upgrading to a 210 gal...ideas?

[wvarnado]

I'm going to be upgrading from a 37 gal to a 210 gal (72x24x30) system in the next month. I have been reefing for 2 yrs and wanted to get some ideas from some of you. I am trying to keep my system simple.

Plan- 210 gal reef
- Dart pump
- 29 sump under the tank
- ASM G3
- Lighting T5 ???
- 20 gal Refuge (Cheato and Calurpa)
- Kalk topoff
- (DSB or thin layer) leaning toward DSB (Oolite)
- Planning on raising SPS, clams, and some LPS.

Questions:
Anyone have T5 on a 30" tank with SPS and Clams? How are the doing? Pictures please? I curently run T5s on my 37g and they are great.

DSB, anyone have bad experience in large tank? Thoughts? I know this is a heavly debated topic. Was planning on DSB with oolite.

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas!

[MO Will]

I am thinking of upgrading as well - tagging along

Will

[wvarnado]

What size are you considering?

Clay

[Bobolink]

I am upgrading to a 210 as well. And after years of reading this forum, I finally decided to post here in your thread.

Are you getting an Oceanic tank? What sort of returns do you plan to have? The 210 Oceanic is "reef ready" with two 1'' returns. I have been seeing others out there with large tanks, and the bottom of the tank looks like swiss cheese. Are you going with the standard returns, or the will you be cutting extras?

[teena]

im going from a 75g to a 210g, i will have a g3 skimmer, aqualight pro from my 75g with two extra MH 250w on each side of the aqua pro because its only 4tf & the 210 is 6ft, then ill have a 75g sump, i also have about 200lb of LR, 3 40lb bags of sand & one small bag of live sand, & i may use a little sand off the top of my 75g, i also have two 820 seios, im not for sure if that will be enough, i do need to get two of those DJ light controllers, & a better heater, im painting the back glass black,

[teena]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0614.jpg

[teena]

this is mine, theres two holes in the over flows,

[Bobolink]

Looks Great Teena! Who made your tank? What type of reef will you be raising? I assume you are using your old 75g as a sump. I was thinking about using my old 120 as a sump, but I think it may be a bit too much. I may have to stick to my old 55 (which was the sump for the 120).

What sort of flow do you think you will be getting with your pump? 10x per hour?

[teena]

no i wont be using my 75 its full of live stock, they need to stay in there till i get water in the 210, im using a 75g from the LFS the ones they stack on top of each other, im not for sure what kind of flow i will get, this is the first time ive used a sump, my 75g is not drilled, im using a HOB coralife super skimmer, not for sure who made the tank, i bought it from a builder that put it in a house he built for the vesta home show, it was in the wall, but when he sold the home the buyer didnt want the tank, so i bought the whole setup for $1000, every thing i needed, if it somewhere on the tank i can go look, the tank wasnt even in the house but two weeks, everythings new, i can put a pic of my 75g up 4 u to see,

[teena]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0179.jpg

[MO Will]

Hi guys

I was thinking of a 72 x 30 x 24

If I went this size it would have to be custom

I want lots of fish - and mostly sps

I am trying to decide what type of lighting to get

I just don't know how I would ever get the tank into my basement

Will

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11162562#post11162562 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bobolink
I am upgrading to a 210 as well. And after years of reading this forum, I finally decided to post here in your thread.

Are you getting an Oceanic tank? What sort of returns do you plan to have? The 210 Oceanic is "reef ready" with two 1'' returns. I have been seeing others out there with large tanks, and the bottom of the tank looks like swiss cheese. Are you going with the standard returns, or the will you be cutting extras?

I am going to be using all glass standard. I am moving to a new house, so upgrading with the move. Thus I am in a time crunch and had to go with the standard. right now I am going to drop all 4 holes to the sump, and plumb the return line up the back.

Clay

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11162615#post11162615 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by teena
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0614.jpg

Teena,

Nice looking tank. I am getting the exact tank. what kind of pump are you using? Are you going to use the standard plumbing kit for your returns?

Clay

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11164400#post11164400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MO Will
Hi guys

I was thinking of a 72 x 30 x 24

If I went this size it would have to be custom

I want lots of fish - and mostly sps

I am trying to decide what type of lighting to get

I just don't know how I would ever get the tank into my basement

Will

Will,
the standard Oceanic and All-glass are 72Lx 24wx 30t. If that size will work you wont have to go custom. The difference in the 2 are Oceanic has corner overflows and all-glass is like Teena's, the overflows are in the back of the tank. The all-glass has 2 holes in each overflow (a 1" and a 3/4").

I too want SPS and the lighting is a question I have not answered either. I want to do T5. My concern is T5 on the depth of the water. I have read numerous articles about successful use of T5 and SPS but I have seen none on a 30 tall tank. I current run T5 on my 37 and I have 2 clams an anemone and LPS doing great.http://www.kodakgallery.com/PhotoView.jsp?&collid=77946614110.353208517110.1194871945447&photoid=253208517110&folderid=0&amp;view=1&amp;page=1&amp;sort_order=&amp;albumsperpage=&amp;navfolderid=2007

[wvarnado]

This is my 37g on T5. I have been running them for 8 months.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff313/wcvarnado/20071110Fish001.jpg

This my Clams and Anemone
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff313/wcvarnado/20071110Fish003.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff313/wcvarnado/20071110Fish007.jpg

[MO Will]

Hi clay

Nice looking tank - my ocellaris would never host my RBTA

Part of the reason I am thinking 72 x 30 x 24 is the height

Definitely rather have the width

When I get a chance I will try to take some new pics of my 58

[rlxwcapt]

I would go with the T5. remember you will have sand & rock. Just put your sps higher and zoos low.

