New tank plumbing

[Seafrmer]

Hello, I have been reading and reading, not just on this site but others as well.

I am looking for some information so I can decide what and or how I am going to plumb my new tank.

It is being drilled out to my specs, unfortuanately with all the reading I have done, I have confused myself, and before I confuse my fabricator, I want to try posting a thread and seeing if I can get a better more personal direction to my need.

Obviously, I do not have gobs of money to throw at getting the finest filtration system out there, but hopefully whatever system I go with, I can either add onto or modify rather easily without scrapping what I have done previously.

To start:

I am having a 180 gallon tank built. it is going to be 72x24x24 (glass)

The initial directions were to have a center located overflow installed with three holes, 1-2" and 2-1-1/2"

I think I want to go with a closed loop system for the obvious better flow and minimal powerheads.

But lately with what I read on this site, I was thinking of adding more returns in the corners, and a larger drain opening.

I guess the question is: What should I do? What would you do, what did you do?

And yes I know there is not one single answer or one correct way.

I am realativly new, been aquarist for two years, I have two 55 gallon tanks, one is reef the other fowlr. The tanks are stable, and I have never had any problems, and everything seems to thrive. The coral is realatively new at 6 months.

I would appreciate getting a couple of good ideas quickly as fabrication is scheduled to start this week.

ALSO, I am wondering if low iron glass or starphire glass is that much better, and how much of a an upgrade shuold I expect to pay if I go that route?

thanks,

bill

[110galreef]

Why not get acrylic....will be much easier to drill, better seams and much clearer to see through.

By the time you get starphirer glass you could have gotten acrylic. Also either look at one central overflow or a coast to coast(much better) plus it is located on the outside back of the tank. Takes up no space in the tank!

Look at a Sequence DART or Barracuda pump for a CLS.

What do you plan to keep in the tank?

[golfish]

To start:

I am having a 180 gallon tank built. it is going to be 72x24x24 (glass)

The initial directions were to have a center located overflow installed with three holes, 1-2" and 2-1-1/2"

I think I want to go with a closed loop system for the obvious better flow and minimal powerheads.

But lately with what I read on this site, I was thinking of adding more returns in the corners, and a larger drain opening.

I guess the question is: What should I do? What would you do, what did you do?

And yes I know there is not one single answer or one correct way.


ALSO, I am wondering if low iron glass or starphire glass is that much better, and how much of a an upgrade shuold I expect to pay if I go that route?

thanks,

bill

Bill, welcome to Reefland....Let me ask you, since I live very close to you I probably know who your getting the tank from, maybe..you mentioned Starphire so I'm guessing Lee Mar is building it? IMO, its worth every penny, My Lee Mar tank has a front panel in Starphire. I'd go with just a single center or corner overflow, no need for a ton of flow through the sump. I've always been a fan of a closed loop but not so much anymore. I shut my CL down a few months ago and went with MJ mods and a tunze, the wattage is much less then running a huge pump..

You might want to think about having the sides drilled for returns and using a Ocean Motions for wave action...The only problems with this is the pipe showing on the sides\ends of the tank (mine is in wall)

Feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail, maybe we can get together and talk about it over a few beers..

Oh yeah, whats the plan for the tank? full blown reef, sps, lps...........

[Seafrmer]

I need to have plans for my tank? Umm, too late...

Actually it is not Lee Mar. It is actually atafish. And I pick up the tank tomorrow. I was hoping to get a chance to go watch him put the tank together so I can geta little more feedback into the polishing and finishing fo the edges., but he finished two days early. ( I guess that will be an indicator of my concerns of the edges) Oops, I am not a pessimist, I am not a pessimist, I am not a pessimist!!!

I have ehard good and bad about them, but I could not resist the price.

I am going ot go withtthe Oceans motions system. I am closing a deal on the system now.

I would love to get to gether and share info as I have had my tanks now for 2 years but have not really tried to learn some of the technincal stuff or the technical names of species etc. I have takena a very low effort approach, but now that I ahve graduated to something a bit bigger, a mistake could be really expensive, so I would value the chance topick your brains.

Call me at 626-358-4840 and we can meet for a beer or three

Thanks,

Bill