Someone Give me an Idea If this is OK Kinda long

I will be upgrading from a 55 to a 120. Someone please let me know what I am forgetting or if you see something I should change any suggestions would be great.
Tank- 120 Gallon Custom Drilled w/Builtin Overflow
Stand- DIY
Canopy or Hood- DIY
Filter System- Lifereef LF-125 with Dual Filter Cylinders, Electronic Float Switch
Protein Skimmer- Lifereef VS-2 24” w/ Little Giant 2MDQX-SC
Carbon- ESV Granular Activated Carbon 4lbs Ocassionally use
Live Rock- Jeff's Exotic fish.com 85Lbs Jumbo pieces Fiji 3.25p/lb 63Lbs Premium Fiji 3.95p/lb 40Lbs Vanuatu 4.50p/lb70lbs Tonga ultra branch Branch 3.75plbTotal Lbs: 258lbs
Live Sand- Fiji live sand 50lb box ESV Oolitic Aragonite sand 100Lbs
Total Lbs: 150Lbs
Sump- Lifereef Lf-125
Sump Pump- Iwaki 70rlt
Hoses, fittings, clamps Included in Lifereef Filter
Lighting System- 2 Hamilton 175w MH & 110w VHO Canopies
Bulbs: 2 6,500k Superbrite Haildes, 2 10,000k Halides
Secondary Bulbs: 2 URI 110w VHOAquasun, 2 URI 110w VHO Actinics
Ballasts- 2 Hamilton Ballasts
Reflectors- Polished Aluminum Retrofit
Light Timers- 4 Hamilton Heavy duty
Fans 4 4” Hamilton fans
Heater- 500w Heater w/controller Azoo
Thermometer- Big digital Time Temp
Powerheads- 3 Maxi jet 900 2 1/2 Sea Swirls
Test Kits:
Calcium- Salifert calicum
Alkalinity- Salifert Kh/Alk
Ammonia- Seachem Marine Basic
Nitrite- Seachem Marine Basic
Nitrate- Seachem Marine Basic
Hydrometer- Pinpoint Salinty Moniter
PH - Seachem Marine Basic/ Ph Controller For Calcium Reactor
Phosphate- Seachem Reef Special Ph/Silicates/Iodine
Conductivity- Pinpoint Moniter
Trace Elements- Warner Marine Peter lugols Solution, Theil Vital Gold, Seachem Complete, ESV Bromide/Flouride sup
RO water or RO unit- AquaFX Barracuda 4 stage ro/di 100gpd w/Inline TDS & 40 Gallon storage tank
Saltwater mix- Instant Ocean 200 Gallon Mi
Fish Food- O.S.I Marine Flakes Prime Reef Flake Foods Brine Shrimp plus Flakes Selcon
Coral Food- DT’s Phoytoplankton Brine Shrimp Direct Tiatian Blend 125 ml IPSF Coral Heaven Standard pack
Wavemaker- Wavemaster Pro
Epoxy- AquaStik Coralline Pink ESV ZAP gel
Glass Cleaning- Kent 36” Pro Scrapper, Algea Magnet Large
Paint for back of tank- Blue Background
Cleaner Crew Inland Aquatics Detrivore Kit50-100 Mysis ShrimpGammarus Shrimp 2 Adults several youngAmiphods Copepods nonspecific#6 Miniture Bristle Stars12+ baby Bristle Worms& various snails& worms depending on availability
IPSF Mix & Match 6 Baby Bristle Worms Wondermud Nreducer 6 Baby Trochus 6 Nerite Grazers 6 Adult Strombus Grazers Feathery Calupra Reef Amphipods Live Sand Activator 6 mama mia Worms 40 Reef grazers Tune up kit 30 Margarita Snails 6 Nassarius Snails 6 Cerith Snails 3 Abalones 24 Astrea Snails 10 Turbo Snails 2 peppermint Shrimp 1 Fire Shrimp 1 Tiger Tail Cucumber. I do not want to use any hermits or crabs as I think they are all somewhat harmfull to my system (if not to the ecosystem I am trying to create, to each other aswell)
With the exception of the Refugium tank the following are Included with the Main System. The Refugium tank wasn't included above because it is not treated as part of the main system even though they a run inline with one another.
UV Strelizer Emperor Aquatics used sparingily. Due to an article I haved read on the net I think Shimeek or Craig wrote something in regards to bacterial counts in Aquarium Frontiers He stated the heathier reef systems contained a somewhat lower bacterial count I am not directly quoting it was something like that.
Calcium Reactor K2R Combo
Refugium Tank 40 Gallon Custom Drilled w Built in overflow
Live Rock 50 lbs assorted Rock
Live Sand ESV Oolitic Aragonite Sand 100lbs
Plants IPSF Hawaiian Macro Algea Pack 6 Species
Cleaner Crew IPSF Mix& Match Special 6-Baby Bristle Worms Wondermud N-Reducer 6 Baby truchus 6 Nerite Grazers 6 Adult Stombus Grazers Cup Caulupra Reef Amphipods Live Sand Activator
Lights SouthBay Lighting 36” PC hood 192 watts

