HELP it's a GOOD thing

Blue · 10-02-2005, 09:53 PM

Ok well i think i picked the right women LOL we are getting married in july but anway we went to the LFS yesterday and she started saying i want that fish and that coral and had to explain i couldnt have the fish cause the tank wasnt big enough. So she said get a bigger tank. I was like what. So we got to looking and i decided to wait untill we get a house in like six month gives me some time to plan. Now the fun part we picked out the tank's we liked yes tanks as in two because she want's some fish that wont go in a reef so that means more fun fun for me. She wanted the 155 bow but i was like thats kind small so i got her off the whole but front thing thank god. Now we decided on the 215 Oceanic but iwas thinking maybe going acrylic instead so its going to be around 200-250 gallons. Now i need help as to what to do with TWO 200 gallon tanks. Theres isnt going to be any SPS just dont like them So softies and LPS in one and fish only on the other tank. So give me ideas on equipment for these bad boys im still looking around on what i want aswell but i know i have to do it for a reasonable amount of money cause i dont have gobs of it so let me have yalls input. Oh hopefully im gonna put the tanks in the wall with a fish-room behind them that our plan sofar this is so much easier when u have someone helping and not complaning haha. Well give me ur ideas guys.

Nathan

Loverotties · 10-02-2005, 10:18 PM

Congrads!Just if you do put it in the wall put a piece of Lexan in front of tank to protect it.

DSB · 10-02-2005, 10:41 PM

Build a new house, around the tanks.

Blue · 10-03-2005, 12:04 AM

Ok, first would the lexan reduce visability? Also that was the first thought build a new house around the tanks but when you get offerd a house u can deny it. It was one of my fathers old rental propertys and is paid for. So why not just a little remodeling

Anyways thats why its gonna be awhile befor we move in cause we are going to redo the house befor we move in. Now i have a couple of options the first being put both tanks on a huge wall and the garage is behind this wall so i could close in a small portion of the garage to make the tank room but the prob with that is then there is no room in the living room for my big screen gott have that and second i love working on cars so my garage is important to me. The seconed option is to put the tanks in the wall one in the entry way to the right and the other around the corner and theres a room behind thereand we could make that in to the tank room. but the prob i see with this is the house is three befrooms and that means there would be no spare room because we have a 3 month old daughter. So the garage is looking like a better option but how would it look with both tanks next to each other? The only other option would be not put them in the wall then i could put them other places in the house. what do yall think. Im thinking garage and then i can add on to the garage later for my cars.

Nathan

skeety · 10-03-2005, 06:54 AM

you know...it's kind of funny. me and my wife-to-be was just talking about this last night. We want both as well. Reef and a FOWLR.

We were talking about building two independent systems that were "intertwined".

Having maybe three tanks...next to each other. The two outside tanks being FOWLR and connected to their own sump/etc. And the middle tank would be a reef on it's own sump/refugium/etc.

And then we started to get crazy, and we were even wondering about running tubes between the two tanks, or somehow making the fish from the FOWLR able to swim through the reef tank. Maybe a C shaped tank that wrapped the reef tank somehow. I think tubes are a bad way to go, as they'd be hard to keep clean (algae/etc)., but if they were more boxed...hallway's, if you will...we think that would be pretty interesting.

Just thought I'd share our pipe dream with ya'!

Blue · 10-03-2005, 03:59 PM

Thanks for the ideas. i have a few ideas myself i will post my plans later. Need a nap now

Nathan

Blue · 10-03-2005, 05:42 PM

Well so much for me planing i woke up from my nap and well it looks like my wife to be is an impulse buyer. We wont over to the house to see how things are going with the remodel and well she bought the two tank we had looked at yerterday and my dad was there with them in his truck so i guess the tank size is finale thank god she got the drilled tanks LOL so i am the proud owner of twon new oceanic 215 gallon tank thats a total of 430 gallons WOW anyways just thought id update. Ill tell yall my plan soon enough.

Nathan

Cosine · 10-03-2005, 06:02 PM

that is still cool
lots of other stuff to plan aside from the aquarium itself

so is the FOWLR going to be a pred tank??

