150 gallon tank that i want to be saltwater

[Bschowa]

Hey everyone, so I found a 150 gallon oceanic tank on Craigslist for cheep And picked it up the other day and after some consideration I think I have decide I want to try my hand at saltwater and eventually a reef tank. I am going to take my time and drill the back for a coast to coast overflow into a sump while potentially in the future adding a 40b for a refugeium plumbed in series on the side of it. I guess to start I would like a list of things I will need immediately in order to start my cycle, I plan on a shallow sand bed with a bit of base rock and some live and letting it cycle with the tank while adding as I gain more funds. I have joined a brs group buy to get a 5 stage rodi filter in the next week.

So I guess my goal is to drill, buy a sump(not sure what size I have seen get as big as you can go) and start working on filling it with rodi.

Is there anything g else I will need within the cycling period?

 

[Bschowa]

Also I guess one of my biggest questions at this moment is what size bulkheads should I use on my tank? Does that depend on the size of the sump or is there a way to know just by the size of the tank?

 

[Phranque]

This is where extensive planning starts coming into play.....

First, you need to plan your DT turnover rate based on the skimmer you want to use. As far as your skimmer, you will typically want to go +1 on your tank size, so for a 150, you'll optimally want a skimmer rated for about 180-200g...... this is going to be a pretty large skimmer, footprint & expense wise (don't skimp $$ on your skimmer). If you're dead set on using the 40b as a sump, your probably going to want to go with an external recirculating skimmer to leave enough room for your refugium. A skimmer in this range is going to process about 750gph, so your looking at about a 5x turnover rate on your DT.... no point in circulating more water than your skimmer can process.
Now, to the return pump size that can handle that flow rate..... a mag 9.5 will move about 800gph with 4' of head pressure if your sump is directly below the tank. Again, I'd go +1 on the pump with a gate valve for tunability, which means a mag 12...... both use 3/4" plumbing, so that will be the bulkhead size for your return line(s).
As far as drain lines, I've found that a single 1" durso standpipe can handle about 350gph. If you're going with a pair of drains, I'd probably go with 1 1/2" lines.

Again, these measurements are based on an example of presumptions....you'll need to make your equipment decisions before moving forward.

 

[Bschowa]

Thanks for the information! I will look into skimmers and pumps right now, my plan was to have a seperate refugeium off to the left side of my display tank, so as for sump I am not sure what I will be using yet As for skimmers I have heArd a lot of good reviews about reef octopus so I was thinking of going with something from that line Perhaps the diablo dcs200? Would that work on my setup I'm thinking of either a 33 or 40 long for my sump depending on what I can find

 

[Phranque]

You're talking about a remote refugium, which is what I run..... That gives you a lot more room in your "mechanical" tank. I've got a 55 split into two chambers and a 29 as a remote 'fuge. With a 36" 40b split in half, that should give you plenty of room for a filter sock & internal skimmer like a Diablo DCS170 (13" x 9" footprint) in the return chamber for a few hundred $$ less. It's rated plenty for what you're looking at, and having it in the sump will save a lot of room as well as headache. If an external skimmer decides to go nuts & overfills the cup, you have a mess everywhere.... If an internal skimmer happens to overfill the cup, it'll just flow back into the sump.

 

[Bschowa]

Will that skimmer become an issue (too small) when this tank eventually becomes a reef? I would have around 210 gallons of water if my math is correct 150 display, 40, grow out/ refugium and 20 gallons or so of water in my sump?

 

[Phranque]

No, unless you plan on a really heavy fish stock. Base your +1 skimmer size on your DT, since that is where the bioload is produced..... Your sump tanks are not producing a bioload. Some will say there is no such thing as "over skimming", but I tend to disagree. If you have an overly large skimmer, it's harder to keep dialed in as well as one that is producing a continuous skimmate.

 

[Bschowa]

That sounds like a good skimmer for me then, Is a skimmer something that I will need right away or is that something that I can wait until a few weeks before I start adding fish My list so far of things to get right away are 5 stage rodi filter Refractometer Salt ( does this need to be quality salt for cycling or should I get cheep stuff)? 30 lbs of base rock ( slowly add as I get more money) 10 lbs of live rock Sand for the sand bed ( what kind is appropriate for this)

 

[Phranque]

You can put off the skimmer for a little while, but I'd get it as soon as possible to get it broke in..... usually takes 2 to 4 weeks of break in to get it operating properly.

You can go cheap salt for cycling..... you're going to be going through quite a bit. Between the initial fill, and the water change after cycle, you're talking over 400g right there. You can stick with the cheapest salt even for a FOWLR, but once you decide to start adding corals, that's when I'd recommend you start pwc's with higher quality.

I take it you realize you're going to need a lot more rock than 40lbs.... For reef, you're looking at wanting about 1.5lbs per gallon.

As far as sand, a couple/few inches of aragonite. Some people prefer bare-bottom, myself included..... IMO, much easier to keep clean and fewer nitrate issues.

