Hi MFKers,
Wordy post, please bare with me. I'm looking for help and point in the right directions.
Well its been about 10-15years since I left the hobby and industry, back in the day I was heavily versed in Cichlids, L numbers and marine. Personally running 6 tanks largest being 6x2x6, breeding L046 cats among others, however my personal tanks were all fresh. I spent 2 years helping a friend set up his aquarium shop focusing on fresh and marine system design and maintenance.
Recently I have revived my neighbours marine tank 5x2x2, re-scaped, started playing with water parameters everything is looking good however now crossing my fingers as he has gone away for a few days. This has revived my passion for fish keeping.
This time I'm going marine in my home, I understand the maintenance and costs involved. I'm now at a point in time where I have the time to manage a large reef. I'm still working everything out, planning to buy the tank in April then build from there.
I know a lot has changed, I'm still trying to find all the resources online again of which I use to learn from and refer to.
Due to the size of the tank I plan to have a mix coral environment as I should be able to easily create different zones. I'm trying to avoid the use of powerheads as they just take away from the glamor of the tank.
My build -----
Tank I'm still deciding either - 96x30x30 or 72x30x30. I plan to implement Bean and Herbie's coast to coast setup, I will most likely have an external coast. I hate seeing plumbing so I'm still working out where and how to place my inlets.
Coast to coast design is 96x7x6, housing Animal Bean / Herbie 1 1/2" returns with 1 1/2" bulk heads. Tank will have a 1" cut out acting as the weir. I'm still undecided if I will run a Perspex combe in front of the weir as this can reduce the surface skimming effect.
Sump design is 48x20x20, inlet will have 3 returns into filter socks, through a weir into Seachem Matrix, through a bubble trap into refugium then weir in to skimmer and pump station. ( Still working out if I'll run pump external of sump)
Red Sea C-Skim 1800 Deluxe Protein Skimmer - This skimmer will turnover the tank and sump ever hour and a half.
3 x Mag12 Pumps with a flow of 1200GPG should turn over the tank about 8 times per hour, I'm still researching this area, I feel I will need more flow.
3 Stage Reverse Osmosis System, 75 GPD/ 300 litre per day genuine Dow Filmtec membrane @50 psi, 480 LPD @ 100 psi
Lighting - I'm still looking in to this one, I'm trying to work out the best route. Thought process so far:
4 x Metal Halide alternating spectrums - 10k - 14k - 10k - 14k
or
4 x 4 foot LED
I'm actually quite stuck on this decision.
Top Aqua stainless steel 40 watt lamp, This will achieve 1.5x turnover per hour. There are good and bad effects from running this as it not only kills bad bacteria but it will also kill the good.
Substrate - Will most likely use 440lbs / 200kg of dry substrate from Seachem. this should be enough.
I guess that's a lot of reading so a few questions before I close off, I hope you could take the time to read and point me in the right direction.
Resource locations online?
Sump Design - Will that work? Is it to small?
Pumps - What pumps do you use or recommendations
Substrate - What do you use and why? is 440lbs / 200kg enough for decent coverage
Inlets - How would you design inlets?
UV - Would you use a UV stabilizer
Refugium - Trends and best practices change, Do you use or not use one and why?
Protein Skimmer - is this big enough, recommendations?
I really appreciate any advise and recommendations. I'm looking forward to getting this hobby up and running again.
Will my 3D design of the tank setup when the forum allows me to.
Thanks
Nathan
Wordy post, please bare with me. I'm looking for help and point in the right directions.
Well its been about 10-15years since I left the hobby and industry, back in the day I was heavily versed in Cichlids, L numbers and marine. Personally running 6 tanks largest being 6x2x6, breeding L046 cats among others, however my personal tanks were all fresh. I spent 2 years helping a friend set up his aquarium shop focusing on fresh and marine system design and maintenance.
Recently I have revived my neighbours marine tank 5x2x2, re-scaped, started playing with water parameters everything is looking good however now crossing my fingers as he has gone away for a few days. This has revived my passion for fish keeping.
This time I'm going marine in my home, I understand the maintenance and costs involved. I'm now at a point in time where I have the time to manage a large reef. I'm still working everything out, planning to buy the tank in April then build from there.
I know a lot has changed, I'm still trying to find all the resources online again of which I use to learn from and refer to.
Due to the size of the tank I plan to have a mix coral environment as I should be able to easily create different zones. I'm trying to avoid the use of powerheads as they just take away from the glamor of the tank.
My build -----
Tank I'm still deciding either - 96x30x30 or 72x30x30. I plan to implement Bean and Herbie's coast to coast setup, I will most likely have an external coast. I hate seeing plumbing so I'm still working out where and how to place my inlets.
Coast to coast design is 96x7x6, housing Animal Bean / Herbie 1 1/2" returns with 1 1/2" bulk heads. Tank will have a 1" cut out acting as the weir. I'm still undecided if I will run a Perspex combe in front of the weir as this can reduce the surface skimming effect.
Sump design is 48x20x20, inlet will have 3 returns into filter socks, through a weir into Seachem Matrix, through a bubble trap into refugium then weir in to skimmer and pump station. ( Still working out if I'll run pump external of sump)
Red Sea C-Skim 1800 Deluxe Protein Skimmer - This skimmer will turnover the tank and sump ever hour and a half.
3 x Mag12 Pumps with a flow of 1200GPG should turn over the tank about 8 times per hour, I'm still researching this area, I feel I will need more flow.
3 Stage Reverse Osmosis System, 75 GPD/ 300 litre per day genuine Dow Filmtec membrane @50 psi, 480 LPD @ 100 psi
Lighting - I'm still looking in to this one, I'm trying to work out the best route. Thought process so far:
4 x Metal Halide alternating spectrums - 10k - 14k - 10k - 14k
or
4 x 4 foot LED
I'm actually quite stuck on this decision.
Top Aqua stainless steel 40 watt lamp, This will achieve 1.5x turnover per hour. There are good and bad effects from running this as it not only kills bad bacteria but it will also kill the good.
Substrate - Will most likely use 440lbs / 200kg of dry substrate from Seachem. this should be enough.
I guess that's a lot of reading so a few questions before I close off, I hope you could take the time to read and point me in the right direction.
Resource locations online?
Sump Design - Will that work? Is it to small?
Pumps - What pumps do you use or recommendations
Substrate - What do you use and why? is 440lbs / 200kg enough for decent coverage
Inlets - How would you design inlets?
UV - Would you use a UV stabilizer
Refugium - Trends and best practices change, Do you use or not use one and why?
Protein Skimmer - is this big enough, recommendations?
I really appreciate any advise and recommendations. I'm looking forward to getting this hobby up and running again.
Will my 3D design of the tank setup when the forum allows me to.
Thanks
Nathan
