Feasible tank setup?

[BonesCJ]

I keep tossing around the Idea of a bigger tank and wanted to run this configuration by my fellow reefers. Please feel free to comment

90 Gallon Reef Ready
(48L*18D*24T)
4 *54 Watt T5HO (216watt)
20-29 gallon sump w/ refugium
asm G-2 Skimmer
2 media reactors, 1 carbon, 1 phosphate

this is a LPS/softie tank, want gentle flow
Rio 2500 return pump
2 Koralia Nano's

this will be a upgrade from my 72 bowfront, I really want a square tank so I can create a screen lid for it to prevent jumpers. I love the open top look but am losing too many fish to jumping, plus it helps with heat control.

I also figure that with the G-2 I could have a pretty good fish load, as of now its just a yellow tang, perc clown, clown and rainfords gobies, sailfin molly and 2 chromis.

[jhendu]

Sounds like it would be nice. I would always go bigger if it is practical and feasible at the time.

[McCrary]

Dude, go with a 110, you are really going to be thankful for those 20 extra gallons. I like tall tanks though, so it might be something of a preference. John (scubabum1983) and I always tell him that a 110 would have been better because his coral are practically touching the top of the water. But other than my personal preference, lol, I think the setup looks really good.

[McCrary]

Oh, if you want to order a custom tank Rob can get them from Lee-Mar, they make some extraordinary tanks and are top quality.

[BonesCJ]

I have thought about the 110 but really there are 3 factors that turn me away from it,

1. lighting, the T5 setup I have now is the same one listed and the extra 2 inches of height are not really a factor with a 90, with a 110 its an extra 8 inches and I would need to upgrade

2. Cost, I can get more of the goodies I want on a 90 (black silicone, diamond edge, possibly even starfire glass) for a whole lot less than with a 110. I am sure we are all used to operating on a certain budget :-)

3. maintence, quite frankly I am not tall nor are my arms long so working in a tank of that depth would be a royal pain.

I know rob special orders them and thats who I will probably go with and get a leemar

[saltycreefer]

Most leathers actually like a good amount of flow, especially sinularia and sarcophyton species. I would go with the next size up on the korallia pumps.

[BonesCJ]

Your the second person to say that about the pumps and the other person mentioned that for all their flow they are pretty gentle. I am used to standard powerheads with a pointed jet blast of water. Will definitely consider upgrading the pumps

[McCrary]

30" deep tanks are a pain, lol, I can't touch my sand when my canopy is on and I can barely touch it when its off.

[BonesCJ]

LOL, exactly
if I am walking by and see a frag on the bottom I do not want to have to go get a step stool in order to get it off the bottom. Oh and I forgot to mention but this will be a foam background tank. I love the look of those setups, I do not have to clean the back and I can put zoas and GSP's and stuff on it.

[McCrary]

Sweet, I thought about going to the foam, but decided I would rather have the look of the glass. You will have to post some pics when you are done with your project.

[jhendu]

I'm still thinking of foaming my new 110 when it arrives in 3 weeks. What time frame are you looking at to acquire this new setup?

[BonesCJ]

not till march, gotta get the funds together and get some school stuff out of the way, building it up piece by piece, Christmas and birthday coming up so time to hopefully acquire some goodies

[prickles]

just my $0.02, go with bigger. 75-90 isn't much of a difference and you will want something bigger in 6 months. If lighting is the issue, put your low-light things in the bottom 8" you mentioned as the difference. Just think, it's 8" more for your corals to grow!

[BonesCJ]

True, I have no concerns with things like zoas, shrooms and leathers as they do well in low-moderate light but I do have a few SPS and am getting a crocea clam all of which has been kept within 10 inches of the surface and do well with the T5's since they have good depth penetration. I just do not know if I would be able to get my high light critters high enough in a 110 without spending another 100 dollars on an additional 2*54 watt T5HO unit

[BonesCJ]

Well I am really thinking about going with the 110 vs the 90 if for no other reason than I will have substantialy more room for fish as well as letting some of my tall stuff like xenia and gorgonia get nice and tall, just have to keep things off the sand and the bottom six inches of the tank. I am not concerned with my SPS growing uber fast as long as they are happy and with T5's the research I have done says that as long as they are within 20inches of the lights (48in length) they will be fine even maxima and crocea. I could probably keep them within 10-15 inches. I may also go ahead and get individual reflectors for my T5's which would boost the output. Definitly going to need more money though :-(

[McCrary]

Lol, money is the obstacle that we all seem to battle with, I think you will be really happy with a 110. I have never regretted my decision to go with the taller tank, it has allowed me extra space and more water.

[BonesCJ]

Ok I figured I would give everyone a heads up, After seeing Jason's 115 which is pretty much the mirror image of what I want I am definitly going with a 110 tall. I am sticking with my t5's and even found a online vendor through ebay that I can get another 4 bulb unit for a good price that will let me keep anything anywhere :-D

Also going to push the proposed date back to end of april because my work is doing a Biggest Loser contest with the winner getting all the money in the pot, I had planned to lose weight anyway but this way I can make some bucks for my tank! Whoohooo!

Talk about motivation, good health for me and good health for my tank!

[jhendu]

Chris,
That's awesome! I can't wait to see how yours comes out. If there is ANY thing you need along the way let me know. I have leftover plumbing parts, lots of them. I also have enough of the acoustic foam to do about 2 or 3 more stands. Are you going to foam it?

[BonesCJ]

oh yes, I love the look of foam backgrounds plus it keeps me from compulsivly cleaning the back wall of my tank because the coraline growth can sometimes drive me nutts, but my wife loves it and thats more important.

Does that acoustic foam really work to cut down on the noise? Our "Fish Room" is a nook off the living room between the kitchen so keeping noise down is important. If so I may wanna buy some of it off of ya.

[jhendu]

I don't hear anything from underneath my stand. I never ran this exact set up without the foam to compare it though. I have a full can of the foam solvent to clean up any uncured foam during that process so don't but any of that.