[scubadude]

I need advice tips and help from anyone....especially ppl with these size tanks already....I want type of tank,pumps, lights, refugium/sump setups, bulkheads, overflows, PH's, reacs....etc etc....gimme it all! Im also considering getting a Starphire tank....this new tank will replace my already established 90 gal tank.

Please help...even if you just give me a link to someones page that has this size of setup.

This tank will be for a mix of softies, lps, sps and clams Thanx Every1

[Reinhold]

At least that's what I hear.

Go for the biggest tank you can afford and have space for. An Oceanic or any Starphire tank would be great.

[icemark]

Yep, Bigger is better...

just remember to double your electric bill...

[thezookeeper]

I saw this post in For Sale when you were looking for a used tank. I TOLD YOU SO!!! I knew you'd go for a bigger system. But who am I talk, I ALREADY want a bigger tank! I can get awesome deals on tanks. If you want Starphire, be specific with the manufacter. But you KNOW that! I'll PM or email you later. I got more info. on this subject. Bye now!


Joanne

[vtec si]

I was in the same boat as youa year ago, 180 or 220! I took the 180 and now wish I had the 220! Bigger is better if you have the room!

Good Luck,

VTEC SI

[Ironreef]

Bigger is better if you have room extra time and $$ to maintain the system. But 220g and 180g isn't to much different. I would get the 220. It would take maybe 1 more light ? alittle more power. But depending on your power bill that can make all the diff.

[scubadude]

Ok Ok...yeah im leaning much more to the 220 end as well....now that you guys have twisted my arm I can get a Perfecto 220 from my LFS w/the stand and NO (normal output) light canopy for $700 (the bottom is NOT tempered, so i can drill it)...or I can go with possibly a starfire?....What am I looking at for a 220 starfire (cost/shipping)....I want the Caddillac....NINONG? LTSPD? I sure could use you guys opininons on this matter too.....I want the tank to be Nice w/built in overflows if im gonna order from them and also would order the sump from them as well im sure...does starfire build the stands too? I dont want to call mitch until I have all my facts in order.......Dont ask me how many and what size...just recommend if you can plez. I get a headache everytime I open up a the old starfire threads....they can be so confusing....but I dont want a Half a$$ job done on the tank....I have read a couple of horror stories.....And yes I have heard some nice tanks come from starfire too....Im very mixed on my opinions w/them on quality....and YES I want your opinion to Susan!!

[SCETT316]

Hey Scuba, you want my opinion..... I feel honored
Anyway, I am running late, so I will reply later, and hopefully post some pics of the tank. I know how much you love pics. LOL
later

[Ltspd]

scubadude, email me at home and I will go into more detail.

I would go custom. By what ever manf YOU want out of what ever matl YOU want.

If I had mine to do over again I would, but do things diffrently.

I would have had the tank drilled for a closed loop system. I had to DIY mine.

I would possilby opt for a longer but not as tall tank. I am 6'1" and have some trouble reaching parts of mine. (27" tall) And my hands are in my tank more than I thought they would be feeding corals and moving stuff around

I would have the overflows in the center or away from the edges as a personal preferance. This is based on the area its going in at YOUR house.

I would go with no center braces. There is a name for the type fo braces I would have but cant remeber right now. Basically its doubled glass around the perimeter (perimeter bracing?) This makes the light better and more accesable.

I would NOT go with the huge drain holes (1-1/2) unless you can really use them. My tank has (2) 1-1/2 drains feeding my sump. The sump can only handle 1800gph approx without producing bubbles. The 2 drains can push more than that. NO, you cant use one as a closed loop drain

I would design the tank to be as energy effeicnet as possible.

[tendar]

Have you given any thought to oceanic 200 it is a nice sized tank and doesnt require all the confusion of trying to order custom and would probably be cheaper.

[Ltspd]

Originally posted by tendar
Have you given any thought to oceanic 200 it is a nice sized tank and doesnt require all the confusion of trying to order custom and would probably be cheaper.

My custom 168g was cheaper than a regular priced oceanic 180g, which included shipping.

[tendar]

Really thats cool. Figured a custom tank from canada would add up to more than that.

[PRO-AQUARIA]

I have the tank you are looking 4.giv oceanic2 w/ custom overflow`s not those big one`s the rr`s come with.

[PRO-AQUARIA]

I have the tank you are looking 4.oceanic2 w/ custom overflow`s not those big one`s the rr`s come with.

[rotorh60]

Go with the largest you can afford. Setup my 225 2 yrs ago, and the tank wound up being the least expensive part of the setup. Spent more in lighting, and equipment. All told, it was close to $5,600 to "turn it on". Now the wife wants it in the wall, due to the space it takes up in the living room. So that will happen if/when we buy a new house. She is even talking about a larger tank as well with a eqipment room. So, guess I'll just have to make her happy. Oh the bad luck...

[Starmstr]

Wider is better and overall volume has it's benifits too. With this said I'll shoot you a list.

Min width 24 preferably 36
Length: whatever
Height: 24

Euro style bracing to be drilled with 4 1.5" holes 2 on the sides near the front and then 2 on back lip. The easiest and safest way to use sea swirls is to set them in the holes and a small peice of velcro the 2 towards the front should be 1 inch models which will cover the entire distance of the tank.

