Rob, Tom Thank you

[masterswimmer]

Greetings One and All,
I'm new to the reef scene, live in the Hudson Valley and have been warmly welcomed by both Rob and Tom. I know of your meeting this Friday in Kingston. Can't make this one but I'd like to try making the next one. I have tons of questions and a lot of experience in DIY.....an ex-builder. If I can help anyone out please don't hesitate to contact me.

Please bare with me, my questions might seem trivial and show my inexperience but I'm anxious to get my tank started. I'm in the learning/fact gathering stage right now. Already bought my 75 gal. acrylic, but nothing else. Here is my current wish list, nothing set in stone, so any suggestions/recommendations would be very welcome:
ER CS6-1
SunLight supply Tek Light T-5 6 x 54 watt hood
Iwaki 30RLT (japanese or american? which one?)
Barracuda or Oceanus 4 stage RO/DI
3 maxi-jet 1200 powerheads
90-100 lbs LR preferrably Fiji or Kaleani
4" DSB (10% live for seed, 90% aragonite)
titanium ground probe
sump/refuge home made? custom? stock? any suggestions?

Thanx for any input,
Russ

[Tomzpc]

Hi Russ...glad to see that you found our forum.

It sounds to me that you've done your research. It's hard to argue with any of your choices.

As far as the Iwaki's go, the japanese motors (MD) run quieter than the american made (WMD) counterparts, but they also tend to run about $100 more. You may also want to look at the CSL T-3 Titanium pump. They are cheaper than the japanese iwakis but just as quiet and not as expensive. They do tend to run hotter than most pumps though so if you think that heat may be a problem with your tank, based on how hot your house gets, then go with the Iwaki.

I LOVE my Euro-reef skimmer. I have the ES5-2 which is actually smaller than the CS6-1 and my tank is a 90. Euro-reef, unlike most skimmer manufacturers, tend to under-rate the tank sizes that their skimmers can handle. I've known other people here on RC that are using the ES5-2 on the 75 with excellent results, so that is an option if you want to save a little more money. If money isn't an issue, then I'd probably opt for the CS6-1 also since it would allow you to expand to a bigger tank down the road if you wanted.

Deep sand beds have been debated over and over on these boards. I think it's a good idea ONLY if you put one in a refugium because if the DSB ever goes bad in your main tank then you'd have to pull out all of the rockwork. Not to mention that they can get pretty ugly so it's best to keep them out of site.

Keep the questions coming! That's part of the point of this whole club.

Tom

[seaham358]

Looks like a good plan to me. RO/DI did u look at the airwaterice web site they have a good unit. I have the typhoon III and think it is a real good unit. The sump / fuge if you can make one then I would do that and try and save some money. The sand bed I have around 3" in my 125 and I like the look of that . After you see a few tanks set up you will decide if you want a real deep bed or a shallow one.
Bob

[andro]

I second the airwaterice RO/DI, I took Bob's advice on it and it was worth it, I even have the RO going to a storage tank to my refrigerator and freezer, its nice to have fresh drinking water, crystal clear ice cubes also (pretty cool)

I know when AWI was a sponsor of RC, you could get a free TDS meter and DI refill, don't know if they still do that.


-Ian

[Franks Reef]

Hey Russ,

Welcome:rollface:

Your list seems OK. Her are some of my suggestions. Basically, what works for me:D

(1) Go with the T- 3 or t - 4 pump instead of the Iwaki 30. Even the japanese Iwakis are loud! You can't even hear the T's. Tom is right though, they do run a little hot.

(2) Definitely go with airwaterice.com for an ro/di.

(3) I run 2 maxi - Jet 1200's in my 125 and it is plenty of flow. I tried a third and it was too much. I would suggest either 2- 1200's or even 2 900's

(4) as for the DSB, I agree with Tom once again. Go with a few inches in the display and use a DSB in a refugium if possible. As far as the sand, use 90% southdown and 10% LS. No need for the aragonite.


Is your sump/fuge going to be plumbed below your display in the stand?

[masterswimmer]

Wow, you guys are awesome. Thanx for the input. Where do I start. Oh I know.....money is definitely an issue, so anywhere I can save a few fishdagels ($$$) I'd love it, as long as it doesn't compromise the health and wellbeing of my little aqua residents.

Yes the sump/refuge will be located underneath my display tank. Question....when you say I should locate the DSB in my refuge, then what do I use as a substrate in my show tank? Just a couple inch sand bed?

No comments on the T-5 lights? Good, bad, indifferent?

Not sure how much heat I can afford in the tank. Don't want a chiller. And, not sure yet what temp it will run at, as it is in the basement and the temp. fluctuations are minimal. My dehumidifier does kick off some heat into the room. Haven't had the basement finished through the winter yet, so not sure if the heat will even kick on down there.

How precise do I have to be with the sump/refuge? I'm guessing it has to be somewhat of a precision piece since I can't have any leaks and it must flow properly, under/over/under baffles, etc.

I'll probably step down to 1 maxi jet 1200 and 1-900.

I'm looking at the Oceanus RO/DI only because I saw a thread from someone offering that, with a PH meter, TDS meter and a drinking water storage tank (3 gal?) all new. Asking $285 and I got him down to $250 incl. shipping. Is that a good deal? Do I even need the TDS meter? I know I don't need the drinking water storage tank. However, Ian endorses it so maybe I should consider it..;)

ES5-2 as opposed to the ES6-1. Will the 6 do more than the 5 in my 75? Is it worth the extra $$?

