How important is a perfectly level tank??

[crawfish]

Thanks for the input. When you start looking at the lighting there are so many choices and when I started this adventure the main thing I wanted to accomplish was to get the right equipment the first time. I sometimes wonder if I should have gone with a smaller tank to get some experience with it before but that would only lead me to wishing I should have gone bigger. If all else fails I will make it a lobster tank like at Red Lobster and when friends come over they can choose thier dinner.

 

[jlehigh]

So is the tank leveling problem resolved? Personally I would have just cut out that 2X4 Header if it wasn't load bearring and replaced it with 1X4 stock..

Very nice looking set-up I have a 280 In-wall myself. I found access in front of the tank really makes working in the tank MUCH easier. I would consider even cutting out the wall above the tank and putting in some nice Cabinet doors.

Your tank is EXACTLY the same dimensions as my 280 In-wall. 3 400W MH in L3 reflectors will give you excellent coverage for keeping SPS corals. If you are shooting for a mixed tank I might not go with 400 watters.. Softies such as Zoos will do fine on the bottom with 250's.

Go Easy on the rock. 290 lbs is ALLOT of rock and can easily become a trap for fish poop AKA Detritus. Make sure you have very open rockwork where flow can pass through. LR looses it's biological filtering benenfits if it become a culprit for trapping and hiding waste in the tank where it breaks down and polutes the water.

 

[jlehigh]

BTW your doing good

 

[crawfish]

As we speak the tank leveling problem is still not resolved. with the tank sitting in the stand you have to get up close to even see the imperfections in the plywood. You can see in a few places that it is within 1/16' or less from the bottom of the tank to the plywood. wouldn't this be "absorbed" when I add the weight of the water, sand, and live rock. I can't see that it will crack that thick glass. yet like scooter said if it will let me sleep better at night then I will re-evalute my situation when I get home this weekend.

I am in field sales in the oil-field. my territory is Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Yesterday my fuel pump in my new truck went out in Mobile,Al. I,ve been couped up in a hotel with no ride for the past day and half waiting on truck to get fixed

 

[crawfish]

I have thought of the not having access from both sides bieng a problem.I was going for the picture frame look in the living room and I will have access from my study to work on the tank. I plan on bieng able to view it from both sides. Aquascaping might be alittle tricky though. most people's tank are viewed from one side and the have a wall look in thier tank. I was thinking of stacking the rock on both sides of the tank and trying for valley look if possible. Good suggestion on the LIII's I will look into the space issue.

 

[Scooterman]

The LIII's take up lots of room, I agree with the LIII's you probably can get away with keeping some sps in the upper region & lsp down deep. Not sure if your tank will settle things out, something has to give, hopefully it is the wood, I don't think it would crack but man I'd never say go for it, not at this end I'd crash it it did crack.

 

[crawfish]

I am definately planning on getting the guy at lfs to look at it again before I go any futher with the stand. On the reflectors, are you saying that if I run 400w bulbs with the luminarc III's that they would not be able to penetrate to the bottom of the tank?? I was planning on keeping a few clams!!

 

[jlehigh]

You'll be fine keeping clams on the bottom with 400 watt MH so long as you keep prestine and clear water conditions.

 

[crawfish]

Thanks!!!! I found a 1/2 hp aqualogic chiller with dual temp controller at marine depot is the new trimline series just a newer box to update thier look?
Is thier a link that rates MH bulbs with different Ballast showing PAR output?

 

[crawfish]

found the answer to the chiller question. I guess you need to read the writing under the caption:lol:

 

[Scooterman]

Yea I must of said something sdrawkcab (backwards ) on the lighting.

Let me find that mh PAR lighting link!

 

[Scooterman]

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/lamps.cfm

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/b/sbj4/aquarium/ballast comparison/ballast-comparison.html



can't find the other one, I think my link went dead, hope these help, for some reason you'll have to copy the entire text to get the link, I can't fix the second one. sorry.

 

[crawfish]

Also found this link:

http://reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm

 

[Scooterman]

yes I have that but there is a cool link that is even better but it is dead or something on my computer is nuts, I may need to reboot. Anyways you should have what you need, If you find a good combination post it.
I'm still looking for a test that compares the PFO to the PFO HQI to determine if it is worth getting the HQI over the regular ballast.

 

[crawfish]

I was just looking on that first link you posted and they compare the regular PFO to the PFO HQI

 

[crawfish]

looks like the Ushio 10k on a standard PFO ballast has a par of 485 with max amps at 4.57. another choice I would consider is the Aqua Connect 14k on the PFO HQI ballast which has a par of 453 with max amps 4.74

The 14k's would give me a little bluer look since I won't have a blue background painted on my tank. I will also be running 4 36" TEK T-5 antic lights.

What would be a good PAR to shoot for with SPS?

 

[Scooterman]

I thought they didn't compare the same lamps on each ballast, I'll have to go check it out again, I'll be looking for some 250w ballast myself. To answer your question the more the better for growth but for color I try & find an upper range not necessary the highest. Also IMO I like the 10k XM & supplement with some fluorescents to get a better color.

 

[crawfish]

Actually that thread is using 250 Watt ballast

 

[shallowreef]

Crawfish,

Did you ever finish your setup? I would love to see the finished product. BTW i think you have a beautiful house.

Nick

 

[crawfish]

sorry about the delay I,ve been out of town alot lately
I resolved my tank level problem by using cabinet shims between the plywood bottom and the wall. I have been running for a month now.
I was waiting to order my lights till I did a little more research. I just ordered them yesterday. I am going with (3) 250W DE 14K phoenix Hex arc bulbs in Lumanarc III reflectors bieng ran with 3 PFO HQI Ballast. Tank did not cycle much though I think because the LFS had my LR curing in vats at his store for a month before I put them it in the tank. My sand was all bought "Live". I put about 8-10 shiners from local bait store in the tank and let them decay no apparent ammonia spike in two weeks??

I will take some pictures of the updated set-up this weekend and try to post them. I have been going through internet withdraws since I moved in the house. Local broadband internet company needs to put a repeater were I live because of all the trees. I told them the faster they do it the sooner I will give them my money for thier service. apparently they don't need my money as much as I need thier service.