mattdean
Aquarium Advice Regular
Sooo, I have a beautiful 46 gallon bow front reef tank, however, I set it up without a sump or refugium and the glass is a bit scratched from my cichlid days. So, I was going to switch out the tank and have it drilled and a sump, yadda yadda yadda. Now, I have decided to move my recording studio/office down to my lower level TV room (which will require tearing down walls of my storage room and redoing most of the level) and do a peninsula 125 gallon long tank. I don't want to have any surprises (I know, I'm dreaming) so I want to make sure all my basis are covered. I hope to get a tank that is 6 long X 2 wide X 1.5 high. (I know it's more than 125, but I may down size it to 125, so for the sake of discussion I'll use that volume.
My questions are :
Will this size be more work or less work over time? Less frequent water changes? More stable? I know everything size has it's own challenges. I want to know what those challenges may be for a 125 gal.
I will have at least 130 pounds of live rock in it. I want to do 3 islands with canals between them. Lots of caves and holes. Should be nice. It is going to be a mixed reef with mostly softies, LPS.
Is moisture from the tank going to be an issue in my lower level TV Room. (Lowest floor of a 4 level back-slit house. So essentially, it's like a basement. Do I need to vent the heat and moisture outside? this would be a challenge as the outside walls near the tank go under a porch.
I have an Aqua Medic Turboflotor Multi SL Skimmer. Should be good enough - it's rated for up to 200 gallons. I plan on a 55 gal sump w/refugium. I can do a 75 gal sump but don't know if that is either necessary or wise. Suggestions? I also have an Ehiem Professional II canister filter. Can I easily make this a reactor of some sort without have to hook it on the side of the tank> I was told i couldn't just put it on the sump because it needed to be BELOW the tank it is filtering. Is this accurate?
I think I will need to build a canopy - not my idea of fun, but. I don't like the idea of a light on a stand. It will ruin the look. The stand will match the walls in the room so I will match the plaster of the walls to the canopy. It will have 6 5 foot T5's. 2 Blue 22K, 2 Fiji Purple, 2 17K Duo whites. My biggest concern is accessibility to the tank for maintenance and cleaning, etc.
I plan on have 2 corner overflows and 3 drilled holes in the bottom for water flow. One in the middle high up with two spouts facing opposite each other and 2 same way only lower and more near the corners.
Is this ideal?
Obviously I will do the build and plumbing, etc. Since this is on the bottom floor I need to keep everything contained underneath the tank. Anything I should be wary of? Things to watch for, shy away from?
I also want to keep this as quiet as possible, since it is essentially in my recording studio. I will have heavy drapes that I will pull across when recording vocals, but it is also my TV room and hate anything messing up my theatre sound
So, any tricks? tips? I will probably have to pony up for a more expensive pump to keep it quiet, but anything that helps os good to know.
Any other tips are welcome and appreciated. I will start a build thread once i get going. May be a few months before I get the room ready for it/
Obviously, everything from my current setup will go in the new tank. Here's a shot of my current tank.
My questions are :
Will this size be more work or less work over time? Less frequent water changes? More stable? I know everything size has it's own challenges. I want to know what those challenges may be for a 125 gal.
I will have at least 130 pounds of live rock in it. I want to do 3 islands with canals between them. Lots of caves and holes. Should be nice. It is going to be a mixed reef with mostly softies, LPS.
Is moisture from the tank going to be an issue in my lower level TV Room. (Lowest floor of a 4 level back-slit house. So essentially, it's like a basement. Do I need to vent the heat and moisture outside? this would be a challenge as the outside walls near the tank go under a porch.
I have an Aqua Medic Turboflotor Multi SL Skimmer. Should be good enough - it's rated for up to 200 gallons. I plan on a 55 gal sump w/refugium. I can do a 75 gal sump but don't know if that is either necessary or wise. Suggestions? I also have an Ehiem Professional II canister filter. Can I easily make this a reactor of some sort without have to hook it on the side of the tank> I was told i couldn't just put it on the sump because it needed to be BELOW the tank it is filtering. Is this accurate?
I think I will need to build a canopy - not my idea of fun, but. I don't like the idea of a light on a stand. It will ruin the look. The stand will match the walls in the room so I will match the plaster of the walls to the canopy. It will have 6 5 foot T5's. 2 Blue 22K, 2 Fiji Purple, 2 17K Duo whites. My biggest concern is accessibility to the tank for maintenance and cleaning, etc.
I plan on have 2 corner overflows and 3 drilled holes in the bottom for water flow. One in the middle high up with two spouts facing opposite each other and 2 same way only lower and more near the corners.
Is this ideal?
Obviously I will do the build and plumbing, etc. Since this is on the bottom floor I need to keep everything contained underneath the tank. Anything I should be wary of? Things to watch for, shy away from?
I also want to keep this as quiet as possible, since it is essentially in my recording studio. I will have heavy drapes that I will pull across when recording vocals, but it is also my TV room and hate anything messing up my theatre sound
So, any tricks? tips? I will probably have to pony up for a more expensive pump to keep it quiet, but anything that helps os good to know.Any other tips are welcome and appreciated. I will start a build thread once i get going. May be a few months before I get the room ready for it/
Obviously, everything from my current setup will go in the new tank. Here's a shot of my current tank.
