Dreaming and Planning

[Larienn]

I'm looking to do my first run at a saltwater tank. I'm planning for about a year away and am hitting you guys up to make sure I'm planning in the right direction.

I'm looking for input. Corrections, ideas, suggestions. Anything that will help me make this as painless and easy for both myself and any thing that will live in the tank. The target is a reef setup starting with fish only and adding some slower growing corals later.

Here is the equipment and setup I have been looking at so far:
Tank: 100g reef ready tank with stand (overflow is drilled center w/ 4 holes)
Lights: EcoTech Radion XR30W (2nd Gen) x2
Powerhead: VorTech MP40w (1 or 2, not sure yet)
Sump: Custom made 20g for my LFS (Basically a giant "U" shape with slots for physical media if needed)
Refugium: DIY 5-10g
Controller: Neptune Systems AquaController Apex with WMX and Breakout box (possibly added at a later date from initial start up)
Skimmer: Red Sea C-Skim 1800
Rock: 100 lbs Reef Saver Dry Rock
Sand: 120 lbs Fiji Pink Arag-Alive! (for a 2.5" to 3" sand bed)
Pumps: Eheim Compact+ 3000 x2
Reactors: BRS GFO & Carbon Reactor (individual units)
Heater: Eheim Jager Trutemp 250W (possibly 2 lower wattage ones)

Quarantine Tank: Marineland Bio-Wheel 20 gal Aquarium Kit

RO/DI: BRS 5 Stage Plus (75 gpd)
Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro

Misc: Refactometer, couple Brute tubs, nets, plumbing, and test kits

Please let me know if I missed anything, should avoid anything, or change anything. I also looking for a recommendation for a good test kit(s).

As for plumbing, I plan on making an "H" with a ball valve at the center "-" and the right top "|" with the 2 pumps at the bottom. Plan on using the bottom left pump to supply the main tank return. The right section will be plumbed with branches off with ball valves on them to create sections to attach and feed the skimmer, reactors and the refugium. What I had in mind is that in the event of a pump failure, primarily the main feed back, I could close the ball valve to the other equipment and open the one to the main line.
(Hope I was able to explain it in a way that is understandable).

I realize all the rock is just base rock, but plan on getting live rock to seed it from the LFS or if the local aquarium can part with a small bit to help. I also understand it'll slow the cycle down, but I'm planning this a year out.... I think I'm able to wait for the cycle.

As far as live stock are concerned... That's where I'm having the most difficulty. I see all these beautiful fish I want to put in, but when I look at the temperment and see clashes or tank size and find it to small. Here is what I'm hoping for:
Pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
3-4 Kaudern's Cardinals
3-6 Blue or Blue/Green Chromis
1 Yellow Tang
1 Blue Tang or 1 Blue Caribbean Tang
2 Goby (with a shrimp, will need suggestions on this)

I'm not sure about this grouping though. I'm paranoid that I would be overstocking it, expecially when adding corals. That and I'm worried about the tangs would fight. This is where I am the most concerned and am hoping for the most advice.

In the refugium, I plan of doing some rock rubble and Ulva Lactuca. Ulva for food supplement to using Nori and a habitat for pods. My questions at this point for it at this juction are; do I need a clean up crew for the refugium and would Chaeto help with the pods or is the Ulva enough?


Ok guys, for those of you who made it to this point in the thread, thank you so much for sticking with me. I feel as though I have a decent understanding for a first time getting ready to start, but I don't want to mess this up.

[thegrun]

My thoughts on a couple of your items:

Powerhead: VorTech MP40w: Go with two for sure, you can set up a large variety of waves and currents with two pumps that you cannot achieve with a single.

Sump: The sump seems a little small for your tank, I would use a 60 gallon sump.

Pumps: Eheim Compact+ 3000 x2: I understand the back-up pump plan, but for energy savings I would use a single pump.

Heater: Eheim Jager Trutemp 250W (possibly 2 lower wattage ones): Definately use two or even three heaters, your total wattage should be around 400-500 watts.

I would limit your tang selection to a single yellow or kole tang, your tank is not big enough for a blue.

[Fizz71]

I agree with a lot of what grun said...but I'll repeat and add.

Get a bigger sump and ditch the DIY refugium by building it into your sump.

Don't get too fancy on your return plumbing, just use one pump to return and use another pump to feed the skimmer. Small low wattage powerheads are good for reactors. The more big pumps the more heat and the higher the electric bill.

You might be pushing it with the tangs..the yellow is fine, but a yellow plus the larger body style of the blues is pushing it.

Ditch the Arag-Alive...live sand in a bag is worthless IMO. Get some GARF grunge if you're bent on buying a sand primer but you'd be fine with just some live rock and a few cupfulls of live sand from a fellow reefer(s).

Invest in a topoff systems..I didn't see one. Even if it's only gravity fed, you're not going to want to add water manually all the time.

Also invest in some pumps and maybe creative plumbing for easier (and dryer) water changes. IMO water changes are the biggest hassle, so make it easy on yourself.

Make sure you have unions in your plumbing too, all pumps require cleaning once in a while so make them easy to remove.

That's all off the top of my head...looking good so far though.