Equipment recommendations for a large SPS tank

[reef-wannabe]

First off, by large I mean a 265 display with a 75 sump in our new office. I love the look and color of SPS and I like a lively tank, meaning seeing fish swim and move. My CEO loves reef and color and movement. I'm thinking of going for a reef that can host SPS corals as well as other soft corals and some fish. I've been reading and it seems that most successful SPS tanks don't have a refugium, but have a calcium reactor, some sort of phosphate reactor, lots of skimming, and lots of water movement. A controller seems to be almost a necessity with a setup this large. I've also read a lot of different view on things, but I've not come across a discussion specifically about equipment and setup that's for a tank this large.

I'm excited to hear what everyone has to say.

 

[ReeferBob]

Figure $6-$8k for this tank setup. Do you have a budget? Most 265s are 84" long.

For some of the equipment I'd suggest:

265 RR tank
Sump with a refugium (3 chamber 75 g is perfect)
2x ATI 36" 8 bulb dimmable T5 fixtures
ReefKeeper Elite Net controller with modules
Reactors for Calcium, Phophates, etc

 

[reef-wannabe]

My CEO hasn't given a budget. It was at about $5k the last time we talked and he didn't blink. At the end of the conversation, he said it MUST be beautiful and a great show tank... and he will not be doing any of the maintenance.

The tank will be an in-wall tank. The hallway side will be flush, and the tank will stick into my IT department (which will be the back side). The tank needs to be visible all the way through (hallway to IT office). The back side has an overflow in each corner. I've attached a picture taken of the stand being build into the wall. Viewpoint is from the IT office side looking out into where the hallway and reception will be. The tank dimensions that I've been given are 84 x 23 7/8 x 30 3/16... not exactly sure on the last measurement.

Why do you suggest a refugium? Most of what I've read has said that a refugium isn't necessary, and some say that it's pointless. Since SPS like such clean water anyway, there would be no nutrients for the chaeto/etc go grow. I'm just trying to understand every angle so that I can make the most informed decisions Since I've read a lot about NOT having a refugium, I was planning my sump as follows (two sections):
Intake section will have socks for mechanical filtration. Water will go over the wall and spill into the second section. This section will have everything else: reactors, heaters, skimmer, etc.

I planned on having a good skimmer (need suggestions there), calcium reactor, phosphate reactor, and a purigen reactor (thoughts?).

For lighting, I was looking at these. Please tell me if these won't be enough. I was thinking a 48" and a 36" to get full coverage.
Amazon.com: Coralife 08607 Lunar Aqualight High Output T5 Quad Lamp Fixture, 48-Inch: Pet Suppliesor controller, I was thinking Neptune APEX. I've never used a controller, though, so I'm open to advice there as well. I'd need pH, temp, salinity, what else? Can it control powerheads? If so, which ones will have good enough flow but a low footprint in the tank?

Heaters: I've been told that 2x 300W would be enough. I was planning on putting both in the sump. When starting the tank, one could be located in the display if needed.

 

[reef-wannabe]

Can't edit! I forgot to add, I'm also going to get a JBJ ATO system. Are these any good?
JBJ Automatic Top Off (A.T.O.) System Water Level Controller

 

[stylaster]

Here is my build list for my 312g tank. So far im very happy with my equipment purchases

Four ecotech radions
Two ecotech hanging kits
One Kessil A350W
Two ecotech MP 40
Korallin C3002 calcium reactor
Reef Octopus SRO 5000 INT with bubble blaster 5000 pump
Neptune controller with DC 8 power bar and two ph probes
BRS dual media reactor
Two 1.5" seaswirls
Hammerhead/barracuda hybrid pump
60' 1.5" black spa flex hose
Eight 1.5" bulkheads
Twelve 1.5" true unions
ARM calcium media
BRS carbon and phosphate remover
CO2 bottle and regulator with selonoid
Two 300 watt ebojager heaters

also here is the build thread so you can see progress, maybe get some ideas from it. I love my sump the heater holders are great
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/large-aquariums-180g/107527-stylasters-312-gallon-tank-build.html

Im also an IT guy, i would make sure you get a dehumidifier in your office. Water and electronics don't mix! hehe

 

[kyle1284]

staylaster has a good list but i would edit a couple things. on the CA Rx i would use a GEO 818. One of my friends used a Korallin and has a couple issues with it. Others have not had any issues at all. I LOVE my GEO 818. It is build like a tank and the customer service is amazing! As far as a regulator... I would use the aquarium plants reg. They cost quite a bit but you get what you pay for. You can set the bubble rate percisely, control it on a controller, AND it will never dump CO2 into the reactor if the selonoid fails. Priceless IMO

 

[-Logzor]

Can't edit! I forgot to add, I'm also going to get a JBJ ATO system. Are these any good?
JBJ Automatic Top Off (A.T.O.) System Water Level Controller

No. That is the bottom of the barrel ATO. A good hands free ATO is this one. I've been running mine for 5 years now. I have both the Tunze and this Specturapure one and the Tunze can't compare:

SpectraPure® U.P.L.C. Ultra-Precise Level Controller II
As far as lighting goes, I would get three of these:

EcoTech Marine Radion XR30w Pro LED Light Fixture

 

[SloppyJ]

I'd go with the Tunze Osomolator for the ATO. If you can swing it, Radions. You can sell the point of them using much less energy and not having to replace bulbs which can add up.

