Need some advice, thanks

[smoke20ster]

Originally Posted by Shipwreck

I would not use the fluidized bed and if you use the fluval keep it free of media and use it just for flow. A sump/fuge would be a better solution for both of these. As well make sure you have a good skimmer, a sump gives you the option of buying an in sump version and more choices.

For lighting I would go with T5's and not VHO. VHO is being phased out and will no longer be available in the near future. T5's are cheaper, more common and provide a better light output at less power (hence the reason they are going to be no longer produced).

As for your fish list your tank is no where near big enough to support any member of the tang family. The other fish on your list sound like a good choice for a 45.

An octopus tank sounds neat but do lots of reading before you jump into that world, their tank requirements and care is much different then regular stuff.

Good luck on your setup and feel free to ask lots of questions.

Ive seen the Refugium's...but I dont see what they actually do. As for a simple sump, Ive got a small bit of room under the tank(in the stand) but wouldnt a wet/dry be around the same lines?

Originally Posted by Shipwreck

Watts per gallon is no longer used in marine aquariums. More important is the spectrum of the lights and the PAR of the light. Normal output fluorescents, VHO and Power compacts are all old technology and I would not wast money on buying any fixtures for those. On a tank your size a T5HO fixture would work great or a MH if you really want, or if you have money a LED system.

Here is an example of the Sunlight Supply wave T5HO fixture (a cheaper fixture) and here is an example of a more expensive Tek fixture just to give you some ideas.

Yeah Ive even looked at those Tek light fixtures, and I was very impressed. Even seen a MH with 2 ho bulbs in a 370watt hood, was a generic china made fixture and wasnt ul listed, so I wasnt a big fan there...hate to see the house burn down :P

[Doug]

Welcome to Canreef



W/D,s are a bio filter, used to support high fish loads, where not enough live rock or other means of providing bio filtration are not used.

I agree with the hanging halide pendant for a tank of that shape & depth. Hanging it over the open top, allows of easy fan cooling and no overheating.

Purchase a good skimmer.

[digital-audiophile]

The sump is not really used in the wet/dry type application in SW. The main reasons to have a sump are :

Greater water volume = better water stability
A place to put a skimmer/heater/reactors
You can build in a refugium for to grow macro algae for nutrient export

Do you already have the tank/stand? or is it something you are looking at buying?

[smoke20ster]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

The sump is not really used in the wet/dry type application in SW. The main reasons to have a sump are :

Greater water volume = better water stability
A place to put a skimmer/heater/reactors
You can build in a refugium for to grow macro algae for nutrient export

Do you already have the tank/stand? or is it something you are looking at buying?

All ready have the stand that I built, and have the tank already..its the old style 45 tall from all glass aquariums (i think it was discontinued, and redesigned) not bad for 50 dollars, though.

So the sump would just be like another aquarium under the primary one?

[digital-audiophile]

Basically, yeah.

There are a few different designs, some people use a series of baffles to maintain water levels in the skimmer chamber and to control micro bubbles. A cool design though that I think I just got my head around (and I think I am going to swith to) has just one baffle in the middle just above the water line with a hole drilled in the lower part of the baffle with a ball valve.

If you have room for the sump it is something to look at, hwoever you would need to either drill you tank or look at a hang on overflow to move the water to the sump, and then a return pump plumbed in to return the water.

[smoke20ster]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

Basically, yeah.

There are a few different designs, some people use a series of baffles to maintain water levels in the skimmer chamber and to control micro bubbles. A cool design though that I think I just got my head around (and I think I am going to swith to) has just one baffle in the middle just above the water line with a hole drilled in the lower part of the baffle with a ball valve.

If you have room for the sump it is something to look at, hwoever you would need to either drill you tank or look at a hang on overflow to move the water to the sump, and then a return pump plumbed in to return the water.

Yeah drilling isnt a option for me...unless I go to a different aquarium, and use this 45 for the sump. Since noone in my home town drills glass I would haveto go with a HOB overflow box.

Thanks for all the help thus far guys/gals....greatly appreciated!

[Matt]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

A cool design though that I think I just got my head around (and I think I am going to swith to) has just one baffle in the middle just above the water line with a hole drilled in the lower part of the baffle with a ball valve.

Pictures? Links? I'm in the process of redesigning my sump.

[digital-audiophile]

There are some pictures of the ball valve sump design in Richards thread here http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37356

[Shipwreck]

A sump is primarily a holding tank for extra water, pumps, skimmer, heater, calcium reactors, sensor probes, autotop off and any other equipment that you don't want to see hanging in you main tank.

A fuge or refugium is a place to hold additional liverock, house a deep sand bed and grow macro algae (most common is Cheato). The purpose of this area is to add to the filtration of your system. The additional live rock provides more surface area for the beneficial bacterias to grow, as well as to give an area for pods (copepods, mysis, etc) to grow and breed with no preditors. A deep sand bed (optional) creates an area of low oxegen and denritification will occur. The macro algae is used to export excess nutrients. As the algae grows it takes up the same nutrients that the bad algae's use. You then remove a portion of the macro and dispose of it, thus removing these nutrients from the system.

[smoke20ster]

Old 12-14-2007, 05:08 PM #1
smoke20ster
squid

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 5

Some questions
OK, Ive talked to a few of you yesterday about this 45tall, after sitting down and loooking at the aquarium...and what I wanted to invision it to be.

Ive looked into a much larger aquarium. Going from a 45tall(25x18x25) to a 75tall(48x18x21). So what I wanted to know....hopefully a few others I talked to will remeber my other thread, Im also going with a "sump" as I was pointed in that direction.
Since its not glass, yes glasscages.com wont ship to Nebraska(for glass) and driving to Des Moines, IA is the closest they will ship to so I kind of get screwed, it was cheaper to go with glass in the same size....I hadto go with a acrylic, overflow built in "reef ready". Looking like around 500 shipped (tank, all the bulkheads, acrylic tops, and drilled, overflow, and finally a sump), unless someone has another source?

So, knowing that I will need 2 Hydor Koralia #4's, a skimmer(not sure what kind) and a 48" light (looking at a T5 or T6 with a possible MH or just all T5/T6 bulbs with lunar lights)

Does anyone have any suggestions concerning the tank, or what have you?