hux first tank build (will need help!!)

[hux]

okay...

im a little worried about my lighting...

currently i have a 4x T5 HO system
the 4 bulbs are 39w each which works out to be around 156w in total
i have two white 10000k bulbs and two actinics 6500k

im a little worried this isnt enough...
im mainly planning to keep LPS corals and softies....

is this lighting sufficient...??
otherwise im planning to upgrade...

im looking at this
first one..
http://www.petsuppliesaustralia.com.../Lighting/T5-HO-Light-900mm-6-x-39W-p948.html

this is basically just a two light upgrade...
it is a 6 bulb T5 HO system
comes with 3x 10000k white bulbs and 3x 6500k actinics
this will give me a 234w total

will this be a more sufficient lighting for what im looking after?
my tank dimensions are roughly 100cm x 55cm x 60cm..
the tank holds roughly 300 litres when you minus the overflow

the is 60cm tall so i am really looking to keep corals anywhere i can?
so would it be a good idea to upgarde to a 6bulb system?

suggestions and answers is great thanks in advance everyone.

cheers, hux

 

[hux]

ive come to a little bit of a stall...
so far NOO leaking from the bulkheads which is a really positive sign...
but i have got quite a bit of leaking from a piece of plumbing whihc i didnt seal correctly... (idiot)

will be attemptimg to fix the leak and plumbing so i can retest the overflow...
i want to have full water in the overflow for about a week or so at least!

with the above post...
i think i have come to a decision but i need confirmation...
im planning to keep the 4 bulb fixture and get
2x Korallen Zucht Gen 1 10000k bulbs
2x ATI Aqua Blue Special 12000k bulbs

these should definately lift the quality of my light...

so that the plan as long as its confirmed they are good enough?

ive almost finished all the plumbing and im having a little bit of trouble with the led lights but am hoping to finish them in a couple days...
im placing an order for all my foods and those 4 bulbs as early as next week...
so hopefully everything gets the thumbs up...
ill post some final pictures before ordering anything for feedback to makesure ive done everything the best i can...
then its a matter of getting money for water and rock!!
YIPEE!!!

thanks guys

 

[hux]

okay so ive been doing a bit of research....
more so with my lighting...
i think im going to keep the 4 bulb fixture and grab some new light bulbs...
i think i will get either
2x ATI Blue plus
2x Korallen Zucht 10k

OR

2 ATI Blue Plus
1 Korallen zucht 10k
1 korallen zucht fiji purple

still trying to decide



RIGHTTTTTTTTTTT.....
it has been quite a while since i posted and yes ive been doing a bit of work
and im very busy at schoool....

but i have some really good news...
firstly...
my plumbing is fully finished....
second....
ive been testing the overflow at about 90% capacity of filled water...
no leakage what so ever from the siliconed bulkheads...
this is a week and still counting...
thirdly...
ive got most of my tools to make the auto topoff system

but now some bad news....
i can find a small enough container to hold my water next to the sump...
but i will probably get the glass myself and make a small tank or something??

next...
my LED fixture is a complete screw up...
so i ordered 2 strips of 48 white LEDs
good news is they are working off a 12v adapter and are stuck in place

ive also got a rack to hide some chemicals....

here are some pictures....

overflow complete... return on the left and durso standpipe on the right

bit of a messy job but it does the trick
left is drainage
middle goes to the right for intake/inlet to sump
right/middle is return

okay so now this is the overflow filled day 1

and this is 5 days later with not 1 drop leaked!!
really happy

LED fixture stuck on bracket 1

both LED fixtures

the rack for my chemicals

thought id show a picture of the pump for the auto top off system too

and the tank overfview for the moment...

okay so thats the update for now....
i still have a few jobs to take care of...
but need money and im short on that at the moment...

so as you can see the small space next to the sump on the left...
thats where i want to put some water storage/auto top off system...

then next job is buy water and live rock.. get the tank going...

buy some food and whatever else i need food/chem wise
then add some fish and corals to get me going...

then im planning on restocking the light bulbs...
this will be more of a longterm thing...


hope im on the right track...
anything you think i can improve or change let me no...
i want as much feedback as possible...

thanks everyone...
enjoy

 

[hux]

any feed back at all?

 

[mellowvision]

looks great.

I realize from the outlets that you aren't in the US, but you might look for a place like USPlastics.com that delivers to you, they have a ton of specialty sized water storage tanks that would probably fit next to the sump. This one is probably a bit pricey, being heavy duty pvc, but it's the first one I came across that would probably fit there... http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=26859&catid=734 they have cheaper ones too.

 

[hux]

thanks for the tip...
but ive had a bit of trouble....


i just tried to do the auto top off system right....
i attached the float switch to the extension cord but...
that decided to blow up in my hand...
(thank god for safety switches)

okay so luckily im still alive... (no joke)

im troubled on how to make an auto top off system without doing it this way...
im a little too scared to try and do this again..

so is there another way to make an auto top off system...
instead of using the extension cord and float switch...
float switch fixed in a place in sump...
powerhead attched in other end of extension cord..
and walaaa


im hoping there is another way and it isnt too expensive...

it just turned out the australian power supplies and that dont work the same as the americans and that do,
so unfortunately i dont think that method will work for me...

any considerations or alternate options would be great.

let me know
thanks in advance

 

[cockroach]

That is such a neat job.

 

[hux]

thanks cockroach =]

 

[Amphiprion]

Looks good. Sorry, can't help you with the float switch, etc., as I've never tried to make one myself. I'm using Spectrapure's ultra precise liquid level controller. It's a much more expensive alternative to most automated options, but to say that it is precise is an understatement.

As far as bulbs are concerned, I think the second option will not only give you plenty of light, but it will bring out more colors. I'll warn you, however, in that you'll get a purplish glow from the lamps. It depends on whether or not you like this and with a 4 bulb fixture, it will be more pronounced. I'm using one with a 6 bulb fixture and I can definitely notice it. That's why my next set will consist of 2 ATI B+, 2 ATI AB specials, 1 IceCap 10K (similar to UVL Aquasun), and 1 GE 6500K. I just don't like that pinkish light, even though the IceCap will have a slight tint to it, it will be muted by the other lamps.

 

[hux]

thanks for your help amp...

yeah thats why im undecided...
ive got plenty of time to think but im just npot sure?
i dont think ill want a pinkish/purplish look to the tank

i just really dont know...
im going to get my water and rock first so the tank is up and cycling etc....
then buy my lights and that...

any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
thanks again amp