UPGRADING TANK! Lots of questions!!!

[breezey1127]

Hey guys,

So I am purchasing a 180 gallon from a friend, which was set up to be freshwater

I am putting my 77 gallon into it and then selling my 77

My 77 was open top and the 180 gallon has a wooden hood. I had him take his ballast out because they were for t8s.
I want to put 6 t5s in the hood for now and later add a strip of LEDs?
The hood doesn't have any fans and only two small openings in the back
So my first question is will it get to hot? Should I cut larger openings in the back or add some fans on the two ends?

Also, he has glass that fits in the hood to keep his cichlids from jumping out?
Should I remove the glass? I read that it is great for keeping evaporation down but what about oxygen exchange and salt getting on the glass?

I would really like to get some fish that jump, which I couldn't before because of the open top. Will the hood keep them in, without the glass, or will they jump out of the holes in the back?

Also, I don't have a sump but I would like to get one in the future. I don't have time to build it before I have to set up the tank. The sump would have to be put into the back because the doors on the front of the stand are too small. Once the tank is set up, I don't have access through the back of the tank. Should I stick a tank in the stand to have it there for when I need it? Do you have to baffles in a sump? What size sump do you recommend for a 180 gallon?

Lastly, the tank comes with a FX5. Once I have a sump will I no longer need the fx5?

What protein skimmer do you recommend? I only have an aquaC remora.

I think that is all my questions for now

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

On the glass cover... I do think you will find salt accumulating on the glass & decreasing your light penetration too much.

sure others can advise on the best way to have jumping fish with your setup - there are lots of cool ones

 

[SubRosa]

To keep the fish in the tank, you can screen off the openings in the back of the canopy with nylon or fiberglass window screen. Also light grid can be cut to fit the tank, since inside the canopy it won't show.

 

[borderreef]

Ditch the glass if you plan on having corals. As stated, you can custom build a screen for the jumpers. BRS has a tutorial and supplies. The sump should be as big as you can get for a 180. I'm not quite sure, but if I read you right, you have the stand but not the dt. If you can dismantle the doors of the stand, remove any center brace and replace once the sump (tank) is installed, that's what I would do. I have a 5' sump under my 135, and I have only one baffle for the return and sump section. My return pump is so far removed from that section I get no micro bubbles in my dt. I could probably get away with no baffle, especially when I get my beananimal overflow going again. Fans are a must in the canopy. Even t-5's give off a lot of heat. I have mine in the back of the hood, one pushing outside air in over the ends of the lamps, and one pushing warm air out. A point about cooling the lamps. Unless they are over driven (via an IceCap ballast), you should blow cool air over he end of the lamp with the writing. If running an IceCap, cool air needs to flow over both ends. But in either case, don't blow air over the center of the bulb. Does that make sense? The point is this will prolong the life of your lamps.
BTW, you say you will have no access to the back of the tank once it's set up. May I ask how you are going to plumb it?

 

[borderreef]

Oh yeah, protein skimmer. For a 180, again, the bigger the better. And don't go the cheap route on this particular piece of equipment. You get what you pay for, and spending more now for something that will last years as opposed to replacing something that is not doing the job is more cost effective. I have always been partial to the Reef Octopus recirculating models, as are many other reefers. Pricing is sorta fixed by the vendor, but you may find a vendor that will offer a few $$$ off, and free shipping. Do a little reading on any of the vendor sights that carry these skimmers. they are packed with info.