What equipment would you buy for a 180g? Help me choose mine!

[Parker]

Lighting - 6' coralife aqualight pro 150 watt with new 13K geismann's

Depending on what corals you may want to keep I would consider stepping up to a 250w fixture. The 150w with 13k bulbs might be a bit dim towards the bottom of the tank.

Skimmer – AMS G4 or maybe G5 (I want something with high bio load rating)

ASM makes a pretty decent skimmer, they do tend to overrate their skimmers though. It's a safe bet to choose a skimmer that rated well above your total system volume.

Return pump – MAG18

The mag pumps aren't known for their quiet operation. You will hear it in your theater room.

Controller – Neptune System Apex

You're going to love it!

[kien]

I run a mag18 and it is quieter than my previous QuietOne6000. Go figure.. I think it is pump depenant rather than brand. I have seen some QuietOne pumps that are dead silent and magdrives that are silent and vice versa. In the end I think that if it is submersed in the water and the stand is enclosed they end up being pretty quiet.

[Werbo]

The Eheim 1260 is a nice pump.