lgreen's 58g SPS Reef Project

[lgreen]

just go the new dr fosters & smith catolog today.

 

All Seio pumps are on a great sale!

 

620 is like 31.00 and the 820 is like 42.00

 

I might have to grab some 820's while they are on sale.

[MdM31]

mag return. yeah i have the reef ready version of the oceanic 58 gallon tank.

 

-Mike

[lgreen]

so i have a question about return pumps then. which one is the quietest? This tank is going like right next to my bed, so i want everything to be fairly quiet. what do you all reccommend?

 

thanks

[Pili4444]

my mag drive has been a great pump so far but it is pretty loud but i got used to it. The new quite one pumps are supposed to be pretty good also.

[bubba]

I have a Mag7 on my 46g and it sits next to my bed. It makes a humming noise but I got used to it real quick. I think it sounds louder downstairs under my room.

[Travis]

I have a Mag-5 on my tank which is close to my bed and I can't sleep well with out the noise it makes at night lol. I can always tell when the electricity goes out at night

[lgreen]

hmmm...

 

thanks

 

i'm sure some will say there are quality issues, but how does a mag compare noise wise with a larger RIO pump?

 

also for circulation I am starting to think I will do a 600 gph return pump, 2 seio 820's, and maybe an aquaclear 70, or the largest zoo med powersweep.

 

that would be about 2640 gph total.

 

thanks

[BKtomodachi]

I like powersweeps, I have one in my ten. Most people dont like them at all, but if you are good to them they are good to you.

 

I cant wait to get my tank going, and cant wait to see yours start. Mine is acrylic, 60G w/curved front corners, and light/medium maple stand and matching hood with plenty of room for lights!

 

I think I'm going to use the 150W DE 20K Ushio from my current ten, along with... well, I dont know what else. I'm thinking 400WSE or 250W DE w/actinics. Either way, I think I'm set. I still have to get it drilled for a closed loop (mag drive 7), and figure out my return pump from the sump/fuge. I think I'll try a quite one. Tigah uses them, they cant be bad! lol

[scarletknight06]

get the seio 1100's, or whatever the next model up from the 820's is, and forget the powersweep and HOB filter.

[lgreen]

HOB filter?? i didn't say anything about a HOB.

[scarletknight06]

oh woops, my bad. I forgot that an aquaclear 70 could refer to a powerhead as well, i was thinking you meant the HOB filter AC70(old 300).

 

but definately get the 1100's. I know if my tank was any bigger I would want bigger than the 820's and i have a 30g cube.

 

sorry if this is mentioned earlier, but what are you doing for substrate? bb?

[lgreen]

well, not sure yet. still debating a little on substrate.

 

probably like 40-60 lbs of Caribsea Special Grade Sand. I am still considering the Fiji pink sand though. I also have a plenum that would fit perfectly, but I am still a little hesitant to use that.

 

Usually what i do is just 1-2 inches of special grade sand, and that seems to work pretty well.

 

I am open to suggestions I guess.

 

I also could put the plenum in the sump w/ a refugium and then just do an inch or two in the main tank.

 

I don't know yet.

[lgreen]

we'll see about the seios. I agree that two 1100's would be better, but I don't know if I want to spend that much on powerheads.

 

has anyone seen the 1100's on a good sale anywhere?

 

i could also do like 3-820's since they are on a good sale.

 

keep in mind, this is not going to be just an sps tank. There will be LPS and zoo's, and fish. I actually only own one sps coral at this time, so I could always add more seios as my sps count increases too.

[lgreen]

ok, so for substrate I am thinking just a thin layer (maybe about an inch) of either the Special Grade Sand or the Fiji Pink sand.

 

Anyone have any opinions about doing a plenum or dsb in the refugium? would there be any reason or point to do that?

 

The risk of the plenum going faul, kind of makes me think I would rather just put a thin layer of sand in the refugium just like the main tank, and try to use the live rock, macro algae and protein skimmer as the filtration.

[lgreen]

picked up the tank about 20 minutes ago. looks good. Since I have a huge test tommorow and my camera batteries are dead, I will wait and post pics tommorow.

 

one unexpected note: some had said including the person I bought it from that the overflow was not centered, but slightly to the left. As it turns out, in fact it appears the overflow is in the center.

 

that's cool, i was actually hopeing it was in the center.

[MdM31]

definetly get the seios, and go bare bottom. You wont regret it, i just pulled out all my sand and all that junk that stays in there can really crap you tank. Plus i can run more flow, the corals are healthier, and no more algea. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck!

 

-Mike

[BKtomodachi]

Do like 1/2" of something. I just dont like the BB look myself.

