Setting up a new 72 gallon RR Bowfront

[chitownclown]

Guys I am setting up a new SPS tank and am looking for some insight on what a good setup would be. This tank will have some LPS and my carpet or mag anemone so I have to keep that in mind also.

Tank 72 gallon Bowfront RR
30 gallon breeder sump/ refugium
wavemaker 2 mp40's
powerheads undecided
return pump undecided
Protien skimmer: I was looking at avast cone, or a bubble magus cone but any help on this is welcomed.
Lighting Maxspect LED or reef led light kit or what every you may think.

Basiclly I am looking for some insight on what you guys would use to setup up this tank, any suggestion will not be overlook, as in different types of light and so on.

 

[Ty1e]

Hi Chitownclown,
IMO i like the saltwater connection's skimmers, great skimmers and not $$$$.
I dont think you could go wrong with Mag drive return pumps, for lighting have you ruled out T-5's?

 

[Reef or Die]

I run a Mag drive 7 and have been very happy with it on my 72 bow.
For lights I would recommend 4 bulb TEK Elite and Skimmer I would say SWC 160 Cone, Octopus XP 2000 SSS or Bubble Magus NAC 7.

i MA UPGRADING MY SKIMMER TO ONE OF THESE .

 

[chitownclown]

no t-5 is an option but, I would have to go more then a 4 bulb to support the anemone don't you think. And I will check into the skimmers mentioned.

 

[Felixc395]

An octo 1000 xp SSS will be fine, no need to step up to the 2000. For SPS in a 72 gallon, at least four bulbs are needed. Six would be good, if not perfect. Tek/Tek elite or sunpower six bulbs all would be good choices.

 

[chitownclown]

Do you think a 8 bulb Tek Light would be to much lighting?

 

[Bigmike]

how deep is a 72 bow?

 

[chitownclown]

20 inches I believe

 

[Felixc395]

I think an 8 bulb would be overkill IMO.

 

[preef]

Do you think a 8 bulb Tek Light would be to much lighting?

Yes. I have a 6 bulb Nova Extreme Pro fixture over my 72 bow and it is plenty. I don't even think an 8 bulb fixture will fit on the ends where the tank is narrower. Check the dimensions but you might have a lot of light shining onto your floor at the ends if you go with 8 bulbs.

 

[Felixc395]

Very nice tank preef, a good example of what can be done with 6 bulbs on a tank such as the OP's. You can go with 8 bulbs, it just might be too much.

 

[igotsalt]

Hi! I would like to highjack your thread and ask how you aquascaped your bowfront tanks? I did a search on RC looking for ideas on bowfront tanks and this thread popped up with the most information! I am downsizing from a 230g reef to a 185g bowfront reef. I've never owned a bowfront and it has me a little puzzled. I want to set it up right the first time. I am uvery familiar making rock walls on the back of my 125g reefs.

My concerns are how/where to place my live rock? I have 2 overflow boxes-1 on each end. In your experience, how should I set up circulation pumps/power heads to avoid having dead spots in the back of the tank. I will be using a tunze wavemaker, 2-6100.10 tunze power heads with a controller and possibly a hammerhead for circulation from the sump if it is not to powerful for the tank. My problem is, I've only seen a bowfront set up in freshwater! I'm thinking the water crossing back and forth from one end of the tank to the opposite end will push silt to the back of the tank. Any advice and/or pictures will gladly be accreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Shiroi Kitsune]

Back on topic; an 8 bulb Nova will fit, an 8 bulb Tek is way too big. 6 bulb would be fine. I'm working on setting up this same tank as we speak. I have the 8 bulb Nova over my 75 and have had it over a 55 (same 12" width as the 72 at the ends.)