Future frag room set up help

[kuatto]

Have decided to set up a room of tanks dedicated solely for frags and need a little help with the layout.There will be 2 possably 3 racks with 4 tanks on each rack.I was thinking of running either NO or VHO(24 inch bulbs).If I was to run 3 over each tank,would I need a ballasts for each tank or could I use fewer ballasts(just bigger).I'm just trying to wrap my mind around the idea of how things should be set up.
The frag tanks would be mostly zoos,rics and other softies.

[TheReefGeek]

I am thinking of doing somethign similar. I was looking at 48" NO, 1 actinic and 1 10K over each, just using regular T12 fixtures.

[mr_alberta]

Are you making these tanks a custom size or anything Jim? You might be able to get away with even N.O. lights if the tanks are shallow enough. Or you could get about 3 or 4 WH8 ballasts and run 2VHO bulbs/tank.

[kuatto]

I would like to have them made shallow if I could find a place locally to make them.Have them all drilled and maybe do some kind of closed loop for each rack of tanks with an in-line filter system?(not sure if that would work or not)

[Beermaster]

Why not just make some custom acylic tanks?

[mr_alberta]

That's what I would do as well. Get some 24x18x9 tanks made up. 4 stacked on top of each other, each tank draining into the tank below it and finally into a common sump where you can put your filter socks, heaters, UV, whatever and all run on one pump (like a Mag 18 depending on height of the rack).

[kuatto]

If I can find a place that would do all the tanks I need for a fair price,I would definitly go acrylic(easier to drill)

[Beermaster]

Jim, why not try making them yourself, could be a fun project?

[mr_alberta]

Jim,

With all your glass cutting/tank making experience, you may just find it easier to get 1/4" glass and make the tanks yourself. You could look at Architectural Clearing House that sells recycled glass for a cheaper source of glass.

[Dez]

Or you could have Dez make 'em for you :)

And Harvey to drill em....

[mr_alberta]

Or that :lol: :mrgreen: :razz:

[kuatto]

Been there and seen what they have for glass,but I have no real work spce to start cutting glass.Thought about having everything cut and just assemble them myself.I like the idea of using acrylic.

[kuatto]

Or you could have Dez make 'em for you :)

And Harvey to drill em....
Hey!! sounds like a great idea!

[Denis]

I would stay away from acrylic. I have fish room with 4 tanks, one is home made 1/4" acrylic. I hate to clean this one the most. Go with 14" to 16" depth as anything less is realy hard to move water around without blasting some corals too hard.

[Denis]

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/fishroom.jpg

Old picture, bottom right tank has been cleaned up and is BB.

[TheReefGeek]

Denis, what lights are you running on those tanks?

[kuatto]

Nice fish room,was also wondering what lights you are running? I've been going cazy trying to figure out how I can get the most use out of the small room,and how many lights and pumps,and heaters,and.........:( (good thing I'm already bald,:) )

[Denis]

The top two tanks share dual VHO ballast with Actinics plus two NO daylights from Home Depot on each. Bottom left just has 2 shop lights with 2 daylights and 2 03 Actinics. I'll be replacing this fixtures soon with waterproof sockets, just like the ones above. Last tank (bottom right) has 4 VHOs on IC660.
My logic behind the upper setup is that I reuse VHO actinics from my main reef upstairs and the daylights are cheap. Ultimately I'll replace dual VHO ballast with IC660 and share it among all 4 tanks. All bulbs are 4'.
Bottom right tank is 53"x35"x20", but will be replaced by 48"x24"x16" just like the others. For circulation from the sump I run Ampmaster 3000. This is completely separate system from my main reef system. Room was prewired for all the outlets (4 circuits), I hate extension cords and power bars.
Hope this helps.