New house new 140 gal build

[Coaltrain]

A little background. Before my family moved to our new house 3 years ago we had a fish only 220 gal system for 12 years and a 90 gal reef system for around 3 years. I have been out of the saltwater game now for 3 to 4 years, and I did not even think about having another tank once until we recently took a family trip to Florida and took a side trip to the Tennessee aquarium. After that visit the whole family agreed we need another tank ASAP. as soon as I got home I got to work and creeped around here for 2 weeks seeing all the new innovations sense I last bought equipment and trying to remember how my systems worked and what things are called. As I sold both tanks and all my equipment in the move I have to start over with everything, the benefit to this is now I am in a better financial position and just have to decide how expensive I want to go. The 140 gal tank was ordered last Friday 1/12/24 through a LFS from Planet Aquarium a 4' x 24" x 29" internal overflow, standard glass, w/black background, with there elegance stand and canopy in black. Nothing else is ordered yet as most of the Planet Aquarium order was in stock, but not the canopy, so I have a couple weeks. The LFS I want to work with put a couple quotes together for me for different options to go with to get me pointed in the right direction. I am going to start placing orders later this week so please let me know your thoughts and what I am missing. The tank setup will be some LPS and softies and a lot of fish as we like movement.

140 gal Planet Aquarium tank, stand, conapy
30" Zero Edge orange & white sump
Neptune Apex A3 controller
Apex COR20 return pump
MXM control module
Finexx 500 watt heater
2-XR 15 lights
Reef octopus Regal 150sss
1-MP40 for now
80lbs Carib Sea sand
Carib Sea life rock

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Katrina71]

I may be burned at the stake for this, but you can go way cheaper on lights for lps and softies. Especially with a canopy.

 

[Coaltrain]

I may be burned at the stake for this, but you can go way cheaper on lights for lps and softies. Especially with a canopy.

LFS suggested 1-4ft blade or 2 xr15's, I added the other after looking at other peoples tanks. Also does the 29" depth of water matter?

 

[thomas_neil]

I may be burned at the stake for this, but you can go way cheaper on lights for lps and softies. Especially with a canopy.

I agree, but also plan for future. I feel like everyone always try's out at least one stick in an LPS/Softie tank.

OP if you decide on light bars, get the longest ones for the tank, so in your case I'd suggest the 48". The depth will really only matter if you plan on putting coral in the sand bed. With the blades you have the option to turn up the intensity if needed. Lower light coral on the bottom and higher light on top. Most lights efficiently penetrate about 24" of water, but that will also depend on your lids, mounting height, ect. I would definitely suggest 2 as corals grow in to avoid shading.

 

[Katrina71]

LFS suggested 1-4ft blade I added the other after looking at other peoples tanks. Also does the 29" depth of water matter?

I'm sure they are great lights. You just have cheaper options that will work well too.

 

[adamg77]

I am setting up the exact same planet tank!

I went with ATI sunpower 6x48. Set it and forget it kind of light that is tried and true. Have you thought about what fish you’re wanting to keep? I’ll definitely be following along to your build as ours are the same tank!

 

[Coaltrain]

I am setting up the exact same planet tank!

I went with ATI sunpower 6x48. Set it and forget it kind of light that is tried and true. Have you thought about what fish you’re wanting to keep? I’ll definitely be following along to your build as ours are the same tank!

I ended up going with 2-XR15's. I was leaning to that light or the blades but went XR do to LRS recommendation. Tank is being shipped this week to LFS so I hope to see it next week. I have a lot of parts already and the rest on order. I will up date this weekend or next once tank arrives.

 

[Coaltrain]

So tank was delivered to LFS yesterday afternoon great news, but they did not accept the delivery of the tank itself do to the support strap on top of the tank being compromised probably from shipping (his words). The furniture was good at least so I can get some work done on the stand as far as waterproofing goes. No update yet on the new eta for the tank. I will pick up skimmer, stand, and maybe more this weekend.

 

[adamg77]

What do you plan on doing for waterproofing?

 

[Coaltrain]

What do you plan on doing for waterproofing?

I saw on someone else's tread that they rolled on flex seal or another person used a koi pond liner. I will run to Menards and see what looks better in person.

 

[Coaltrain]

Picked up the stand, canopy, apex, skimmer, and pump over the weekend and got to start to mount some things. The under tank maintenance lights were left over from another project and worked out great so far. I mounted a few things to the left side as you can see in the pics and I think the ATO controller will mount on the right. I am going to run to Menards tonight to get my brute cans and look for a pond liner. If I cant find a cheap enough pond liner I may just go with a sheet of plastic and double it over and run it up the sides 4" and staple it. I hope to hear on the status of a replacement tank today.

 

[adamg77]

Digging the lights! Are you planning on running the filter socks? What kind of fish are you going to keep? I'm planning my stocking list right now before finalizing my overall goal for the tank before I pick up so old Pukani

 

[Coaltrain]

To start off the LFS called me yesterday to say that planet aquarium shipped the same tank they rejected last week. At least the LFS is checking over things well and keeping me in the loop. I hope next week I will see a tank. I am planning on running filter socks as that is what I always did in the past and it worked out good. I haven't even looking into a fish list yet as I need to get the system setup and cycled. I always enjoyed a lot of fish. The good think with this size of tank is that it is tall so there should be plenty of swimming room at the top.

 

[Coaltrain]

I filled the tank about 3 weeks ago and everything went great. No leaks to speak of and I spent that week figuring out the pumps and setting up the apex. I am now cycling tank about 12 days in. I am running my lights about 5 hours at night at only 10% for the time being.

 

[Coaltrain]

Last night I started up the skimmer for the first time. Two weeks ago I started to lengthen the light cycle by an hour for a total of 6 hours that includes an hour of ramp up and an hour of ramp down, The total output is only at 20 percent though. Everything is going fine so far, but it is still early in this process.

 

[adamg77]

Looking great!