Help Wanted - New tank

[smithrc]

Hi all.

We are moving to a new house in a few months time (when its built - should be march)

anyway, we will be starting a reef tank setup. this is where you come in.

we will have a double doorway into the diningroom from the lounge that we we're going to have built as a solid wall instead. but we've decided its a great gap to have a large marine setup in.

we're planning to have the sofa against the wall (and therefore tank stand unit) so it will stick into the dining room.

the gap is 1.45m wide and 2.?m high.

we're thinking of getting a 140cm x 75cm x 75cm tank made up to go on a custom unit. so it'll be about 790 ltrs (210 us gals)

as for the setup, we want a good sized reef at each end, as the tank will be viewed from both sides this'll leave a good free swimming area for any larger fish.
(any other ideas welcome)

we're looking for all the help and advice you can bounce off us regarding filtering, lighting etc. we'll have room for a sump and I would prefer to keep all the tank heating skimming etc in the unit and the tank clear of accessories.

that is about as far as we've got.

 

[smithrc]

ok folks - I'll bung some more info up...

Looks like i'll be going with a weir at one end to skim the water off the surface and down into the sump.

now - what sort of flow rate will i need (eg amount of water flowing through the sump per hour?)

do i need to make some descisions about the types of corals etc or will they be ok with a set rate (and a powerhead pointed at them if needed)

thanks.

 

[smithrc]

oh and i've started thinging about having the reef down the cneter of the tank now...

any input - anyone...

 

[Ed4567]

All sounds good so far. In a tank that sized I would go for two mounds of rock- one at each end rather than one big wall in the middle. If you are planning on keeping sps corals (small polyped hard coral) then you do need to consider flow- with the neatest option probably being a closed loop system as well as the sump return.

What sort of filtration are you planning on using?
Ed

 

[smithrc]

thanks Ed.

we're planning on a full on reef, softs, hards and anemones.
will a 400w halide at each end and T5 tubes in the middle be ok (on timers in sequence)

filtration will be mainly live rock and live sand (ouch - that'll be an arm and a leg!)
but the sump will do something... quite what, i'm yet to sort that out

Newb question alert!
what is a closed loop system?
(would that be an external canister filter?)

 

[Ed4567]

http/www.reef-eden.com/circulation_.htm

Is a very long but good explaination on water circulation with a quick explaination of closed loops about halfway down.

To be honest the above site is far more use than I'll ever be, especially with a tank your size.
HTH
Ed

 

[smithrc]

bookmarked - thanks...

I'll update as i go along.

many thanks

 

[smithrc]

Lighting...

I was planning on 400W halide at each end of the tank - but this seems to be over kill...

what would be a good abount of a tank this size?