Edges should be polished

Overflows: 2 corner boxes 6" x 10" with 2 inch bulkheads
Return pump: mak4 or 5 into 2 3/4"swirls

Closed loop: Drilled from the bottom of the tank 1.5
Closed loop pump dolphin amp master into the 2 1"swirls

As soon as my new home is finished being built I plan to order this new tank from interamerican

measurements will be:
24 high
72-84 in length
the width will be 24 on one end and 36 on the other
external overflow off the wide end (similar to sanjays)
Ends and front will be saphire.


Here is a shot of a tank at the local surf shop which is similar in design

[Starmstr]

One more time with the shot

[scubadude]

These are the specs Im gonna get 2 different estimates from IA ( I think im leaning more to Option1...for cost effectiveness and room)

OPTION 1
72" Long
27" Wide
24" High
This equals a 200gal (I think)

OR

OPTION 2
72" Long
30" Wide
24" High
This equals a 230gal (I think)

My main concern now is how many and what size of the holes drilled and I want IA to make the Overflows to, also at this point I want to use a 55 gallon under the tank as a Sump/Refugium (I already have the 55....and I dont know if or what panels are tempered, so drilling is really not an option on the 55) With this is mind I want to move atleast 3000 GPH through the tank....My thoughts are making 3 Holes one in each back corner and one in the middle back of tank. I was thinking of running a spraybar off of the middle overflow? and the two ends using two 1" SS's ? Im not real worried about lighting right now....thats gonna be a DIY project along with my Canopy. But Im just having a hard time figuring out if I go with the 200 or the 230 where/howmany/whatsize the holes drilled should be? Please help me with this as Im thinking about placing this order soon.....I have already spent many hours going over the threads and know how Im gonna order the options as far as polished edges and euro bracing and black back glass etc etc.....I just want to know what I should do as far as the drilling of the holes and having IA make the overflows? Does IA make the standtubes as well? For an extra few bux I would rather them make them that way I dont have to worry about that crap that I seen w/others for clearance of the Standpipes!

LTSPD....Your comments please!

Ninong....your comments please!

Susan....your comments please!

Any other ppl experienced in this matter plez help!

NOTE: No offense and im not trying to point any fingers but plez dont give me your opinions unless they are backed by experience or sound knowledge! Im fixing to lay down thousands of dollars on this setup and I dont want any mishaps Im saying this because it can be very confusing if one person that hasnt researched something and they say sumthing then other ppl back it up and I lay down the money and find out that the theory doesnt hold water (No pun intended)

Starmstr:

Thank you for the input!! I dont understand the reasoning of the tank having different widths at each end! I kind of liked the idea of the SS's but dont really understand how you do this

set them in the holes and a small peice of velcro the 2 towards the front

[scubadude]

I 4got to add....the seaswirls will be on a closed loop? that way I dont put as much through my Refugium/Sump area

[scubadude]

Bracing
Im pretty sure I want Euro bracing all around the outer edges of the tank instead of the center braces....but my question with eurobracing is, How will i mount my SeaSwirls/Spraybar in the tank with that type of bracing.....Do I plumb around it (which will create much more drag, thus decreasing my GPH rate) Or do I have IA customize the Euro bracing to fit the SeaSwirls/Spraybar mounts, and would this comprimise my bracing too much?

Back Glass
Back black glass or mirrored image? I know they make the black back...dont they make like a mirrored image type too? If so what are the pros and cons to both? heat? light defraction? etc etc...They also do Coloring...maybe blue?

Overflows
Im pretty sure I want IA to do them, is there a standard size? Do I need to build the Standpipes or can IA build them for me? (cost effeciently) should I make them black as well? So algae has less chance of growing in the overflow area?

Glass Edging
I realize that this has been a problem in the past with IA. and to my best knowledge I have read that the ground & polished edges is the best way to go

Trim Top&bottom
This also from what I have read has been a problem in the past....I would like to know the EXACT verbage I need to use to clarify to IA that I dont have sloppy unmatched continuous trimming

Silicone seals
They offer clear or black silicone on the seals, i cant say that I understand the pros and cons to either.....I would guess that the silicone around the overflow could be black so there again to decrease the chance of algae growth in the overflow area but maybe have clear silicone every where else where there is a seam?

Stand & Canopy
It seems to me that I would be better off building these myself....Im almost 100% sure that Im gonna build my canopy myself....Unless I see some major response of ppl that state that IA has a very nice stand & Canopy that would be more effecient i will build them both myself. Their prices for stands & canopies seem a bit steep IMO

Sump/regugium
I have an old 55 gal tank that I would like to use as my Sump refugium area, the only problem here is that I dont know what brand of tank it is or if the panels are tempered or not, so I dont think that drilling it is an option....even though I do have a local glass shop that has drilled successfuly my 90gal tank (I knew it wasnt tempered)

Lighting
I havent really decided yet on lighting .....I dont think its a major concern yet, except for wat works best with bracing design, which is why I chose the euro bracing so in case I do decide to put a MH bulb directly in the middle the brace wont interfere.....FWIW Im thinking along the lines of 4 MH's for lighting 2 250watt (graybar ballast) 6500k Iwasakis and 2 20k ALS 250 watt ( I may change this to VHO 03's or PC's...not sure yet) I would definately like to have the options available to change the lighting around

Im sorry for being longwinded about all this.....Im just trying to be consistent with all the other IA threads