crespeto's inherited 100gal adventure

[crespeto]

Okay, in advance thanks for any advise or help anyone may be able to offer. My grandma passed recently and she had a big custom tank that I grew up watching and helping her setup. Its about 100gals, 8' long by 20" tall by 12" wide. My grandfather custom built and stained the stand for it so both are kind of like heirlooms. My wife and I have played a bunch with freshwater tanks and just recently took down a 55 gal with live plants that we had running for years and really enjoyed. We have a bunch of different family members that are at different stages of reef tanks, and love the look of the corals and the salts water fish, so since we have this really nice big tank given to us figure now we can try to do the reef tank thing. I've been trying to look over a couple reef blogs, and talking to the family to get advise on how to set this thing up.

I'm figuring on using my currently unused 55 as a sump/fug, which should allow me to do water changes from it and not have to mess with the tank. Any advise on this is very welcome. Found a Rio+ 3100 with the pile of stuff came with the tank, but I'm not sure how good of a sump pump this is or if it is strong enough for a reef tank using that 55 as a sump. I don't have a lot of space where the tank is probably going to end up so I'm probably going to drill it out and get the 1500gph thin profile overflow kit, cousin has one for his 70gal tank and worked out really well for him. I checked out the glass with a polarized lense and it isn't tempered, so no problem there.

So what would be a good skimmer to get, what are good companies and what kind of size would it need for the tank, suggestions please?

Because the tank is pretty thin and not very deep, what what I have been reading, that t5s should be fine and they will be cheaper to run and cooler. Found a retro IceCap retro kit for 4 48" bulbs. Figure I can build a custom canopy to match what my gpa built, with one kit on each side, if I want to try to grow some soft and/or easier hard corals. Figure I can leave space to add in another 2 lights on each side later if needed.

So, I'm looking for any advise, info, help and if anyone might have parts used that would work that they are willing to part with for a fare price, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Ravenfan84]

Well in the beginning i would shop around on ebay craigslist and forums like this to find what ur looking for ur most expensive buy for this tank is gonna be the lighting only because of its unique length good luck with it and ill be tagging along to offer any help that i can for u depending on how fast u build we may be going about it at the same time

 

[crespeto]

So what kind of jet set up would be good to get good flow around something this long but not very wide. I love the idea of the MP40 kind of thing, but it is now looking like the tank is going to be in a corner, so I will only be able to put it on one side, facing longways down the tank, and you can't turn these so they face a different direction to get it to bounce of the walls some. The tunze turbelle seem pretty good, the 6025 is rated for a smaller tank, but I could get several for the price and put them all along the back, or maybe a couple 6065s near the middle of tank on the back wall facing opposite directions? any other ideas, don't want to over do it, but would rather not have to order extra stuff later?

 

[Ravenfan84]

Ok i have uploaded a pic here that shows u a cheap alternative to the mp40w this the a maxijet 1200 with a sureflow mod on it making it 2100gph flow the thing i like about these is that u can adjust them to how u need them to fit and u can use the magnets for them which is shown in the picture and u can prob do what u see in the pic for way less than $100 depending on how well u shop around so if u used 2 of them u would be looking at 4200 gph in which ever direction that u want just a thought if u want to know more let me know

 

[crespeto]

Raven, thanks this looks cool, can them be run on a controller like the reefkeeper or will they burn out. They don't seem to be rated very good as far as how much power they use compared to some of the other stuff. Let me know how to do it, more info certainly can't hurt, do you think just 2 of those pointed out from the middle back wall of the tank would be enough, or would I need to do more?

 

[Ravenfan84]

my new tank is the same size as urs and all im gonna do is put it on the back in the middle and face them in diff directions to get flow thru the rocks im gonna plug mine into my apex aqua controller as long as its plugged in there i dont see why u wouldnt be able to control it with a controller as far as how much power they use i never checked myself and i only run the pumps thru the day i turn them off at night with the controller ive never had any issues with the one thats in my tank right now. the more flow the better so alot of ppl always say but its really up to u with what ur tryin to keep and there specific requirements u have to also remember that ur return will also be providing some of the flow

 

[Ravenfan84]

I dont think Maxi Jet1200 use alot of power though i would have to check and see.

 

[Ravenfan84]

Here is what mine looks like in my tank

 

[crespeto]

it looks cool and 2 facing out from each other was kind of what I was thinking. There is a group buy out there for mp40's for $360, so I may get one of those for one end, just cause they are so cool, and then maybe do what your talking about in the middle but closer to the far side. If you could send me more info on the mod and parts. thanks

 

[WVUReefer]

my question is why you would have to drill it out if you are using an overflow from the tank?...maybe I misread or am losing translation in the terminology we use?

