forget work, lets REEF

[minireef]

I'm going to forget about work and start Reefing!

I intend to covert my study area into a bult in tank.

Please give me advice on what i need to cater for.

The area is 9'X4.5'x 2'

Thanks in advance!

I hope I can post the photo sucessfully.(1st time)

[minireef]

Retry to post my Pic.

[dominik]

how is big your house? bunglow?

[Melvyn Tan]

Nice room with 3 different time zone...you in business?

[w3ish3ng]

bro, are you a stock broker? if i'm you i will go for 6x3x3/2.5 will be very nice. will this be reef or fowlr?

[minireef]

Dom, just a small condo, Mel I trade futures.

[Melvyn Tan]

Wow trade futures...stressful job...anyone you know by the nick taz? in the open outcry, he quit a few years ago already though

[minireef]

The wall width is only 4.5' max. Intend to do just 4X2X2.

I will conceal the tank(tank behind wall), to make it neater.

[Melvyn Tan]

Good size for 4x2x2, can also consider it as a divider so that you can have 3 views...

[Melvyn Tan]

Sorry no work XXXX

[jervismun]

I suggest you build a 4.5' (end to end with a tiny bit of gap) with 2.5' depth. So you have about 6" protrusion off the wall... making it looking more 3D. That extra 6" can come very handy for more flexible scaping and a larger sump beneath the tank.

Height wise... really depends on how high you are as a person, personally, I prefer to be able to touch the sand bed. Not being able to touch the bottom makes maintenance and coral placement very hard... not mentioning cleaning too. So 2.5' is the max I'll suggest you go for height.

Now some nice cabinets here and there... the hood can look extremely neat going all the way up to the ceiling... concealing all the lightings you want while allowing enough room on top for hot air to rise (if you are to use MH for your setup).

Lovely

Forget work space... this will become your full time job

[w3ish3ng]

will it be reef of fowlr?

[minireef]

w3ish, it will be mixed, sps,lps,(50/50%) and fish.

Jerv, Ya, there will be some protrusion for 3D effect.

I'm trying to post my drawing plan with paint.

But it can't be done. How should I do it.

I was told by a big LFS 20+ yrs in Biz.(they do very project) that for 2 feet dept, 2x150MH is good enough. I'm confused 150 or shoulkd go for 250?

[minireef]

Hi , I'm trying to post my set up plan with paints software.

But it can't be done.

Can someone advice me?

[jervismun]

I was told by a big LFS 20+ yrs in Biz.(they do very project) that for 2 feet dept, 2x150MH is good enough. I'm confused 150 or shoulkd go for 250?

Personally, I don't necessarily see 20+ years as a MUST LISTEN as the aquarium technology has been moving pretty fast... the older they are... the more stubborn they can be (sometimes)... swear by their old ways of doing things.

But since they also do mega projects, then you can rest assured they will not screw up your tank project... I'm quite surprise they suggest only 2 x 150W as most big time LFS (especially those who handle mega projects) always recommend excessively

Personally, I think 2 MH spread across 4ft doesn't allow sufficient coverage. Again, it depends on your rockscaping. If you plan to have 2 mountains, then 1 MH on top of each mountain may provide a dramatic and interesting effect. Other than that, you may get blind spots especially towards the edges. Of course you can lift your MH higher to achieve a broader coverage but that will weaken your "firepower".

Although I am not a MH expert (or lighting expert), I will do the following configurations if I am to illuminate my 4ft SPS tank:

1) 3 x 150W evenly spaced to achieve 100% coverage, around 7 to 8 inches from water surface to make up for the lack of "firepower". 24" + 8" = 32"

2) 2 x 250W but lifted higher to achieve better coverage, probably 10 to 12 inches from water surface. 24" + 12" = 36"

Both consumes about the same amount of energy... so both are good in my opinion. Option 2 has a slight advantage as it is further away from the water surface (MH transmit a lot of heat vertically downwards and can dramatically heat up your water by 3 to 4ºC at its peak).

Don't forget to add some HO T5 also (dimmable will be nice) using both Blue and Actinic tubes.

