new tank build 120 reef

Well, after a month of research on various forums, got the new tank yesterday. Here's what I got

aqueon ( formerly all glass aquarium) 120 r/r with dual overflows
aqueon stand ( modern style) was going to just get the cheap pine stand in black, but wife wanted nicer furniture. Stupid stand cost $700

oceanic sump model 3
quiet one 4000 pump for the returns
vertex skimmer IN 180 2nd generation, so should have no problem with the pump. Was going to get the IN 250 model, but too tall, won't fit underneath the cabinet. Thought about getting the new Alpha one cone with the red dragon pumps, but my lfs didn't have it in stock yet.

Coralife Aqualight pro 2x250 mh with 96 pcs. I bought this off Craigslist. Brand new, still in a box that Coralife shipped to a guy who had bought a fixture in January that he complained to Coralife about the quality control. Instead of having him return it, they actually just sent him a brand new one, which he sold to me for $ 650. I was going to go with a t5 system,
(thanks DR FRAGENSTEIN for all your input) but this was too good a deal to pass up. Probably switch to t5 system once the TEK fixtures come with some active cooling.

vertex refactometer. I'm not sure if its more work than using my old floating one.

Just waiting for an aquarium guy to come over to help plumb the sump in it, then I'll add my live rock and start my cycle. Once everything is up and running, I'll add a vertex calcium reactor. Dripping kalkwasser is a pain in the but.

I've been looking at people's problems with their tanks. red slime, hair algae, etc. I ran a simple 90 gal reef from 1996 to about 2004 with only about 100 lbs of live rock, 2 back back skimmers, vho lighting, (bought one of the first icecap 660 ballasts) and tons of corals, anenomes and corals, along with about 5 medium sized fish ( marine betta, flame angel, yellow tang, six line wrasse, tomato clown and a perc) The secret is that you don't have to feed your fish everyday as long as you have a well established live rock tank. I only fed them every 3 or 4 days, never measured for nitrates, phosphates etc. Only dosing I ever did was a few squirts of kent stontium and magnessium every couple weeks, and dripped kalkwasser once a month. Water changes were about 10 % every 3 or 4 weeks.

I think the hobby is getting too complicated with everybody telling you to add this and that chemicals, You have to remember the rule

KISS

Keep It Simple Stupid. and most times, everything will run by itself.

 

Congrats on the new tank build. I had stand and canopy by All Glass Aquarium on my last tank and they looked really nice and held up well.

 

thanks gotosleep. You're building 550 gallon? How you doing that? Custom or diy?

 

Custom. I didn't have the guts to trust my glass skills to something that need to hold that much pressure for the next 20+ years. It is a deeeep tank. I did do a little diy work inside the 40gal turtle tanks . It got the job done but it sure ain't pretty.

 

Sounds like its going to be an awesome set up. Cant wait to see how it comes along.