First tank, 90 gallon

[tylert]

I've taking some aquarium science classes at my college so I have some info under my belt and a little experience and thought it's time for my own tank. I'm 23 and a full time student so I don't really have to much of a bank account but I'm trying. I'm starting my first tank and want to go all out as much as I can with a full reef; sps, lps, anenomes,and softies as well as some fish. I have 90 gal acrylic tan with a 30 gal sump.
Any help, comments, concierns, or special hints would be more then welcomed. Though this thread I will be continuing to ask advice on things as I am currently trying to set it up.

Here's what I have:
-90gal tank 48x24x18 w/30gal sump
-Mag 12
-Aquatinics t5 lighting tX5
-100+ lbs l/r thats been dry for 2 years and 80lbs l/s thats been dry also

Right now I have to glue in the internal overflow after I mess with the final specs of the standpipe. After that my first questions are going to be on direction of water flow. I have two returns in each corner with the overflow box in the middle. I have a mag 12 (later realizing it would have been better to get a mag 18) which after all the head pressure gives me about 800gph at the locline so 200gph out each hose and I'll suppliment with 2 Koralina 4's. I also have a Seio 2800 but think thats a little overkill.

What would be the best way to direct the loclines and put and face the koralias to get the best overall flow?
obviously I want debris off the sand and to keep it in the water column as long as possible with most excess going back into the overflow.

also I would like some suggestions 4 a good skimmer thats not too expensive that can handle my tank with a decent bioload, and maybe could even handle a little more in case I upgrade down the road.
Any help would be awesome.
Thanks, Tyler

 

[Bosco83]

I have the same setup a 90 gallon tank and a 30 gallon sump with two returns split into four with lockline. I am new to saltwater but I was told to have one outlet on each side pushing water across the surface to help gas exchange and one pointing down to blow detrius off the bottom. I'm not sure abour the power heads but maybe when you start putting some corals in there you can just see what they like.

As far as the skimmer I would go with an octopus extreme 200 here is a link. it gets good reviews by people and should be more than enough for a 120 gallons of total water.
http://ibfishstore.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=3824654

Brian

 

[Myteemouse]

O.K.
if you want to keep SPS the seio 2800 should be in there(they like lots of flow)
make sure you have a siphon break hole in your return line at the top so if your return pump stops or you shut it off it doesn't empty your tank into your sump.
as for the flow from the sump 800 is fine (you shouldn't count your return as "flow") you don't want to much flying threw your sump. your skimmer needs contact time with the water.. You are looking for about 50x+ tank volume of flow for the SPS, for the 90 gallon thats 4500 GPH..
As for placement of your K-4's and seio. you need to "scape" your rock first to see where to put the power heads. (don't want them directed strait at a rock)
As for a skimmer, check out "reeffiltration.com " those skimmer are no joke and you want to buy the BEST skimmer your budget will allow ..
Wait on the SPS till you know your levels are goood and wait about a 6-12 months for the anemone , they hate new water..
Buy GOOD test kits not the strips .. ELOS is the best on the market right now, well worth the money..
As for the rock thats dry, when you put your tank together. put a few cocktail shrimp in the tank in a mesh bag or nylons to rot.. This will kick start your bacteria growth in your rock and sand.. wait for the niTRITES to go to 0 before adding and fish.. Should take a few weeks...
Hope that helps a little...

 

[jhampton_wsu]

O.K.
As for placement of your K-4's and seio. you need to "scape" your rock first to see where to put the power heads. (don't want them directed strait at a rock)
QUOTE]

Sorry to high jack but why not point it at the rock? I just added a third tunze nano to my 90 and I have it pointed across my rock work from one side to another. Won't that help keep the detritus moving so it can get to the filter sock and skimmer?

Thanks
Jason

 

[tdgates10]

I find that pointing the powerheads at each other, you can gain some great alterations of flow. I agree that you shouldn't run that much flow through your sump, but why not count the return as flow? I use it to blow detritus off my rocks.

 

[ReefJunkie]

Not sure if I would recommend the Octopus for a skimmer. $340 seem like an awful lot of money for a skimmer that you would have to empty the collection cup on a regular basis. You may wish to check out the AquaC series as well. You can use external collection devices with them. I have used the EV-180 for almost 2 years now with no problems ever. I run my calcium reactor into the JG fitting which is one of the reasons I like their design so well. JMHO though. Good luck.

 

[tylert]

with including my seio I have a turnover of 67x. I'm not going to keep only sps I want to be able to keep everything. Without it I still have around 34x which is still decent right?

 

[tylert]

Also for a skimmer I only have room for a foot print of 7" x 11". So it can either be an inline or it has to fit.