James has finally contacted me on the possible rebuilding of my 240 SPS tank!

[Old Man Of The Sea]

The email he sent me:

In regards to the closed system option – I do not think that with the combination of animals that you want to house together it would be a wise or ease undertaking.

The lights that I am proposing for your eel/reef aquarium would include 4x t-5 54 watt actinic lights on the outside edges and 2x 250 watt metal halides with 10k bulbs in the inside areas. This would provide the eels with areas that are a little less lit up, and the corals with the light they need to thrive. The t-5’s would have IceCap ballasts, and waterproof end caps.

The protein skimmer that I got for your aquarium is a Kent Marine Nautilus Ex unit with a Little Giant inline pump, type U62. This combination will provide you with great skimming. The skimmer will be placed on the outside and a bulkhead will connect the two. The issue of the return pump is an interesting issue. I propose using 1 Quiet 1 model 4400 HH pump for the far side, and a Quiet 1 model 3000 for the near side. That brings the return rate at around 1800 GPH.

We should bury the PVC, 4” diameter pieces to create two separate buried lairs for the eels, and we can stack the live rock over it to provide the corals with placement areas. It will be much easier to do it now.

For ventilation in the canopy we will add 2x 6” intake fans, 1 per side, to take in cool air. We will also install 3x 6” vent fans in the top if the canopy to blow out or vent the hot air. I am confident that this combination will help dramatically with the heat issues.

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I told James that it will be just fine for the drawf eel as long as their accustom to well lit areas to were any number of eels aren`t, I also told him that im not in the slightest of agreement on his lighting ideas. Also, I told him that after waiting more then six years, I might pass on the idea of the dwarf eels in the 240. He and I was in agreement on the Bubblemaster 250 skimmer, the slimmer he suggest now, I cant even find anything on it, he mentions when speaking with me that it has four pumps, im thinking he means a different type of skimmer, he did say the skimmer is 23" in height.

As for the pumps, I believe I could have something different or better. I also told James that if were to stick with the bubblemaster skimmer, we will also go with one return pump at 3200 gph or better. its will split into two return pipes. His idea right now is two return pumps of 1800 gph each I believe.

Again, the chiller will be added on much later, I will use fans to help reduce the tanks heat. Now its needed for some better ideas then this in what was suggested thus far. I still think that on the lighting part, I have the specs in which I first sent to James, in which I told him that I wanted it with a bit more blue at cooling down, prior to shut off.

There will be no PVC tubing under the sandbed, even if I were to go with a SFE or chainlink, their be plenty of places to which it could hide. There will when the time comes, be PVC tubing in the 70 and 130 gal tanks, and im planning those with T-5 lighting at this time.

Buddy

[collin]

post pics when you can

[Old Man Of The Sea]

There was some misunderstanding due to the other tanks that im to house eels with corals (the 70 and 130 gal tanks)

The lights that I am proposing for your eel/reef aquarium would include 4x t-5 54 watt actinic lights on the outside edges and 2x 250 watt metal halides with 10k bulbs in the inside areas. This would provide the eels with areas that are a little less lit up, and the corals with the light they need to thrive. The t-5’s would have IceCap ballasts, and waterproof end caps.

The problem in his saying that was, I told him that sometime much later, I want to get the two aquarium tank system moved from the room their in now, out to were the 180 gal tank use to rest. But it is these tanks that im to call my eel and reef system. James in his email hasn't even mentioned anything on what is to be done on the 40 gal breeder tank as my fish and SPS coral QT. The other thing is, his taking so long to tell me anything in what he would purpose to do, that he twisted around which tank is which here.

As for the 240 gal SPS tank, being I already waited more then six years already to when I might enjoy this tank, I a while ago had changed my mind on the dwarf eels in the 240 gal SPS tank. that was ever sense the time when I decided to turn the eel only tanks into a eel and reef system. I not however decided on exactly which species pairs it will be at this time.

The protein skimmer that I got for your aquarium is a Kent Marine Nautilus Ex unit with a Little Giant inline pump, type U62. This combination will provide you with great skimming. The skimmer will be placed on the outside and a bulkhead will connect the two. The issue of the return pump is an interesting issue. I propose using 1 Quiet 1 model 4400 HH pump for the far side, and a Quiet 1 model 3000 for the near side. That brings the return rate at around 1800 GPH.

The skimmer his listed in this email, I couldn't find anything on it, I did find a few models, but nearly any to what description James told of of on this skimmer. Its to be an external skmmer and his idea is to have two return pumps at around 1800 gph flow rate. My idea in this makes me to believe to stay with the bubblemaster 250 skimmer, and being I would have a in sump skimmer, the return pump should be not less then 3200 gph flow rate, in which will split off into two return pipes.


One other said that he not favors the Quiet pump, as I often readied from others that they always looked for some other pump to rely on, and i wish for some better ideas in this, other then taking the idea from one person only. I mean, there are any number of excellent pumps, and no one person knows them all.
　
This is the lighting set I was to go with, besides perhaps to have just a bit more blue then white at cool down, prior to shut down
So im looking for better ideas on the tank pumps, or anything else for that matter to which to make this better then what it was.

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I told Keith that I will look to go with these lights>
4x250w MH.
Two Reefoptic 3 on Icecaps with 14K Phoenix.
Two Aquamedic pendants with 14k Phoenix.
8x54w T5 on Icecaps
4 total Blueplus
2 Aquable specials
2 6500

It went 2 Bluepluses in the front
Then the MHs
1x blue plus
1x6500
1x blue plus
1xAquablue

It drew about 1200 watts at the MH ballasts
And 800 or so watts for the T5s
So around 2000 watts total for 1600 watts of light.
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Buddy