I'm Back (27gal build)

[Oxymoron]

Great to see Stircrazy. I'll be watching this one closely for ideas and tips

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by superduperwesman

ahaha Nice! How did you kids feel about this??

they got the pool when I was done, so good I guess

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Ok, so things I am pondering right now are

1) stand design.
I am thinking for this one of taking an idea from my entertainment center, so the stand to hold the tank and sump, with a tower on each side to house top off weater, electronics, equipment, top off water ect..
then over the tank and inbetween the towers would be the lighting.

so something like this but with more doors
http://www.thebrick.com/Application/...2D7746DE483D3E

2) Lighting
I want MH, there was a post on some on the boar but it was for two and I don't realy need two for this tank so I am not sure about them.

I am thinking a DE 250 pendant or maybe a bare reflector, and two T5 Actinics. I just ordered two sets of water proof stand offs and endcaps for thoes and I have a WH7 ballast or two in the garage.. so that part is easy. Anyone have a single 250 watt DE setup for sale at a good price?

3) skimmers
Just took care of this one.... its a surprise

4) flow
this is a big one for me as I have learned through experance that flow is perhaps more important that lighting. in my 90 I had about 133X turnover flow rate, in this tank I want to be between 80 to 100X turnover, but I am only going to supply about 20X with the sump return pump.

So in this area a small tank is actualy harder as you have to find the nice flow with out striping the skin off your coral. Also I have to find something that won't take over the tank due to its size.

5) substrate
no sand, to many problems involved in it. I am beterrn a few options right now, bare bottom, marble, or slate.

6) and finaly.. the overflow system on the tank.
I am thinking external overflow with a herbie setup. I want this quiet, and I don't want a box inside the tank takeing up what little room there is.

So I am going to notch the back of the tank and silicone a overflow box to the back of the tank that is drilled for 3/4" bulkheads.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

One thing I forgot to mention. for stuff like skimmers and such. Normally I would build my own and it was hard to resist not building one for this tank, as I have an idea I want to try, but my goal for this tank is to only build the stand and some of the lighting, ect the normal stuff you see people doing. Also building a skimmer at this point in time would be hard as I can't move in my garage again.. going to have to clean it up some more so I can build the stand though.

I am hoping to get a realistic cost for some one to set up a medium sized system.

[Canadian]

Steve,

I might have a modified Tunze 6025 pushing around 1100-1200 GPH that I'm getting rid of. The motor block is broken so I'm sending it in to be replaced by Tunze. I had 2 modified 6025's in my 30g but I just bought a Vortech MP20 so now I intend to just use one modified 6025 and the MP20 and will put the replacement one up for sale.

Let me know if you're interested.

[StirCrazy]

Canadian, when you get it in let me know.

Ok so like I said the skimmer was a surprise, well today is the surprise day.



I went with the vertex after reading a tone of reviews. Original I was going to go with a PM recirculating skimmer, but then as I thought about it that would need two pumps, one for the needle wheel and another for the feed. I bounced this around in my head for a while and decided that is just another addition of heat which I don't need. I am trying to minimize pumps on this one so I can go more power on the lights. I also picked up some water proof T5 end caps and standoffs for the hood, I already have a ballast that will drive them so my Actinic lighting is taken care of now.

Does anyone have a single 250 watt HQI set up (either DE or SE) that they want to part with cheep?

Steve

[Canadian]

Steve,

I'm home now.

[StirCrazy]

Ok, so I wanted to keep a running budgit for this tank so I will do cost updates once and a while

1) two 27 gal tanks 75.00
2) Vertex 100 skimmer 244.00
3) water proof endcap sets for T5s 28.00


Steve

[Skimmerking]

Welcome Back STeve looks great so far.

[StirCrazy]

Thanks, feels good to be back.

Ok, decision time. How am I going to maintain my chemical levels in my water.

two options.

1) Ca reactor, cheapest one I found was at J&Ls for 450ish plus I would need a pump so 50ish well say. now media 20ish (say x3 for the year) and a fill on the tank 15ish

total is 575.00ish

2) Proflux plus II balling kit. maintains all levels and this kit should last more than a year. monitors temp, PH

total 699.00 with our crappy buck.

now to make this a fair comparison I would have to add to option 1, for the PH and temp so 170.00 will get me a pinpoint PH and temp. so the real price of number 1 is now 745.00 and I haven't even gotten into Kalk reactors yet.

To tell the truth I am leaning to-wards Proflux, but I am just waiting for Aqua Digital to answer a few question about there "package kits" as there are a couple more options I would like.

I will let you know what I am thinking here so if I am nuts you can tell me.

I was wanting the Proflux unit to also come with the level controllers and the pump unit to be a 4 pump unit instead of a 3 so I can use one pump for top off. I would also like salinity and redox monitoring (but I can live with out this one for now) and a digital power bar so the proflux can control my lights.

So I am basically waiting to see if the packages can be customized.

Steve