Help Me Plan My New Aquarium

[bigfalcon36]

You read it correctly, although it's MY tank I want everyone's input.  I'll be transfering most of my stuff over from my old tank.  The display will be a 180 that I am getting through the jerk that owns Aquariums Etc, hahaha...I have to mess with Joel when I get a chance.  For circulation I am going with Tunze streams (Briana is allowing me to finally spend the money!).  I am just kind of in between ideas for them right now.  I am thinking either the 4x6000 or 4x6100 package, both running off of a multicontroller. 

My next thing is a return pump.  I need ideas for the pump, I want something QUIET.  For lighitng I am going to use 2x250 watt MH powered by our sponsor IceCap's ballasts and 4 T5 bulbs that will be utilizing Icecap's SLR's and be powered by an IceCap 660.  The bulbs with be Hamilton 14K MH and I'll go with a German branded T5 bulb. 

I am going to be building this into the wall in the basement of the new house in PA, so I'll be building the stand.  I haven't thought up a sump yet, so I dont know if I'll build it or go with a rubbermaid.

Give me your thoughts!

[micki]

COOL!!!  Do you have a house in PA yet??? 

I'll come help set it up!!! 

[Joel]

I think that Jerk might have raised the price of the aquarium

[verper]

You read it correctly, although it's MY tank I want everyone's input.  For circulation I am going with Tunze streams (Briana is allowing me to finally spend the money!).  I am just kind of in between ideas for them right now.  I am thinking either the 4x6000 or 4x6100 package, both running off of a multicontroller. 

What are you going to keep?  If it was me and I was keeping predominately SPS, I'd go with 2x6100 and a wavemaker.  If mostly LPS and softies, then 2x6100.  My 120 is going to have 1x6000 and a wavemaker.  I may have to upgrade the transformer to a 6100 if I need more flow but I really like the fact that I can run a 15w 6000 a long time on a battery backup if the power goes out.

For lighitng I am going to use 2x250 watt MH powered by our sponsor IceCap's ballasts and 4 T5 bulbs that will be utilizing Icecap's SLR's and be powered by an IceCap 660.  The bulbs with be Hamilton 14K MH and I'll go with a German branded T5 bulb. 

I am leaning toward the T5's with MH myself.  Everything I've read says to go with 400w MH for tanks deeper than 18" if you want SPS all over and not just at the top.  Not a concern if LPS.

I haven't thought up a sump yet, so I dont know if I'll build it or go with a rubbermaid.

I can't believe what I'm reading!  The SumpMaster not building his own sump.  Outrageous!     Of course the Rubbermaid's work great.

[micki]

I know Scott I thought the same thing!!!  Travis NOT make his own sump???  But the rubbermaids are pretty sweet too!

[Reefinmike]

what exactly are you doing for lighting... 2x 250w's over a 180?? did you mean 3. I reccomend against hamilton bulbs, good color at first but within a couple months it will get much less blue. mine also "aged" differently, one is whiter than the other. sounds like youre gonna have a wavepool in there.

is the tank an Aga 180?

[bigfalcon36]

yeah, it's going to be an AGA.  To explain the lighting...the T5's are not going to be actinic, rather 1 true blue and 3 aquablue plus or similar bulbs, so I wont need another 250 because the T5 are taking it's place.  Also, on the bulb choice...I have the hamilton's running on IceCap's right now and have noticed no fading, and actually my corals have exploded in growth...I couldn't be happier with them.

Also, the reason for not making the sump is because there are no materials close by where I'll be living...but there is a Tractor Supply.

Scott, on the Tunze Streams I have been looking at the wavebox's as well, but really dont like them because of their size.  I'll probably end up doing the 4 x 6100, but I am not 100% on that yet.

Micki, we dont have a house YET, but we found one we really like and we are going to be talking to the mortgage place tomorrow and hopefully will be making an offer on it tomorrow!

[Slicktrax]

are you planning on spreading the t5s across the length of the tank or all of them side by side?  if you spread them across the length of the tank, i would add a third mh.

[bigfalcon36]

I was thinking of having them all side by side in the middle of the tank and then having the MH at each end.  It will really be trial and error.  by it may work, if not I'll have to get another ballast.

[ohioreef]

Wow, sounds awesome, Travis!! Maybe after you get it up and running we'll have to have a Ohio Reef fieldtrip!!! Definately keep us in the loop with an ongoing thread!!

