new 180 gallon tank

[jag1979]

I just bought the tank and stand, no equipment yet...any suggestions on brands to look for or watch out for. I want to set up a reef tank w/ all types of corals

I think i might go w/ the asm g2 (want the g3 but my stand is not tall enough...only 26" clearance in inside)

my hood is 17", 14" clearance on the inside. Can I put 3x400 mh's w/o overheating...what about 3x250's, I'm ok w/ a few fans but I don't want a chiller.

my tank has two overflows, what sump and pump(s) should I get...are refugiums that good?

thanks

[jag1979]

another ? should I use a uv steralizer?

[Arch01]

There's a lot of discussion points in your questions, but I'll start with get the largest sump you can reasonably fit under your stand. For your return pump, aim for 5-10x turnover of the main tank volume. You will need additional flow, especially if you plan to keep SPS. You can do this with a closed loop or powerheads such as Tunze Streams or the new Vortech pumps.

250w MHs will provide plenty of light to keep pretty much everything and you should be able to avoid heat problems with just a couple of fans.

[ambaratur]

Actually it is usually recommended to have only 3-5x turnover through your sump. Use powerheads or a closed loop to bring that up to 10x-20x for corals.

A g2 would be pretty undersized for a 180 - you might want to look at other options to get something to fit better.

[mg426]

An ASM G3 is 24 inches high, You only need 1/2 inch to dump the sludge.

[jag1979]

thanks for the reply's

mg426, do you have a g3? the dimensions at championlight (and everywhere else I have seen it) say it is 25" high, when I called championlight they told me I needed 2" to remove the top.

The g4 says it is 24" if the 1/2 is correct maybe I should just get that one?

thanks, I guess I will get the 250's i was thinking 3x250's and 2 vho's is that enought to keep anything I could want? (clams, anemone, sps...)

any recomendations for lights (or anything else)? I can build a retrokit at hellolights for around $800

[mg426]

I have am ASM G3. It does not need 2 inches to get the top off. I have never measured mine. I got the height off of WWW.thatfishplace.com Try e-mailing Rob at ASM skimmers he will know the actual height and anything else you need to know in regard to ASM skimmers. rbaker@bigfoot.com

[jag1979]

so can I get the g3 w/ only 26" total space under the stand? i will have less than 26" when I put the sump in...would you recomend it?

[mission man]

I was looking at getting the G4x for my new 180, but I am now getting the pacific coast RPS 3000 recirculating from reeftanksupply. The octopus skimmers are getting great reviews here. I believe this skimmer is about 30" tall though. hth

[jag1979]

which skimmer would you recomend for my 180 w/ 26" clearance?

[curtisvill]

Take a look at th MR-2 by My Reef creations http://myreefcreations.com/psstandard.htm . Add an additional injector and a quick release and you will be fine. That is what I am running on my 180 heavily stocked sps tank. 3 x 250 w mh with either vho or t5 supplementation should be fine in regards to lighting.

[jag1979]

I think I have decided on the octopus nw200...thoughts?

[jag1979]

or the asm g4...if it will fit; would that be too much?

[sjm817]

For a Sump, if you want to use an aquarium, Id go with a 50 Gallon 36x18x18 or a 75 Gallon 48x18x20. Id use a bigger skimmer than a G2. ASM G4+, Euro-Reef RS180, Octopus NW-200 are all 24" tall skimmers. For the return pump, an Eheim 1262.

[servicky]

reef concepts 824 aerofoamer.... no cup to take off.....
www.reefconcepts.com

[jag1979]

thanks for the suggestions is the Eheim quiet? Should I get two pumps or one, I have two overflows in the tank.

the areofoamer is kinda expensive is it good...any experience with it?

[sjm817]

Eheim pumps are extremely quiet, great flow and very reliable. They are the best submersible pumps out there. If you want two pumps, I'd use two 1260's. If you use one, the 1262 and split the flow.

[LIZZI]

jag1979
Have you checked out Aquactinics lights? They are small with a lot of power and you can put them on your tank without over heating your tank. I just noticed it that they are running a 10% sale on their Forum between now and Aug 25th. I have delt with Tom (owner of co) before and he is very helpful helping you what you would need. I had both their MH/T5 and their slick T5 fixtures before.

[jag1979]

thanks for the tip but I have a canopy so I will need retrofit lighting, do they make retro's, i didn't see any on there website...

any suggestions on a mh/t5 retro kit?

thanks, I think I'll get two 1260's

still debating about skimmers...AquaC, areofoamer, G4+ (if it fits), Octopus NW 200...?

[LIZZI]

I don't think Aqactinics makes retro's but I read it somewhere that if you make holes in the canopy on both sides for air to get in and out it would work nicely with the T5's and the MH/T5 as well. But, Tom would be able to explain better I am sure.

[LIZZI]

ah, here it is

Yes, for the MH/T5 fixtures you need 5.5" of clearance and only 4.25" for the T5 fixtures. Just keep in mind that the ends of the fixtures will need to be unobstructed to allow for a proper air flow.

Both the MH/T5 and T5 only fixtures are designed to sit directly on top of your tank. It is safe to run the T5 fixture directly on top of the tank with the splash shield.

Thank you,

Tom
Aquactinics