renman303

OK, here we go! Most of my hood is put together. At least the lights but, I have yet to wire it all. The sump tested out good with no leaks, I have a 10 bank of duplex 110v outlets installed in the garage with two separate banks of 5 duplex outlets each on GFCI circuits. I have a 5 tier Metro rack in place and have the MH Ballasts (Sun System Blue Wave I) on the top rack. Got two barrels for H2O ready. A 35 gallon for RO/DI and a 55 gallon for mixing salt water. I'm putting my Seio pumps in these to keep the water moving. I have yet to hook up any plumbing including the new DI setup, Phosban Reactors or the Deltec Protein Skimmer. I am, however, going to make a road trip to Dallas on Wednesday morning with Nell and Gina. We are going to make a day of going to the World Aquarium then over to AGE to bring home the new Starfire tank! I may need a hand or two if anyone is available on the weekend to help move the tank in the house? I figure that's as far as I will get this weekend. I may try and do some plumbing to get some of the RO/DI water in so that I can then put the Fiji Pink sand in as well as getting the extra 100 lbs of live rock going that Kingfish is now curing for me. Dave

Just got my first delivery of equipment from John and Brian of Kingfish. You guys are great! Delivered: 3 Lumenarc Mini Reflector (Single Ended 3 Radium 400w MH Bulbs - 20k color 1 Tunze 6212 Wavebox 1 Tunze 7091 Singlecontroller 2 Tunze Magnet Holder, Large 1 Dual Bracket Filter Housing 2 TLF Phosban Reactor 150 tL4311

I will be running a refugium as well. Of the 4' in length about the center 2' will be refugium, the first 1.5' will be in from the tank and the last 1.5' will be return. Skimmer will be set up externally.

I'll post some more pics after this weekend but to answer your question, I have a 6'x2'x5 tier "Metro Rack" that I have in the garage. I'm punching through the wall to the tank itself. The sump and all of the equipment will be in the garage on the Metro rack. Some of the sumps that I looked at were $1000 !!! For a piece of plastic??? The feed supply places have these types running about $1 per gallon in cost, new. The nice thing is They have a drain fitting on one long end and many "flat spots" that you can easily add bulkheads to and they are "Food grade", albeit for animals. I was going to use my current 55 gallon for the sump but thought I could sell it with the stand later. This also game me a much larger volume of water to use. So, my entire setup will be somewhere in the ~350 gallon range with tank and sump.

This is the sump that I'm going to assemble. It may be "Ugly Betty" but very practical. Indestructible by design and dark, perfect for sponges and such. I got it for a steal...$20 from Georgetown Feed Store. It had a broken drain plug, no big deal, I just ripped it out and the internal threads were fine. Had, "Russell Glass" in Gtown custom cut a two piece top of 1/4" glass that will keep dust and dirt out and also help control the temperature. That was $65. Not bad for 120 gallons! 120 gallon sump

Color me there!

Mike, Thank you so much for your hospitality. John and Brian, informative as always. Seeing this setup really makes me anxious to get my 225 of the same, in place!

Here is the drawing of what the rough look of the overflow will look like. It will have a Durso and the sound of the wave cresting the side can be regulated simply by placing sponge in the overflow which can also act as a preliminary filter. Three of the corners of the Eurobrace are "slotted" for the addition of the 2 Tunze's that I will have in the tank. I have started an album that is currently attached.

Hey Robert and Cindy, Thanks for the great info! Not sure why my clams (I have 3 now) in my 55 are doing so well? They are only under T5's. I'll keep that in mind though. May have to change out a bulb later? I actually have some EDPM now as I'm building a waterfall, stream in my front yard. I can use that for the back glass but won't need it for the bottom as AGE tanks have a 3/4" PVC bottom. Easier for drilling and lightweight as well. I like the idea of the dowels, I'll have to get some as I've had numerous "landslides" in the 55 already. I'm really looking forward to having a tank that I can actually put rock into and still get my hand in to clean the glass. This 13" wide 55 is not so good for aquascaping. Also, I only have about 3" of front sand area to put clams and softies. If the two Tunze's can't cut it, I also have a few SEIO 1500's that I can use to supplement the water flow. Kind of hard to tell exactly what it will do at this point? I know at Kingfish, they have a 200+ gallon that is running on one Tunze alone and man, every thing in that tank all the way to the sand is shifting back and forth! It looks so realistic!

This will be a mixed reef. I was thinking that the Tunze's (6212 and 6101) would be enough? I understand that the 6101 is the same as the 6212 but without the box. Down at Kingfish they have a huge tank that is running on one Tunze 6212 and a small Korela...something or another??? The calcium reactor will be added in about 6 months time. I thought I'd suppliment for the first few months. Dave

Here is a list of what I plan on putting in the new 225 gallon setup. This is on order. Any thoughts here? Quantitiy Description 3 Lumenarc Mini Reflector (Single Ended 3 Radium 400w MH Bulbs - 20k color 3 Blue Wave 1 400w Ballast 2 48" Reefgeek T5 Retrofit Kit. 4 bulbs total, 2@ 420nm and 2@ 460nm. 1 Deltec AP851 Protein Skimmer 1 Tunze 6212 Wavebox 1 Tunze 6101 1 Tunze 7091 Singlecontroller 2 Tunze Magnet Holder, Large 1 Dual Bracket Filter Housing 100# Lala Live Rock and Tonga Deep Water Live Rock 200# Arag-AliveBimini Pink sand 2 TLF Phosban Reactor 150 tL4311 1 Hydrocarbon 2 G.A.C. T11173 4L 1 ROWA Phos 250ml

Here are my kids....Well, Gina is my kid the others are pets. Dave renman303

Hey Andrew, Yea, I at least had a Starfire front put on. Couldn't see a reason to do the side with the overflow or the back. I'm going to black out the back anyway with Limo tint. Dave

The tank is a custom 225 at 72x24x30 tall with an external overflow off of the left side. This is not only for ease of maintenance but you'll literally be able to hear the "surf" coming over the wall. It reminded me of the morning surf in Cancun! The front wall is Starfire glass with a Eurobrace on top.

I sat down with John at Kingfish today and ordered most of my stuff. The tank, AGE is now ordered. I'm getting three sets of Luminarc Mini's, running 20k Radium Mogel Bulbs. I'm also adding four T5's for Actinic lighting. I should be right at 1360 watts of light! Protein Skimmer is a Deltec 851. Running it will be an Eheim 1262 pump. I will also have another Eheim 1262 pump for the return to the tank from the sump. Water movement will come via a Tunze 6212 Wavebox on one end and a Tunze 6101 on the other just to get rid of any dead spots. Not sure of the name of the Calcium Reactor or Phos Ban setup but I'll post more when I have the invoice. Lots of Pink Figi Sand and an additional 50+ pounds of live rock to add to the estimated 100 pounds that I already have. Seriously Geeked!!!!!

Yea James, In fact, just the vertical supports and two sets of "joists" if you will about 2' from each end going front to rear. Essentially having 2' on center supports, 4 across.

Cindy, The Home Depot carries them. James is correct, they are called Utility Sinks and are made of Fiberglass, I believe? They are $40 plus whatever cheapo faucet you want to attach to it, some 1.5" PVC for a drain (check your's first for size) and two flex lines for the hot and cold water. Tax and all it shouldn't cost more than $75. They come with "L-Bracket" steel legs that literally just snap into place. Here is the link to THD. They are $48.20! Utility Sink - Link