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AlexD

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Admittedly we are not going to build for a few months yet; I just figured it would be a great idea to login here drop some notes and see if others would chime in and head off any mistakes I might be making from the start, so just please feel free to drop ANY suggestions.
We are having a custom tank made by, most likely, Glass Cages to fit the opening of an existing pass through from the kitchen dining area to the living room/den. So, here goes:

Display Tank

  • Custom 78.9 (call it 80) gal. rimless Peninsula-style with a divider wall overflow on one short end, plumbed with 5 bulk heads( 3 - 1” drains & 2 - 3/4” returns). 3 drains for a Bean Animal. But after reading threads re. the constant headaches some have with them, I am seriously rethinking going with 2 - 1” holes and a Herbie.
  • Flow, we are going Mixed Reef, probably softies/leathers, a few anemones, maybe a couple LPS and perhaps 1 or 2 select SPS in the best flow/lit area, so I I’ve worked out a couple options:
    • 1. Two RED SEA – REEFWAVE GYRE 25s with 2 smaller Neros or Current USA 1000+ flow heads to eradicate dead spots, this has become the leading solution in my book, or
    • 2. Two EcoTech MP10s, again with 2 smaller Neros or Current USA 1000+ flow heads to eradicate dead spots.
  • Lighting:
    • Two - AI Prime 16 HD, or
    • Two or three - 165W Viparspectra LEDs (as I now see, you can easily decimate a budget on lighting, ugh)
  • We are in Texas, so as a small caution, I’ll add a GHL Propeller Breeze 3, 3 Fan Black
Sump

  • 20 gal. Long DIY with Fiji Cube baffle kit with refugium section & filter socks.
  • Red Sea Reefer RSK300 Skimmer
  • Vectra S2 DC Return Pump (1400 GPH) - Ecotech
  • Dual Finnex HMX 300S Titanium Heaters w/Inkbird ITC-306A WiFi Temperature Controller
  • Aux. return loop:
    • Syncra Silent 2.0 Pump (568 GPH), Sicce
    • 40 Watt IceCap High Output UV Sterilizer
    • BRS Dual Media Reactor (planned for GFO & Carbon)
    • BioMaxx BioPellet Reactor - Standard, future use
  • Hygger 20W 12-18" LED Refugium Light
 

soymilk

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welcome to marsh

Few thoughts off the top of my head, How think is that glass? Mp10 might not be able to stick all that great if its too think.

Some possible thoughts on your gear list
- 2 icecap 2k with the new wave engine will run you a little bit cheaper and 1 less power cable. And gets your foot in the door with a hydros controller if thats the path you wanna go.

- I personally love the simplicity dc line of skimmers. I think they represent a very good bang for the buck. This is coming from someone with a red sea rsk900. I would highly consider a dc skimmer so you can tune it a little easier.

- Fujicube baffle kit is awesome, but if you wanna save a few bucks there are knock offs on amazon that go for like 30-40 bucks.

- i'd run my UV on a separate pump, so you can tune it better. and not have to worry about downstream reactors affecting your flow.

- ever since starting LED lights, I have never had to use a fan to cool my tank down. If you keep your house relatively mild (75-78). So effectively your ac should be doing most the cooling for your tank.
 
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AlexD

AlexD

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welcome to marsh

Few thoughts off the top of my head, How think is that glass? Mp10 might not be able to stick all that great if its too think.

Some possible thoughts on your gear list
- 2 icecap 2k with the new wave engine will run you a little bit cheaper and 1 less power cable. And gets your foot in the door with a hydros controller if thats the path you wanna go.

- I personally love the simplicity dc line of skimmers. I think they represent a very good bang for the buck. This is coming from someone with a red sea rsk900. I would highly consider a dc skimmer so you can tune it a little easier.

- Fujicube baffle kit is awesome, but if you wanna save a few bucks there are knock offs on amazon that go for like 30-40 bucks.

- i'd run my UV on a separate pump, so you can tune it better. and not have to worry about downstream reactors affecting your flow.

- ever since starting LED lights, I have never had to use a fan to cool my tank down. If you keep your house relatively mild (75-78). So effectively your ac should be doing most the cooling for your tank.
Probably gonna go with IceCaps after researching, thanks for that, looks awesome. It will change the return pump to a VarioS6 for seamless control with the WaveEngine.
I like the idea even more of a separate pump for the UV. I can use a backup DC pump and plumb it on a bypass that would have enough flow to take place of the return pump should something happen to the main-pump. I could then get a lighter duty pump just for the reactor loop to dump back into the return area of the sump or plumb into the return line after the main pump out of the sump.
Jury is still out on the skimmer, not sure on that choice but still leaning toward the RedSea, the reviews on both are pretty equal. Do you see significant tuning issues with the RSK900?
 

soymilk

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I bought a sicce dc 1200 pump and replaced the ac one it came with. so tuning isn't a problem.

I have a bubble magus curve elite 5 and a simplicity dc120. The rsk300 is a little bigger than the bubble magus. The simplicity dc120 is SOOooooOoO much easier to dial in.

I am currently running one dc pump for my return, and 1 dc pump going to my UV, then from the uv up into the display. So basically dual returns. A little redundancy. Also allows me to control the flow easier on the UV.
 

