equipment list

[stifrk]

I am trying to compile a list of things that I need to buy and wanted to see if I am missing anything. I decided not to build the acrylic tank after talking to a few people AND after doing some more experiments with bending 1/2" thick. It keeps bubbling and obviously in a tank that would look horrible. So I really have my heart set on the 48" length and a 120 sounds good to me.

120g rr aga
2x icecap 250 MH ballasts - brand open to other options
2x icecap hqi de pendants (incase i want to upgrade to 400w) - same as above
1x icecap 430 vho ballast for t5 - same as above
8x 3" cooling fans (mounting to top of canopy and using side vents on canopy to draw cool air in and then up through MH)
2x 250w heaters
full controller with lab quality probes (not sure which brand) http://www.worcreef.org/Smileys/default/huh.gif
DIY geo calcium reac (would still like to have something to DIY, thoughts?)
external pump for sump (not sure what size or brand would be needed for 120)
DIY protein skimmer (again would like to have something to DIY, thoughts?)
wave maker (either switching powerheads, actual wave box, another pump or something to rig it to work DIY style)

aquarium for sump (not sure size needed)
40g breeder for refugium

I am sure I have missed some things, please if you find anything update me. Im trying to take advantage of the specials alot of places have going on right now. The 120 I am getting is made by marineland and it is completely temp so unfortunately I cannot drill it. Im going to pay the extra to get star on the front and sides. This is the largest tank I can get until my job relocates me on long term basis.

[marinelife]

I like the 48" AGA Aquariums, had one in the past.
They Marineland Deep Dimension tanks are really nice, we have a member here setting up a 150
I do like an acrylic tank since you can remove any scratches

2 250s sounds good but have you ever thought about LEDs, I am really enjoying mine and they are DIY

Geo Reactor sound good, I have always heard great things about them.

I like my Iwaki pump, have been running it for years without issue.

If you can get a refugium and sump under the tank that would be great, I would have the refugium gravity feed the sump.

For the Wavemaker, I like the Tunze Wavebox. I have had two for several years and love them. Now if you want DIY there are several instructions for making one like the Tunze.

For a controller I am not sure, I do not use one. So far I just can not see putting my tank at risk by one piece of equipment controlling everything. I have seen posts from Neptune that makes Apex and he is very rude. I have heard good things about them but from the way he has responded to people I would not recommend them.

When do you think you will move?

[TechGuy40]

Nice to see you join, we spoke at the shop a few days ago. Love the car BTW, want to trade for something faster? Hehe.

If I had it to do over again, I would have went with 400W Halides on my 120. Imagine your reef in 3 years when you have large colonies of Acros that you started growing in the middle of the tank. But I guess it depends on what you want to keep.

DIY skimmers are cool, and fun to build for sure. But skimmers are round for a reason, keep that in mind if/when you build one. Large acrylic tube isn't cheap to experiment with. I recommend the Reef Octopus skimmers.

For a wavemaker, I would get a controller. Wave boxes are cool, but take up valuable tank space in a 48" tank. Not all of us have a 375 like Eric here :P

My pump is a Gen-X PCX-40, returning water from a 14' head in the basement. Works fine for my 75, in the 120 it should be plenty. I have one that is new, and one that is used. The new pump is almost silent. The old pump needs bearings and is driving me nuts. We talked about the above tank refugium. A pump this large would be great for that, you can tee it off, and use ball valves to direct flow. Remember, these pumps are high pressure pumps, they don't loose head height nearly as quickly as the mag drives.

Good call on the dual heaters. I ran three 100W heaters, again depends on the setup. I never had an issue.

[TechGuy40]

Oh yeah, for T5's, UVL bulbs are the stuff!

[stifrk]

I was going to have the refugium gravity feed my tank but after measuring the space I have again, once I got home from work, I cant put that large of a fuge ontop of or next to the tank.

So not sure what to do about that now.

I have thought about LEDs, thought about them a lot actually, if I did do them I know I would suppliment with t5 actinic. Just not sure cost wise, I would rather spend my money at this stage in the game on getting the right pumps, ro/di unit, and possibly going with vortechs. Just not sure I want to swing the cash for them, but have heard you will never regret a vortech.

I do like LED heat reduction, and the reason I would have 8 fans in the canopy would be because of the MH. I guess I could fit a 40g L fuge up on top IF I used LED's and t5's only.

What kind of total cost are you talking for the LED setup for a 120? I want the same type of distribution of light as what 2 400watt MH's would do. So if I need to get 3 or 6 of the "bricks" that you made so be it.

As far as the controller goes, I really only want it for the purpose of a webserver, monitoring, and the emergency emailing abilities. I mean I work in downtown dayton at one of the branches, and it takes me 10 minutes to get home. If I have 5k worth of coral in my tank, you better bet I get an email saying something is wrong I am rushing home with the rest of the day off lol.

I moved to Huber Heights from Columbus. I am a Personal Banker with JP Morgan, Chase Bank. Hopefully they will be moving me up either to Lima area or back to Columbus, in about 12 months. Once they move me, I wont have to move again unless I want to, so it means I can buy a house instead of leasing a town home.

[marinelife]

For the LEDs I would say 48LEDs would do it, That would be $480 plus you would need heat sinks, fan, and wire.
They are gonna be about the same as buying MHs setups new.

[TechGuy40]

For the LEDs I would say 48LEDs would do it, That would be $480 plus you would need heat sinks, fan, and wire.
They are gonna be about the same as buying MHs setups new.

But MUCH MUCH cheaper in the long run.

And if your system is automated enough that you can't go to work for 8-10 hours without worrying about a micro controller destroying everything, you need to get back to basics, and rethink your strategy. No offense.

[stifrk]

no need to rethink strategy, I am just the over cautious type of person. My car alarm has a pager that shows me exactly which sensor tripped on the car and pages me to my phone and to a pager that works within 2 miles. Just the type of person I am. Never had my car broken into, just like to be over cautious.

[TechGuy40]

no need to rethink strategy, I am just the over cautious type of person. My car alarm has a pager that shows me exactly which sensor tripped on the car and pages me to my phone and to a pager that works within 2 miles. Just the type of person I am. Never had my car broken into, just like to be over cautious.

I definitely understand that. I also know that I am the only person who controls everything in my tank, with the exception of my temp. But man, having an iPhone app for my tank would be awesome. But I have one issue with that. I would check it way to often, and tinker with things. Its your system, I am way too OCD to have something like that.

[stifrk]

Yeah I can understand that. Maybe I could settle for a webcam with webserver capabilities. I think logitech has a new one that you can control remotely from an admin login on the webserver. That way at least I can see the tank from work LOL.

[marinelife]

That is what I do when I go on Vacation.

[Aquatic Specialists]

I will be more than happy to help you with product and advice, whatever way you want to go. Just let me know. We are all here to help you, keep asking questions you will get good answers. As far as the DIY skimmer goes, I would have to agree wth Todd, not the way to go. I like to see the "over cuatious" type, as I am also...lol

[jeremyreef]

you could also light the whole tank with t5s and keep anything you want in it (using the proper equipment).