Help Me build a 125G Reef/Coral Ready Tank. W/55G Sump : Thoughts on my plan

[937 Reefer]

125:G: 72 1/2" x 18 1/2" x 23 3/8" (DISPLAY)
55 :G: Standard 55G Fishtank (SUMP TANK)

My plans:

I have 140lbs of dry rock (Man made been leeched 5 months Test all clear in R/O soaks with a RMTK
25lbs of (REAL Fiji live rock) in a SW 1/yo Nano
4in DSB Deep sand bed
250lbs Sugar Grain play sand
50lbs of OD Live sand as top layer

3x 300w Ehiem Heaters
250GPH or larger Protien skimmer
DIY Waterfall Algae Turf Scrubber in sump
DIY 55 gallon Refugium - Cheato Clurpa - DSB - LR
2x 800GPH return pumps /1in return line
2x 1.5in Overflows (DIY)
19w in tank UV Sterlizer
20 gallon long Quarintine tank (Current NANO) - New Stock
3x 50w LED or 50w per 24 sq/inch of tank (Mix 2/1 of White and Royal blues)


Do u guys have any suggestions? Do u see anywhere I went wrong to start this whole plan 

Wanting to house
Clowns 3-4
Tangs 2-3
Queen Angel 1
Fox Face 1
Damsels 2-3
Normal Clean up Crews


I plan to stabilize the tank over the next year. Then maybe mess with some beginner corals or frags. As I'm new to keeping any kind of corals or frags.

Will 50w per 24inches or 2w per inch of tank of LED  work for starter corals/frags ? 12,400-17,000 lumens total of led over the tank- Depending on dim setting actinic and 10,000k LED a couple of 6500k bulbs in there also (DIY project)

[Wall_Tank]

You should probably pass on the Queen Angel.   A 125 is really too small of a tank. Plus if you want to get into corals, you are going to need to pass on angel fish, as they will eat most.

I would also pass on the DSB.  Too difficult to keep clean in a Display Tank.   If you really want to run a Sand Bed, Put it in a 5 Gallon Bucket.   That way if it is a problem, you can just unhook it from the tank.

I'm also a fan of running smaller heaters.   That way when 1 sticks on, it will not cook your tank.   I would use nothing bigger than a 200 watt.

[Mussin]

Probably wouldn't put more than a pair of clown fish in the tank either.

[937 Reefer]

Was expecting more then 2 replys

[PlayeroPuertoRico]

If I were you..
Shallow sand bed instead of deep sand bed.
Only one 300 watt heater with sump and plumbing well insulated (depending on ambient temperature)
Over my 125 I use 2 50 watt full spectrum cannons and they are great!  with other LEDs for supplemental lighting to liking .
No algae/turf scrubber.
Protein skimmer rated to 300 Gallons or more. I personally favor ASM or RLSS
About 100 pounds of clean or live rock or mixed.
And other things depending on budget but that should provide basics



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[Viggen]

I also wouldn't do the dsb.  No need taking up all that space inside the aquarium which takes up the room the fish can swim.  You also have to look at the sand bed when viewing the tank.... Unless you plan on keeping critters in there that need a deep substrate.... No need going more then .5-1 inches deep

Make sure play sand is acceptable for aquarium use.  Some work great and is the same stuff that we pay 10 times for at the aquarium store.  Others are full of phosphate (I think that's what it was) and will cause all kinds of problems as the days go by.

Nothing wrong with three 300w heaters.  Set on at the operating temp... The second one 4-5 degrees lower and the third one several degrees lower.  You do not want all three set at the same temp where they turn on/off constantly together.  Have one main one and then one or two back up heaters.

250gph skimmer?  Not sure what you mean by that.  A skimmer that can only process 250gph is small.  I would get a good one and not a cheap one

Uv... Not a necessity and AT&T hat size will only affect algae growth.  Probably only slightly.... If you want to kill other stuff in the water get a much larger one and preferably not a internal one

Damsels can get VERY mean as they get old. 

Tangs - certain ones might be ok however most get large and need a lot of room. 

Queen angel - NO... Your tank is way to smal.... My 10ft tank seems to be small for my queen angel... Beautiful fish but a attitude that matches its looks.  Dwarf angel or a lg angel that doesn't get as big or have the attitude of the queen.

Clowns.... Like stated usually you only want a pair of them

[andys1982]

I've never had a problem with dsb, and I don't really understand the need to keep "clean" (people clean their reef tanks?) but I would recommend aragonite instead of the silica based play sand.

[THE MAD REEFER]

I run a dsb in my softie tank, no problems with the system
I ran a 1" sand bed in my bigger tank, nothing but swings with chemistry
I am running a dsb and rdsb on my 185, nothing bad to say about it, it works

I love angel fish, I have a juvenile emperor in my 185, hes starting his adult change in coloring, no issues with corals

but this is my opinion, every tank and fish are different