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James 
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 Topic: James' 55g build
Posted: June 03 2010 at 12:51pm |
My official build thread in the hopes of getting valuable feedback as I get my first reef tank up and running. I purchased a used 65g tank from CapnMorgan that came with a 55g that was used for the sump and a solid metal frame stand. Also purchased Dion's 48" 4-bulb T5 light fixture. Currently working with a friend to put a nice face and sides on the stand. Probably 2 weeks out to get this completed.
Questions and current thoughts...please provide feedback:
-I would like to partition the sump for the refugium, skimmer and return. Is it best to do this with glass or acrylic baffles on a 55g glass aquarium? Any recommendations on how to set this up and spacing for each? Most cost-effective methods for accomplishing this...
-65g has corner overflow with 2 holes. Planning on a Durso drain. Tank came with plumping for return out of the overflow and second hang-on-back for other side of tank.
-Recommendations on reliable heaters?
-Recommendations on skimmers?
-Recommendations on pump, would like internal for noise/space purposes.
-planning on using 2 smaller powerheads. It sounds like that works better than one larger one.
Thanks for the feedback. Will put pictures up periodically as things progress. Planning on attending the meeting tonight to meet some people.
Edited by James - July 31 2010 at 6:05pm
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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Shayne
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 1:16pm |
Congrats!  Sounds like you're further into yours than I am into mine already. (and probably for less money to boot!)
I'll leave the recommendations to the experts but it's sounding good so far.
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21G Reefer Nano
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P.Kapp
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 2:22pm |
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use glass for the baffles. acrylic wont adhere to the glass with the silicone. thats about the extent of my expertise with your questions.. haha. i tried to leave as much room as i could for my refugium so i could get more sand, rock, macro algae and such in there. I also didnt want too small of a return pump compartment so i dont have to top off the water every time i look at it. i dont have a top off system yet...
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bugzme
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 2:45pm |
You will need to figure out what skimmer you want to use then get the footprint of it to put the baffles in. I have used asm for a long time and I still like the skimmate I get.
Get a skimmer that is oversized for your tank. From what I have heard and read Bubble-Magnus makes great skimmers
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Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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tcfab
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 6:24pm |
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You might want to look into the SWC cone skimmers, they have a small footprint and are getting good reviews the price isnt bad either. For a return I would look into Ehiem pumps they are dead silent.
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Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386
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smacky
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 2:44am |
Look into switching the order of your sump to skimmer, refugium, return. Organisms that will supplement the feeding of your fish/corals will grow by themselves in a fuge and a skimmer after the fuge would remove them all before they got to your display tank. Check out this thread. http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41382I asked a few questions about using a fuge for food production and got some answers that might help you out too. *edited to make the link clickable
Edited by smacky - June 04 2010 at 2:45am
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James
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 10:11am |
Thanks everyone for your help so far. I attended the meeting yesterday and thought it was really interesting. There were some things I would have liked to purchase but, as you can see from the picture of my currecnt setup, I am not quite ready to be adding things to the tank. 
Current shopping list (prefer to purchase used if available):
-2 Hydor Koralia Evolution 750 powerheads...or equivalent
-Rio Hyperflow 32HF...or equivalent
-48" 54w Sun Wave T5 bulb (light system had one dead bulb so I currently have 2 54x blue actinic and 1 54w Sun Wave Super Daylight 12,000K, all Wave Point brand)
-skimmer (would really like to purchase a used one if anyone has one in good condition for a 65g)
-heater
-test kit...recommendations?
Questions/comments:
-what is a reliable heater to get?
-from the meeting last night I determined I like the Brains, Radioactive Chalice, anemones, clams and Zooanthid (so far)...is a 4x54w T5 setup with 2 actinic and 2 daylight on a ~65g tank (approx. 48"x13"x21" wxdxh) sufficient for these corals? Are the pumps and powerheads mentioned above sufficient as well?
-for fish, I like clowns, gobys, dwarf angels...thoughts?
-for sump, current plan is to use a durso to drain into the skimmer area, flow through a bubble trap into a refugium and then ?over a baffle? into the return pump area. Should this work ok?
-planning on taking a trip, hopefully in the next week, to collect Utah rock and oolitic sand.
Thanks for your help so far.
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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bugzme
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 10:16am |
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Yes you will have enough light. Chalices grow very slow and need to be in the bottom 1/3 of the tank. What return pump are you going to use?
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Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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James
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 10:40am |
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Right now I am looking at the Rio Hyperflow 32HF pump although this may be larger than I need.
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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James
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 4:05pm |
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Which test kits do I need to get when starting a new tank? What are the good brands to get that are easy to read?
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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CapnMorgan
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 4:35pm |
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API (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) is a good brand and is plenty accurate for the money, get a pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, and magnesium. It sounds like a lot but you will use ALL of these. It sounds like a sound plan for the sump as well. You can use the lexan for baffles and it will be cheaper as well. Mainly you just want to create a good seal against it with the silicone since it really doesn't have to hold back much in the way of pressure.
Edited by CapnMorgan - June 04 2010 at 4:36pm
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Steve My Old 180G Mixed ReefCurrently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8
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smacky
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 4:40pm |
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One test that is sometimes left out of kits is alkalinity. Make sure you can test for that, especially if you're planning on keeping any invertibrates. Salinity, calcium, and pH are pretty standard. You might also want to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates while the system is getting established too.
I'm sure I've missed a couple, but that's what comes to mind right now.
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smacky
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Posted: June 04 2010 at 4:50pm |
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Looks like you type faster than me. Mg, I knew I forgot one.
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James
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Posted: June 07 2010 at 10:17am |
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Well, I ended up spending my weekend putting in a new sprinkler station in the backyard so I didn't get anything accomplished on my tank other than improving on my plumbing skills. I am hoping to make a trip out west to get some Utah rock and oolitic sand this week if things go as planned. Stay tuned...
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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James
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Posted: June 10 2010 at 12:03pm |
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Any recommendations on a brand and size of heater for a 50-90g setup?
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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Ahanix
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Posted: June 10 2010 at 12:18pm |
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I've heard good things about the rena smartheaters. Petsmart carries the 100w and 200w versions, plus they will price match if you have proof (I need to go pick up a heater today, haha)
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James
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Posted: June 10 2010 at 12:31pm |
I am deciding between a 55g or a 75g right now. I assume for the 55g I would need just the 22w version and for the 75g I would need a 100w and a 200w...is that correct?
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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James
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Posted: June 13 2010 at 7:38pm |
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Sticking with the 55g that came with a custom metal stand that fits another 55g for the sump/refugium. I am getting the stand worked on this week to get a nice wood face put onto it. Does anyone know of some good books that detail fish, coral and invertebrates with pictures and descriptions on how to feed, typical nature, lighting requirements, space requirements... Trying to pin down what I want in my tank.
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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bugzme
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Posted: June 13 2010 at 7:46pm |
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Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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James
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Posted: June 14 2010 at 5:04pm |
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Just put a couple of sizeable orders in at Marine Depot and Drs Foster and Smith. Time to start working on some plumbing.
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55g display with 55g sump/refug
4 bulb T5HO light
tank established 8/6/10
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