Wanting to come back to a reef... starting over completely...

[Midwest Express]

Hey Everyone,

Glad to show my face once again on here.  After my 125 reef went crazy with algae and could never get it right... I took some time off of everything except for fish. Couldn't just have too many empty fish tanks laying around!    My 125 is now and will remain a cichlid tank.  2 blue texans, 3 firemouth, and 3 red terrors.  Has a couple plants that I recently got so they are growing in there. 

The only fish that made the journey from reef to my current salt tank were two 3 stripe damsels.  I am not fond of them at all but I have had them since 2009.  So I figure I will just keep them around for a while longer.  Don't really want them in there because I would like to get some different fish for the reef once it is going again and I know those two will not like the now tank mates...

Right now the tank (35 gal long 48" long, 12.5" wide, 13.5" tall) only has those two fish and rock in it.  Right now I have only been using a 48" PC to light the tank.  I do have a 4 bulb 48" T5 setup that I will be using on the reef once I replace a blown cap in the ballast.  I have a tank that I plan on using for the sump that is 29.5" long by 12" wide by 12.5" tall.  It has a whole drilled in the bottom with a bulk head in it.  The tank came that way.  So my plan is to drill a hole in the bottom shelf of my stand when put a 90 coming through that and the putting that right into the inlet on my Iwaki WMD-20RLXT and then have that pump up into the display.  Not sure how I am going to plumb that as of yet so if any suggestions... let me hear them!  I have a 3 spigot spray bar I built on my 125 and wasn't sure if I was going to go that route again or not.

I have a Red Sea Berlin skimmer powered by a Mag 5 that I will put in the tank.  I can't fit my other skimmer under the display tank with the stand.  My other skimmer is a coralife super skimmer 220. 

My main problem right now is figuring out how to layout and design my sump and what all I should do with it.  For sure it will be doing skimming.  I also want a spot for a filter sock.  I plan on bringing each overflow into one pipe before it enters the sump.  I am just not over sure how I should design the flow through the sump and if it will be slow enough to a refugeium section in it or if that would just be a pointless waste of space.

When it comes to corals.  I want to do corals like zoas, candy buttons, hammer corals, brains, and definitely acans again.  I will deal with the corals once I get the tank setup and verified that it isn't going to have any problems like my 125 did! I am saving up for a good controller to put on the tank so that I can have probes keeping a strict eye on everything and be able to see my levels of everything on my phone or online.

Anyone have any ideas on how I should design the sump and my return?

Here are some pics of what I am starting with.  I will be building a canopy to hold the T5's.







This the tank I have for the sump.  It is upside down right now.  Once it is under the tank, the bulk head will be on the right of the tank.

[lazylivin]

Welcome back Wes.

[Midwest Express]

Thanks Brian. Hoping I don't run into issues like last time. Your tank is looking awesome from the pics I have seen!

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[bbtm64]

Welcome back. Good to hear you're starting back up.
Once your ready for corals, I'll see what I can frag and you can have it to start from. I live in Springfield too so it'll be close lol

[Midwest Express]

Welcome back. Good to hear you're starting back up.
Once your ready for corals, I'll see what I can frag and you can have it to start from. I live in Springfield too so it'll be close lol

Awesome ! Thanks a lot! Where in Springfield are you? I'm up on home road and deer road area. Do you have your tank setup on a thread on here?

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[bbtm64]

I'm over by Wittenberg.

http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=15441.0

[Twizted1]

Rock on!

[bbtm64]

I see you're a Deadliest Catch fan too, Twisted lol

[Midwest Express]

Will the 4 bulb T5 fixture I have be enough or too much for a tank of this depth for the corals I am wanting to put in there?

[Travis8896]

You should be ok you will have some awesome par ratings I would think once you get the tank all ready you should borrow the clubs par meter to check it

[Midwest Express]

You should be ok you will have some awesome par ratings I would think once you get the tank all ready you should borrow the clubs par meter to check it

Good deal.  I was hoping it would work out just fine.  I was just afraid of it being too much light.  I ran the T5's on my 125 and everything did fine in there.  I have just been going back and forth with if I should do the work to setup this 35 as my reef or go back to my 75 that is sitting in the basement.  I love the 75's size, just not sure if I should do that or stick with this smaller tank for now.  I would have to finally skin my 75 stand that I built... that is for sure!

[Travis8896]

The thing to think about is the more water volume you have the bigger the cushion you have if something goes wrong

[Viggen]

Looking good.... Only advice I have is with the skimmer.  They do work quite well actually, can be a bit finicky...... I had the best result with a larger pump.  I forget which one i used a mag7 or mag9 on mine and it performed much better vs the mag5 I started with. 

[Midwest Express]

The thing to think about is the more water volume you have the bigger the cushion you have if something goes wrong

I know it man.  That is why when I setup my 125 I had a 75 and a 40 gal plummed up in the next room over for my sump.  The tank went belly up when I had to reclaim that room and I had to make a smaller sump under the tank. :-/

Think the light from just 4 T5's would be enough to keep the corals I am wanting to run with OK?  That means I will also have to drill my 75 this time around.  I am not doing overflow boxes again...

