240 Planning Stages

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Der_Iron_Chef

Do you already have an RO/DI unit?
Also, you might consider getting another phosban reactor and actively running carbon in it. I think it's the best way...but that's just my opinion!

Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor 150 Pro Package

This package comes with two reactors and the Maxi-jet 400 plus plumbing for it. Quite handy to order it all as a package.

[michika]

A Calcium reactor maintains alkalinity, and a Kalk. reactor maintains calcium. Running both allows you to maintain steady dKH, and Ca levels, which helps a lot in maintaining color, growth, and strength in SPS, LPS, and clams.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by michika

A Calcium reactor maintains alkalinity, and a Kalk. reactor maintains calcium. Running both allows you to maintain steady dKH, and Ca levels, which helps a lot in maintaining color, growth, and strength in SPS, LPS, and clams.

Thanks for the info, I must have read a improper descritption or just plain misunderstood it. More likly me misundertanding

[Skimmerking]

Originally Posted by michika

A Calcium reactor maintains alkalinity, and a Kalk. reactor maintains calcium. Running both allows you to maintain steady dKH, and Ca levels, which helps a lot in maintaining color, growth, and strength in SPS, LPS, and clams.

With that being said a calcuim Reactor will also maintain proper levels of Magnesuim in the 1350 range too. but will lower your Ph and that is why they use a Kalk reactor,..

[Joe Reefer]

If you are planning a renovation and not just the tank to go in the room, I would consider finding a better place to have the tank.... so maybe you could build a closet or room behind the tank, or maybe a sump in the basement. Access from the rear will make maintenance much easier and you won't have to worry about having another place to mix water and keep all the misc. aquarium junk that your going to need from time to time.

[mark]

Flow from a Dart for a the return might be a lot your sump.

If going CL, as mentioned, consider something for water motion (eg. OM 4-way and there's one FS here). As for CL themselves, I'm running one with a Dart and happy with it, but might want to read through this thread by Niloc16. Has a nice well thought out tank but noise ended up being an issue with the CL. My tank is in my family room and though don't even think of pump noise during the day (TV, kids etc) it is noticeable at night when everyones in bed and I want to read a book by the tank.

Salt, 1 bucket isn't going to last long.

Joe Reefer's comment is something to seriously consider. Having a fishroom behind or even a basement sump eases maintenance like you wouldn't believe.

Also, hope you've had a chance to visit people with large tanks. As much research I did when planning and running a 75g, to actually see peoples setups helps a lot.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Joe Reefer

If you are planning a renovation and not just the tank to go in the room, I would consider finding a better place to have the tank.... so maybe you could build a closet or room behind the tank, or maybe a sump in the basement. Access from the rear will make maintenance much easier and you won't have to worry about having another place to mix water and keep all the misc. aquarium junk that your going to need from time to time.

As much as I would like a separate room for all the equipment and maintenance it just isn't going to happen. The 8' tank will rest on a 23' foot stand, so I have 23' feet of storage under the tank and a 2'x2'x8' high dead space on the opposite end for larger items like the skimmer. This will be hidden by a false cabinet front that will be removable. There is water and a drain available in close proximity and it's on an outside wall in my basement rec room. So being in the basement rules out a lower level for a fish room.


While I haven't seen any large tanks in person I have been reading up for the better part of a year and I still have a lot to learn, hence the need for this post. I'm taking all suggestions seriously.

[Ruth]

If you are going to count on a closed loop for your in tank flow I definately recommend an ocean motions type of device - either 4 or 8 way and a large external pump such as a Hammerhead to drive it.
I also concur with looking at running 4 MH over your tank and using a luminarc type of reflector.
And of course, with a tank that large you are also going to have a substantial cash outlay for live rock and live stock.
Another consideration you may want to look at is a chiller. With all the $$$ laid out in your equipment and livestock it would be a shame to have a heat issue with your tank that causes you loose it all (like I did last summer ).
As you have indicated that the tank will not be accessible from the back you may want to also look at some type of device to raise and lower your lights for easier access to the tank.
A good person to pm is probably Superfudge as he is a master at this sort of thing.
Good luck and please post a thread outlining your progress.

[Parker]

I'm thinking / hoping I won't need a chiller. My tank will be in the basement which stays pretty cool through out the year. With my existing tanks my heaters run pretty hard to keep the temps up. With that said I'll have to wait and see when things are up and running, who knows how much heat 3 pumps and 4 MH's will generate.

I have approx 75 - 80 lbs of live rock now and will be using base rock the rest of the way.

I have a lot of time to make changes & substatutions, the tank will be the last thing completed. I can't imagine it going well if the tank was up before the kitchen was completed!

[niloc16]

i would go with 2 300w jager heater or 2 250w jager heaters. personally i would say do not go with the CL. i had one for a month and took it off because of noise. i ended up going with tunzes and wavyseas which is a 1000 times better flow IMO. for an 8 ft tank i would think of going with 4 MH. my tank is 7 ft and i run 3 lumen max 400W and having them spread out evenly i'm getting a little bit of shadows at the top, so with an extra foot the 4th MH would be good. what is the reason for the back not being accessible? is it just against a wall? if that is the reason i would strongly suggest leaving it away from the wall about 8" or so because there will always be something fall behind there and if there is NO room for you to reach in, well you get the point. sound like youre doing alot of planning though which is good