bit of an "overdue" update.
Sump has arrived and is plumbed. Will have pics tomorrow. It's HUGE..no really it's LARGE. I wanted to be sure that I'd never have to worry about a power failure and having the sump overflow so I sorta over-compensated. Will post more details to go with the pic tomorrow...but it's about 175-180 gallons
. We first used a Quiet One 9000 for the return pump as we wanted an in sump instead of outside sump....let me tell you...there is nothing QUIET about that pump. Sounds like you're running a chainsaw in the front of the store. UGH.....so next, after talking to Jeff at J&L and expressing our extreme displeasure....we hooked up 2 Quiet One 6000...and it's a fraction of the noise..I'm happy, staff is thrilled and I'm sure the animals close to the tank are happy too!!! We've run the tank a bit strange but it works. One side we kept the closed loop on, the other is the side that drains into the sump and has the return on. Again pics tomorrow. I have a large refugium area, great skimmer zone, and the return zone is perfect...and hey, no microbubbles!!!!
Lights....we hummed and hawed over the lights. I like my SPS tank at home, but really does "Joe Blo" actually appreciate the ORA Pearlberry that has grown a quarter of an inch in the last 3 months as we do? NO. They want to see a "flowy" reef with movement. Not to say I won't have SOME SPS (as I mean, really, what's a tank without some good SPS) but it will also have some coral movement to accompany it! So the lights went from 5 250w halides with T5's supplementing to, after much discussion and discussions with other reefers (whom I am very thankful for their input)...we have 2 4 foot 8 bulb T5 fixtures (that arrived YESTERDAY WOOT, WOOT) and in the centre of the tank we will have either a 400w halide pendant or a 250w halide pendant. I've just put the 250w over one of the store tanks and it looks fantastic so I'm thinkin it's the 400w. We just picked up the Oak plywood and made our first cuts for building the canopy. Our builder never did show up so my Dad and I are building it.... I also went with T5's as I don't want the heat issues that 5 halides would have put out. My BC Hydro bill is high enough! We will be moving the LED's I have on my tank at home to this tank so that we have some "moonlights" on the tank....
Skimmer is something I'm still not sure of. I've spent some time talking with the Skimmer Hore, Thanks Mike!, but am still not too sure what we want. We're looking at the SWC 250 1A from Oceanic Corals and a Bubble Magus 220CS from Sask. I don't know which one as of yet.....as I will have quite a few fish in the tank....and I do like to feed as do my staff. Still any input will be valuable here...Mike has been a big help but still not quite sure.
Fish...oops...sorta added a couple of fish.....and some rock. So, should decide on the final skimmer choice ASAP! I added a GORGEOUS Blonde Naso we got in at the store which has tons of personality....a teeny Earspot Tang, a small Tennenti Tang and 2 little Long Fin Wrasses.....that's it now until we get the proper skimmer. Can't really add more rock until the lights are on the tank....all my home tank rock is going into this tank....and can't add more fish until we have a skimmer. Phew, you really can't rush a reef tank! LOL
