First Aquarium

[Flip121]

Okay I just got my tank completed yesterday so no live stock yet.

Tank- 100Gallon
Lighting- 2 Metal Halide-Hamilton 14000k Blue 250Watts(has the possibility to add 4 Compact Florescent lights, I will probably fill 2 with actinic and 2 with regular)
Live Rock- 132lb
Substrate- 40lb inert sand underneath 40lb live sand under 80lb of Aragonite gravel
Powerheads- 3 Maxi-Jet 900 rated at 230 gph(plugged into a natural wave powerstrip), 1 Maxi-Jet 600 rated at 160gph(for UV sterilizer)
Filter- Emperor 400 Hang on the back rated at 400gph
Protein Skimmer- CPR Bak-Pak Dual Pak(uses 2 Rio+600 Powerheads rated at 200gph)
UV Sterilizer- Aquastep 15watt rated at 450gph

Lights and tank


Live Rock structure


Tell me what yall think! Any advice would be great too!

[metalhead]

Looks great!

Love the LR structure... Did you use zip-ties?

You may need some bigger PH's to get the flow you'll need in a tank that size but other than that you should be set.

[Parrothead]

get rid of the wheels in the emp. they are basically cloth bio balls, will become a nitrate factory, other than that and what metal suggested better powerheads, look at the korilia K3's 2 of them,

It looks great, just go slow and easy

[TimH07]

i'd get rid of the emporer all together (get your money back while its not all cruded up)

i'd get the Hydor korilia 4's .... i have 2 of them in my 75g tank and a K1 all added to my Magdrive 9.5 and its not too much flow if you aim it right.

looks great!!

[twisted]

love the rock scaping! very nice! i agree, get rid of the emp. while you can. welcome to the site!

[Flip121]

I am not sure if I will be able to take the Emperor back to be honest. Additionally on that point can someone explain to me while yall don't like it?(I have always been one to try and know as much as possible on what and I am doing and why) And about the rock scaping, it was secured with nothing but time and elbow grease. I just sat there playing with the rock till I got it where I could give it a nudge and it would stay there. Lastly with getting the Hydor korilia 4 power heads would I remove the ones I have already placed or add them as well?

[Flip121]

P.S. there are 2 more powerheads behind the LR if that makes I difference. I listed them in my specs but I know you can't see them in the picture.

[twisted]

the emp will become a nitrate factory...i had one in my tank for a while and learned quickly that the only thing they are good for is to remove all the filter elements and just use it to circulate water. its a good place to put a bag of carbon but they get a crap build up and when you pull them out to clean them all of that stuff goes backinto t he tank.

[Flip121]

Well like I said I don't think I will be able to get my money back on it so I will probably leave it for now and see if maybe I can roll the dice and get something good. I appreciate the concern yall have though. I will let yall know how it goes after my tank has cycled and balanced out.

[twisted]

i have the same p heads as you....the k4s are the way to go but im not gonna complain about how mine are working...they move the water and i like putting a sponge on it occasionally to do some extra water polishing...do you have a sump?

[Parrothead]

the emp. in my opinion, I would keep less the bio wheels which will become a nitrate factory, the reason I say keep it for now is you don't mention having a sump, I use my emp, less the bio wheels, for media such as carbon etc as I have no sump as of right now, thats in the planning stages, Mine is for flow and media,

As for the powerheads, you can keep them in there or remove and use as back up or to mix saltwater, the amount of flow is gonna be determined by what you eventually want to keep, however at the moment you don't have enough flow, thats why we are recommending the upgraded powerheads, you need good flow in and around your rock work(excellent job by the way, is that totoka rock?).

[twisted]

if its what you gotta use then just practice careful and regular cleaning of it. i had 2 on my tank and used them for a while. when i clean them i would remove the whole unit and when i cleaned any of it i cleaned all of it. as long as you keep crap from building up in it, it will get you through the cycle and then some. i think for a small investment while your tank is cycling a little cash each week will get you a decent diy sump to have when the emp proves to be inadequate

[Parrothead]

if its what you gotta use then just practice careful and regular cleaning of it. i had 2 on my tank and used them for a while. when i clean them i would remove the whole unit and when i cleaned any of it i cleaned all of it. as long as you keep crap from building up in it, it will get you through the cycle and then some. i think for a small investment while your tank is cycling a little cash each week will get you a decent diy sump to have when the emp proves to be inadequate

Don't know about his stand situation, but with it being a 100 gal. he could proably get at least a 20 gal. or 29 gal. glass tank with the diy baffles for a sump, and it wouldn't cost too much, plus a mag 9 and overflow box to match the pump

[Flip121]

I will definitely look into getting a sump. As of right now I can't shake the shark that has bit into my wallet off! However as soon as I can I will start making a sump and all that jazz! I will see about getting the powerheads too as soon as I can. I will male a trip to the aquarium store today to look at them and see if I can work something out. But back to the sump, are there any really good how to's for a sump? I know there are but I guess I am asking which one would you use! Thank you all for everything thus far!!!

[Flip121]

The stand situation is great

[Parrothead]

Check this site out, he's got from scratch arcrylic to baffling a glass tank

Melevsreef.com - Welcome!

[twisted]

Don't know about his stand situation, but with it being a 100 gal. he could proably get at least a 20 gal. or 29 gal. glass tank with the diy baffles for a sump, and it wouldn't cost too much, plus a mag 9 and overflow box to match the pump

it would definitly be to his benefit. it looks like it will be a tight fit for an overflow back there

[twisted]

I will definitely look into getting a sump. As of right now I can't shake the shark that has bit into my wallet off! However as soon as I can I will start making a sump and all that jazz! I will see about getting the powerheads too as soon as I can. I will male a trip to the aquarium store today to look at them and see if I can work something out. But back to the sump, are there any really good how to's for a sump? I know there are but I guess I am asking which one would you use! Thank you all for everything thus far!!!

parrothead got you the right direction...melvin has some cool diy buiilds on you tube

[Parrothead]

it would definitly be to his benefit. it looks like it will be a tight fit for an overflow back there

If the emp fits back there so will the overflow

[twisted]

If the emp fits back there so will the overflow

i meant tight fit installing it...i gotta look at the pic again but isn't the tank in a cubby?