New 405 gallon tank

[jdfenn81]

Well its been a while since I had a tank, but I just got a monster.

I bought a tenecor 96 long * 24 deep * 48 tall for 400 bucks. The tank is about 4 years old and needs some repairs. A while back some knucklehead thought he could keep 1000 watt MH 2 inches from the top. This resulted in a crack across the top of the tank. The top will need to be cut off and replaced.

If anyone knows a good place to get 1" acrylic I would appreciate the info.

Anyway I will start doing the repairs on the top, and buffing the inside of the tank next week. I should get some pics up next weekend.

I am currently taking suggestions for lighting, closed loops, skimmers, etc.

thanks

jeff

[Elliott]

can't beat the price!
what livestock do you plan to keep? 48" tall will be difficult to light if you're planning to keep sps, also getting access to the bottom of the tank will be challenging.

[maelv]

Try a Regal Plastics or something similar to that, they could cut it to size

[jdfenn81]

I was thinking either 4 400 watt MH's or 3 1000 watt MH's. In order to clean the bottom I was thinking of building a vacuum siphon for the bottom out 2 inch acrylic tube.

Do electronic ballasts make that much difference.

Thanks

[jdfenn81]

How many fish/corals/LR do you think a 405 can support?

[Harleyguy]

What are you planning to keep? FOWLR, SPS, mixed?

[jdfenn81]

90% SPS maybe some soft corals

[Harleyguy]

Man that's going to be hard with 48" depth, if the rock is high enough you could do SPS with 400MH but 1000w would be better IMO

[KenT]

Do yourself a favor and cut it down to 32" high!!!

[Chihuahua6]

Please tell me more about the vacuum siphon. It sounds interesting.
Are you sure you want to keep sps? A lower light lps tank with a couple of softies and shrooms would look cool IMO.
Do you have a picture of the tank? I would like to see the dimensions. It sounds beautiful.

[jdfenn81]

Okay so I am going to cut the tank down to about 42. I order the acrylic today for the new top.

I also found a Deltec like skimmer that should run the tank great.

I still need to figure out lighting. Do you think I need 2 or 3 1000 watt MH.

thanks

jeff

[Chihuahua6]

I don't know about the lighting but I was wondering how you are going to go about cutting the tank down. How will you get a level cut all the way around?

[bristle]

Keep the height...get some tongs and work around it.

[bristle]

Oh, the top is cracked...nm

[jdfenn81]

I have an aluminum track that my circular say and router fit into. They clamp to any surface and cut perfectly straight. I am going to make a jig to hold the track in the same place on all four sides and the clamp it in place. I will go around the tank with my circular saw making two passes to get through the material. Once the top is cut off I will come back with a 3hp router and a spiral cutting plastic bit and make the edges perfectly flat and smooth. Then I will need several guys to help me flip the tank onto its top and install the spacers so that I can get the solvent into the spaces. I will let the solvent sit for 60 seconds and the pull the spacers. I have done this before on an 5000 gallon tank that needed a new bottom. I work perfectly.

[spazz]

if you want some lights that are bigger then 400w each you might consider 600w lights. if you call pacific garden supply they can help you chose the luminarc reflectros and ballasts with the proper bulbs for that tank. not alot of people know they even make the 600 watters but they do make them. they even have the proper aquarium bulbs for these.

[jdfenn81]

I have decided to go with 4 250 watt HQI.
reeflo orca 250
Tunze four pump setup (about 1200gph)
A 2000 gph return pump
three 100 gallon rubbermade troughs
1 100 gallon refugium
1 100 gallon Ro/DI auto top off/auto water changer
1 100 gallon sump.
1 40 watt UV sterilizer
1 ozonator (cant decide on what size I need)
Full time carbon

What do you guys think of this setup.

I will post a diagram later next week

[Elliott]

well, so much for the discounted tank! looks very good to me Jeff

agree below, lighting will be a little weak for sps

[justinm0424]

250W??? and 42" depth with SPS??? You need at least 400w's. I downgraded from 2-400w to 2-250w's with 4-t5's and wish i would of kept the 400's on my 24" tank. With the light penetrating through the water it'll have to be super dim on the bottom. Maybe fill the bottom with LR and have sps only on top?

[metalmagiccusto]

i say keep the highth it will look so much better tall and as far as light i would go with 4x 400w it will give u plenty of light at the bottom and the1000w ers are hard to find diff. bulds for! you can light a 42" tank just fine it will just take more light thats all, i think 4 will get it but 6 will be better lol!

[jdfenn81]

4 400 watt lights it is.

I think that I am going to do away with the ozonator and go with a 80 watt UV.

would you guys agree with that.

Does patrick Donagin still browse this forum.

[Chihuahua6]

I would choose ozone over UV because Anthony Calfo recommends ozone and I mostly follow his philosophies.
Can we see a picture of this tank? Even if it's empty and dirty I'm dying to see it.