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You can always have a piece of glass cut for the brace. Leave a couple of inches on each side and silicon the glass under it. Usually you do not notice the shadow too much. Just make sure it is high enough off the tank so it does not melt it...
 
Another option is to sell the current lighting and buy a T5 retrofit kit.

I am in the process of setting up a standard 75-gallon tank and I have decided to go with four T5's and two T12 actinic lamps.

g
 
gas4544 said:
Another option is to sell the current lighting and buy a T5 retrofit kit.

I am in the process of setting up a standard 75-gallon tank and I have decided to go with four T5's and two T12 actinic lamps.

g
Click to expand...

I thought about that; however, I am thinking about leaving my options open for doing SPS in this tank as well. I'm pretty sure that I am not going to keep many, if any, fish in this tank as I am really wanting to do a heavy coral load and not so many water changes as I have my schedule FULL on my other tanks right now. I will probably put either a pair of picasso's($$$$$) in this tank or just a couple chromis($).

Also I am really going to take a step back and set this tank up with everything that I want and the way I want it...I don't want to end up with ANY of the problems I am having to deal with on my other tanks.
 
I went ahead and switched the pump out with a GenX PCX-40. The only thing I have to do is get the sump drilled for it. Do you think this would be enough flow?
 
skimmerwhisper is the skimmer guru on this forum.
after reviewing it, you can do MUCH better than this.

what type of bioload will the tank have
what size tank

personally, I would not go cheap here, as a skimmer can help or break your tank (as far as keeping it clean/free of algae)
 
NC2WA said:
skimmerwhisper is the skimmer guru on this forum.
after reviewing it, you can do MUCH better than this.

what type of bioload will the tank have
what size tank

personally, I would not go cheap here, as a skimmer can help or break your tank (as far as keeping it clean/free of algae)
Click to expand...

Okay I went ahead and got a new skimmer...the Reef Octopus Xtreme 160 with the Sicce(sp?) pump. I hope this is a good enough skimmer. It should be a little overkill for a 65. I set the tank up and am now just getting ready to plumb it.

I included some pics to show my fish/man room and also the reason why my wife hates me...lol
 
I have a Genx 40 external pump for the return; however I was thinking of just using an internal pump for the return. What would be the best pump to use? It will be split into 4 outlets in the tank. The genx is 1190 GPH; is this too much? Enough? If I use an internal, what would be the best GPH?
 
for a 65g, I would suggest an eheim 1250, which @4' would give you about 200 gph, and would mean the water from your display will go through the sump about 3 times an hour...which is ideal.

so yeah, that gen x 40 is WAAAAY too much flow for a sump return.
and closed loops suck because they have totally unnatural tiny nozzel outlets compared to the wide flow/low watt powerheads available now.

and btw, even though you bought the less powerful octopus version(SWC would have been better, they designed that skimmer and use better parts), the extreme 160 is a great skimmer for that tank.
 
Last edited:
skimerwhisperer said:
for a 65g, I would suggest an eheim 1250, which @4' would give you about 200 gph, and would mean the water from your display will go through the sump about 3 times an hour...which is ideal.

so yeah, that gen x 40 is WAAAAY too much flow for a sump return.
and closed loops suck because they have totally unnatural tiny nozzel outlets compared to the wide flow/low watt powerheads available now.

and btw, even though you bought the less powerful octopus version(SWC would have been better, they designed that skimmer and use better parts), the extreme 160 is a great skimmer for that tank.
Click to expand...

Would the 1260 be better? That has 640gph...I just want to make sure there is great flow in there.
 
Update...Just got everything leak tested and wife approved. I ended up getting a Eheim 1262 for flow for the 4 ports(which is still pretty weak) BUT I finally took the plunge into the modern and bought a Vortech MP20 from Barrier yesterday. Also I ordered another 35lbs. of dry Eco Rock from Bulk Reef Supply to pair up with the live rock I had already purchased from Barrier during the Midnight Madness Sale. Finally got my Plenum all netted and am thinking I should silicone the grid to the tank bottom.

I also bought a 250w 20k Radium from BRA which should be awesome and bought two 36" Icecapp LED supplements to illuminate my nights. Can't wait to get everything set up!
 
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