Setting up a 180g questions and help request

[jimbasa]

All, I am a new poster and I have been in the reef hoby just over 3 years and have a glass 65g reef, live sand and fish tank going well. I am upgrading to a 180g acrylic 72" x 24" x 24". I am good to go with the stand (36" height) and canopy (15" height) sump, skimmer, UV, calcium reactor, phos reactor, chiller and an RODI with auto top off. However, I need some lighting and pump help and I look to you all. I have decided to stay away from LED's and I believe I am going to also stay away from metal halide's because the tank will be in the family room, so i'd like to keep it as cool as possible and save a buck on cooling/lighting if you'd all agree. So, T5's. I like the Aqualife T5 72" 8- 39w with lunar. TEK has a 36" with 6- 39w, so I would need two plus a seperate lunar setup. Let me know what you think please...

Also: I have a coral life 1270 external pump. Will I be turning the water enough? That's the pump I use on the 65g right now.

I do not have any in tank powerheads currently - do you think I'll need that in the 180?

If i missed anything let me know and I will do my best to answer.

I look forward to your comments and help!

Jim

 

[marlinmero]

I'm no expert but i have a 48" tek light and i love it. only thing i would be concerned about "from what i have heard" is light penetraion.t-5's dont go very deep. Mh penetrate a lot deeper i guess.Think it would only be an issue if you were going to keep sps. and as far as flow goes. im gettin ready to set up a 100 gallon and someone told me you want
40x turn over in the display. and like 5x thru your sump. so like on my 100 gallon i need 4000gph worth of flow in the tank and bout 500 thru my sump.

 

[jimbasa]

Thanks for your input.
I have purchased a 72" Aquatic Life T5 unit. I may need to add a couple of lights down the road to increae wattage, but I am going to see how it goes. I am going to start up with my Coralife 1270 for the sump. I am also seriously contemplating one or two of the Vortec MP40w or 20 for in tank flow even though their pricey based on what I have read they're worth it. If all goes well I am inside 2 weeks from starting the 180.

What do you think? All the best with your's as well.

 

[marlinmero]

If you keep the corals up higher you should be golden. With sump i was told you want it slow so your filtration, skimmers, and everything has time to really filter it all.if it gets rushed thru it wont be really filtered. It exciting gettin a new tank close to going. thank you good luck with yours as well.

 

[jimbasa]

Thanks again! I've been knocking around on the "geeks" site you recommended as well.

 

[marlinmero]

there new. lots of the same people from reefaquariumforum

 

[akunochi]

I have a 180 I just finished setting up. I have a barracuda pump for closed loop and an iwaki rated at 550-650 for my sump. I still need at least 2 K4's by my estimation....


Just an idea on your flow situation.

 

[jimbasa]

Thanks! - If you can please explain your "closed loop" barracuda set up. I'm not familiar with that style or benefits. With my smaller 65g I only use a main for the sump and a small in tank for the one dead spot.

 

[marlinmero]

The closed loop on my system is a 1.5 inch bulk head as the inlet that flows down to a giant pump that just pumps the water back into the tank thru 3 one inch bulk heads. it's moreless a cleaner nicer way to get circulation without having powerheads everywhere

 

[trido]

The two vortechs are a great way to go for you flow. I'd stay away from a CL for flow unless you absolutley cant stand powerheads in the display tank. With a pump, you will need a wave maker plumbed into the system somehow as well. Its cost comparitive to two vortechs by the time its all said and done.
External pumps are loud and suck alot of energy in comparison to a couple nice powerheads that have built in wave maker action.
I have both a CL and powerheads on my 210

 

[jimbasa]

I'm fine with the powerheads in the tank - It took me some time, but the benefits outweigh the look issue for me. If I go the two VorTech route am I OK with them being used on an acrylic tank? If it helps the acrylic is 1/2" thick. I hear of heat transfer and vibration if not alligned and then I start to wonder if I will cause myself issues?

 

[akunochi]

My closed loop is two 1.5" intakes going to the pump with 4 1.5" outlets reducing down to 3/4" bulkheads. The barracuda pushes 4500GPH. SO total I have roughly 5200GPH of circulation on my 180 and I feel that is not nearly enough.

 

[trido]

I'm fine with the powerheads in the tank - It took me some time, but the benefits outweigh the look issue for me. If I go the two VorTech route am I OK with them being used on an acrylic tank? If it helps the acrylic is 1/2" thick. I hear of heat transfer and vibration if not alligned and then I start to wonder if I will cause myself issues?

IN only one instance have I ever heard of heat crazing on acrylic being an issue. It was on a 1000G 1" thick tank.
My MP20 makes a small amount of noise but its minor in comparison to the two REMOTE external pumps on my system. The noise resonating through over 20' of pipe from my CL is louder than any powerhead in my tank.

FWIW, I have over 17000GPH on my mixed reef 210.

 

[jimbasa]

Ok - you put that to bed for me. Would you suggest 40's or 20's for me? or maybe 1 of each?

 

[trido]

Two MP40s for a start. Or two of the new tunzes. Also, the new Koralia magnum pumps with controller look pretty cool but I havent heard alot of feedback about them yet.

For a softy/LPS reef Id shoot for near 10000GPH
For a LPS/SPS from 10-20000GPH.

You can alway start small (meaning only two quality pumps) and add more flow as things grow in and require it. For most of us, big, expensive, beautiful reef tanks get accumulated over the years.

 

[jimbasa]

Thank you so much for your input. I will check out the Tunzes and Koralia Mag's. I am going to be softy and LPS for the short term and I will use your 10000 gph a a guide for them. Have a great night - I'll let you know more as I do in the coming days and I'll figure out how to post some pic's as I go along.