I plan to keep mostly soft coral, but will like some LPS and SPS aswell. I have almost 80% of the eqipment listed. i am somewhat concern as I will have my reef in somewhat of a cold area ( basement) much of the winter it can get into the 50's should i double up on my heaters. The last time I ran my system (55) with the halides on I could never get the tank below 80 always stayed 82-85. I figured with 4 halides timed to come on at different intervals and the one heater i should be fine anyone with any thoughts on my systems please let me know what you think?

[Rick O]

Hi MrMike,

Welcome to The Reef Tank.

I'm confused about the lighting. Are you going with (4) MH and (4) VHO? That's a lotta light . Is this a four foot tank?

I'm not familiar with some of the equipment you mentioned so I'll leave that for others to comment on.

You might want to make sure you can fit 258# of LR in there before you order. My 120 has 185# and it seems full to me.

At first I thought the 500w heater was overkill but since it's going to be in a basement it should be fine. I have a 250 watt heater for my tank in the living room.

You can get some self adhesive vinyl from a sign shop for the back of the tank and save yourself the hassle of painting. It comes in any color and can be installed in just a few minutes.

Otherwise it looks like a nice setup. I can't wait to see pics.

Good luck. Rick

Sorry for the confusion, but yes its actual two light canopies with 2MH and @ Vho in each. The 258lbs live rock is going to be placed in the main tank, refugium, and a few pieces in the sump. it may seem like alot, but i just did a friend 46 with 85 lbs and it still has somemore room. I look at placement and waterflow as a concern so I will carefully position the rock. Thanks Rick i can't wait to get the thing started just doing some last minute checks to make sure I have everything accounted for.

[bill-e]

a few comments:

If it were me (or if I had your money

• I'd ditch the filter
  I'd add more sand, prolly about 350 lbs of Home Depot sand plus some live sand
  I'd drive over to Paragon Aquatics in CT and pick out my live rock and save the shipping, not to mention get great rock.
  I'd buy 2 each 250w heaters instead of the single 500w
  I'd sell all the monitors and controllers and get a Neptune AquaController.
  I'd buy the stainless steel blade for the Kent Scraper
  I'd add 50 nassarius at least to your cleanup crew
  I wouldnt add any trace elements but I'd keep the Lugols for treating coral infections etc.
  I'd make some blender mush and feed both my fish and tank with it.

[FishDaddy]

Hi Mike,

I concur with Bill-e. I would shoot for a 6" sandbed. Once mature, in about a year, the sandbed alone will provide sufficient biofiltration for a moderate bioload, according to Dr. Shimek. With such a sandbed, you can use 120-180 lbs rock (I'd go with predominately Fiji, with some Marshall, Tonga and maybe Pohnpeii if you can find it, thrown in for diversity. With an amount in this range, you will have all you need for LR biofiltration purposes and can create a more pleasing aquascape without the massive look that more rock would have, plus more swimming room, cave structure, etc. for fish.

With both a DSB and LR, you really won't have need for supplemental filtration, in fact, its more a maintenance chore than beneficial.