 

[reef-wannabe]

I'm currently at work, so I'm reading and replying when I can. I'll reply to everyone soon... I've got lots of questions.

Sloppy... can you send me a link of what you're referring to (Radions). A Google search gave me quite a few results. Which ones would I need for a 30" tall tank? I wanna be able to grow anything that I want, and not be limited.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I will second the Spectrapure UPLC-II. Been using one over 5 years now and it is the best thing since sliced bread. You won't find a better system.

Also what is your source of water? Since water is by far the largest single ingredient in a reef system and everything depends on its quality I can only suggest the best in the business with their MaxCap RO/DI systems:
www.spectrapure.com . I have been using the MaxCaqp models for over 9 years now and they are amazing. I started with the 90 GPD MaxCap, upgraded to a dual membrane version later and now have had the MaxCap UHE Ultra Highe Efficiency/Low waste system for 5 years and it has honestly paid for itself over and over in that time. Having owned 6 different systems over the last 15 years and keeping logbooks of performance and filter changes I can back it up too.

 

[bct15]

With an sps tank, your budget 5k cost might cover the equipment alone but not stocking. The keys to having a nice SPS tank are stability stability stability. With a tank that size, upkeep is more time consuming and expensive but is easier to keep stable...also a lot harder to fix when things get out of whack. Now for my opinions on equipment.

Lighting - if you want to stay tried and true, and go with what 85% of the best sps tanks you see online today use go with 400w single end metal halides (radium 20k) supplemented with t5 or 250w double end metal halide (Phoenix 14k or xm 15k) supplemented with t5s as well. Some sps tanks have been able to run LEDs, but it seems to be hit or miss and the BEST sps tanks still use halides. Plus the cost of pendants, bulbs, how often you change the bulb (1-1.5 yrs), and power costs after about five years roughly ends up the same amount as buying a high end led fixtures. Led light fixture are truly designed to last about five years.

Stability - you will need a way to keep your alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium levels stable. That size tank loaded with sps, two part dosing may not be practical and a calcium reactor might be better. A good calcium reactor was reccomended in a previous post. You will also need an auto top off to maintain stability, ATO are all the same float valves hooked up to a pump. I think the one i use is a jbj hooked up to a maxijet but not even sure anymore.

Clean water - you'll want to maintain a stable cleanliness using at a minimum a skimmer and a refugium. The skimmer should be a quality skimmer for that size tank, I use an external h&s skimmer and love it. I reccomemd a skimmer of that quality (you won't regret it). Your refugium can just be a light over your sump with some live rock and macro algae in the middle chamber. To further your water cleanliness you may want to consider a couple media reactors for carbon and gfo, though some people have reported gfo causing problems in sps tanks. When using gfo, in my experience, you just need to maintain alk and calcium levels close to natural sea water. You may also want to consider a uv sterilizer, a lot of good sps tanks have them as it keeps free floating algae populations down which we know can be problematic for burnt tips of sps. You'll also need a good high quality RO, along with replacement filters as by the end of the filling and cycling of this size tank your filters will probably be used up.

Flow - the more the better. Try and do a closed loop if you can. If that is not feasible go with an mp40 on each end and some mp10s on the back wall(maybe 2-3).

Controller - you can run everything with timers, or get a controller if you feel like it. I have an Apex and think it is pretty dandy, but have had it break and be able to everything with cheap timers from lows because my heater has a built in controller. Just have to test more often without the controller.

Extras - you need accurat test kits. I also have never seen this posted anywhere but I think tangs help sps tanks a lot. They keep the algae levels in the display basically non existent, poop all over the sps which seems help with coloration and burnt tips, and look awesome swimming in between the branches of sps colonies. With that size tank you can get a few. Certain wrasses like a hoevens and yellow coris wrasse are also great for SPS tanks because they keep your pest levels down and you can have multiple specimens in a single tank, I'd put three in that tank (stay away from sixline and mystery wrasses). Last but not least a pair of dragon face pipe fish to keep the colonies clean of bugs.