Hope this helps

[jervismun]

Oh I saw you asking bro Melvyn Tan about keeping SPS using T5 only... well I am also in the process of setting up my new second tank, a 4 footer (will be up this weekend) for my office. I am planning to use ATI HO T5 (at least 8 tubes) to keep SPS.

Although there are some successful reefers keeping healthy SPS using T5 such as Danano, MH is a much more tested, preferred and "safe" lighting option when it comes to SPS.

As always, there are pros and cons to everything... I don't see T5 as consuming a lot lesser power compared to MH, take bro Melvyn Tan's tank for example, his 8 x 54W consumes 432W. A MH + T5 setup probably consume a little bit more than 600W. So the difference is not too great.

However, T5 produces much lesser heat and doesn't transmit excessive heat to the tank water beneath it. That will result in lesser load to your chiller. Chiller is one of the most major power hungry monster in the entire setup and every step should be taken to lighten its load. So the real pro comes from savings from the chiller (comparing MH to T5).

Remember, T5 doesn't give you "shimmering effect" on the floor bed. If I am to go back to MH one day... it is for this reason alone

[minireef]

Jerv, thanks. How do you post thoese drawing plans with colour scheme.

I can't do it.

[minireef]

My heart is for T5, my mind is telling me MH.

[minireef]

Jerv, So for the new tank,you are going for MH or T5? I read the other tread you are moving to MH.

[jervismun]

Jerv, So for the new tank,you are going for MH or T5? I read the other tread you are moving to MH.

I've decided to go T5... 1 major reason is heat... as I will be using back my old Arctica 1/5hp chiller... introducing 500W of MH will stretch my old chiller so badly it will run for hours without stop

[jervismun]

Jerv, thanks. How do you post thoese drawing plans with colour scheme.

I can't do it.

Haha... I used Adobe Illustrator to draw those simple drawings... that's my "bread and butter" software Now don't ask me to conduct a lesson here

[jervismun]

My heart is for T5, my mind is telling me MH.

I know... it's hard to decide... even seeing all the benefits of using T5... I still miss the MH shimmering effect (badly)... I might introduce a 150W MH to my new setup (just run for 2 hours a day) to satisfy myself while creating a noon lighting effect. A 150W shouldn't cause too much heat.

[Nitro]

Hi minireef,

U might want to consider some of the good skimmers on sales now in the Pasar Malam section. I'm using a H&S, quite a good one.

The other thing u want to think abt... May want to lay a seperate power supply to power the tank and it's system or having a parallel circuit with UPS. Totally free u from worrying of a power failure. Will your water change be frequent? Can be quite a headach if it's far from water point.

Having a mixture of MH and HO T5s is best (too bad I only have 8 HO T5, limited by power outlet) In home aquarium, MH shouldn't be on for too long. As mentioned by Jervis and also can lead to high electricity bills. If tank depth is 2.5ft and beyond, a 250W MH is a minimum to really illuminate to the bottom and giving a shimmering effect. A general rule that I observed from home aquarium and LFS setting are 1 MH for every 2ft. Well I guess individual preferance also play a part. Anyway MH should be used to simulate noon time sun light(2-3hrs) and IF POSSIBLE, not used as the only lighting. While HO T5 white, actinics and blue ones can used to simulate from dawn and dusk. A timed wavemaker giving a low current at nite and high current in day is good. Best if can create a high and low tide too but think so far no one is simulating that... actually I'm thinking of doing that... haha.

Happy reefing

[minireef]

Nitro,

I have already bought some equipments. Deltec Skimmer,Aquatronica, Tunze wave maker. I also have a 2X150+2XT8 blackgalaxy, not sure wether to replace the lights.

[jervismun]

Bro you already bought lighting before confirming the tank design? Since you already bought it... you can always fire it up and see the effect. Personally 2 x 150W is sufficient for the initial stage if you are to keep mushrooms, Zoas and LPS. With more knowledge later, you can always redesign your lighting accordingly.

Which model of Deltec skimmer and Tunze Wavemaker you bought?