Saltwater at work

[bunkerboy]

Ok, so i have freshwater experience. Many small and large tanks at home, and recently set up a 75 gallon freshwater community tank at work, and now they want me to do a saltwater tank. I am currently doing a 12 aquapod saltwater tank at home, with live rock cycling the tank as we speak. Here is the questions. They want me to do a tank that is 72" lon, so i thinking about a 125, or one possible higher? Dont even know what size that would junp to, 180? Anyways, if i did do a 125 with live rock, corals,and fish, could people please suggest a list of items they think i would need? How about livestock siggestions? Sump? Sounds complicated... would rather do a cannister filter? Any suggestions welcomed... people are impatient at work, and need to understand it would take quite awhile to make it look like the pictures i have in books, not to mention a lot of work. I work in a Doctors office, and patients love the freshwater tank, so iguess a saltwater would give us the "WOW" factor. Thanks. Bunker

[kfowler]

First and most important question, what is their budget?

[bunkerboy]

As far as i know, the sky is the limit, although if we could keep it under $3000, that would probably be ideal. Bunker

[bunkerboy]

bump

[bmrescort]

I have been putting together a 125 now for about 3 months and a partial list of items and prices are as follows. 125 Cherry stand and canopy $1100.00, Octopus protein skimmer (200) $249.00, 250 watt MH retros (3) at $225.00 each, $249.00 barracuda pump although you will not need such a powerful pump as I am pumping from my basement, 2 phosban reactors 1 for carbon 1 for phos ban $39.99 each, spectra-pure ro/di 5 stage water treatment $275.00, so that's about $2600-2700 dollars and I will need live rock and sand so you can figure at $5.00/pound you will need at least 150 pounds of rock $750.00 plus sand $150.00. HOly crap I think I am scaring myself adding all this up, LOL. So thats about $3500.00 and no fish yet,hmmm you may to rethink that budget although I have bought everything new. You will still need power heads for water circulation and many other nick nack things but realistically you should figure on at least 3500-$4000.00