tank build...have a few questions

[recon3325]

I started this tank build a few months ago.
The tank I picked up from a guy named kurt in sacramento on the way home from snowboarding. He is a member here but I cant remember his user name. Its dimentions are 54"long 24"deep and 20"tall

He built it to have island overflows but I wanted a single one in back so this is what I ended up with. Im not sure I made the overflow box to the most ideal dimentions but I had no information on it.Many thanks to www.melevsreef.com and to kstockman for the thred on the standpipes:beer:

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Any sugestions on how high the standpipes should be?

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Then I built the stand. I probably will redo the dors because the stain gave me problems near the trim. For some reason it kept pulling away from it. Ill do all pices seperate and then put it together.

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I put in an oceans motions squirt (probably should have gone with the super squirt but money is tight right now.We are haveing first baby comeing in october!). Also I dont see haveing over 1000 gph directed right on sps being a good thing. Correct me if im wrong! I will be useing nano streams for flow.

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Im going cheep on the sump for the time being. Disreguard the plumbing in this pic. Its all difrent now and not yet finished. I want to make it flexable because I will put in a good sump/fuge later. Im not,however,going cheep on the skimmer. Im going to get a medium ATB cone.

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So here is the tank where it will be set up. For now its pulled away from the wall so I can work behind it .

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Now for my question. I want to go with pendant lighting but cant decide if Mh only will be to my likeing. Im thinking Phoenix 1400ks
I dont like the blue of 20000k but I do want some blue.

Also I want to go sps so im leaning twards two 400w insted of two 250s.
is it overkill on a 20" tall tank? I can always just raise the pendants.

Im going with luminarc mini stealths unless anyone can convince me otherwise.

I have a mag 12 for the return but I will need more gph when I tee off the return for the fuge. I might use a mag 18 but I think my mag 12 is a bit loud. Any sugestions on others would be apreciated.

Im curing 165 lbs of Tonga fusion. Its the best rock I have seen! I had the lfs bring up three boxes from LA and they had a few great show pices and the rest are very nice.

 

[avp]

Nice stand and tank you have there. The finish on the stand is unique.

As for the lighting bit, I'd stick with the 250's over the 400's. IMO, I think the 400's would be overkill on the output, electic bill and the heat. As a side note, there's a 120 (48x24x24) TOTM running 175w's and vho suppliments, so you don't need 400's to have a nice tank.

Pumpwise, look at the Ehiems (1262 in particular) over the Mags for less heat added to the tank and better power savings. You also might want to look at external pumps on a tank of this size (Iwaki, etc.) for more turnover and once again, less heat added to the water.


-avp

 

[tbittner]

I too think the 400's would be overkill and not worth the bump in your electric bill. 250's will be plenty.

I think the mag's are loud too. They also add a LOT of heat to the water. I prefer external pumps too. I have four different Sequence pumps running and I have to walk over to them and touch them occasionally to make sure they're still running. Especially the snappers.

The barracuda and hammerheads aren't so quiet though but they aren't that loud either.

 

[recon3325]

Thanks
That is what I wanted to hear.
The Coralife Aqualight Pro looks like it will give me all I want.

 

[recon3325]

can anyone tell me how high I should have the outer orbit (2 250w/t5 cobo) from the watter. Water depth is about 18 inches

I will have sps

 

[recon3325]

After 6 months I finaly have it filled

1 Yello tang
1 schooter blenny
1 green chromis
1 damsel
1 bicolor blenny
2 bar gobies
2 unknown unwanted big fish lol

zoas/palys
4 darth mauls
3 spidermans
4 armor of gods
15 cherry bombs

All other coral is in quarintien because my last tank had the dreded pink tulip anenomies.

ATB meduim skimmer will be here in about a week (I hope)

 

[avp]

Lookin' good! I really like the rock work you have there.

-avp

btw, those giant danios rock!

 

[Ian]

Hell yeah dude... Ill come by soon...

 

[nanO352]

GEt rid of those big A$$ guppies!

 

[recon3325]

lol They were the size of guppies when I bought them for 7 bucks
I had no Idea they would get so big.
The LFS went on a fish run and they were mistakenly put in with their fish.

Id like to give them to someone but they might make good halibut bate I couldnt bring myself to hook them after so long.