my new project

[mnreefman]

well i was going to start a new project a few months ago but once i became engaged that totally wiped out thoes plans... (or so i had thought)
my finacee and i were visiting a local shop yesterday when i saw my dream tank. its an all-glass reef ready 210 gallon. i instantly started to drool. she literally had to pry me off it.. it was very hard leaving that store with out purchasing the tank. the whole way home i told her how i could design that tank and how (now heres the clincher guys) WE could have the tank of OUR dreams.. at the time i thought she wasnt buying it. so i went into work ( im now a jewelry salesman btw ) and was doing my thing. well a few hrs after getting there i notice jen is at the front counter with a big ol smile on her face. she handed me an envelope and said i wasnt allowd to look at the contents till i got home last night. being a good boy i did just that. well needless to say my jaw hit the floor when i opened the envelope and saw that she had purchased the tank. inside of it there was a note, and i quote

Hon-
you have made a great number of sacrifices for us, including moving back to minnesota for me. You have supported me through alot of decisions in which i know you didnt totally understand, i cant say thank you enough, and i never will be able to, so instead i purchased you the one thing in this world (besides me) that you will pour your heart and soul into. enjoy this present, and make this dream come true. i love you-
Jen

so later on next week i get to pick it up.. it will take me a few months to accumilate every thing i need, but hey the tank is a start.

i will be using this thread here to post ALOT of questions so please bear with me. i only hope one day i can have this tank looking half as good as all of yours.

godbless

clint

[Curtswearing]

SWEET!!!

Congratulations on the new tank and the upcoming nuptials. She sounds like a great lady to do something like that for you. I look forward to seeing it come together.

(Wait unil she finds out that the glass box is only the start of the expenses)

[Witfull]

way cool....glad your happy in all respects! ever think this is her way of making sure your always home?....lol the only other place you could ever be is the LFS....i know my wife has called there looking for me (and i was there)

i wish the 3 of you the best 0f eveything...(you, jen, and the tank)

[Pro_builder]

Sounds like a great project. Please keep us posted on new items that you are getting for it.
Pics too.

[mnreefman]

Originally posted by Witfull
way cool....glad your happy in all respects! ever think this is her way of making sure your always home?....lol the only other place you could ever be is the LFS....i know my wife has called there looking for me (and i was there)

i wish the 3 of you the best 0f eveything...(you, jen, and the tank)

thx wit.... well right now she dont got to worry bout that, with work and planning the wedding i got no time for much else...

curt, i informed her of what lights pumps reactors ect ect are going to cost, hence the it wont be up for a few months statement. however the wait will be worth it.... now on to some questions

bare bottom or sandbed? i was thinking of having a 1" sandbed getting a couple cukes and a sand sifing star or 2. either way not the biggest issue of concern yet..

i plan on this being a sps dominated tank. ill have some open brains, rics, yumas, zoas on the bottom prolly a few frogs, torches, hammers along base of rock work. i dont want to have too much lighting.. i currently have 2 175w on my 55 and i was hoping to some how use these in conjucion with dual 400's.. by placing the 175 on the edges for less light intensive sps, like some monti caps.. then having the 2 400's in the center where i will have my more prized corals (well after i get them anyway ) i was thinking 20k xms for the bulbs, no actinics but i will add moonlights. does this seem feasable or should i upgrade and either go dual 250 or if not i ll go 3 400w.. in all your opinions what will be best.

next, filtration will be a 55 gal fuge along with a protien skimmer. any superior product out there for this size of a tank. is diy a good way to go with this size? im not the best diyr but my fiancess dad is and i could con him into building me one.

same for ca reactors.. i know these get quite expensive as well, and im not going to cut any corners. anyone know of a company that is superior in there opinion in this department or could i diy this as well?

flow.. now the dual overflows can handel 1200 gph. i have a mag 12 and i think that i might need to bump that up to a mag 18... i wont be drilling anymore so ill probably get a couple tunze's... what size would be appropriate? i like wooddoods diy of a closed loop and i might use the mag 12 for a design like that... a pic is here


thanks in advance
godbless
clint

[wooddood]

sounds like a sweet setup clint. if you need any help with closed loop just holler buddy good luck to you.




dave.

[Montanareefer]

Clint my man!!

Your getting a wife to be and she bought you a reef tank?

I think your blowing smoke and is it good weed? lol

This I have to see!!! Way to go Bro!! Johnny

[addict]

You better make sure that your pre-nup says you get to keep the tank...

Sounds great man!
Can't wait to see it...

[Playa]

Congrats Clint!

Best wishes!
Cheers to you guys and your new dream!

Luis

[mnreefman]

Originally posted by Montanareefer
Clint my man!!

Your getting a wife to be and she bought you a reef tank?

I think your blowing smoke and is it good weed? lol

This I have to see!!! Way to go Bro!! Johnny

johnny johnny, my partying days are long over...

but back to my questions from my previous post.... anyone awnser them please

[Curtswearing]

Geosreef makes a great calcium reactor. Not only that, he's a sponsor. Maxx has seen them in person and told me that they had excellent workmanship.

After seeing NaH2O's Euroreef in action, I would at least consider this brand. AquaC has some good models as well.

The advantage of going barebottom is that you can crank up the flow without having sand blow around and you won't have the detritus build up in your sand. The disadvantage of barebottom is that if you don't have a lot of flow, the detritus will just sit on the bottom and there is nothing to process and store it. As a result, you will have to siphon it out weekly or you will have to turkey baste it into the water column for the skimmer to remove. However, if you did the closed loop and had some output low in the tank, this could do the blowing for you.

A sandbed will process and sink the detritus for a period of time so that the detritus doesn't immediately break down into nasties like Phosphates, Dissolved Organic Compounds, etc. However, a one inch sand bed will fill up quicker than a DSB.

2 400s plus 2 175's seems like a lot of light and HEAT to me. I'm curious what others think.

[Spooda420]

Originally posted by mnreefman


bare bottom or sandbed? i was thinking of having a 1" sandbed getting a couple cukes and a sand sifing star or 2. either way not the biggest issue of concern yet..

I'm glad I went BB ... never again will I go with a SB or DSB

Originally posted by mnreefman

same for ca reactors.. i know these get quite expensive as well, and im not going to cut any corners. anyone know of a company that is superior in there opinion in this department or could i diy this as well?

I have a dual stage CA reactor from GEO... very pleased with it. easy to set up, cant beat the craftsmenship. Could be pretty easy DIY if your good with acrylic.

Chris

[mane3215]

Congrats bro, your next letter will be

Hon,
I am glad you love the tank, more so then me. We are getting a divorce since you pour your heart and soul only into the tank now =).

Hehe, j/k good luck man.

[mnreefman]

lighting question.... as i sit and think bout the ligts i keep running into one obsticle... the 210 all glass megaflow (just like mkpaulson) has 2 braces running across the top cutting the tank into 1/3rds. my origional plan was 2 400 and my 2 175s well now i have to trash that dea and go with either 3 250w hqi de's or 3 400w se... any preferences to either... any negitives to either. any and all help is appreciated

[mkpaulson]

mnreefman congratulations!! on your new tank, I hope everything goes well for you setting it up. can't wait to see some of your pics