epicfish Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Here's my proposed prop tank setup. I've talked to a bunch of people on this forum about it already...so, here it is! Tank: 24x24x16" tank. ~40 gallons. Sump: 20 gallon sump. Lighting: 250W MH w/ Lumenarc III reflector. Cooling: Fans over the sump w/ an ATO for now, but if there's a need, I'll get a 1/10hp chiller. Skimmer: unsure as of now. ...which skimmer should I use? The total volume of this setup will be about ~60-65 gallons total. And how should it be plumbed? I'm probably going to get a LFS to custom build it for me, so should I get them to drill any holes for me while I'm at it? I've never plumbed a tank before, so any help would be appreciated! Link to comment
mvite Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Trendy I think this belongs in the "Fantasizing Forum" until there are pics. Link to comment
ENraged Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 at this point i no longer even has a display tank just growing out stuff.. But when i do break down and pick up a display tank it will be nice to have 2 seprate tanks one for growing stuff out and slicing it up and my display for viewing and leaving alone. its just fun to do mostly Link to comment
epicfish Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Picked up/going to pick up an ASM G2 skimmer soon. Got the 24x24x16" tank ordered from the LFS. Got the stand ordered from the LFS (I have no handy dandy skills). Lookng for a PFO 250W MH ballast. Looking for a Lumenarc stealth pendant. Looking for a bulb...any suggestions? Link to comment
lgreen Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Use this: http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/selectballast.php It will let you see how all the different bulbs stack up per a given ballast and some other variables. Link to comment
bucknellreefer Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Jealous! I wish I had room for a prop setup.... Can't wait to see some pics of the custom tank and everything all set up. Link to comment
epicfish Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Thanks for the link, lgreen. Anyone have any advice with the plumbing? Link to comment
mvite Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Thanks for the link, lgreen. Anyone have any advice with the plumbing? Advice for everything is KEEP IT SIMPLE. Why not one hole drilled where you want it----use an adjustable elbow strainer so you can raise and lower the water level if you desire. Then use a vinyl hose to spill into the sump. Use the smallest pump you need and do that with vinyl hose and plastic hose clamps if you can. Why mess with PVC if you don't have to? I didn't even really have a sump for a while. Then, when I did, it was my prop tub. As my system was maturing, I added a 20L ABOVE the prop tub---it was an upstream fuge. Actually, my largest tub is my sump. My smaller tub is still an upstream fuge. It's raised on cinderblocks to make it higher than the larger one. Don't add a sump---add something higher to feed your coral. Link to comment
Izzue Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Buy nice corals from Mvite...grow them out...frag... and make some of your money back. Then you dont mind paying high prices if you get some back in return... Not to mention I love the idea of aquaculture and keeping awesome corals spread to collecting reefers. Izzue Link to comment
yardboy Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I have four reasons to have a prop tank. 1) I bought a tiny frag of orange monti for $20. I'll be damned if I will throw away any of it, but if I don't frag it I'll only have one coral in my tank, since it grows so fast. 2) I found that I make fewer trips to the lfs when I have a prop tank, and when I do I often leave with store credit. I just stare into the prop tank and pretend it's the lfs. 3) My display does better when I don't stick my hands in it frequently. So guess where the hands are? Shifting frags, gluing frags, fragging frags............. 4) A Hydnophora fell into a Favia and scarred it, looks crappy in my display? Into my prop tanks it goes to either get fragged or grow over the scar and go back in the display. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 it goes something like... beginner-->hobbiest-->collector-->farmer i think? Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 actually, i think with me it was more like: hobbiest --> collector --> farmer bypassing the beginner part. Link to comment
Jackopus Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 everybody is Naming Wierd Zoas, and farming them. then charging huge $$$$ to pay for the nano addiction Link to comment
epicfish Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 In an attempt to thwart mvite's "Keep it simple" plan... I'm going to have a durso standpipe to drain to my sump then just a return to the tank. I haven't decided whether to do a closed loop with a SCWD plumbed into the return or just to use powerheads in the tank. The closed loop + SCWD will cost $$. SCWD = $35. Mag 9.5 pump = $70 shipped used. Bulkheads = $13. Powerheads: Two Koralia 2's = $65-70. The closed loop is sexy though. Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 everybody is Naming Wierd Zoas, and farming them. then charging huge $$$$ to pay for the nano addiction let's not start that again. and its not just zoas. people also farm micros, acans, sps, lps, nems, clownfishes, seahorses... Link to comment
proraptor2 Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I started a prop tank cause I needed more room for coral growth and money to cover the cost of running my main display Link to comment
Diskusting Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I started a prop tank cause I needed more room for coral growth and money to cover the cost of running my main display So do you frag stuff from your main display, put it in your prop tank. Then Sell? After it grows out that is. Link to comment
Helfrichs Chick Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 The money you can make off a prop tank is nice, and to be able to fund your other tanks is awesome, but (I know its cheezy) but the more we prop corals and frag off to fellow reefers, the less we have to collect from the ocean. Helping to keep our reefs from dissapearing. Leave it to a chick to be all sappy LOL. beginner-->hobbiest-->collector-->farmer < AGREED lol never thought of it that way but its soooo true. I think since you and I are starting ours at the same time we should have a little good'ol competition. A little PROP THROWDOWN! I am doing mine on a budget, we should list our expenses too. You go high dollar I will go cheapo lol. Link to comment
epicfish Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Hahahaa. I got no high dollar! $$$$$$$$. No bling. Link to comment
modularduck Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 but the more we prop corals and frag off to fellow reefers, the less we have to collect from the ocean. Helping to keep our reefs from dissapearing. Leave it to a chick to be all sappy LOL. And just think of how proud you would be if someday a coral that you proped ended up back in the ocean to help rebuild areas that were devistated by us in the first place. like the caribean, for instance. i hope one day i can have one too...mainly because i have to many i really like and need a place for them... oh and gratz on getting one together epic Link to comment
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