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180g Equipment/Questions

S

SteveReef

I'd like your opinions on the equipment I've chosen, as the time to move is coming really close, and I just would like to know if there is some equipment that is better out there, and for the same price (or close to it).

180g FOWLR: 72"x24"x24" AGA Reef Ready Dual Overflows
75g Sump/Refugium: Around 100# of LR + Chaeto
MSX 250 Skimmer
TLF Phosban Reactor (x2): One for Phosban/One for Carbon
Vortech Mp40w (x3) (Would 3 be Enough Flow?)
72" NovaExtreme Pro: 12x39watt T5HO w/Integrated timers
Substrate: 180# of Live Sand for a 2" Sand Bed (There will be Starboard Underneath)
LiveRock in DT: 200#
Controller: Reefkeeper 2
SpectraPure MPDI 4-stage 180gpd RO/DI
Ph.Probe
JBJ ATO
Test Kits: Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, Phosphate

Things I need Help with picking out: (I still need opinions on the stuff picked out already)

-Chiller
-Pump from the Sump to Tank
-Heaters (Not sure on how many watts, and the brand)
-Medications for my 55g Quarantine
-Test Kits (Do I just need Ammonia, pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate? or do I need the Calcium, Mag, etc.?)
-Hydrometer

Also, any opinion on my tank stock, and the food they would most benefit from and like, would be most appreciated.

1-Yellow Tang
1-Blue Throat Triggerfish
1-Pinktail Triggerfish
1-Milaris Eel
1-Harlequin Tuskfish
1-Emperor Angelfish
1-Kole Tang
2-Potter's Angelfish
 
blange3

blange3

Well, if you are truly interested in fish only; you can cut back on the lighting, flow, and you won't need a chiller.

Use your reefkeeper to shut down some lights if it gets too hot. You really should not need a chiller.

One vortech should be more than enough flow. What kind of return flow will you have from the sump? You can vacuum the sand occasionally if detritus builds up.

I would think about more swimming room than rockwork in the display.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

the electricians in the club can speak up but I think getting a titanium ground probe should be part of the list.

skip the hydrometer - go with a refractometer.

agree with bill on the lights - it's a fowlr- why get reef-capable lights?
 
S

SteveReef

Ok, So basically Just get some cheap lights like Flourescents or something.
Get a Refractometer
Titanium Ground Probe
No Chiller
I need help on the type of pump to go from the sump to tank as the return, as I'm not sure.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

You don't really have to worry about calc and mag either with a fish only tank. T5 are good less heat then cheaper CP..if you handy you could ask Bill about VHO given the length of the tank I bet he could make some great recomendations. Return pump depends on what if it is to be in sump or external.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

in terms of return pumps for a 180 - you just need to figure out how much flow your dual overflows can handle and then identify where you will situate the pump.

For example, an AGA typically handles 600 gph per overflow with no "head". As you have dual overflows - you'll need to find a pump that handles 1200 gph max.

If you get one with more - you will pump more water out of the sump then can flow down.

If you plan on having the return pump sit directly under the tank - this means you are typically talking about 4 feet of "head". So when you look at a pump - you'll want to gauge how much gph it can provide at 4' of head.

A mag12 could handle about 1130 gph at 4'.

While the mag certainly could do the job - you want to weigh as James mentioned -whether you want that pump (and heat) inside the sump or not.

The other item to consider is the protein skimmer gph. I'm not familiar with the MSX (i think this is like an octopus extreme?). Anyways what I mean is that you don't want the return pumps to pump water faster than the skimmer can process. Kinda defeats the purpose.

Hope this helps.
 
P

Patriot76

sounds like you are going to have a great tank. i have a 180g and i love it. my suggestions is just use a mag-9.5 as your return pump. i know its not as fancy as the external pumps, but unless you sump is alrady drilled, its probably the easiest way to go. in my opinion, sometimes its better to keep it simple. and the reason i say a mag-9.5 instead of a 1200 is b/c you dont want the water to go through the sump too fast, you want that water to have some exposure time to you skimmer/heaters/etc. then you can supplement water within the DT with some koralia's. just my opinon, seems to be working ok for me.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

great point bill. which is a reason steve to go and look up all the 180 tale of the tanks...I'm sure bill already mentioned his return pump somewhere in there.
 
S

SteveReef

Do you think I should look in talking with Brain @ Ocean Gallery II into discussion about a Sump for the tank, or should I make one myself. I think I would be ordering all of this stuff from him, so I'll have to talk it over. But yes, the Pump would be IN Sump, and I'll have to check the amount of water processed by the MSX 250.

Thanks for Posting,
Steve
 
S

SteveReef

Brian @ Ocean Gallery II told me that the ASM G1X Skimmer would be sufficent enough, can anyone confirm this, I sent him an E-mail about the MSX 250
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

you could try a separate thread on equipment asking specifically about the ASM - you may get more replies that way.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Phil is probably right....I think most folks go with the G3 if they have a tank in your size range.....plus you will have some pretty big polluters too.
 
blange3

blange3

I'm with JR on the skimmer. Fish only ususally equals a bigger bioload. A G3 seems to be a popular choice.

Figure your sump flow between 400-600 gallons.
 
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