Replacing my 90 Gallon with 150 Gallon

[julesjt]

Well some of you may know I lost my 90 Gallon due to winter storm and power outage. I can't find the energy to start over with my old 90 so I am going to upgrade to at least 150.

I have a few questions before proceding.

My current lights are 175w metal halides and I have 2 of them for the 4 foot long 90.

Q1:
When I go with a 6 foot long tank will 2 be enough to split the tank up or do I need 3? And do I need to go with 250w MH bulbs because the tank will be a little deeper? I really dont want to go 400w.

Q2:
Does anyone know of good pricing on all glass tanks online?

Q3:
I am going to do a better sump any suggestions of designs? I want to have a nice section for the skimmer and than a section for a refugium.

Q4:
A good source for live sand and best brand of marine salt to use?

I plan on coming back better and fixing the mistakes I made with my first tank even though it was going well there were things I wanted to do different now.

[ToddTT]

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

[Parrothead]

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

Couldn't have said it better myself

[Parrothead]

Q1 I'd go with 3 250's simply put, with a 4 foot fixture you are gonna have dead spots on each end of the tank, you could raise it up to cover these areas but I think it would be too high to be an effective light at that point.

Q2 Buying the tank online might save you a few bucks on the tank itself, but I believe, and I could be wrong, the freight would kill the savings as a 150 gallon tank will be shipped via a truck line, not ups or fed-x etc. Also the do not do curb side delivery, you would have to pick it up at a terminal.

Q4, Just get plain carib sea aragonite sand and get a couple cups of live sand from your lfs or a fellow
hobbyist close by to seed the new sand bed.

Hope this helps

[julesjt]

It helps, I will start a new build thread when I get started. I can't wait to get started again. I am going to kick ass this time.

Oh one more question.

My old tank at 1.5 inch sand bed, I keep seeing deeper sand bed. Do you agree to go with 4 inch bed for the new tank?

[Parrothead]

It helps, I will start a new build thread when I get started. I can't wait to get started again. I am going to kick ass this time.

Oh one more question.

My old tank at 1.5 inch sand bed, I keep seeing deeper sand bed. Do you agree to go with 4 inch bed for the new tank?

Mine didn't crash, but I want a bigger tank for alot of reasons that the 55 cannot satisfy, I can't wait to get started either, but I not rushing it as I have several months to prepare, save, study and plan this out. I will be going with a 4 - 5 inch bed myself, the benefits are well worth the extra cash

[julesjt]

Great! I can't wait to see what you do. The only reason I am able to start sooner than later is I am selling my pool table which is basically brandnew condition with lights, chairs and all the tools. I am going all out on my tank and need to do it right. Everything I hear is the bigger the better for maintaining also. Not as sensitive with water conditions. Plus there is something about looking at a tank that is 6 foot or wider. And there are some fish that I wanted that said they prefer at least 125 Gallons (blue powder tang)

And I hear that you can more variety of fish with that room because they can have their own space.

I am going to do at least 150 but may go bigger. I would like a 7 foot long tank if there is one.

[julesjt]

oh crap, I have one more question I forgot to ask.

My old tank at about 100 lbs of live rock. After the tank death to the power outage I took the rock out and they are sitting in a bin without water. What is the best way to reuse this rock? I will buy more real live rock but need to try and utilize this now dead rock.

How can I be sure that I dont transfer death to the new tank? Shape and pores wise I have some nice rock and I hope I can reuse it.

[Parrothead]

It'll cost you a few bucks, but keep saltwater in that bin with a couple of power heads and a cheap clamp light over, monitor your water and change as needed, that will help keep it live, throw a heater in the bin as well, I'd get a piece of 3 or 4 inch dia. pvc, drill a bunch of small holes in it and put the heater in it to keep rocks slides and such from crushing the heater, as I said this way your rock stays live.

[julesjt]

well I think it is too late for that, I had it outside and it was covered with know. However I just put them in a big bin with salt water, pump and heater to at least detox it so I can reuse it in a few weeks.

[Parrothead]

It will be fine, just keep it wet n warm, keep the water circulating and test the water often over the next couple of days, change as needed.