New House/New tank

[medican]

hello......

A new tank is always a fun and yes stressful time........

by the looks of it you are building (or thinking of building) the same type of tank that I am building now, right down to the 4 way. My first thought is the hight of your tank only 14 in. I think I see where your going with this, shallow for the lights you dont want to buy? but in the big picture you still need to see in it and I dont think if you kick it up to 24 in will change the lighting much. Your lighting (not MH) will limit you in what you can stock in your tank but from what you said your idea with no MH will work but what about if you change your mind? The one thing I have learned is that upgrading is very costly(I have done it for the last 2 years) and you will kick yourself you dident go in that direction in the first place. I run x2 150 mh I can keep most things just fine. If you get corals from under high lights put in under lower light is where I have had problems so now I get most of my stuff from other reefers and it has semed to help. What I think Im trying to say is spend a little extra now will save big $$$$$ later (wish list for me is x2 250 W )TRUST ME on that. Now with the duel overflows I was going to go this way but changed my mind to 1 overflow, to have more tank be tank. x2 1in overflows will handle less water than X1 2in. If I were to have 30in. wide I would then do x2 overflow. Sump 30gal sure mine will be a 36 gal custom made for me your size sounds good. Your drilling your tank thats good. When I get mine(coulpe of weeks) and start building it please feel free to come and see it might not be what you want but it may give you ideas for your own. When you think you have done planning your tank STOP and plan again.

This board is full of great ideas and most will love to help you. Most would love to have you over (you bring the beer) and talk about there tanks. there are hundreds of ways to put a tank together dont believe there is only 1 at the end of it all YOU need to be happy with your setup.

put all you learn from people put it into a blender and see what you come up with.

hope this helps.......
good luck