Pre-Build - Parts Checklist

I run a bk 300 on a 500 gallon system, u will be fine with a 250 or an atb 1050a. Ditch your hydor 400 watt heater to and get at least 2-3 250 watt stealth or ehiem heaters and control em all with your neptune controller, at least this way if one fails its not catastrophic. Im going to be running 3 250 watters in my marineland 250 gallon. On my 250 i will be running an atb 1050a, awesome skimmers...i have the atb 840 cone and its a monster on a 100 gallon tank. I have to feed very heavily to give the skimmer something to clean...cleaned up my 90 in a couple months. Your overflows on that tank are rated to handle 700 gph each so thats 1400 total, if u wanna know what im using i decided on a atb 1500 return pump....its very similar to a red dragon return pump just cost alot less. The 1500 is around 200 bux and if u use it strictly for just returning water it would make a nice return pump. With head pressure it should put 400-500 gph through each overflow box giving a low to medium flow thru your sump. Def. get a refractometer, hydrometers fail frequently. As far as flow on my tank im using controllable tunzes with a vortech cause i dont like a ton of wires crawling up the outside of glass on my tank.


Dennis

 

Id do some comparisons with the metal halide fixture and t5 fixtures before u commit also. Its easier and cheaper to fine tune the color of your tank by swapping a few t5 bulbs and despite what u read they are more than capable of growing sps coral. Im using a 60" ati 10 bulb fixture on my new tank. Also dont forget an auto top off unit, i like to use a litermeter 3 for that cause u can add extra pumps for dosing or even buy a water exchange module to perform auto water changes for you. Last thing while im thinking about it, dont forget a phospahte reactor, geo makes a nice smaller unit for around 150 bux that would fit your tank well.


Dennis

 

Wow, information overload. This thread is going to take me awhile to research everyone's suggestions. Thanks so much for the input so far, I really appreciate it. There's so much to learn, and I feel like I've barely hit the tip of the iceberg.

I'll definitely replace the hydrometer on my list with a refractometer...
Looks like I need to further reasearch CA/Phosphate reactors as well.

Now for additional questions, answers, and comments:

I haven't really started researching types of corals yet. I'd like to do a variety though, SPS, LPS, etc.

Yes, I plan on having the fuge/sump/everything underneath in the stand.

Yes, to some degree. Obviously when my wife and I got that first glimmer in our eye to start a reef tank we had no idea what we were getting into. My initial $5k budget was quickly shot to pieces! And that's before even considering livestock! That Bubble King you linked, $2400 for a skimmer? Ouch! That would even blow away my new revised budget! And that Precision Marine Bullet 3 looks like it would be too tall to go underneath in my stand...

I was hoping to have the pump all contained in the fuge/sump. Is this a bad idea? (Obviously it's a little hard for me to figure out all of the plumbing pieces without having any of the equipment yet, so I'm trying to piece together what I can ahead of time.)

No...LFS told me I would not need a Phosphate/Calcium Reactor until my tank was 2 years old and I had more experience under my belt as they were "dangerous" and I could do the same thing by adding chemicals manually. I've gotten mediocre advice from the LFS around my area (as far as a newbie can tell in that some of it doesn't jive with advice given on 3reef...). What would you recommend in this arena?

Recommendations on a CA reactor?

I had some concerns about 400w due to the extra heat they put out as well as accidentally scorching everything too high in the tank...Anyone else have opinons on 250w or 400w MH?

I'll start a build thread once I finally start ordering and assembling pieces. This is obviously going to be a long drawn out process! And per everyone's advice, I'm going slow...

Hmm...read these suggestions on heaters on another thread last night, but brushed by it. I'll rethink that one, good thoughts...

Help me understand this a bit...I don't like the idea of having wires running to all sides of my tank, but would like to be able to control with the Neptune. But obviously when looking online the powerheads don't show the cables connected...What is the difference between the Tunzes and the Vortechs from the wiring/control perspective? Sounds like you're implying the Vortechs require wires running to them while the tunzes don't? Can they both still be controlled with the Neptune Controller?

As trivial as it may sound, I like the shimmer of MH. I like the ATIs, very sharp looking, I'd go that route in a heartbeat, but doesn't look like they offer MH or 72"?

Phosphate v. Calcium reactors. I need to research those more. Do you run them in tandem, or one or the other? Can I fit both of those along with a sump, fuge, and skimmer under my tank in the cabinent?