[Midwest Express]

Looking good.... Only advice I have is with the skimmer.  They do work quite well actually, can be a bit finicky...... I had the best result with a larger pump.  I forget which one i used a mag7 or mag9 on mine and it performed much better vs the mag5 I started with. 

I actually was going to get I think it was a Mag9 when I bought the new pump for it, but they had the Mag 5 on sale and I needed to throw a skimmer on my tank quickly when I had to relocate my sump to under the stand.  That Super Skimmer 220 is just so flippin tall.

[Travis8896]

In a 75 gallon yes I think it would work I currently have a 4 t5 fixture on my 90. I also plan on putting leds on instead though just to get better color and growth

[Midwest Express]

I want to do an LED light setup, just didn't want to spend the money on that as of yet.  I want to get a good controller and then upgrade the lights.  I have all of my MH setup that I ran on my 75 and then my 125 before.  I wish someone would buy all of that so I can get a controller! :-D haha

[Midwest Express]

In a 75 gallon yes I think it would work I currently have a 4 t5 fixture on my 90. I also plan on putting leds on instead though just to get better color and growth

Are you going to just supplement with LED's or are you replacing your T5's all together?  Are you buying a fixture or building with a kit?

[Travis8896]

Replacing all together I already have the leds but don't have the time to hang them

[Midwest Express]

Replacing all together I already have the leds but don't have the time to hang them

Did you use a kit or by a pre built fixture?

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[Travis8896]

Pre built off of a friend

[Midwest Express]

Nice, care if I ask how much that kit ran?  I would much rather run LED's then anything else.  I like the way the light bounces and the low amount of heat the create and power they use.  I really don't miss my dual 400w MH or 250w MH setups I used to run.  Ugh... only good in the winter!

[Travis8896]

I got 2 fixtures I think they might be MS ones but I only paid $100 for both because he was getting out and sold em cheap

[Midwest Express]

I got 2 fixtures I think they might be MS ones but I only paid $100 for both because he was getting out and sold em cheap

What are you doing with your t5 ballast? Want to sell it by chance? If so, pm me a price!

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[Travis8896]

If my little brother doesn't buy it for his freshwater tank I'll let you know. I'm not really sure why he wants it his tank is not even planted. The t5 fixture has new bulbs as of tomorrow lol.

[Midwest Express]

If my little brother doesn't buy it for his freshwater tank I'll let you know. I'm not really sure why he wants it his tank is not even planted. The t5 fixture has new bulbs as of tomorrow lol.

Cool... Let me know if he takes it or not!

I have my t5's on my cichlid tank but the ballast blew a cap. I need to replace that and should be good again. My plants have been doing good with just pc's over the tank so I figured I would move the t5's to my 4ft tank and reef again.

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[Bucknutz]

There are a few of us that have been using the MS 120 watts we got in a group buy. They're working great and I would highly recommend them.

http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=71&category_id=10

[Midwest Express]

There are a few of us that have been using the MS 120 watts we got in a group buy. They're working great and I would highly recommend them.

http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=71&category_id=10

I would love to have two of those! Then I could keep my t5's on my fresh water tank. Doubtful, but any plans on a group buy or a discount on those? Trying to save money for a good controller!

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[Steve]

They just had a special for $149, call them and ask.

[Midwest Express]

The more that I have been thinking about this the more I want to setup my 75 instead of the 35 gal.  In order to do that I will need to drill the tank.  I want to do a 3 stand pipe (beans animal) down to the sump.  I want to do that but not have a overflow box in the tank that spans from the bottom to the top.  Instead I want to a tray that spans the top of the tank.  What do the dimensions need to be for that overflow tray?  Also, I will need to drill a hole in the middle of the tank just below that tray for my return line.  Will 4 holes in the back of the 75 cause a strength issue?

[Midwest Express]

Also, any recommendations on controllers?  I want to be able to view my readings online or on my phone or tablet.  If possible... I don't want to pay through the nose, but I am sure that will happen to get a good controller. HAH  Rather pay now than pay in the future when my tank goes belly up on me!

[Midwest Express]

Quest for info here... this is a look at the primary corals I want to grow in my tank.  I know a couple are pretty broad, but I will narrow them down later.  I am missing some info for proper water chem and care.  Can anyone help fill in the blanks here for me and let me know what I need to pay attention to that I am overlooking so far?

[Viggen]

heard LOTS of great things about the Apex controllers...... that's the direction I plan to go when money allows

[Midwest Express]

heard LOTS of great things about the Apex controllers...... that's the direction I plan to go when money allows

I was looking at those myself today as well as ReefKeepers from Digital Aqautics... just not sure yet which way to go.

[bobdino]

not trying to take over your thread, but I have a reefkeeper lite and a apex controller sitting on a shelf. Would consider selling. make reasonable offer

[joncat24]

Apex all the way, as far as I am concerned. I had a reefkeeper years ago, and sold it because it was so difficult for me to program. Apex, is a piece of cake.