Setting up the TANK...Needs help.

[ctxmonitor]

Hi all. I just got my 75 gal tank this past Saturday. I can't wait to set it up. I currently only have the tank and a few equipments.

This is what I have so far:

75 gal tank
29 gal sump & refugium
1 maxi-jet 1200,
1 200watt jager heater
IO Hydrometer

Need:
return pump
protein skimmer, maybe ASM G1?
MH light, two 175 watt and a actinc 96 watt?
anything else?


The tank has two drill hole. It is drill on the top of the rear glass. I think is where the over flow PVC will be. I don't know alot of plumbing so I need all the help I can get.

1. Can anyone suggest on how I should go about this? What is the ideal way of setting up the plumbing? I am going to have it go into a 29gal sump & refugium. Does this sound right?

Where should I get the pvc from?

2. For the return pump, what should I get? I know that if i get a submerible one, it will heat up the water alot and uses alot more watt. But I want a quiet one. Any suggestion?

3. For my light, how and how many equipment do I need to setup my confiquration? What do I need to setup MH? Should I use the PC or T5 actinc ? I don't know if I sound right..

Is there anything I am missing or should do?

Thanks for reading..:p

[bonsai-boy]

probably another 200w heater

[ratherbediving]

Sounds like you and I are at about the same place! :)

As far as plumbing the tank to the sump-- I think you need to be a little concerned about having a pipe go from the tank directly to the sump. You MAY want to look at a submerged intake; it is possible that noise can be an issue. I don't have a submerged intake; I am going to set up my tank outside and test it out once the return pump comes in so I can test the plumbing.

What configuration is your sump? Do you have a 29 gallon sump that includes a refugium, or is that separate?

I assume you don't have a canopy. Were you going to build one, or are you looking for a prebuilt hood? What kind of corals do you want to keep?

I would probably look at getting at least one more powerhead, or creating a closed loop system. I don't think using your return pump as the MAIN source of water movement is a good idea, imho.

[ctxmonitor]

ratherbediving, I am going to modify the 29 gal myself. I would like it to be a sump and refugium. I'm most likely going to buy a few arcylic glass and do some cutting and glueing. I haven't decided how to divide the sump yet.

Yea, I don't have a canopy so i have to build one. As for the coral I want to all kind of corals, like LPS, SPS..

I am planning to get an extra seio 820 ph. I still haven't decide which return pump to use yet.. What is a good return pump for 75 gal?

[ratherbediving]

I liked the Quiet one 3000 because it had relatively low power usage (40 watts) vs. flow (780 gph at 0 head, I figure I'll get about 529 gph). I don't know how quiet it will be, though. Personally, with a submersible pump, I'd figure out how much flow you want-- figure out what the plumbing will be, then use the RC calculator using a few different pumps. For me, the cost of electricity as well as the heat produced by higher wattage pumps was a big factor.

RC Head loss calculator (http://reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php)

If you want to go MH, make sure you make your canopy tall enough to support them... I think you want the lights to be at least 8-12" above the water, but other folks will know for sure.

[drjrose]

Originally posted by ctxmonitor

1 200watt jager heater
IO Hydrometer

Need:
return pump
protein skimmer, maybe ASM G1?
MH light, two 175 watt and a actinc 96 watt?
anything else?

Where should I get the pvc from?

2. For the return pump, what should I get? I know that if i get a

3. For my light, how and how many equipment do I need to setup my confiquration? What do I need to setup MH? Should I use the PC or T5 actinc ? I don't know if I sound right..



I agree with a second heater. Go for the titanum sincle they won't crack. I like the Finnex http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Finnexheat

Get a refractometer instead of a hydrometer. The hydrometers are very unreliable, though I used them for over 20 years. See eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26237&item=3870091528&rd=1

For return pumps I agree with the head loss calculator. I like the Mag-Drives and you can compare them at http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_powerheads_pumps_danner_mag_drive_supreme.asp?CartId=

You can compare protein skimmers at http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_protein_skimmers__index.asp?CartId= but check here for better prices http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Skimmers. I love my EuroReef from them.

I have recently purchased lighting from http://oceanencounter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=OE&Category_Code=L1 and liked the products. A combination of MH and T5 seems very good and I what I will use on my next tank. Right now I have VHO and MH and MH-HQI. The type and amount of lighting will be determined by what you are keeping. Buy now for what you will want later. It is cheaper than going for an upgrade later. If you want SPS and anemoneas plan for about 8 watts per gallon.

I get my PVC from Home Depot and Lowes

[ctxmonitor]

drjrose, thanks for the links and advice.

I am going to get 2 MH of 175watt, and 2-96 watt actinic. That would be good for what I want to keep in my tank for a while.... I am just starting so I want to laid back on the light for now. I don't have alot of money to spend yet.... Need a better paying job. :(

I want to know how much is electricity bill for such a setup? Any good guess?

I most likely gonna get the Quiet One -4000 pump.. That should be enough if I need to use it on the SCWD that I brought..

[tptram]

Originally posted by drjrose
I agree with a second heater.

and a third heater for water change and a fourth one for emergency backup :D

[Diving Ron]

There's plenty of advice in the equipment forum to keep you busy for awhile. I went with the Iwaki pump, Euro-reef skimmer, T5's.

For plumbing you may want to research a manifold, be it sump or closed loop. Anthony Calfo has a forum on this website - there's numerous links to his "Goodbye Powerheads" article. Good stuff.

Don't forget about test kits, algae cleaners for the glass, thermometers, glue and a QT! :)