MurseJB

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I bought a sicce dc 1200 pump and replaced the ac one it came with. so tuning isn't a problem.

I have a bubble magus curve elite 5 and a simplicity dc120. The rsk300 is a little bigger than the bubble magus. The simplicity dc120 is SOOooooOoO much easier to dial in.

I am currently running one dc pump for my return, and 1 dc pump going to my UV, then from the uv up into the display. So basically dual returns. A little redundancy. Also allows me to control the flow easier on the UV.
Don't forget about UV numba 2!!
 
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AlexD

AlexD

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I bought a sicce dc 1200 pump and replaced the ac one it came with. so tuning isn't a problem.

I have a bubble magus curve elite 5 and a simplicity dc120. The rsk300 is a little bigger than the bubble magus. The simplicity dc120 is SOOooooOoO much easier to dial in.

I am currently running one dc pump for my return, and 1 dc pump going to my UV, then from the uv up into the display. So basically dual returns. A little redundancy. Also allows me to control the flow easier on the UV.
My plan is a VarioS DC return with independent (less expensive but with a good flow rating >1200) DC to the UV plumbed into the return loop with a bypass to either replace the main return should it crap out or just tee into the return line. I’m also planning on a 500 GPH pump for a reactor loop that will run an inpeprndent loop in and out of the sump, toying with tee-I get the reactors into the return line instead of dumping back into sump. I’ve seen it done both ways.
 

R-BallJunkie

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so just please feel free to drop ANY suggestions.
Shelf. drop down, permanent......you need a shelf to work on your tank. I dont know now folks build tanks and its just a stand. you are always tinkering, dosing, treating, catching, observing. shelf is a great bonus.
.....3 drains for a Bean Animal. But after reading threads re. the constant headaches some have with them, I am seriously rethinking going
Well, i'd call you silly for making this statement but holy cow, did i ever have fits getting my setup dialed in this time. It literally took 2-3 hours of tinkering to get it perfect. After this.....have not touched it again and its darn silent. Don't be discouraged. That one time you hear the emergency overflow kick in....you know you made the right choice with primary, secondary, emergency drains.
Sump

  • 20 gal. Long DIY
If you have not purchased, go bigger. 29G if you can, 40g breeder a +. Checkout Jaxracks.com....he has some cool stuff and he'll work with you on custom pieces. I had a filter roller, he deleted the sock section and made other changes. Super flexible.

Lastly, you need to decide on what overflow to go with...they're not all the same. Im on my second peninsula build and had fits with the first overflow setup. the second setup was much lower profile, was able to push it closer to the wall....although it was a PITA to dial in as mentioned above but once setup, have not touched it again.
 
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AlexD

AlexD

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Shelf. drop down, permanent......you need a shelf to work on your tank. I dont know now folks build tanks and its just a stand. you are always tinkering, dosing, treating, catching, observing. shelf is a great bonus.

Well, i'd call you silly for making this statement but holy cow, did i ever have fits getting my setup dialed in this time. It literally took 2-3 hours of tinkering to get it perfect. After this.....have not touched it again and its darn silent. Don't be discouraged. That one time you hear the emergency overflow kick in....you know you made the right choice with primary, secondary, emergency drains.

If you have not purchased, go bigger. 29G if you can, 40g breeder a +. Checkout Jaxracks.com....he has some cool stuff and he'll work with you on custom pieces. I had a filter roller, he deleted the sock section and made other changes. Super flexible.

Lastly, you need to decide on what overflow to go with...they're not all the same. Im on my second peninsula build and had fits with the first overflow setup. the second setup was much lower profile, was able to push it closer to the wall....although it was a PITA to dial in as mentioned above but once setup, have not touched it again.
Goid points all. Thanks for the feedback.
I will have access from 2 sides of the tank with the cabinet opening on one side. There will good room and access.
Because we are retasking a kitchen cabinet for the stand, I am kind of limited, I had originally wanted the 29 but do not have the room. I am sure I can make the 20 work for the 80 tank. I may look at a custom acrylic in the future as needed.
I think the biggest unanswered question is the skimmer. Red Sea RSK or Simplicity DC are my leading choices right now for ease of use and tuning. The simplicity however I recently learned uses a rebranded Jebao pump and they have a mostly horrible reputation though I have no direct experience with them.
 

R-BallJunkie

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i kick myself
I think the biggest unanswered question is the skimmer. Red Sea RSK or Simplicity DC are my leading choices right now for ease of use and tuning. The simplicity however I recently learned uses a rebranded Jebao pump and they have a mostly horrible reputation though I have no direct experience with them.
I kick myself for not going reef octopus earlier.....easiest skimmer to dial in ever.
 

R-BallJunkie

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which reef octopus?
Elite 200int. got a super deal here on MR for $525 NIB. Best skimmer i've ever owned from a material/craftsmanship standpoint....going to try ozone shortly, has an injection port built in, material suitable too. I piped the waste cup, direct to drain. All i have to do is turn a valve to empty....retrofitted a swabbie neck cleaner. I can go a 3weeks to a month without taking the cup out for cleaning. When i take it apart, it's pretty nasty, esp around the wiper blade
 
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