Parrot's 150 Long

Hey Guys, it's been a long time coming, and I decided to start my 150 build thread. I won't be home until September, but I've already started buying the equipment and planning it out. No real pics yet, I'd appreciate any help/suggestions/etc you can pass my way. I can't wait to share the build with you guys as I put it together.

So here's the plan:
TANK
150 long euro-braced (black silicone) from miracles aquarium, 72"L x 27"D x 18"H. 5/8" tempered bottom, 3 drilled holes, 5/8" back and ends, 3/4" starfire front. 32" (maybe 30"?) metal stand with oak skirting. Trapezoid overflow centered on back panel. Two 1.5" drains and a 1" drain.

LIGHTING
Moving my 4 AI's from my old tank...for:
5 Aqua Illumination Royal Blue SOL modules, controlled to the minute with the GHL Profilux controller. They will be hung from the ceiling so I can easily work on the tank.

CIRCULATION:
2 MP40ES and 1 MP10ES VORTECH pumps, controlled with the Proflux Vortech Controller

FILTRATION:
I'm going to try out the algae scrubber technique, with it sitting in a 30 gallon sump I've got laying around. The sump is going to have a good amount of live rock and a DSB. The display will have a little less LR than normal with a medium depth sand bed. (white sand, not sure on the "grade" yet). My return pump is going to be a supreme mag drive pump 1200 (md12)

TEMPERATURE:
2 500W heaters hooked up to a RANCO controller, with the Proflux backing me up with audio alerts.

DISPLAY:
I'm really thinking about keeping a lot of negative space and making it look as clean as possible. Not sure on the sand yet, but I want at least a 2" sandbed. I'll be reusing a lot of the rock from my 75 that's been sitting outside in the lawn. Going to be putting eggcrate down on the base of the tank and doing a good deal of drilling on the rocks to really try to get a good aquascape going.

ELECTRICAL:
Without a doubt I'll be getting a generator for this tank and wiring it to the house. Gotta protect the investment. I'll be stealing an idea from D2 and Melev by using American DJ power strips to manage the connections.

TOPOFF/WATER
I'll be topping off my water with a 2 stage top off system from autotopoff.com. In the basement, I'll be having 2 large drums - one for RODI water and one for mixed saltwater, and running pumps from down there to the tank. With a switch of a button, I'd like to be able to drain out "x" amount of water, and then flip another switch to add new saltwater in.

FISH:
I don't like an overstocked tank. I'm definitely planning on a pair of clowns and a convict tang. Maybe a small school of Pajama Cardinalfish.

CORALS:
Well, you may know Biff has been babysitting some of my corals - hopefully she won't claim them all as dead! Besides some of those, I'm planning on trying some SPS to see how that fares.

I'd love to hear any thoughts/suggestions/critiques!

Alex

Top notch on everything...EXCEPT...The Pajama Cardinals...really? I expected so much more from you..Pajama Cardinals. All this imagination went into the tank, and you decided you want to fill it with cardinals....Ughhh, I think it's safe to say you've got a little too much desert dust in your brain.:D

If you want a school, maybe some anthias? 1 male a bunch of females. They're going to be much more active, and brighter colors.

Everything else is perfect IMO.

I love PJ Cardinals! They're like floating zombies!!

I would consider Anthias, but I heard they're jumpers - maybe the eurobracing would help? Speaking on Anthias, check these guys out. I have no interest in Chromis - I think they're too dull.

I'd also like a Magnificent Foxface if I can get a hold on one - I love their colors.

Your tank sounds like it's going to be awesome!

I love those anthias also, they are the best looking I've seen so far. As for the mag foxface, I can't say enough about mine. He's beautiful and next to my clowns he's the hardiest fish I've had. He's made it through a bad tank crash and a four day power outage.

Hmmm - any of you guys have experience with them jumping? You're starting to sway me!

I love foxfaces - my one-spot was my buddy and I was so sad to bring him back to the fish store when I shut down my 75.

Cool, can't wait!

I have a suggestion about the algae scrubber. Put it on its own pump, that way you only have to turn that pump off when cleaning it instead of running it via the overflow. Or you could make an off shoot to run it and then just close the valve off to it.

