Thinking about setting up a 65g SPS tank

[1105]

Right now I have a 20g tank, mostly soft/LPS corals but the acros are starting to grow on me more and more I just picked up a small tort from my boss at work and now I'm wanting to get more.

I can get the tank drilled with an overflow and pluming for ~$140 and I'm going to use my 20g as a sump. Right now the lights on my 20g I can either use the bulbs I have right now or get some 3' URI bulbs. I can a total of 4 bulbs bewteen my two ballasts but I was wanting to get a metal halide for the tank as well along with the URI's. With the 4 URI's I would have 380watts. Would a 175w MH be good to go with the other lights or should I get something stronger/weaker?

As for flow, I was thinking about getting 2 SEIO 820's along with a big return pump. Will these together provide enough flow?

 

[Lights Are Bright]

You will probably need a stronger light, maybe at least 250 W. Use VHO's for supplement and get a strong halide. I doubt one 250 W will be enough.

Also it depends on how big the return pump is.

 

[1105]

Thanks for the tip on the light. I just did a calculation with the 250w MH and the URI's and it came out to just under 10watts per gallon.

Should I go with the next size up SEIO's? I'm thinking either a RIO 1700 or 2100 pump would be about as big as I could go given the overflow.

 

[LawnTodd]

Did you buy your tank yet? If not check this out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=758530

thanks
LT

 

[shelburn61]

Unless you go DE on the halide you will have a tough time fitting 4 vho in the hood. I can barely fit a SE and 2 vho over mine with the same footprint

 

[1105]

Would something like this be good to use for the MH? http://hellolights.com/25pfomipe.html

Todd, thanks for the offer. I have not bought my tank yet but south FL is a little to far to drive to pick up one.

 

[getwood65]

here is a better bargain-free shipping-very easy to connect-all prewired with easy quick connects.you will only have room for 2 vho tubes and will need a small 1/10 hp chiller.i had this setup on my 65 and with good husbandry skills you will be able to grow any corals.
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104666.html

 

[1105]

Thats a pretty nice setup Greg but little expencive for me coming in just under $600.

I looked at some 400w bulbs and I can get a 400w ballast, bulb, and reflector for around $200. I think I'll be going with that since I was only looking to spend around $200 on a new light. I've had great success with my other ARO ballasts, no complaints at all, so I found this ARO 400w MH ballast and a deal on an XM bulb that's looking real good right now. Does anyone know of anything bad about this setup? http://www.hellolights.com/arocubicus400.html

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Lobster]

Heat could be a problem in a 65G with 400W.

 

[1105]

Do you think some fans blowing cool air in from one side and fans blowing the hot air out from the other will be enough to keep my temps under control?

 

[1105]

Just playing around with Photoshop a little trying to get an idea of what kind of stand I want to make and came up with this. I'm planning on painting the back and the side that has the overflow on it blue or black then leaving the other two sides open for viewing. I want something that will look nice and have a place where I can keep all of my equipment/chemicals.

The bottom bigger door is so I can get a 20g high (my current tank) in there for the sump/fuge and the smaller door is going to be so I can get to the skimmer easy to clear which will probably be an ASM G2 with a recirc mod.

On the left side bottom will be used for storing equipment/chemicals. Above that will sit a 5g bucket that will hold my topoff water which will be controlled by a float valve in the sump.

Then above that will be a shelf that will hold my ballasts. I will probably have some kind of fans on this part or leave the back open for ventilation.

The hood will open upwards giving me access to the whole tank instead of 1 or 2 little doors that open to the sides. The thicker black lines are fans, and the smaller ones are hinges.

If anyone has any suggections to make this better please tell me. I made the doors on the left side that size so I could have a place to run the topoff like to the sump so it would not be seen.