Advice needed for a 110g FOWLR and some corals

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Update

I bought more LR yesterday. A LFS had just gotten a shipment in of really nice Tonga LR and I had to buy a couple pieces. Pricey as they were. I removed a piece of BR that I was going to use as my center piece and used a REALLY NICE piece of LR. I filled up the tank till it started to fill the overflows and checked for leaks. NONE found. Well I shouldn't say none I'm getting some leakage/seepage from where my standpipe goes into the bulkhead but that doesn't really count. I did the rough plumbing for the pump also. Pics to follow after work. I think I have to much LR though. I'm within my 165lb (110x1.5)limit though.
 
I finished my plumbing yesterday. I don't like it so much but it will have to do for now.I filled it up some more and turned on the reeflo. Man can this pump move water! I got two tiny leaks on the suction and discharge of the pump. Tiny since it takes about a good 30 minutes for the water to fall onto the cabinet. I'll have to shut it down, break the unions, and reapply teflon tape. Any idea how I can quite down the water falling into the sump? I was thinking about adding 1" pieces of pipe so the water doesn't fall in i.e. submerge the pipe under the waterline in the sump.
 
The noise sounds like it's coming from the sump. I'll check it again later. thanks for the link.
 
ok. Should I go with 2 250watt MH's or 3 175 watt MH's? So far I have 0 ammonia, 2.0 nitrite and 20 nitrates.
 
If this is a 4' tank I would say the 250s would be good. Getting 3 175s over a 4' tank can be tough and with the center brace you would lose a lot of light from the center bulb.
 
Would you recommend electronic ballasts or regular ballasts? I can get a retro kit on ebay for $155. It includes the reflector, and electronic ARO ballast.
 
For me, electonic is the way to go. Low noise and better more efficent.
 
I picked up the reflectors and lights from hellolights. I'm still shopping around for the t5's. I didn't get the ballasts for the MH since I was waiting to see what advice I got from here. I'm thinking Icecaps but I'm still undecided. Any other brands that I should have a look at?
 
Icecaps are top of the line. Also check out 1000bulbs.com they carry some different brands that might work. I picked up a workhorse7 to repair a bad ballast on one of my t5's and i'm very happy with it.
TC
 
pics as promised

It looks like I have to much LR but when I add up the amount that I bought I'm still under by 20-30 lbs of my 165 lb limit(110x1.5 lbs). I purchased my MH reflectors from Hellolights. I'm shopping around for my Actinics and my MH ballasts. I'll most likely go with Icecap ballasts. That will have to wait until next payday. I just did a water test and my #'s are: ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 40, SG 1.023, and ph 8.2-4. It was hard to tell about the ph with the test strip that I used. I used my back up Salifert ph test kit and it looked like it was 7.7. My API test kit showed 7.8. I'll have to do a PC to bring down the Nitrates and bring up the PH. Oh and to boot my Vortech's showed up while I was typing this.:D
 

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Looks like you got some very porous rock that is very light. Great stuff. Should give you good filtering and such...
 
The last 45 lbs I got at a LFS although I said I wasn't. I wanted to get all my LR online. But I couldn't pass up some of the nicer pieces that they had. Now I just need to sell some of my RC heli crap to pay for my 60" actinics and Icecap ballasts.:)
 
My MH Icecap ballasts and Icecap 430 w/ T5's should be here by Friday. I can't wait to get the canopy made up and lights set up. Where is everyone keeping their ballasts? Underneath in the stand or else where? Man those Vortechs do create some undertow!!! I have a big empty spot in the middle of the tank from them shifting my sand bed. Does anyone know to make paneled doors? I would like to make the doors on the canopy match the stand.
 
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