135 almost ready to start setting up!

Pterois

Reefing newb
I have aquired one more piece of my 135 setup: Lights!

So, now I have:

Iwaki 40rxt pump and plumbing
3- 175 watt icecap ballasts, 3- 10,000k ushio bulbs, a 6 ft reflector, 2- 4 in icecap fans, 4 VHO-2 URI actinic & 2 white
120 pounds of non-live rock

To do list: re-seal the tank, paint the stand, buy sand and live rock, test the tank for leaks, then fill with salt water.

Equipment still needed: skimmer and refugium

This project started in January, and I hope to have it cycled by Christmas.

Angela


 
Pictures will come when I have it together. Right now, everything is in boxes. Hubby is insistent on reinforcing the floor joists, so I can't fill it until he gets the jacks under the floor.

This weekend: paint the stand and re-seal the tank.

Angela
 
I'm one of those people who studies and researches every last thing-to the extreme. That's why it's taken so long (and money, of course) to get my new tank going.

Today, I researched powerheads. I thought I was sold on Tunze, but after researching for months (no kidding), I think I'm backing off on those. Why? Because I can get a Wavemaster with 4 maxijets for under $160. I know how to fix the Wavemaster if it breaks (simple electronics). So, why shell out $899 for the Tunze with controller? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but an LPS tank shouldn't really need massive amounts of wave surge. Plus, that leaves me with extra $600 or so for awesome corals.

I'm also going barebottom! So radically different than my current 55 tank.

Now that's decision made, it's coming out of the crate into the family room today!
 
Sounds good to me, I have never seen a barebottom tank live before, we will have to have a reef club meeting at your house at some point so that we can see what it looks like.
 
Bare Bottom... Would like to see how that works out....

Just to give a reason why so many people thing tunze are better than maxijets....

MaxiJets move x amount of water through a small opening creating high volume with high velocity....

Tunze pumps have high water volume with a wide opening creating high volume turnover without such a high velocity of watermovement.

Maybe this could be better described with an example...
Put a frogspawn or soft coral 18" from a maxijet pumping 900 GPH... that wouldn't be good...
Put a frogspawn or soft coral 18" from a tunze pumping 900 GPH.... and everything looks like it is suppose to..

Just an example but the point being it wont be getting near as pounded by water.

I personally have never used a tunze, because like you i think they cost to much.. but i have used these http://www.reefermadness.us/RM-SEIO-Pumps.htm and are a very good cheap alternative.

I will say however they will not work with a wavemaker and are not made for turning on and off.

Hope that helps maybe answer some of your questions.

Brandon
 
We'll definately host a meeting once this tank gets going.

I see your point on the velocity, and that's what I needed to help make my decision.

Angela
 
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