comments on tank plan

M

mogurnda

vaguely present
Apr 29, 2003
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Well, I have something like a plan for the 90. I'll start with the equipment and the plan, and end with some specific questions.

What I'd like is a reef, with some nice SPS, maybe even a few acropora, on one side, soft corals on the other, plus a few clams on the sandbed.

The equipment
90 gallon reef ready tank
Cabinet stand
Canopy, extended 8" for metal halide (have the lamps about 12" from surface)
Halides: 2X250 watt Iwasaki, Electronic ballasts (1 icecap, 1 blueline), icecap sockets/reflectors
2X96W PC actinics from AH supply
20 gallon long sump/fuge
EuroReef ES5-3 skimmer
DIY calcium reactor
Return pump? Iwaki 30RLXT
Topoff reservoir. I was hoping to do something simple, like a float valve and gravity feed.

3-4" bed of playsand
40 lbs Florida live sand
60 lbs lace rock
120 lbs TBS live rock (80 new plus 40 from 20H)

The plan
Modify canopy for metal halides: halides 12" from water, PCs 4" from surface, add 2X4" fans
Paint canopy and stand to match decor
Buy, drill, and partition 20L for sump/fuge
Install plumbing
Wet test
Fill with salt water
Get the tank cycled with the sand, lace rock and rotting shrimp, innoculated with sand and rubble from the 20.
Add live sand and live rock.
Wait a while.
Have a blast.

This is the perfect time to tell me what looks bad (or good), since I only have the tank, stand and a ballast. I also have a few specific questions.
1. Do I really have enough room for a skimmer and decent fuge in a 20L?
2. With the 20L in the stand (about 45"X16"), any ideas about topoff reservoirs?
3. Is the Iwaki a good choice? It's nominally 960 gph. Is there a more reliable or better pump to use?
 
I'd focus on having the 20 be more fuge than sump--slower water flow, and less room for drain off in case of emergency. So, if possible, I'd set it up so the water is pumped into the 20 and gravity feeds into the 90. A powerhead will work for this. Might want to light it as well, so you can grow algaes in confinement, rather than having them in the main tank, and with the opposite photoperiod of the main tank for pH stability. Of course, this makes it hard to build into the stand...

I've never gotten around to worrying about auto topoff, so can't help there.
 
Yeah, I'm wondering if I can get away with both sump and fuge. It would be nice for aesthetics and peace to keep it all in the stand.

I have an old 55W PC hood that I was going to use to light the fuge. Forgot to mention it.
 
Just noticed that you say the 90 is reef ready--meaning built in overflows? If you don't put the 20 under the tank, you could put a larger tank underneath--think a 40 would fit (36X18, I think, maybe 36X15). Then, plumbing the sump is dead easy with built in overflows. Line down, line up. Or, use the 20 for this and get a hang-on fuge that will go on the back of the tank--depends on how much room you have. When we put up the 120's, we specifically made enough room behind them to walk easily, so we could access the plumbing easily and have the option of using hang-on mechanical filters and fuges. But, I know that's not always an option--having a tank take over a room can cause problems. Fortunately for me and my boyfriend, we don't mind that the tanks have taken over the house. :)

That will be plenty o'light for the fuge! Nice!
 
Yep, it has a built-in overflow. I can fit a 30 (36X12X16) in the stand if I have the topoff reservoir external (hide it as a planter?). I think there will still be room enough for the Ca reactor plus CO2 tank. Especially for travel, having auto topoff is a wonderful luxury.

I have also been considering a HOB fuge, but was hoping to get away from that in this incarnation. I may do both. Can't have too much fuge.

The tank will be the main focus of the room. Heck, even the little 20 was the center of attention much of the time. I can get away with the tank taking over to some extent (and have even negotiated the option of plumbing a seagrass tank inline), but it can't look like the back room of a LFS. Plenty of wiggle room.
 
you'll have enough room for a skimmer under there, its like a two foot clearence from the opening on stands... I could put an in-sump skimmer in my 5gallon sump under my 29, with a return pump and heater,your plan sounds awesome...
 
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