Hey blinks thanks for getting back to me! I like the sounds of coast to coast but as this tank is going to be viewable from the sides I don't want to be able to see the overflow box from the side. Does it make sense to stop it 6" short on either side and just make the tank a little deeper to accommodate the box, so it doesn't have to be external? And from my research it looks like the bean-animal overflow comes in from the back not the bottom. Can I do this style from the bottom as well? I am not well versed in overflows. I will need to a little more research but I think it would work. Coming in from the back would work too but the tank will be euro braced so I don't really want an external overflow box. I don't have anything yet for the new system so I on,y have some pictures of my current one. Now this tank has run for 3 years has been moved twice, is really loud and runs with nothing but a refugium. But here is a shot or two.

Elegance
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/...9/3ac2d9e5.jpg

"Donut"
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/...9/fa319e2f.jpg

FTS
http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/...9/031f40f5.jpg

All taken with iPhone and posted from iPad so sorry about sizing/quality. And as for Kalk reactors I take it you don't like pump mixed reactors as they mix a little to violently? To save on a little more research do you know a Canadian retailer for Deltec? And while we are on it the Profilux controller. Still on the fence with this or an Apex.

Thanks again blinks and everyone lending a helping hand!

for the price of the 10 x 54w ATI you could set yourself up with three AI sols(or the new version for a little more) and the controller and save yourself the bulb changes/ evaporation/ and power consumption:wink:

The last I read there Gizmoh you were torn with which skimmer to go with. I'm running the SRO 2000 INT and really like it. From all the research I've done you just can't beat the bubble blaster pump that comes on the octopus skimmers.
It is just an opinion mind you, and this is my 1st skimmer and 1st SW tank so other than a ton of reading not much experience other than that... :D

So I have been doing a little research and I think I know how I want to run the tank if it will work. I would like to use the coast to coast style overflow box ("L" shaped self) but only go from coast to center. So looking at the front of the tank it would be from left side to center. This would run the beananimal overflow. For the returns I was going to do one coming in from the back at the top right with flex loc-line for positioning and one coming in from the bottom, at back center. I was thinking of piping in 4-6 heads at the bottom of the tank facing back at the rock work. I am not sure how this back pressure would affect the flow though. For these heads all the plumbing would be in the tank under the sand bed with minimal plumbing running from back to front. I am sorry I am bad with google sketch or I would draw this up.

Any input from anyone that understands what I am saying would be wonderful!

Thanks

Thanks fishy and platapus for the input I am leaning towards the octopus cone skimmers to save a little bit of money as they seem to have a very good following! As for lighting with a footprint of 48x30 would I not need more then three units for full coverage? I don't really like the spotlight effect. Also how high above the tank do those pendants need to be? I have little clearance.

Thanks again!!!