looks like i have some more reading to do, but LED's are inching out in favor.

Reefwiser: you may or may not remember me. But i distinctly remember you giving me a tour of your home and setup, circa 1992'ish.

I'm sure there will be more questions to come.

 

[radecatur]

Ok next dilema or maybe not

Ok next dilema or maybe not

So my tank has been semi-unlevel for about the last 5 years.
When i measure the surface level of the water, from left to right, its fine. there is a -2.2mm difference between the back and the front. its 24" in that direction so 1.1mm/ft.
To re-phrase, we'll say the back measures 4.2mm from trim to surface and the front measures 2mm from trim to the surface. Considering it's been this way with about 60 extra lbs of gravel and rockwork for a while, is this something i need to be concerned about now?


And as an update to hardware, i settled on the following:
2 Kessils,
2 hydor 3g 1350's to blow behind the rockwork
2 PP8's for main display
vectra m1
cs102
cone s q2
apex 2016
and .... My wife now wants to kill me.
Whatcha think?