 

[Bschowa]

Yea I will need a lot more but that isn't really in the budget right now so I will be adding as I go. I'm going to have to look into the bare bottom idea, I haven't really seen much about it

Is there a minimum amount of sand that you can put in? Like would I be able to put in about 1/4 inch in the bottom? I see potential problems with it blowing but that way I am able to take it out as well if I don't like it and I am hesitant of not putting egg crate in the bottom with that much rock in it

 

[Phranque]

Keep an eye on Craigslist.... Every once in a while you can catch a really good deal on rock from somebody tearing down their tank. Just remember, if your tank's already up & running, you'll want to cure it first.

If you're going to use eggcrate to stabilize your rock on, then I'd add an inch or two of sand. There are a couple different fineness grades.... I would recommend against the "sugar fine", but the coarser grade won't dust up unless you have a power head pointed right down into it. You'll get the initial cloudiness from adding it to the tank, but that usually settles out in a day or so.

 

[Bschowa]

With that skimmer would the overflow pipes still be the same size?

 

[Phranque]

You could probably go with 3/4" returns & twin 1" drains for that skimmer.....

If you plan on drilling a 150 on your own, hop on youtube & BRS and watch a few of the vids. It's nerve-wracking as heck the first time you do it, but it's actually really easy. The only thing I recommend is, for thicker glass like a 150, use a drill guide to keep the bit straight..... for the thinner glass tanks, drilling by hand-holding the drill is OK, but it's really easy to get a little crooked with thicker glass, which can cause the bulkhead to sit cock-eyed & not seal properly.

Something like this:

Wolfcraft 4525404 Drill Guide Attachment for 1/4-Inch or 3/8-Inch Drills - Amazon.com

 

[huma-huma]

Idk what this whole matching your turnover rate with your skimmer is (never heard of it) but i agree to go +1 on the skimmer. I just got a bubble magus curve 7 and i absolutely LOVE it!! Always run several drains on an overflow (some people have 3) that way if one clogs up or fails, youll have another to help slow the ensuing damage. Its hard to fathom spending several hundred dollars on a skimmer but this is def one area that money is VERY well spent. Youll see a direct reflection in performance compared to the money you spend.

 

[Bschowa]

Sorry to sound like a idiot but what does plus one mean? Like find the skimmer that would work for my tank and get the next one up?

 

[Phranque]

Exactly..... since you've got a 150, you want a skimmer rated for roughly 175 to 200 gallons.

 

[huma-huma]

The problem is that most skimmer manufacteures will give you a definitive gallon size that their skimmers are rated for, but in all actuality, theres about 3 sizes for each skimmer. For instance, if a skimmer is rated for 200g, that would be considered 200g with a light bioload, if you had a medium bioload, the skimmer may only be good for 150-180, if you have a heavy bioload, it may only handle 100-125g. So thats where people usually run into problems. As their fish mature and grow, the bioloa goes way up an the skimmer cant process it. This is where the +1 skimmer comes in handy

 

[Bschowa]

Well today was the day, I start my adventure into saltwater, there is no turning it into fresh anymore

I utilized the group buy and picked up a 5 stage rodi 150 gpd water saver and a glass bit from brs and picked up 3 1 inch bulkheads and 200lbs of instant ocean salt

I will practice drilling on the many spare 10 gallon tanks I have laying around and when I am comfortable I am going to start plumbing it in,

My next thing I need to plan is my overflow box , I have researched a lot and wonder how easy it is to attatch acrylic or plexiglass to glass I was also looking around and found someone who cut a piece of 4" PVC pipe lengthwise and used that. So I'm up to suggestions how did you guys get your overflows to stay? Superglue? Silicone?

I have also decided to go through the wall into another room to hide all of my equipment, can I come straight out of my bulkheads 8 inches then 90 down or do I have to 90 down right away?

 

[Phranque]

First off, congrats on the purchases and the beginning of your new adventure.

Next..... Do NOT practice your drilling on 10g tanks!!!!!!! The glass is tempered and will shatter!!! Many tanks have tempered bottoms and normal sides, but not 10g's.... they are all tempered panes.

For the overflows, you can use silicone to attach them...... Here's a video from BRS that covers both drilling the glass & attaching the overflow box. They also demonstrate the difference between the drill guide & hand drilling. For thicker glass, I mentioned earlier.... I highly recommend using a drill guide. Also, if you have someone who can help you by holding a garden hose to keep water flow directed across the drill bit while you work, the circle of plumbers putty is not necessary.
How To: Installing an internal aquarium overflow and drilling holes in glass aquariums - YouTube


You can come straight out of the tank, through the wall and down, but that may create a water dam restricting flow a bit. If you want to go through the wall straight out of the bulkhead, allowing you to flush your tank right up to the wall, I'd use a 45deg out of the bulkhead, angle the pipe down through the wall, and then another 45 once you're on the other side to take it down to the sump.
If you're going to do this, you need to know exactly where your tank is going to sit, and then check to see where the studs are in the wall...... it'd really suck if you happened to drill the tank only to find there's a stud right where you wanted to run the plumbing.

 

[Phranque]

OK.... here's why I'm kinda harping on the drill guide. I recently hand-drilled a tank with 3/8" thick glass, and happened to get a little crooked & didn't know it. I literally had about a millimeter or two of wiggle room for the stem of the bulkhead to fit straight through...... had I been any more off, the stem wouldn't have gone straight through the glass, which wouldn't have allowed the seal to sit flush against the inside face. This would've either allowed a leak at best, or could've cracked the glass when I tightened down the bulkhead........