Anyway, thanx for the input, I look forward to talking to you guys,

Russ

[andro]

I figured, why buy bottled water, when I could make cleaner water than I could buy, why should the fish get all of the good stuff :-p


-Ian

[Franks Reef]

I don't know about the T-5 lighting. I like my regular VHO.

As for the TDS meter, it is the only way to safely test your water coming out of your RO/DI. $30 at the Fish Barn I believe

The DSB will probably be of no benefit in a sump/fuge. I was told it needs to be a 4-5" DSB in at least a 30 gallon to be of any benefit as far as a filtration bed.

[masterswimmer]

Good point Ian, any comment on the deal I'm considering?

Russ

[occb2]

Good selection on your equipment. I would go for a Etss. I favor them. Don't get me wrong, Euroreef is a GREAT skimmer, but I think the ETSS 500 is a lot better and it will do up to a 150 reef with out a problem. Since you have a 75 it will give you the expansion possibility. It will cost about the same as Euroreef 6-1. RO/DI, I got a cheap one from EBAY and it kicks out 0 PPM on my TDS. It does 100 gal a day and cost me, i think $145. Refugem. I love it. It killed all my algae problems. I used live sand and two 10 Lbs of Mineral mud. My Calp grows like mad. Lights? I like MH's. I have three 400 Watt 10,000K and two six foot VHO attinics; I think they are 160 watts each. Your lighting all depends on what you want to keep, and now with all this tank raised stuff, I've seen Acro's and clams growing under VHO with out a problem. Good luck and NEVER be afraid to ask questions, that's the way we all learned this hobby. I don't see anyone working as a Marine Bio. Later,
Rob

[seaham358]

The ro/di your looking at how much gpd. The airwaterice typhoon III is 100 gpd and it comes with all the extras you can get a typhoon II for 184 this does not have all the extras. Check out there web site. I think shipping was around $20. I think with the other units your just paying extra for the name you will get no better quality of water out of them. Find the cheapest one you can get.
Heat issue, I read somewhere that the acrylic tanks get hotter then the glass ones so this is something to consider when looking at lights. If you go with MH you might have a heat problem and need to get a chiller. I would read up on this and see if its true or not before I decide on the lights.

[Tomzpc]

Russ,

Euro-reef does not rate their skimmers like most manufacturers do (this skimmer can handle up to.....). Their website lists the "idea" tank size for each model. The ideal size tank per ER for the ES5-2 is a 75. I originally purchased mine for a 55 but it now runs on my 90. I may upgrade one day but to be honest I believe it to still be sufficient for my 90. They rate the ES5-3 as the ideal for a 90. The CS6-1 is rated as ideal for 100 gallons. Now, considering that you could and probably should count the gallonage of your sump/refugium into your total, then the 6-1 may be the best way to go. That being said, I still feel strongly that the 5-2, or even better, the 5-3 would be all that you need for your system. These skimmers are extremely efficient as the vast majority of the folks who own them will tell you. You'll notice how if you see someone selling a used ER skimmer, it is only because they want to upgrade to a larger model. Same goes for the Aqua C's.

As for the T-5 lighting, I have no experience with them either, but they haven't been around for that long here in the U.S. Judging by how they are replacing VHO and PC in Europe, I tend to think that T-5 is the way to go in the future. Is there a way that you can add a couple more of those bulbs? Your wattage looks a slightly low, but then again I'm not familiar enough with the T-5 so I don't know how their intensity compares to the other flourescent choices.

Tom

[Tomzpc]

.

[masterswimmer]

Hey Guys,
Thanx a lot for the input. In my research (no experience...yet!) I've read that the T-5 output is 300% greater than the rated wattage for a standard VHO system. It seems the highly polished parabolic reflector concentrates the PAR down to the tank. I was reading a thread where the author couldn't turn on all six of his bulbs (bleached his corals) started with two then a week later went to four and is still contemplating whether or not to go with the six. Maybe just a 'fish tale'. But, Greg from reefgeek swears by them and all the folks that do have them are touting their efficiency as well. I do want some tridacnids, anemones and maybe some SPS. They all tell me no problem.

I'm thinking the ER CS5-3 sounds like a super recommendation.

Dinner is ready so I'll write more later.

Hope to catch you all here later. If not, have a great time at Adam's tomorrow night. May you all come home all fragged out.

Russ

[foxstop]

Hi Russ,

I think your choice of equipment is great.
On the T5 front; I have been thinking of going with the T5's myself.
I'm not sure if you've seen some of the threads here on RC about them.
Here's the most recent one I could find. Moonpod has some pictures and has had good results with Clams under his T5's.
Click here for T5 Thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239653&highlight=T5)
Another memeber Bbasnett has some pics on this T5 Thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1811406#post1811406)
It looks like he keeps mostly LPS type corals.

One thing that comes through loud and clear from reading the above thread and others is the need for a really good reflector such as the one made by Sunlight Supply.
Overall the T5's look promising.

Good luck with the tank!

Brian

[masterswimmer]

Hey Brian,
Thanx for the encouragement. Big expense, lots of thought going into it, but, you just never know. Always some anxiety and when some 'thumbs up' comes along, well, it just makes me feel a bit more comfortable with the decisions. Look forward to meeting you and the rest of the gang at the next HVRC meeting.

Take care,
Russ