New 120g setup - questions and feedback?

[beans]

I've been out of the hobby for a little while now but getting back in. Lighting sure has changed a bit with LED's now available - really looking forward to a lower electricity bill and less heat...

So here's my setup that I'm planning:

Monterey Stand and Canopy
120g tank (48" x 24") - mixed reef
Aqueon Sump (planning live rock rubble instead of refugium or bio-balls)
AquaIllumination SOL Super Blue LED (3 units)
Emperor Aquatics Smart 25w UV filter
Octopus SRO 2000 internal skimmer
Mag Drive 9.5 pump (externally mounted) for return
Barracuda 4-stage RODI 100gpd
Hydor Koralia Evolution 750gph (qty 4 - no wave maker... always on)

Feedback on various components appreciated... been reading threads for a while now and selected these units based on what I've read.

Questions:

1 - can anyone with the 120g Monterey canopy tell me if there's a center support that will interfere with my lighting? (with three units, there will logically be one that is dead center on the tank...)

2 - will the Monterey canopy provide enough height with these lights to give me the nice shimmer we all want? (I need a canopy to keep the cat out of the tank!)

3 - how should I plumb the UV filter (or maybe more appropriately, the system overall)? I didn't use one last time but really want to this time. With one corner overflow, I'm not sure how to fit the UV into the plans? My concern is that you need a certain slower flow rate for the UV to work properly (from what I've read). If I simply split the return and put a valve to adjust flow, how do I know what the flow rate is? and how do I rejoin the return back to a single overflow?

4 - relative to number 3, where should I be placing shutoff valves to allow proper maintenance and avoid sump overflows?

Thanks for any feedback...

[moondoggy4]

What flow does the emperor UV recommend? I like your equipment list. I used to fun a cheap fan on my Mag 7 because of heat.

[DHyslop]

Hi Allan,

I'd skip the UV. It's really only effective for problems that reef tanks rarely have, like green water. They're not effective at all against the parasites like ich that you'll bring home from your LFS.

I'd also go with an RODI unit from BRS instead of the Barracuda. I've used a lot of the AquaFX units before and I don't think they're very good. Their push connect fittings are cheap and I've seen a few units that didn't come with clear housings. Get a BRS unit that has a dual TDS meter and a flush kit built in. Your LFS is also going to try and rip you off on filters, they probably charge $10 for a $3 sediment filter and $30-40 for a $12 DI.

You definitely want to skip the rock rubble in the sump. It won't be any better than a wet/dry. You need to have a strategy to remove nutrients from the tank -- whether that's carbon dosing or refugium or GFO you should plan on having something.

I'm not a big fan of running Mag-drives exernally, but it works for most so I won't harp on it.

Skip the Koralias and take the money you save from not getting the UV and get an Vortech instead. You won't be sorry.

Also, if you get live rock from your LFS do a phosphate test of their water, first. If there are excess phosphates they will adsorb into the CaCO3 structure of the rock...then when you take it home and put it in your 0 ppm tank it all leaches out and your new $12/lb rock turns your tank into a hair algae pit. Honestly I would get dry rock from BRS or Marcorocks.

Skimmer is fine. Spend $100 extra and order a Swabbie. You won't regret it!

If you're going to be keeping a lot of coral you'll also need a system to replenish calcium and alkalinity. There's a few different strategies and what's best for you depends on many different factors. You'll also want an auto top-off of some sort.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more advice or tips. There are some local places that are really good and some you should avoid like the plague.