[teena]

clay, im using a G3 skimmer, & i have a mag 9, im using every thing that came with it except the sump, it had a small skimmer built in, i wont be using that, heres what i got for $1,000,

[teena]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0618.jpg

[teena]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0616.jpg

[teena]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/swfish/DSCN0615.jpg

[teena]

and the tank,

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11167930#post11167930 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rlxwcapt
I would go with the T5. remember you will have sand & rock. Just put your sps higher and zoos low.

rlxwcapt,
Thanks for the advice. Do you use T5s? If so how deep is your tank?

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11168138#post11168138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by teena
clay, im using a G3 skimmer, & i have a mag 9, im using every thing that came with it except the sump, it had a small skimmer built in, i wont be using that, heres what i got for $1,000,

Teena,
Good buy! You are set up. Are you going to have corals?

[anjhof]

I made the move from a 75 to a 210 last December. Let me know if I can offer any advice.
One thing I would say about the dart, is to check the average cost to use it each month. When comparing that to a Vor-tech pump, you might change your mind. I know I did.

[Kannin]

I am building a 220 right now and I was going to use a G3 as well but many have said it will be too small so I am going with a G4X. Put all of your ideas out there like this in your Pre-Build thread and get lots of advice. I did one of these threads and pretty much changed my mind on everything.

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11169641#post11169641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anjhof
I made the move from a 75 to a 210 last December. Let me know if I can offer any advice.
One thing I would say about the dart, is to check the average cost to use it each month. When comparing that to a Vor-tech pump, you might change your mind. I know I did.

Good Idea. How did you plumb yours? Did you have a special build or a standard?

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11169852#post11169852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kannin
I am building a 220 right now and I was going to use a G3 as well but many have said it will be too small so I am going with a G4X. Put all of your ideas out there like this in your Pre-Build thread and get lots of advice. I did one of these threads and pretty much changed my mind on everything.

Kannin,
Are you doing anything like DSB or Fuge?

[teena]

wvarnado, no its still setting in the garage, i will be putting all the corals in there from my 75g, i posted a pic of that also,

[anjhof]

I never even set up the dart. I weighed the hassle of setting it up and the expense of running it and decided to sell it and buy a vor-tech. I am happy I did that. I also have an ASM G-3 skimmer. It seems to be keeping up ok. I am sure the mod would make it better, but I have not gotten around to doing that yet.

[Kannin]

I am doing a fuge on top of the tank. I am using a 20 gallon long which is 12" high and 30" long. I have external overflows so the tank will sit 7" from the wall. The tank will rest on the back eurobracing and gravity feed into the tank. This will save room in my stand and keep any pods from getting impelled on the way to the tank.

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11170224#post11170224 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anjhof
I never even set up the dart. I weighed the hassle of setting it up and the expense of running it and decided to sell it and buy a vor-tech. I am happy I did that. I also have an ASM G-3 skimmer. It seems to be keeping up ok. I am sure the mod would make it better, but I have not gotten around to doing that yet.

How did you plumb your return? What size sump? Are you doing a fuge? Thanks again for the ideas

[wvarnado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11170397#post11170397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kannin
I am doing a fuge on top of the tank. I am using a 20 gallon long which is 12" high and 30" long. I have external overflows so the tank will sit 7" from the wall. The tank will rest on the back eurobracing and gravity feed into the tank. This will save room in my stand and keep any pods from getting impelled on the way to the tank.

I thought about putting my Fuge up top as well. But I was going to build a 42" stand. I should have plenty of room underneath. How are going to plumb your tank?

[Kannin]

My stand is 37 high 36 wide and 71 long (inside dimensions) which is plenty big for a fuge but I really like the idea of a gravity fed fuge. I am using a Dart for the return and a Marlin for the closed loop. I am putting a 1 1/2" manifold on each to maximize pressure to each outlet. I will put penductors on the CL outlets.

[purebullet417]

heres my thread you can propoly get some ideas from it
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1157869

[anjhof]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11170465#post11170465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wvarnado
How did you plumb your return? What size sump? Are you doing a fuge? Thanks again for the ideas

I have a 55gal tank for the sump. I bought it when PetCo had their $1 per gallon sale - late summer each year. I am doing an ad-hoc fuge type thing. I have a Tupperware container in the sump - i put some holes in it, put a couple of rocks in there along with some chaeto. I am using the fluorescent light that came with the tank for lighting over the sump.
I plumbed the return using PVC with valves and unions.
What kinds of corals are you planning on keeping?
Here is a fairly recent picture:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g151/anjhof/IMG_5576.jpg
I made the stand and canopy. The stand is 36" high. I personally would not want it any higher. Dealing with a 210 is a pain at times - you have to get on a step ladder to do anything in the tank - and I am 6'2".
Here is the stand before I finished the outside:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g151/anjhof/fillingwithwater.jpg

Here is a picture of the extra joists I added in the floor:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g151/anjhof/reinforcedfloor.jpg

The stand in raw form:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g151/anjhof/standwithfinalpieces.jpg

Here is my plumbing:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g151/anjhof/plumbingpicture.jpg

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Bobolink]

anjhof, sweet woodwork baby! Wish I could work wood like that. My woodworking skills are so bad that I decided to put my tank in the wall to hide the stand.

Are you guys thinking about doing a closed-loop? It seems like a pretty good option instead of the powerheads. I hate to drill extra holes in my tank if I don't need to, but these closed-loops seem all the rage.

My lighting will be MH with actinic. Whats all this T5 talk about?