Thanks again everyone!
-Luke

 

I wouldn't worry so much about the calcium reactor yet. Just plan on making room for future expansion. You will have plenty of time to research that as the tank starts to mature. 2 years is a bit of a stretch.. depending on your corals. With a bunch of SPS they will draw more and more as they grow. My tank was born Sept. 08 and I can still keep up dosing but a calcium reactor would probably be nice now and would make things more stable.
Where do you live? Around here Fiji rocks show up on craigslist for very cheap. I would imagine the same in about any good size city. Bleach and clean it to kill any pests and start it over.

Reeflo pumps get high praise around here. I just ordered a Dart, but sounds like you'll need bigger like a Hammerhead. I've owned Pan World and Gen X pumps and they're kinda noisy. I've heard other peoples Reeflo and can barely here them.
When my new pump gets here I'm going to build a manifold to tap line for reactors, skimmer, future expansion if necessary..
See Otty's manifold build here:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/ottys-265-w-3-sided-view-39314-36.html

 

here is a link to some very good skimmers. (mid range price) i will vouch for these skimmers well built highly efficient and doesn't require a needle wheel pump!ETSS 800 as for lights (and this is just my opinion) i would go with 400w mh single ended. i have both 2-400w single ended on my 150 and a current usa 2x250w hqi fixture on my 75gal both w/ 4x48"t5 actinic and the 400w is way cooler and throws better light. most dont agree with me on this but the temp doesn't lie!!! the color thing is just my opinion.(i run 20000k on both) i dont know how tall your tank is. but if it is 2' or more then i would go 400w b/c you want the light to penetrate deep in your tank. reason is that when you stock your tank you will have the ability to place high light requiring coral lower in your tank.(so long as water-flow is sufficient) here is a link to some ca reactors. read up on how to setup these systems. you need a reactor,co2 system and a ph controller. study study study!!!! ill try and find the thread i saw on a mh study and if i can find it ill post it later. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4676+12795&pcatid=12795

 

Precision Marine Calcium Reactor RFCa6 ....... http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~Vertex_Calcium_Reactor_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Calcium_Reactors_Calcium_Reactors~vendor~Proline_Aquatics_(Vertex)~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~VX4111~idCategory~FICRRA.html

 

The powerhead thing is a bit confusing/hard to explain. As far as i know u cant control vortechs with a neptune controller, there are controllers that come with each vortech that allows u to control them. The neptune makes something called an aquasurf that will allow you to control the controllable tunze models (nanostream 6055, tunze stream 6105, 6205, and 6305. What i meant as far as the wires go is a tunze is a typical powerhead design, u typically put the power head in the corner or back side and direct where u want your flow and the wires go over the top of the frame of the tank and can be routed behind the tank. The vortechs can not be directed so its best to put them on the ends of the tank to get the most out of them, the wire is on the outside of the tank cause the motor is on the outside so it has to be routed up the side of the tank so it obstructs the side views a bit but if u can deal with it or dont care then it maybe the pump for u. Also NO the ati dont offer metal halide nor do they have a 72" fixture, you would have to buy 2 36" fixtures. I like the shimmer effect to but its not enuf for me to pick them over almost infinite color choices. I also wouldnt worry about a calcium reactor just yet if at all.

Dennis

 

Untrue, the Vortechs come with there own wave driver that will wirelessly sync with other Vortechs. Very nice system, I am planning on using them as my primary flow source in an upcoming 400g+ build.

Probably not a neccicary piece of equipment but DEFFINATLY something you will want shortly down the line. If you are setting up your equipment I would get it taken care of now to avoid dealing with it later.

 

What does a wave driver have to do with directing a powerhead? Ive installed and used 10+ vortechs, they dont swivel or turn u put them on the glass and u are done, the only adjustment u make is the spacer to set the vortech to the thickness of your glass. Madlarkin, i dont disagree that vortechs are nice pumps but if u are setting up a 400 gallon tank i wouldnt limit yourself to vortechs, i maintain a 8 foot long 375 and a vortech wont reach the other side. I have a mp40 on a 215 on full blast (6 foot tank) and the last foot or so of the tank there is very minimal water movement.

 

I misunderstood what you meant by directed, I interpreted that as they could not be controlled. As for my project, I am not limiting myself to the MP40's but they are the heart of the build.
I still think a trio of MP40's would be more then enough in his tank.