Of your list, what items have you NOT bought yet?
Looks like you've done quite a bit of research and seem to be heading in the right direction.
HTH
Dick

Basically i dont have the tank yet 2 week wait till its done both the 40 and the 120 are getting built in overflows and I am doing the returns( lifereef filters have a 4 return line manifold of the main pump 1 to cansisters, 2 to main tank, 1 to refugium) attached to sea swirls in the main tank hard piped with ball valves to control flow. The refugium will recieve a single return but it will be ported to four different locations all with ball valve to control flow ( two upper corner, two lower corners pushing to center). The additives, wavemaker or powerheads waiting to order. The DSB I was actually planing to add more Live sand in the Refugium ( 6" Min) but for diversity purposes I want to pick it up from multiple locations and dealers. I will get about 50 pounds garf grunge ( split the 50 and add to both the main and refugium) then 50 pounds LS from jeffs exotic fish ( split also as the grunge) then another 50 ESV to seed maybe another 50 from around my area LFS. I went with dual canopies as years ago I had two 55 gallon reef in wall. Now I figure I will get a really nice effect on the light be staging them properly. I dont mean to be rude but I would not like to dump my filter I have seen a few reef tanks with just reg fish tanks as a sump,but with the lifereef filter I get so much more then a sump. I hold two canister which allow for carbon or whatever. The proper use of carbon states a flow threw with the design of the canisters all water that flows threw one of the cylinders will be flowing directly onto carbon then dripped down into the sump again.All my probes have a place to be mounted ( actual holes drilled for them allready on a tray above the water level)I dont mean to product endorse, but If you ever get a chance check out lifereef.com Jeff makes a really sweet product and its easily customized. i have mine with the built in chiller coil chamber.I thank you for your help.Its just that I have a feeling I am forgettin something. ohhhh 50 nassarius snail why so many. From my research Nassarius snails are meat eaters. I dont plan on adding many fish. Maybe 4 tops if even that. I think 50 would be an overkill, but please correct me If am wrong.

[Doug1]

Are you really going to have 4 metal halide and 4 VHO on a 4x2ft 120 gal soft coral tank?
And yes 50 nassarius snails are a minimum load for the size tank you have, esp with no hermit crabs
I agree with not buying a bunch of wonder additives, amazing what gets replaced with water change and a calcium reactor

I guees I'll gradually work the number up and see the results on 50 nassaurus snails.
Yes 4 halides all 175 watts.roughly 5.8 watts per gallon on just halides.1140 total watts or 9.5 watts per gallon if you want to look at it like that. It is wrong to think that im using all this light at once it will be staggered. I don't like to be limited on my selection of corals due to lack of equipment or knowledge to care for them. I would have gone higher wattage on the Halides so i can decrease the amount of bulbs and power outlets i will use up but if you really sit and think about it. The halides have a fair amount of ramp up till they get to full power. I will supplement using the aquasun VHO 50 50. The first bulbs are brighter( simulating early sunrise)6500k. then 2 hours later i will kick on the second set of 10k and shutdown the aquasun VHO Leaving the Halides on for like 10- 13 hours total I will gradually phase the halides out First the 6500k kick off and the VHO aquasuns come on again.2 hours later roughly the second halides kick off and the aquasuns are left alone for a few hours then the Actinics will kick on. I may look into a smaller 40w Actinic to simulate moon light. Then at the point my refugium light will kick on till the next morning when the cycle restarts.I know I will get bashed for saying this but I think guys with 250 and 400 are having too much light come one to quickly. I want to recreate a more natural light cycle. If that makes sense to anyone. You can see what i am shooting for.

[Brooke]

Hi Mike-

I think your plans sound good. The suggestions from others are good as well. I just added 27 nassarius snails to my seahorse tank, a 38 g, but I will be feeding a good amount of mysis shrimp. I think 50 would be about right if you aren't going to have a high fish load. You can always add them after you have fish in your tank as well. It's fun watching them come up from the sandbed when it's feeding time!

Your lighting plan sounds good. It might be something you have to do some tweaking on so the corals are happy, but staggering the lights sounds good.

Brooke

[Doug1]

Why not use 250 or 400 watt Iwasaki 6500s and VHO actinic?

By no means do i mean NOT to use but rather for my application I went with 4 175w Halides so I can gradually build up to the total wattage in a more natural manner, The sun by nature is not powered by an on off switch but a gradual build up of intensity over a duration of hours. Something I will be trying to simulate on my new tank. I do believe the more light the better but I would like to see what a difference this will make to the corals well being.