New Lagoon Set up...

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by i2as kass

I think it would look amazing if you could have a little extra room on the top, too many tanks nowadays are build with an open top look. If you put it at 14 inches of water (which should be fine without the Eurobracing) and build the rock work "out" of the water you also have the amazing opportunity to create a "coast line" for your "shallow water laggoon" (Please note I like "finger quoteing"). If you do some research and find some plants that can tolerate high salinity (Mangroves and certain bamboo's) your going to create something that I personally have never seen. Perhaps a little research is in use as you could also have some tidal zone creatures that live half and half?
Just my 2 cents.
Levi

OOOO EDIT~!- What if you incorperated not only a few powerheads under the water but a few powerheads that direct water right onto the rockwork? Perhaps a waterfall or two. Not only would you keep the above water rock wet but you could also use that to grow your mangroves?
Levi

Great ideas! Along the same lines as what I have been thinking. I am considering mangroves. I have come up with an idea where I would create a island in the middle of the tank that comes right out of the water and can hold some mud for the roots to grow. I actually already built that island out of LR and an epoxy Just not sure yet if I want to keep mangroves again because of the intense light they need.

I think for lighting, I will use a single 250watt MH like I did before that is used like a spotlight angled across the length of the tank. I just have to find a way to house the huge MH socket and bulb. I wanted to use a regular lamp or desk lamp but I can't find one big enough that still looks real nice and can fit a MH socket. Any ideas here would be great too.

I love your water fall type idea. As long as it doesn't splash everywhere

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Actually to be completely honest, my brother came up with a lot of these ideas when we were talking about it last. He also had the names of certain types of crabs that would most likely climb out of the water from time to time to look for food. I forget the names though and finding them would be very hard I think. Plus my puffers would probably eat them.

The puffers limit a lot of things I would love to keep in this tank.

[Zoaelite]

If you covered the opening of your tube from the powerhead with liverock instead of pouring out you could have a "Trickle Effect" down the rocks. If the tank is that large I would go with atleast 2 250W but I would suspend them from the roof so that you have added splash onto your live plants. As far as rock out of the water goes I would use somthing like a cheap travertine or dry argonite. No use wasteing cash on $7.00 a pound live rock if its going to be out of the water.

[Zoaelite]

Also, just a tip if you have the chance for some added room behind and at the sides of the tanks find some cheep tropical creepers/ ferns (Fresh water plants) that have a similar leaf build to your macro/ mangroves and it will make the tank seem MUCH larger than it actually is. Another added benifit of this is those gross black cords coming off everything including your lights can be covered by natural more asteticly looking plants.
Levi

[ElGuappo]

i jusgt got a 120 gph pond pump for my newt tank yesterday. it cost 20 at summyside. i am planning on using this for a waterfall so i can get rid of the HOB filter as it creates to much current as the water level is 50%. there is nothing to it at all. the pump is submersable and the hose runs directly of that with the intakes in the bottom of the pump. the pump is about 1.5 in sq. ive seen water falls in ponds lots and always wondered if it was posible in a tank and i saw it in a pet shop yesterday and was instantly sold.

[Brighteyes_13]

all the ideas talked about on this thread have my head spinning creativity! sounds like it could be a fantastic setup.

i would see the only disadvantage of having a waterfall would be salt left from evaporation. if the water is trickling over the rockwork (especially under intense lighting) you will probably get quite a bit of evaporation from the hot rock. but if you could keep the rock cool enough, that would look incredibly awesome.

im sure you'd have many people envying your setup.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Yeah Im not so sure I will end up with any waterfalls. The idea is pretty cool but I want to try to create a really natural lagoon/shoreline type tank. In my old tank, a few of the rocks poked up out of the water a little bit and a powerhead was pointed right at them creating a cool kind of wave that would go up and over the rocks...I will probably do something like this again.

Im really still trying to figure out if the tank will be fine with no bracing with a water level of 14"...Anyone? If you did not read above, the tank is 72"x19"x18" tall with 3/8" glass but the water level would only be at 14"...

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Ok so this build is going way slower than I wanted and I still have no pictures

Its been very hard to make this tank work because its all about aesthetics and keeping things as simple and clean as possible. Unfortunately I have had to put a center brace across the top of the tank which for me really takes away from the overall look of the set up but oh well. Once the clamps come off in a day, I will take some pictures.

The other thing thats taking a long time to figure out is how to keep this thing low wattage. I am always pushing the "Go Green" thing on my family and friends yet I had an aquarium that just sucked up a ridiculous and wasteful amount of energy, so this time I am doing my best to make this a very low wattage set up.

So far Im at about 264 watts for everything including lighting (2x23 watt CF bulbs), Skimmer (40 watt Bubblemaster pump), Return pump (140 Watts), Powerheads (Koralia 20 watts), and my ozone is around 18 watts apparently. Im sure there will be a little more but I want to stay below 300. It will be nice to save the money too I guess I may have to go back to a single MH if my colt corals don't like the CF but I had a colt coral in my old fuge under only a 23 watt CF for about 6 months and the thing grew like a weed. Same with some mushrooms that somehow got into my fuge.

Pics soon!