[lgreen]

I agree. If you do bare bottom, there is a chance of all that debris and crap laying on the bottom for everyone to see. At least a thin layer of sand would help hide the junk. Plus, I am a big user of caribsea, specifically for its buffering capacity and other things it add to the tank. Plus I have that elegence coral, which likes to have its base burried in the sand, so its polyps can rest on the sand, and plus I will be adding clams later too.

 

I think like 1/2" - 1 inch of something is they way to go!

 

 

again, has anyone seen any seio 1100s anywhere cheap?

 

I have not had a really good chance to look at the tank yet, it is still sitting in the back of my suv. Thinking about it though, i do kind of agree that the mega flow system is crappy. I think I might have found some ways to get around it though, with out removing it.

 

First, i probably wont use there crapy mega flow accessory kit with that knock off durso. Instead I will build my own modified dursos. Second, rather than using that second 3/4 inch hole for a return, i think that should also be plumbed as a drain.

 

I think this would be better, because in my opinoin, it is better to have 2 drains, rather than one, just incase one gets clogged for some reason. Plus, if i didn't use it for an overflow too, i would probably just plug it, because i dont want returns comming out of the overflow box.

[lgreen]

Ok, first I hate cherry wood. So that's got to go. My solution is just to cover it with the stand and canopy. The stand and canopy will be maple. I really like the Maple All-Glass modern series stand. They don't make it in 36x18 though, so I thought I should show my appriciation by copying their design and building it my self.

Chances are if I build it, it will actually hold a tank too. (All-glass seems to cheap out, and use the least amount of materials possible, i.e. open top framed stands) The stand will also have a 2x4 frame, hidden inside. Fans will be on boths sides of the canopy, to remove some heat from the HQI MHs.

 

so here are some pics of the plans. now I just have to figure out where the heck to find maple wood!!

 

 

 

let me know what you think. looks pretty easy to copy.

[ReeferMonkey]

I don't want to go all tang police on you, but have you really thought about putting a tang in a 58? I'm planning on upgrading to a 36" tank in the next couple of months and although I'd really like to stick a tang in there (Chevron, Purple, Caribbean Blue, so many choices) the simple fact is that is a big honkin fish for a relatively small tank. Unless you start REALLY small, you're just going to be giving yourself a headache down the road.

 

As far as Anthias go, have you checked out Sunburst aka Fathead Anthias? They're pretty docile inhabitants but are highly recommended. They're mentioned in the latest issue of Reefkeeping magazine, FWIW. Cool fish.

 

On the upside, it looks like you're doing thorough planning. There's been a post going around on RC about the theoretical benefits of low-volume overflows. Primarily, they allow you to go with a smaller pump, which adds less heat to the tank and consumes much less electricity. It also reduces the drain noise we all know and love and some people postulate that it can increase the effectiveness of in-sump skimmers.

 

Just some food for thought.

[lgreen]

Reefermonkey,

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I also still have some concern about the tang issue. I agree that a fish that potentially gets like 10 inches, it way to big. Usually at my store, they come in about 1/2"-1". I am sure I could keep it for several years successfully, but eventually, it could outgrow the tank. Luckily, it just so happens that I also have a 125 gallon. So it should be ok. When it gets to big for the 58, i will just move it to the 125. You were right to raise concern though!

 

I think I have heard of the sunburst, but I will look at that article, Thanks!! Supposidly, Hutchi, and bicolors are also supposed to be pretty hardy. Ideally I would like to be able to keep maybe like 1 male and 2 or 3 females together, so I am still doing some research to see what the best species would be for that. Something that stays on the smaller end, is not as territorial, and not as aggressive would be nice.

 

Yes, I don't think the low flow for the drain would be a bad idea at all. My entire sump will pretty much be a refugium, with an aqua c remora skimmer, so low flow would be very beneficial in my opinion. Also i plan to use a filter sock for mechanical pre-filtration before water enters the sump/refugium.

 

Thanks again.

[scarletknight06]

trust me dont get an aqua c remora. I had an urchin (same thing as remora but in sump) and it really stunk. I got a coralife super skimmer and it was much better (the 65g version). I would either get the next size up coralife super skimmer (125 i think) and get an asm G-1. They're really not much ($20-$30) more than a brand new remora, but sooooooo much better.

[lgreen]

Actually I already own the Aqua C Remora, and it is the best skimmer I have ever had. Personally I have had great luck with them.

 

Thanks for the info on the coralife skimmers though, I will look at them. So are the coralife ones venturi or needle or what?

 

I am glad to hear that coralife has a good skimmer though. They actually appear to be sum what descent priced too!

[lgreen]

I also hear the EV series skimmer by Aqua C are very good.

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_protei..._ev.asp?CartId=

[lgreen]

wow, those coralife super skimmers are cheap. The biggest one (rated for 220 gallons) is even cheaper than what I paide for my remora (w/ maxijet, and drain fitting).

 

I thought those needle wheels where supposed to suck though?? Personally I am sold on the "injection" system.