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LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 07:25 PM
It's been some years that I have been out of the hobby but jumping back in now. I built the stand out of cherry wood, built the sump and fresh water reservoir from 3/8 acrylic along with the lid for the overflow. I plumbed a silent overflow using a modified Herbie method I guess. I control the drain by a gate valve but I "T"ed off before the valve and ran a drain line up behind the tank and back down to the sump.

If the main drain gets blocked the water will rise in the overflow box which will activate the emergency drain to start. I searched around and have not seen anybody else use this method.

I am planning on 6 35" T5's, not sure if I will wait for the Tek Elites to come out for just get the ATI Sunpower now?

Anyway, tell me what you think. I need to get my 50 posts so I can see the for sale stuff! LOL

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 07:28 PM
few more pics.

JPMagyar
02/04/2010, 07:37 PM
Just one opinion:


Fantastic building!

But, if I were just starting with a tank like yours I would go for the extreme view of "less is more" and I would take about 2/3's of the LR out and focus on a system of simple beauty. A couple top notch softies and 3 or 4 small fish would look spectacular in a photo and make your future care much easier.


Anyways, just one guy's opinion, and based on your skills as a builder I'm certain whatever you end up with will be equally beautiful :thumbsup:


Joe


P.S. Drop me an email if you're ever in the market for a couple super nice SPS frags; I'd be happy to send 'em out for free. (PeckJA@aol.com)

mikey3165
02/04/2010, 07:40 PM
nice start and also nice car choice ;)

theyammieguy
02/04/2010, 07:42 PM
Very nice. Love the rock. What kind is it?
Is that an eshopps skimmer?

and yes, that is a great choice of engines.

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 07:43 PM
I am planning on only SPS in the system. It looks like a lot of rock but it's really not, it's very open throughout. I wanted a lot of ledges to place some really cool corals on, we will see:) I am doing bare bottom with lots of flow. I am planning on an MP40 along with the Eheim 1260 return pump which is hooked up to a SCWD.

I have not decided on a calcium reactor of dosers yet, still up in the air on a few things.

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 07:46 PM
Yes it is an Eshopps S-150, I have to say I love it! Very quiet and it pulls out some serious gunk. It has not done too much on my system yet but I did put it on a system at my local fish store and it work right away. I could not be more pleased with it.

Yes the old WS6 with the LS1 was a great car! Had to sell her after a divorce but i now have my Fatboy for company.

theyammieguy
02/04/2010, 07:48 PM
Go with the ATI 6x39

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 07:51 PM
I have been leaning that way but my guess is the new Elite will be pretty close to it but they are not even shipping them yet. With my lack of patience I am pretty sure I will go for the ATI.

theyammieguy
02/04/2010, 07:53 PM
I like the ATI better because of it's thinner profile.
I just bought a TEK because I didn't have the money for the ATI.

cpllongjk
02/04/2010, 08:02 PM
I love my ATI Sunpower 6x39w. I think youll like it more than the TEK. The TEK isnt that much cheaper than the Sunpower is it?

I am doing a similar setup to you. Im just waiting to move before I set it up. I hope you dont have issues with your SCWD, When I had mine I had tons of issues after about a year.

Dont go with a calcium reactor. Save your money and get 2 dosers from BulkReefSupply for 100 each. The 2 part they sell is so cheap, over time its better imo because you can tailor the dosing rate to needs of your tank. Use the extra money for a controller, Reefkeeper lite is a good model.
Start off with as little equipment as you can handle, and then when you need something buy it. Itll keep your startup cost down.

Im going bare bottom as well. Ive had many problems with sand in my tank. Ive run barebottom in the past and am in the habit of very high flow tanks, almost 100x flow rate. Sand in a tank like this is nasty. When I set up my Illuminata im going BB. Maybe when the corals grow out, and flow is cut down by them, ill put less than an inch of sand in the tank. But with no corals theres to much flow, sand will be everywhere.

Good luck.

trashman
02/04/2010, 08:04 PM
looks good welcome back to the hobby.

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 08:11 PM
I love my ATI Sunpower 6x39w. I think youll like it more than the TEK. The TEK isnt that much cheaper than the Sunpower is it?

I am doing a similar setup to you. Im just waiting to move before I set it up. I hope you dont have issues with your SCWD, When I had mine I had tons of issues after about a year.

Dont go with a calcium reactor. Save your money and get 2 dosers from BulkReefSupply for 100 each. The 2 part they sell is so cheap, over time its better imo because you can tailor the dosing rate to needs of your tank. Use the extra money for a controller, Reefkeeper lite is a good model.
Start off with as little equipment as you can handle, and then when you need something buy it. Itll keep your startup cost down.

