120 reef

[rayn]

In the process of setting a 120 in wall build. Currently it houses dust and a few wooden fishies. But for the future I plan on running a bean animal overflow, with a dual 40b sump. One 40 will be the main sump housing the skimmer, while the second will be a fuge. It will sit higher and have a low flow pump with a small gravity drain into the main sump.

My biggest question is lighting. I had thought of going led. First building my own, but then going radion so I could control them with a apex. However either way costs money. I currently have a dual MH fixture and a two bulb T5 fixture just sitting. Looking for any bulb combinations you guys might have. Tank is 26" deep and Iwwould love to keep some sps if I can, read my goal.

 

[rayn]

Here is the tank in progress. Actually just a bit of a dust magnet right now.

 

[Peppie]

Thats a great start.
Got any pics of the other side?
I am also planning an in wall reef

 

[rayn]

You don't want to see the other side yet. It is just a room with two tanks sitting there and some other junk. Hopefully here within this week I get it started though. I need to plan this time around though. Lights, pumps, water lines, then the apex. I usually have grand ideas then get sidetracked just wanting to get the tank going. This time I am planning to take it slower and do it the way I want the first time. Once I get it a bit neater I will get a pic though.

 

[Peppie]

I know how the side track thing goes.
Mine has been in the works for almost 1 1/2 years LOL

 

[tricksterya]

Lol. I told myself the same thing, then I got and itch and a few hundred dollars later my tank is setup and I rushed it but its ok. I will do it right someday .

 

[rayn]

Well the tank I had setup at one point, then the bulkheads started leaking on me. Couldn't stop it without a complete plumbing redo. Then a 125 kinda landed in my lap and I set it up and switched everything over. This tank has been empty now for a good year. Along comes a house remodel and I kinda sneaked it in as part of the deal. New walls, tore out old walls, bigger doorways, new hardwood and ceramic. I really need to get pics here of it. Total transformation. Tank was actually one of the first things set in place and built around, so I have waited this long starring at it collect dust. Not quite 1 1/2 years of though.

 

[rayn]

Okay I figured I would finally break down and get on the PC and post up some pics of what I have done so far.

Before







Now

 

[JPG@CFI]

How about putting the fuge above the tank, and gravity feed it back to the tank? Would allow more sump/equipment room. I'd run a wood face frame above and below the tank, so I could have an access panel above to clean the front easier. You have some nice looking wood work in your house, and could tie it all together nicely. J

 

[rayn]

The front of the tank is going to be wrapped like the bottom, just haven't gotten there yet. Once that is done there will only be the viewing pane seen from the living room. The room isn't really that big where I am putting the fuge, you can see in the pic. I have to be smart or I will run out of room real quick. Those two tanks on their side are both 40b that I am planning for the sumps, I could possibly move one up to a 55 if I build the first up high enough, but that cuts out a lot of the minimal walking room in there.

 

[cruzanm]

I second the make sure you can access the tank from the front for ease of cleaning suggestion. My in wall tank has a header directly above the tank and it has made the whole process a much bigger headache.

 

[rayn]

You guys mean access from the living room area? Not gonna happen, wife won't let that go. Beet I can do there is a mag cleaner and a long scrapper.

 

[rayn]

Okay, I am dragging this back up as I am now working kinda on a deadline. I have the two sumps in there for now. I plan to run a bean overflow. The main drain and secondary will go to the top sump tank. The emergency is going to the bottom tank. The bottom will have the return pump, so in case a emergency drain it is right there.

Here is my issue at the moment. I am most likely in need of a good skimmer. Plans for inhabitants have changed as well. It is going to be a predetor reef with softies and lps, no sps. I am talking messy press too, plumieri, inimicus, lions, maybe a few more in time. So I imagine a oversized skimmer is a must, but what kind? One of my LFS sells the bashsea brand and swears by it.

Opinions?

 

[rayn]

Sorry, here is the pic

 

[kpiotrowski]

RE: LED lighting, you don't need radions to have great control with the apex, I have a DIY 9 driver 216 cree led build and I control from 0900 to 2115, starting with only blue's then ramping up to highest intensity, and then back down to only blues for the last hour. you will need the apex full version or I belive its the vdm module if you don't.

 

[rayn]

I do have the full version apex, so that is possible. However, every time I price out a led build I get into major money and it seems cheaper to buy radions instead. Either I am pricing out way expensive stuff or overdoing the lights like crazy.