I kinda feel like this has already been suggested somewhere, but here is again!


And i like those anthias a whole lot more than the zombie cardinals!

This sounds like it's gonna be an awesome tank build...my 2 cents, for what it's worth, I would go with a bigger sump than the 30gal, probably around 55gals. :)

Smitty - to be honest, I'm not sure the size of it, I'm guessing from what I remember! It's halfway across the world right now! I don't need it too large because I don't need to fit a skimmer in there and with a smaller stand, space will be at a premium. And evap hopefully won't be much of a problem with the ATO!

Little Fish - I was originally planning to just have an offshoot with a true union for the return pumps, but I've never "plumbed" before so I'm a little nervous about trying to tackle too big of a project. It seems easier just to put in a separate pump. BUT ultimately I think I'd be happier if I could run it off the return, for how clean and simple that would be in the long run. Definitely not running it straight off of the return though, I agree it would suck to have to shut off the pump to clean it every time.

By the way, working on a crude "paint" drawing of my intended sump so you guys can critique it.

This thread is going to be epic. Totally looking forward to it.

Thanks Erin! I hope I can impress.

Here's my "schematic" or what I intend to do - please critique it for me!

parrotchute said:

CORALS:
Well, you may know Biff has been babysitting some of my corals - hopefully she won't claim them all as dead! Besides some of those, I'm planning on trying some SPS to see how that fares.

Click to expand...

Dude, what are you talking about?! What corals?

:bounce:

Which ones do you want back? I'll send you back a bunch of my stuff too when the time comes.

I am impressed you stayed within the lines!!!!!!

Bifferwine said:

Dude, what are you talking about?! What corals?

:bounce:

Which ones do you want back? I'll send you back a bunch of my stuff too when the time comes.

Click to expand...

Haha - I figured as much :grumble:

But seriously, like I said originally, I only ask for the frags back, the mother colonies are yours to enjoy.
Frags of the colorful zoas and the big giant neon green ones for sure. A tyree neon green toadstool, some of the acans, a frag or two of the bright red-orange monti, a frogspawn frag (did that survive shipping to you?). Oooh, and my Duncans!

The zoas/duncs are my fav tho.

Won't be til at least October though!! Hopefully before it gets too cold.

And Biff, I'm expecting some comments/suggestions on the stuff I posted above. :bowdown:

Sounds very complicated and awesome looking forward to its birth.

Thanks Amber, hopefully it won't become too complicated. My goal is automation and limiting the amount of worry/stress I have on the tank, giving me more time to enjoy it. But, I'll admit, I love tinkering, and this looks like it'll give me the perfect excuse.

parrotchute said:

Haha - I figured as much :grumble:

But seriously, like I said originally, I only ask for the frags back, the mother colonies are yours to enjoy.
Frags of the colorful zoas and the big giant neon green ones for sure. A tyree neon green toadstool, some of the acans, a frag or two of the bright red-orange monti, a frogspawn frag (did that survive shipping to you?). Oooh, and my Duncans!

The zoas/duncs are my fav tho.

Won't be til at least October though!! Hopefully before it gets too cold.

And Biff, I'm expecting some comments/suggestions on the stuff I posted above. :bowdown:

Click to expand...

Those big neon green ones have multiplied -- I think there are about a dozen of them now. And they spread far from each other, which is weird. There's an inch or so of space in between each polyp.

I don't remember which acans were yours and which I had before! So I will send you some of all of them! Your monti did not survive the shipping, but I had an identical piece in my tank already which is pretty large. That will be easy to frag for you. I never got a frogspawn from you. :question: :question: And of course the duncans are doing awesome!

You will be in good shape, don't worry! ;)

I will have to check out the other stuff you posted. Will do that in a bit when I have more time to pay attention! :lol:

I might not have sent the frogspawn - I think I may have sold it to the LFS in anticipation of it being tough to ship properly. What about those crazy palys that had orange, green, and red in them? Did they ever thrive? You should take some updated tank photos so I can see!!!

No problem, whatever you've got space/time/shipping for, I'm just glad to get back some of my babies!