Blue · 10-03-2005, 06:21 PM

Yeah it's still cool kinda makes it easier knowing the size of tank. Ummm asfar as the FOWLR goes im not sure whats going inside it yet i do know i dont want much LR maybe like a "mountain" on each side not much at all so im planing on adding a wet/dry filter on this tank i Know what everyone is going to say but ive done it this way befor and been succesfull. Asfor the reef goes i dont want to use another tank for the sump so im looking for a nice sump to use. I dont plan on refugiume but that might change im not sure. I have a aquamedic turboflotor skimmer thinking about using it not sure though thought on maybe getting three more of them and then using two per tank not sure though. Some how im going to put a close loop on the reef but dont want to drill any more holes in the tank so not sure on that yet. The lighting for the reef since its going to be LPS and softies im thinking of doing 250 watt halides with PC actinics. THe FO will just have NO lighting i know theres alot more but im still working on a sketch and a list that ill hopfully will post later tonight.

Thanks,
Nathan

tims · 10-03-2005, 07:29 PM

WoW nathan..
not sure weather to say congrats or

.... j/k congrats

well if you are going to think about the in the wall, check to make sure it is or is not a load bearing wall. also braceing for it. that is going ot be a lot of weight for just one with out a sump! my 120 with sump is pushing close to 1300 LBS and that is jusy water...
take a look at this article here on TRT, i kow you are past most of it but it does have some calucators you might want to use.
since you are thinking of re modeling the house, why not expand the garage a little , if one tank in in the wall, perhaps a smaller fish room in the garrage would be easier.
i think you are going to have a lot of fun with this...
you might want to check with home owners insurance while you are at it.. tanks that big may or may not have an effect on your policy....

as far as your lighting, think about VHO too.. even on the FOWLR tank, if you have it now .. then when you do decide to go corals your already are there...
ofcourse you need to give us lots of pictures and the lay out of where your tanks are going!
this is going to be a great build thread!!!!!
oh.... since you have some time on your hands before you start the house.. why not make two skimmers now? a total DIY.
so wheressss the picsssssssss

Blue · 10-04-2005, 12:26 AM

Heres my shopping list tell me what you think

215 REEF

- 75 gallon sump
-Deltec APF600 Skimmer
-Panworld 100PX Return Pump
-Panworld 100PXX Closed Loop pump
-2 250 Watt Heater (Brand?)
-4 SE 250watt 10K halides
-8 24Watt Power Compac Actinics
Link to pendant http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...=Pendantshells

Whta else do i need for this tank?

215 FOWLITTLER

-ProClear Wet/Dry (I know but i dont want much rock)
-2 Aquamedic TurboFlotor 1000's
-Curren USA Orbit 6x96Watt powercompac Fixture
-2 250 Watt Heaters
-PanWorld 100PX Return Pump

Anything else i need? Please Everyone please put in your imput im not sure if going to run a refugium or not on either tank. Also does the flow on the reef tank look Ok im not doing SPS so i think it should be fine. Please give me your input on these tanks i think there going to be great I want to keep them simple and easy not to much equipment if at all possible.

Thanks,
Nathan

skeety · 10-04-2005, 07:40 AM

not saying you shouldn't...but just asking:

Why such a big sump? Point of the sump is mainly to add some water volume yes, but more importantly, to hide stuff. How much stuff you gonna put down there?

just asking.

Also, might want to get one more heater. I forget the formula, but 500 (2x250) watts doesn't seem like enough.

Everything else sounds good!

You decide what substrate(s) you're going with for each tank? And you're gonna need lots of LR, eh? hahahaha

And for the LOVE of god, where the heck are the pics???

skeety · 10-04-2005, 07:41 AM

btw...NICE choice on the skimmer!!!

Melissa · 10-04-2005, 10:01 AM

Wow - two huge tanks - sounds like you're going to be having a great time setting them up! One idea I have:
Since you don't want much live rock in the display on the FOWLR, you could always add most of the LR in the sump. That would still allow you to have the filtration of the LR, but not have it mangling up the display. It's always nice to have extra rock. Then you won't have to have the wet/dry. Just an idea.

Superman · 10-04-2005, 10:51 AM

Are the two systems going to be plumbed together at all? You could save some $$ on the skimmer by going with an ASM skimmer on the reef tank, I would go with an ASM G4X on a tank of that size. I would ditch the panworlds (personally) and would go with sequence pumps, much more efficient and add less heat to the water.