Looking for feedback

[tjp123]

Hi everyone, first time poster here. After a 4-year hiatus, I'm looking to get back into reefing again. Before, I had a 55 gallon reef tank with insufficient lighting, so I only raised a few soft corals. This time I'm looking to start a 90 gallon reef tank with LPS, SPS, and possibly even a clam if my lighting can swing it.

I've been doing research for the past few months and haven't bought a thing. I want to do this right, so I'm taking things SLOW and STEADY. So far my resources have included the internet (including this forum), the friendly folks at my LFS here in Jacksonville, and The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner (which I highly recommend!).

Okay, that's my intro. Now for my questions. After talking with the guys at my LFS, I've come up with the following Wish List for my future tank. Please look over this list and let me knw if you think I'm on the right track. Also, please let me know if I've missed anything crucial.

Tank & Stand - 90 gallon (48x18x25) reef ready glass tank with custom stand and canopy. Lights will be mounted in canopy hood. Price quoted was $289 for the tank and $500 for the stand.

Lighting - My LFS suggested metal halides: two 250W 14k bulbs to be mounted in the hood, with the remote ballasts tucked inside the stand below the tank. Will this be enough light? Their in-store 120 gallon tank had the same setup and everything was thriving quite nicely. They quoted me a price of $500 for both fixtures, which includes the reflector, ballast, and 14k bulbs. Does that sound fair to you?

I was worried about overheating the tank, but the guys at my LFS said that wouldn't happen as long as we keep our AC at around 72-74 degrees, which we do. What do you think?

Lunar lights - I also want to add separate lunar lights, but I'm not sure what to get. Any suggestions?

Filtration - My LFS offered to custom design a refugium sump for me, using a used 40 gallon acrylic wet/dry sump. Basically, they're going to remove the bio balls and add some baffles to create a place for the refugium and skimmer, and then mount a small flourescent light fixture. This will all go in the stand below the tank. They want to charge me $200 for this ($150 plus $50 labor). Does that sound fair? I priced other refugiums and it looked ok to me. Also plan to have at least 100 lbs of live rock for filtration.

Skimmer - I think I've settled on the Coralife 220 Super Skimmer.

Pump & Powerheads - I'm looking at the Mag Drive 9.5, and two Koralia Pump 2 powerheads for inside the tank. Is that overkill?


That's all the "major" stuff. Here's my list of other items I plan to pick up:

• 150W heater
• 120 lbs of live sand
• Tap water filter
• Test kit
• Salt
• Buckets, including a trash can container - all strictly for the tank
• Extra hoses and plumbing fixtures

OK, that's my Wish List. What have I missed? And, more importantly, what do you think?

Thanks for your time!

Tom

[crvz]

Welcome aboard! First, before you buy anything from the LFS, check their prices against those online (places like www.premiumaquatics.com, www.marinedepot.com, and there are plenty of others). The price on the MH setup seems decent, as long as it's a good reflector. Those can affect the price pretty quickly.

Temp should be ok, definitely something I would find out about before putting money into it (with a chiller or something). If it's a bit high, some fans blowing on the water can do wonders.

There are plenty of cheap lunar lights to get, it just takes a lower power LED. Somewhere in the $20 range for a couple blue LEDs is what I'd expect.

The sump price seems pretty good, too. I've built my own acrylic sumps, and material costs are in the $100 range or so, but what they recommend seems decent. Not sure how it will end up, but it could be a good deal.

Pump wise, that definitely won't be overkill. The 9.5 is a good size for the return, and you may even find you want more flow in the tank than just that plus the korallias.

So that doesnt cover everything, but it's a start! What do you plan on keeping in this tank? That can influence decisions!

[hng]

Welcome to TRT!

My first question is, how comfortable are you with DIY stuff? You could save a tremoundous amount of money by doing a few thing yourself - like the stand, canopy, lights, and sump. If it were me, I'd stay away from the coralife skimmer, it's OK for a beginner skimmer, but it's really not powerful enough for the size tank you are planning. I'd recommend you look into an Octopus skimmer - their line of skimmers are arguably the best value out there for powerful skimmers (and it's less expensive than the coralife!). For lights, a tank that size would do very well with T5HO lights, which will also use less energy and transfer less heat to the tank than halides. Halides will also work well, but you are right about the heat issues being a concern. A tap water filter is a good deal for a small system, but for a large tank, it will quickly become a money pit - you will do much better off getting an ro/di filter.

[tjp123]

Thanks for the quick responses!

crvz - I'm still deciding how I want to stock the tank. I know I want a decent assortment of soft corals, and a few LPS and SPS. I would also like a nice clam if the tank can handle it. Fish-wise, I'm not too picky. Anything that is attractive and/or interesting to watch that can live happy and harmoniously in my tank would be great. Right now, my fiance said she wants a true perc and an anemone. She mentioned wanted a yellow tang, but I'm pretty sure the 90 gallon is too small for such a fiesty fish.