[aquavista99]

I would go with 4 (four) Tunze 6100 Streams with a muliticontroller, however, you could go with 4 (four) 6000 streams with great results as well. Keep in mind that you can always upgrade transformers later on (to convert your 6000s to 6100s ) for about $70 each if you decide you need more current later on. Also add the magnet holders.....which are great. I like using Iwaki pumps for the return pump. The Japanese MD models are quiet. Either the Iwaki MD 55 or MD 70 would work well for your system. I am also a big fan of metal halides. I use Ushio 10 K lights on my systems for quicker SPS growth, but 14 ks would give you  better color. I am a big fan of Aqua C EV Series skimmers.....an EV-240 would be great for your system.

[verper]

I was thinking of having them all side by side in the middle of the tank and then having the MH at each end.  It will really be trial and error.  by it may work, if not I'll have to get another ballast.

Interesting idea.  Keep us informed on how it goes doing it that way.

[bigfalcon36]

FOr a return pump, how is a Sequence Dart?  I know people use them on closed loops all the time.  What are the thoughts of everyone else?

[verper]

Depends on the setup.  Darts are not pressure rated so you wouldn't want to have the top of the tank more than 4-5 feet above the pump.  Good pump with low power consumption for return or closed loop from what I've read.

[bigfalcon36]

Scott, do you think that it would be ok for the 180 on a normal height stand?  I'm not going to be pumping water from the basement to the first floor or anything.

[verper]

Yes.  I think you'll loose 25-30% of your flow but will still put you in the 2400 gal/hr range with minimal bends.  Something like 15x turnover if that is what you are looking for.

[scott wilson]

how much water do you really want to push through our overflows and through your sump.  You skimmer can only process so much water the extra flow is wasted and will just create more noise and demand on tuning your durso right.  IMO

[bigfalcon36]

Good point Scott, I think the max that a Megaflow can do is 600 GPH.  There are two in a 180, so that is 1200 GPH.  Are you thinking that I should go with a pump that does 900-1200 per hour?

[bigfalcon36]

Also, what is the difference between the japanese motor and the american motor on the Iwaki pump

[ohioreef]

One is made in Japan, the other in the US..........badda bing.........

[verper]

Also, what is the difference between the japanese motor and the american motor on the Iwaki pump

Supposedly the Japanese motors are slightly quieter and more reliable. 

[verper]

Good point Scott, I think the max that a Megaflow can do is 600 GPH.  There are two in a 180, so that is 1200 GPH.  Are you thinking that I should go with a pump that does 900-1200 per hour?

If you are going with the Megaflows, then Scott is correct and you would want something with a max of 1000 GPH after head loss.  You still haven't answered a key question-----  What are you going to keep?   SPS?   LPS?   Some of both?    Ratio between the two if both?   There are different ways to set the tank up depending on that.

[Joel]

THe Iwaki pumps are great and very long lasting. The Jap model has a better electric motor. It is supposedly wound with more and thicker gauge wire. They are slightly quieter pumps but either model (american or jap) are very good quality. Just about all the pumps in my shop and on my service accounts are Iwaki.

I very recently installed a sequence pump on a service account. I am very impressed at how quiet the pump is and it does move a good amount of water. I have not had it in use for very long so I can not speak for the durability but so far I like it and would consider installing another one.

I like building mud or marsh type sumps on my reef tanks. I believe that major turn over of water per hour is not real important with this type of filtration set up. I am turning over my tanks about 4-6 time per hour allowing the water to more slowly be in contact with the mangroves, filter feeders, algaes, grasses, etc for a little longer period, kind-of like a salt water marsh or wet land.  THis has worked very well for me for quiet a while now. To some extent I think my water in the sump gets more passes thru the skimmer with this method too.

I do agree that you will need major water movement in the tank with pumps or wave makers. I think weather you need to get the tunze system might be determined  by what your going to keep in the tank. An SPS type aquarium would benifit a great deal from that type of set up but might not be needed on a lps or softie set up. I've recently installed some Seio 1500 and am pretty impressed with how they perform for the cost. Seio is supposedly going to have a controller much like the tunze system available in the hear future.

I think you'll need 3 metal halides on a 6 foot tank. Mixing the t-5's with the m/h is a great idea and should work real well. Two m/h (one near each end) will most likly not produce as much light as you want and it might look a little funny (dim) in the middle.

My 2 cents