Im going bare bottom as well. Ive had many problems with sand in my tank. Ive run barebottom in the past and am in the habit of very high flow tanks, almost 100x flow rate. Sand in a tank like this is nasty. When I set up my Illuminata im going BB. Maybe when the corals grow out, and flow is cut down by them, ill put less than an inch of sand in the tank. But with no corals theres to much flow, sand will be everywhere.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advise. If I have any problems with the SCWD I can just get rid of it. I had one in the past and never had a problem so no bid deal there. Do you have water in your 57? If so how does the MP40 do in there?

cpllongjk
02/04/2010, 08:16 PM
No, no water yet. My wife wants to move... so Im in the middle of breaking down my tank. I have everything for my 57g Illuminata and will set it up after the move. I dont see any point in downgrading before the move.

I currently have 1 mp40w in my 60g 48x15x17. And I can tell you this, to much flow. I have to put the pump at minimum to 3/4 setting. I used to have 2 mp40w's, way to much flow.

When I set up the illuminata I know the 1 mp40 will take care of the corals, but my only concern is the area under the rocks. Because Im going BB I dont want waste settling under the rocks. Im thinking of using a Tunze 6025 on the back wall blowing on the ground under the rocks. If only I can think of a way to hide the cord...

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 08:21 PM
I have both of the return nozzles pointed down and that keeps all of the bottom clear that is in the back, if figure the MP40 will keep the front stirred up enough so nothing will settle out on the bottom.

mjk0301
02/04/2010, 08:25 PM
nice build so far

cpllongjk
02/04/2010, 08:31 PM
Ya, sounds good man, I will have to do something similar with my return. Maybe I can get buy without a pump hidden in the back. That would be wonderful.

Octoshark
02/04/2010, 08:37 PM
Nice setup. I like your rock, I have the same kind. The knobs provide a lot of extra surface area for bacteria growth which is a great advantage.

dubdlee
02/04/2010, 08:47 PM
Beautiful setup, I love the rimless tank.

Rybren
02/04/2010, 08:59 PM
Looking good.

What brand of tank is it? I'm looking to upgrade from my 30G (36" long) and would like to stick with the same length. The only ones I've seen around here are the 40B and 65 gal. I'm not crazy about the height of the 65 and it doesn't seem worth it to only upgrade by 10G to the 40. The 57 would be perfect.

theyammieguy
02/04/2010, 09:03 PM
Looks like an oceanic tech series. There are several threads with this same tank. MOJO has a nice build thread.

LS1 WS6
02/04/2010, 09:03 PM
It is an Oceanic Illuminati, I really like it.

Rybren
02/04/2010, 09:09 PM
Thanks,

I'll have to see if any of the local LFS can get one in.

troyvang
02/05/2010, 12:08 PM
Nice setup.

timdam
02/05/2010, 12:40 PM
just curious, why the bare bottom? is it just preference on the look?

LS1 WS6
02/05/2010, 12:50 PM
I'm going bare bottom because I am going to only do SPS and there will be a lot of water flow, don't really want a sand storm. I did incorporate a fuge into the sump, it's not that big but it should help.

LS1 WS6
02/05/2010, 12:50 PM
Nice setup.

Thanks:)

mstrpln03
02/05/2010, 01:09 PM
My friend just got the ATI 6 x 39. I was going to go with a TEK, but after seeing his light I am now going with the ATI. Awesome light.

LS1 WS6
02/05/2010, 01:21 PM
My friend just got the ATI 6 x 39. I was going to go with a TEK, but after seeing his light I am now going with the ATI. Awesome light.

Thanks for the advise, I think I will just order the ATI today:)

br3nt
02/05/2010, 01:26 PM
Why did you decide to go with the Eshopps skimmer? was it price or performance?

miztahphong2
02/05/2010, 02:07 PM
looking forward to following along your thread. similar setup soon. waiting on aquarium and the 6x39 should be awesome!

LS1 WS6
02/05/2010, 03:39 PM
Why did you decide to go with the Eshopps skimmer? was it price or performance?

Both, for a cone skimmer it is on the cheap side, granted, it's not a bubble king or something but for my size of tank that is totally unneeded. It is well built and has a small footprint which is nice. I think for the price it works really really well. Very easy to use.

Barbie
02/07/2010, 10:04 PM
Holy carp! This thread was already 10 pages back!

For the budget, that skimmer rocks, IMO. It was in the chamber after a big beast of a beckett skimmer at the shop and it really skimmed as well, if not better than the skimmer being driven by a 1200 gph pump. It was really almost silent and seemed very user friendly.

I really want to see more pictures of that herbie loop you created Morgan. I have a customer with a 90 gallon corner bow that I was describing it for. Maybe I should loan you my old dslr so you have no more picture excuses, hehe. I definitely intend to keep on you about adding pics as you go!

The rock that's in there is a mix of Marshall Island and Totoka. When do your light and pump arrive?

Barbie

hucklebucker
02/13/2010, 07:17 PM
nice build...gettn ready to do one myself