ATTR's 150 gallon tank build thread

[A.T.T.R]

well the tank is already up but i thought id make a build thread since i am about to renovate the tank.

ill post picts as soon as i get back from work!

the tank is 150 gallon acrylic tank stand and canopy by tenecor.
tenecor uses partical board for the stand and canopy so my canopy just started falling apart after two years. . the stand still is ok but i want to marine epoxy it to make sure..
depending on my mood i may take out the stand and build my own out of cement block and epoxy coated wood


i am getting rid of my vhos (i have had good succsess with them... acros on thebottom of the tank and growing!)
but it is time tosimplify it and gowith two 250 watt halide

im going with 10k or 14 k bulbs and two sets of duel vhos


light scedual will go asfollows

two actinics begin the dimming up
two daylights( or actinicwhites) start to dimm up
halidescome on and possiably one set of vhos go off depending on how the color needs adjusting

[A.T.T.R]

ok heres the tank


http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/astreafish/DSCK0001-3.jpg

i see the algae and it dosnt bother me much since i am getting good coral growth. and color ( usualy)
but i do plan to clear it up really soon.
i just did the first water change on this tank in 2 years and it already looks better

[jksteele010]

Curious, whats with the eggcrate on the back wall?

[A.T.T.R]

it is to keep the lr from making pressure pointson the back wall

[Kaiser Tang]

Get rid of those phospahates (causing the algae growth) and you'll have even better coral growth.

[A.T.T.R]

lol. this set up was done on a high school budget.
now i ahve a job i can start getting it working ( like finaly do h20 changes. get GFO and get my refuge actualy working.
algae is dieing back.

main cause of the algae is me needing more rock and taking it form a phosphate heavy tank that was being torn down :( ( phosphates were off the chart in this tank)

so the po4 is leaching slowly and the algae actualy only grows on the rocks i got from him!

[A.T.T.R]

anyways. plans for this tnak over the next 5 months is to add more rock. ( wont be live rock.. just base rock)

add two 250w 14k halides.
i cant deciede if i want to use two seperate ballast or not for my 4 vhos.. i dim them so i wanted to dim up blue then dim up white. then have halides comeon
( i love the look of corals under actinics.)

[frederickk]

What brand are you going with for the halides?

[A.T.T.R]

im thinking using everything icecap since one of the lfs carrys icecap at the same price as online

i like icecaps hanging de pendant. its a good size and gets decent spread

[frederickk]

And for the bulbs?

[A.T.T.R]

still looking into that. but mostlikely 14k or 15k

[frederickk]

Did you ever see the Hamilton bulbs in a tank?

[A.T.T.R]

not in person
but i need to look at sanjays info for a while..
also still trying to decid ehte system i like the sgfilililil... what ever they are called.... the dimable halide ballast .. but they cost alot of $$$ so id only want to buy once..

on a 60 by 24 by 24 inch tnak think im better with 2 250s or 2 400s in a sps tank