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[ReeferBob]

All a refugium is is another section in your sump until you use it. Build a 3 section sump and later you can add refugium things to it if you choose (DSB, chaeto, etc). Do not get a pre-made sump. I don't like any of them. It is easy as pie to add glass sections to a tank and use it as a sump. Algae scrubbers are also nice to have in the sump. For unobtrusive powerheads it is hard to beat the ecotechs since they work magnetically through the glass with no wires in the tank. For that sized tank you are looking at over $1500 or more for the ecotechs. Also for looks I highly suggest you build a rock wall. I did and LOVE it on my 125g (see below). I still will vote on the dimmable ATI lights but you are talking about $400/year in bulbs. LED is great but you need to do a LOT of research before committing to LED. They could make your tank look great or like crap. They could cause great coral growth or kill all your coral. T5HO is tried and true. If you do go Halides you may want to consider a chiller as well. $500 for the chiller. The Apex gets great reviews you will definitely want a controller. Also don't forget RO/DI storage and another container for saltwater storage for water changes. You will be changing 20 gallons every 2 weeks once the tank gets going. Yeah, you are going to be lucky to get in under $10k. Since construction is under way, see if they will install a sink where the tank is going to be. You do NOT want to be lugging water every day.

 

[ReeferBob]

uh oh - i just thought of something, is that stand built properly? Did the workers consult with someone knowledgeable in aquarium stand construction BEFORE they started building that stand? I'd love to see how the uprights are constructed. And that entire setup is going to weight in around 3000lbs so the floor may need extra bracing.

 

[ronnie]

I'd go with ecotech radions, mp40s for flow, a good calcium reactor with an electronic regulator, apex controller. I'd not do a refugium. I had issues growing chaeto in my SPS tank due to lack of nutrients and ended up sticking my calcium reactor in that chamber to free up space. Id use reactors for carbon and gfo as well. I prefer seperate reactors as the dual has some flow issues over a few weeks going from one chamber to the next.

Return pump - eheim
Heater - ttitanium
top off - I prefer gravity fed float valves

 

[ReeferBob]

Also that looks like regular drywall around the tank stand. It should have no drywall at all on the stand (plywood and wood). The stand will be subject to splashed and spills. The walls around the stand will get a lot of salt creep on them I would have suggested cement board or at the least the green bathroom rated drywall.

 

[ronnie]

Agreed on the drywall for sure!

 

[reef-wannabe]

First, I went and looked at the stand again today. The outside is drywall, but the whole inside of the stand (under the tank) is plywood... all around. At least they did that right Also, the floor is a large poured concrete slab everywhere, so the floor shouldn't need any help. I've got the construction company bracing the stand for 3200 pounds, so I think we're ok there.

I think this could get super confusing to me, so if possible I'd like to talk about one thing at a time. I want to take it all in and make sure I don't miss anything. Can we start with lighting?

My options are LED, t5, t5 and halide. Any others?

I'm looking at the Ecotech radions. Would getting three of them (mounted center of tank from front to back) provide enough light coverage on the very front/back of the tank? I don't have any experience with LED's, so sorry if I'm asking dumb questions. I like the fact that they are controllable, and you can program in day/night/moon cycle as well as storms, etc. Also, it can control the wireless powerheads (mp40's?). What other options would I have for doing these things? Are there any DIY LED plans/projects that would get me better lighting, but be cheaper?

With t5 or halide, can they be dimmed or controlled?

 

[reef-wannabe]

I just want to show everyone here what I'm looking for. I am wanting this type of color in my display tank. I want to be able to have bright colors, not a dull/boring tank. Take these for example. This tank needs to be a brilliant show tank. That's what my CEO is expecting.

 

[bct15]

With t5 or halide, can they be dimmed or controlled?

To control halide t5 combo, you hook them up to either a controller or a timer. Then you have the t5s turn on first and off last for dusk/dawn, then halides for about four hours (while t5s) to blast eveything with light and simulate mid day. You could simulate dimming by having more t5s turn on and off like the following

Two t5s on 8 hours
Two more t5s on for 6 hours
Halides on for 4 hours

That is how I do it, and it works out real good for everybody. As far as led pendants, they are designed to simulate halides as best as possible so they (on average) will have a 2ftx2ft light spread at the reccomended hanging height. So you'll need a pendant for every two square feet you plan on lighting.

The tanks you have in your pics I can tell you the second one is either all t5s or t5 + halide, can tell by the fixture (most likely all t5s because of no shimmer). The first pic I can't tel exactlyl but it looks like a t5 halide combo tank with only blue t5s on.


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[reef-wannabe]

I like the t5 option better than the led for the price point. However, the led can simulate thunderstorms and such, super cool. I'm not sure I can justify the difference to my CEO tho.

Lets say that I do t5 and halide. With your light up schedule, I want to verify something:
two t5 on for 8 hours (actinic??)
two more t5 on for 6 hours (actinic??)
halide on for 4 hours (what kelvin, wattage??)

How much light would I need for this tank to get those results (coral growth all through the tank)? its 7' long, 2' wide, 30" tall. if I went t5 only, would a quad bulb 4' and quad bulb 3' be enough light? each has lunar bulb.