Let's hear from those Cincinnati Reefers!

[san sal]

Or even better, Northern Kentucky Reefers with BIG tanks. Bigger than 200 gal. I could sure use a mentor. I am currently setting up a 300 gal reef and would like to see how others have done it. This is my first saltwater tank. Plumbing details would be most benificial.

I have a Iwaki 100 serving as the main circulation
pump for a 300gal main tank and a 65gal refugium (side
by side) above a 60 gal sump. The Iwaki 100 returns to
the main tank through two 3/4" sea swirls.

I have a Iwaki 40 to run the skimmer with a bypass
returning to the main tank when skimmer is "turned
down". This pump returns to the main tank through a
spray bar.

I have a CustomSeaLife T2 to run a Nu-Clear
cannister filter with a bypass returning to the main
tank when not running the cannister filter. This pump
returns to the main tank through a 3/4" sea swirl.

I have three 400W MH pendants each with 2 PCs and four 6' VHOs for lighting.

How does this sound so far?

[Reefland]

I'm located in North Central KY (just south of Louisville).

It sounds like you've got the plumbing covered. Are you having any problems with this set-up?

What kind of 400w halides are you using? What are you powering them with?

Regards,

[san sal]

I just finished building the corner overflow boxes. I am waiting for the silicone to set and will be testing plumbing next weekend. I am using Sea Star pendants from Champion lighting. Three penants, each with a 400W MH (10000K German) and two actinic PCs run with Blueline e-ballast; and four 6' VHOs (URI actinics) run with two Icecap 660s. I have not finished the hood yet; so I still do not know how the lighting will look.

[Reefland]

Wow it sounds like it is going to be a nice one! When are you planning on setting it all up if the testing goes well?

BTW, if your interested you might try to make it to our Frag Swap in Louisville this April:
Frag Swap '03 Louisville, KY

Regards,

[san sal]

Thanks for the info on the frag swap I would love to come. I will need lots of "stuff" to put in this beast. Unfortuneately, I will have little budget left after ordering the rock and sand. If the plumbing dosen't need too much re-working and I finish the hood, I plan to order 1/2 the rock the first week in March and the rest when the tank has cycled.

Tell me about your set-up.

[Reefland]

It would be very cool if you came down. Even if you didn't pick up any frags it is going to be good fun and a great place to meet fellow reefers!

We just set-up a standard 75gal RR tank in Oct. for SPS and Clams. It has already begun maturing well and all of the corals, fish and clams are doing great. Here is a thread that I have running that documents the whole thing:
Documenting My New Tank!

Also here is our personal web site that we just recently started:
http://www.reefland.com/reef