 

[crespeto]

welcome reefer, I don't have to drill it out, but the overflow that came with the tank took up a bunch of space in the tank and a bunch behind the tank. I didn't like it and it will be tough to fit the tank in the only spot I can put it in my house if I have to have it pushed so far away from the wall. So the much slimmer plumbing I can get buy drilling it out and the nice slim design of the kit that I have seen in action and works well seems like the best solution.

 

[WVUReefer]

cool..good luck dude..

 

[Ravenfan84]

Ill get all that info to u with links to go to be able to purchase if u choose

 

[crespeto]

ravenfan you are the man, awww yeah, rhyming and everything. On a slightly different not, anyone use the neptune series stuff, the jr, seem like a good one for me, but I need to know if I can get more then one power mod hooked up to it, I don't think with all the lights and jets I'm going to need for this thing that 8 will be enough, and figure if it isn't then I might as well get the next one up now while I have the money, but I would rather not if possible.

Also anyone use the overhang boxes for overflow, I found a pretty thin design, only 3 inches clearance behind the tank. This would probably be perfect and I wouldn't have to even worry about drilling my grandmothers very old tank. Siphon seems really risky, but anyone messed with this let me know. Thanks.

 

[Ravenfan84]

I use the aquacontroller apex by neptune systems and i love it i can do everything from the computer they sell the apex lite for around $300 and the good thing about the apex is its expandable with multiple energy bars so u can have hundreds of outlets i would look into that one

 

[crespeto]

Do you have any experience in the neptune aqua controller jr. Found a set that has the ph and temp probs and comes with a 8 plug module, but I can't tell if you can add anything else to it. Like the lunar module, or another 8 plug mod the salinity test mod that kind of thing. do I have to get the apex lite for that or can the jr do it as well.

 

[Ravenfan84]

Do you have any experience in the neptune aqua controller jr. Found a set that has the ph and temp probs and comes with a 8 plug module, but I can't tell if you can add anything else to it. Like the lunar module, or another 8 plug mod the salinity test mod that kind of thing. do I have to get the apex lite for that or can the jr do it as well.

On that sir im not to sure honestly this is the first one i have ever owned and i would say that if ur a patient man i would just save up the $499 to get the regular apex but if ur like me and want whats more economical then i would look at the deal that u have already on another note the research that i promise u this link Maxi Jet Powerheads is where u can buy the maxi jet 1200 with the mod included in the price for $35 so u figure 2 for $70 + shipping then all u will need is the magnets which is about $35 for the 100 model u may be able to use the 50 model which is $10 cheaper but i personally would go with the 100 model since it will be holding 2 power heads.

 

[crespeto]

Thanks so much for looking this up for me Raven, I actually found some Koralia evolution heads that are similar in price but run on a whole lot less power, the mj1200 is rated at 20w, and the comparable output kor ev is like 10 or 15 more expensive but rated at 6w. So I'm probably going to try and use a couple of those and see how it goes. Thanks again for looking all that up for me. I'll be checking on your tank for any new pics of that clown playing some more. Definitely going to want to get me a couple of those, the kids will love them.

 

[astiesi]

Do you realize how slow the day went yesterday without you on IM talking reef stuff?

You should start posting your equipment list for all to critique, if you have narrowed down to a few choices for something I'm sure people around here can give some input and also make sure you're not forgetting anything.

 

[crespeto]

Okay as requested. What I'm thinking of getting as of right now
custom canopy for lighting using

• Workhorse 7 Fulham T5 Ballast to run 4 36" t5s
• using icecap reflectors, stand-off brackets and waterproof sockets
• 2 ATI Blue Plus
• 1 GE Starcoat 6500
• 1 ATI Aquablue special 12,000K

for each side of the 8' tank canopy. Probably I'll add in a strip of leds or one of the lunar kits for the controller I end up picking. For some fun accent lighting

The tank is 8' long x 12" wide x 20" tall, and I have a standard 55gal that I'm going to DIY setup as my sump / fug. I'm looking at using probably 3 or 4 of the Korallias Evolution jets probably the 1050's, from all I've read and heard they run really well and can handle being run off a controller to get wave action and after some breaking in don't make noise on startup and turn off, and they user very little power compared to most other stuff for that money. The down side is they are kind of big, but I can deal with that.

I've got a Rio+ 3100 that should be okay for my return pump

Was shown a really cool DIY skimmer kit that will be more then powerful enough for my tank, AVAST Marine Works - CS1 Cone Skimmer Kit - Product Details, very very cool and less expensive then most of what I have seen so far.

I'm digging the Neptune Apex controller, but have family that both use the Reef Keeper Lites so I'm not considering the Reef Keeper Elite. In either case I'm looking to get the level up from the starter controller, so I can have it control all the lights, the jets and monitor and handle the temp issues with a fan or 2 and turning on heaters. Also be nice to have the ph controlled and probably an auto top off switch.

Probably pick up some fan to toss in the sump area to cool thing off if needed and a couple heaters. Anyone have any opinions on heaters?

I think that is it so far. let me know what you think.