210 Gallon Recommendations

[pnyxxpress]

Skimmer brand and size?
Sump size?
Refugium size?
Should I do seperate sump and refugium or combined unit?

Thanks,

[Corn]

depends on your budget?

[pnyxxpress]

I want to do it right the first time. If that helps ??

[mflamb]

I would study lots of threads on this site and see what others are using and develop a budget. We all want to do it right the first time. There are lots of ways to do it right, some just cost more.

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10107006#post10107006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pnyxxpress
I want to do it right the first time. If that helps ??

it will never happen ;) although the second time is easier. There are so many choices, budget restraints, and even more opinions. Mostly its a matter of preferencce and size restraints. Personally I like the sump/refugium downstairs so i dont have to bend over in cramped quarters, I can since I have the room. the draw back, a bigger pump, then what pump etc.

best advice anyone csn give you, research for a few months before you spend any more money. have a plan, then research some more. I've been in this for 6 years and three tanks later still wish I had and still research more......

good luck.

[pnyxxpress]

Really didn't expect these types of responses. Thought I might get a few leads..

[uztaryn]

Ok, I built my 500g by the seat of my pants and here is what I learned.

1st off no matter how much you plan you are going to wish you had done something different.

2nd off basement fish room is the only way to go on a big system.

to answer your earlier questions, I would definately separate my sump and fuge. How big.... as big as you can go.

Get a 150g rubbermaid tub for the sump and as big of a tank as you can stand to build your fuge. You may also think about a cryptic fuge.

return pump... get a sequence and run everything off one pump, feed your skimmer with gravity from one of your drains and then t off the return line from the return pump to run your calc reactor, media reactor, uv's, ozone (if using one), and everything else you decide to put in the fish room.

BUY A LOT OF TRUE UNION BALL VALVES!

Put them everywhere you may ever want to shut off water and everywhere you may have to remove something.

skimmers: I have learned that you really can't get too big of a skimmer, just too small of one. Brands I would trust from what I have read here for big systems are GEO, SPAZZ, Euroreef, Deltec.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Opcn]

you have to give more information before you start getting leads.

As for sump size as big as you can afford and house is really what you want to aim for. A 210 gallon tank with a 371,250,000,000,000,000,000 gallon sump would be pretty ideal (and out side of heaters, water pumps, a good filter, and lighting you wouldn't need any equipment)

[nava405]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10106761#post10106761 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pnyxxpress
Skimmer brand and size?
Sump size?
Refugium size?
Should I do seperate sump and refugium or combined unit?

Thanks,

skimmer- best one you can afford
sump size- biggest you can afford
refugium size- biggest you can afford
doesn't matter in sump refug or individual.

i have a 200g setting up so for me i have
2x tunze 9010 ( because i like the compact size)
sump- 48x20x18 custom make sump
refug- it's in sump about 20gal i guess.
probaby add an extra refug later, but most likely cuz i want to use it as seahorse tank.

[phil5613]

my 210 has a Lifereef system on it for sump and skimmer ( just ordered the calcium reactor from Lifereef also) 20 gallon refugium, 1600 watts mh/pc combo, a Barrcuda running 4- 3/4 seaswirls on a closed loop

[pnyxxpress]

Thanks uztaryn!

This type of response is what I was hoping for.....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10112699#post10112699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uztaryn
Ok, I built my 500g by the seat of my pants and here is what I learned.

1st off no matter how much you plan you are going to wish you had done something different.

2nd off basement fish room is the only way to go on a big system.

to answer your earlier questions, I would definately separate my sump and fuge. How big.... as big as you can go.

Get a 150g rubbermaid tub for the sump and as big of a tank as you can stand to build your fuge. You may also think about a cryptic fuge.

return pump... get a sequence and run everything off one pump, feed your skimmer with gravity from one of your drains and then t off the return line from the return pump to run your calc reactor, media reactor, uv's, ozone (if using one), and everything else you decide to put in the fish room.

BUY A LOT OF TRUE UNION BALL VALVES!

Put them everywhere you may ever want to shut off water and everywhere you may have to remove something.

skimmers: I have learned that you really can't get too big of a skimmer, just too small of one. Brands I would trust from what I have read here for big systems are GEO, SPAZZ, Euroreef, Deltec.

Hope that helps a bit.

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10112699#post10112699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uztaryn

return pump... get a sequence and run everything off one pump, feed your skimmer with gravity from one of your drains and then t off the return line from the return pump to run your calc reactor, media reactor, uv's, ozone (if using one), and everything else you decide to put in the fish room.



I agree with all but this simply due to most people believe redundancy is key to a reef tank. issue he is if the pump ever failed or if that circuit failed then all your eggs are in one basket. I use a sequence 3200 and that alone for the return seems enough, I used to run the skimmer of it and its just didnt have sufficient return. eye in the beholder I guess but another example of varying opinions.

when you do your system, think over and over, what if ? and try to have a solution for as many as those you can. :)