Your post has me thinking of adding one or two cooling fans to the set-up. Any brand/model suggestions?

hng - I'm not much of a DIYer. I may try to tackle the sump refugium, but I certainly don't trust my carpentry skills with building a stand. I'm interested in your Octopus Skimmer idea. Can you recommend a specific model for me?

I originally had decided on a T5 fixture - a 6-lamp "complete" fixture - but the guy at my LFS said halides would be my best bang for the buck. The complete T5 set I wanted cost just under $1000, while my LFS quoted a price of $500 for the 2-250W halides. I'm open to other options, but still leaning toward those halides...along with one or two cooling fans! I'm also going to look into an ro/di filter for the tap water.

I'm not in any rush at all. Like I said, I am patient and I want to do this right. I will likely begin buying equipment bit by bit pretty soon, but I don't expect to begin actual setup until next May or June.

Thanks again for the help!

[crvz]

Wow, that's really expensive for a 6 bulb setup.This one is complete, a great unit, and would be under $500 shipped I'm sure. Consider it, as it will use less power than the MH setup, the bulbs last longer (from 50% to 100% longer), and it's easier to cool (less heat out of that setup).

Lots of fan options, anywhere from a $4 computer fan to a $25 clip on. I actually prefer the latter, as it's much more reliable and quiet for the amount of air they push, but sometimes they're too big for the application. This one is what I've been using for a long time, but you can find similar stuff at walmart and other stores.

[crvz]

Forgot about RO/DI, I'd get a 2-3 stage setup with a DI cartridge, should be in the $150 range. Check out www.buckeyefieldsupply.com, I've used them a number of times and they've been very helpful. I like this unit.

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/sh...ry=167&Sub=166

[tjp123]

Originally Posted by crvz

Wow, that's really expensive for a 6 bulb setup.This one is complete, a great unit, and would be under $500 shipped I'm sure. Consider it, as it will use less power than the MH setup, the bulbs last longer (from 50% to 100% longer), and it's easier to cool (less heat out of that setup).

No kidding! This is the fixture I originally had my eye on. It's a beast. After looking at that price tag I think you can understand how a $500 halide set-up would get my attention. But I'll definitely take a comparable T5 unit over the halides if the price is right.

By the way, your link sent me to a forum string about a stand. Did you mean to point me toward a light fixture?

[tjp123]

Originally Posted by crvz

Forgot about RO/DI, I'd get a 2-3 stage setup with a DI cartridge, should be in the $150 range. Check out www.buckeyefieldsupply.com, I've used them a number of times and they've been very helpful. I like this unit.

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/sh...ry=167&Sub=166

Obviously, I need to read up on RO/DIs. I know next nothing about them other than they purify water. I'll definitely check out your suggestion - thanks!

[crvz]

Originally Posted by tjp123

By the way, your link sent me to a forum string about a stand. Did you mean to point me toward a light fixture?

Indeed I did, must have not copied it as I thought. Here's the link!

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...unlight_Supply

[Loverotties]

Not a bad price Chris!Also looking at RO/DI units,try e-bay.Alot of people get ones from their.

[tjp123]

Originally Posted by crvz

Indeed I did, must have not copied it as I thought. Here's the link!

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...unlight_Supply

Wow! And the 8-bulb set is only $530! Nice find - thank you!

Can that thing be mounted to my hood? Or would you suggest using the riser brackets (legs) and mount it right on top of the tank? I'm not really keen on hanging it.

Also, if I went with the 8-bulb fixure, what bulb types would you suggest? I want to be able to do a good assortment of soft corals, some SPS, LPS, and a clam or two.

[crvz]

Reefgeek is an excellent source for lighting and other dry goods, so use them with confidence. Great prices and customer service in my experience.

For bulbs, it's hard to tell. I used these PAR comparisons to choose bulbs. I personally don't like any of the sun pro, daylight, aqua sun colors, as I find they're way too yellow. Keep it in the whites and blues if you don't want a yellow tank. to me, more aesthetically pleasing. Of course those readings are just a comparison based on a set of standards, your actual readings would be different, but it's useful to get a basis for selecting a bulb. Scroll down to about the middle of that page to see the UVL ratings too.

[tjp123]

Hmm, looking at the Sunlight Supply T5s brings a few more questions to mind. The 8-lamp fixture is 47 x 20 x 2.5. Will that be too large for my 90 gallon tank (48 x 18 x 25)? Should I stick with the 6-lamp fixture which is 47 x 16 x 2.5, and will it be enough light to keep soft corals, sps, and lps thriving and happy?