Whelp, my set-up is almsot done.....but.

[Rowdy]

Hey ever-body,

I finally am getting close to finishing my set-up. It has been a few months over target completion date-s, but aaaalmost done now.
My set-up is as follows for an sps frag forest, AGA 180 with drilled back bottom corners. The overflows are diy black acrylic just cordons off the corners, with 1 1/4" durso's into 1" drains going down to the basement sump which is a rubbermaid 150 gallon tub. the water passes through a 4" x 4" pvc tower which both arrests bubbles before entering the sump and skims the water. The sump hold plenty of room for an extradsb and whatever else I feel like stickin in there, lit with an Icecap 660 and 4 x 4' to be determined bulbs. Coralhound built me a 21" tall dual chamber reactor and I have a M3 guage set for it. I have 20# of geomarine in the chambers...whew, that oughtta get it. I have an ampmaster 3000 pushing 10' or so ft. combined head which might get swapped into a closed loop and a stronger pump run in it's place, I don't know till I try it. (no water yet) I have a 5' tall cc skimmer run on a silent one that I will use until I either build a beckett skimmer, or the bubble arrester works as a skimmer and I save power. Also I am using a 300 watt Wan Pro titanium heater and am ordering another one for support. I don't think I will need a chiller as my sump is in the basement. worse case a few box fans will handle it. Oh, the return run's up to two 1" sea swirls for current. I foresee the need for more current, but would like to test it out as is before I add more pumps. I am trying to keep long term costs low to offset the high start-up costs. I just got my aquaspacelight today too, 3 x 250 watt hqi, 4 x 24 watt pc's... pretty sharp fixture. Now, just need to hang the starlight and I'll start taking pics! ahhhhh.... can't wait to see it full of sps! Whaazzzzz Uuuuup??!

[scubadude]

Excellent work from the sounds of it.....I envy you on your sump setup!! Please do post pics....Im very interested in everything....and please show good pics of your lights.....I just got done doing a 3-250HQI double ended canopy DIY for my 220g. Im curious how much did that HQI fixture cost ya if ya dont mind me askin.

Anxiously awaiting pics

[golfish]

Yes indeedy, It sounds like a great setup. I always said even before I kept tanks that I would love to build a house with a basement. Come oooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Lotto!!!

[Rowdy]

Hey scuba and golfish,
how goes it?
Scubadude, I got the fixture from www.customaquatic.com and it drop shipped from Houston by truck to my place of purgatory..uh I mean work. I paid $1099 for a black aquaspacelight with three x 250w and the 4 x 24 watt pc. It came with the stainless steel mounting cables and bulbs. I had a real nice experience in dealing with them, as they were honest about not having my intended purchase in stock when I was ordering, but were awaiting the arrival etc. They only took a few weeks if that to get it to me and they called several times in the interim, once to see if I wanted a silver one that came in etc. Real courteous staff there, nice folks IME. I was going to get Geissman lights if some of you recall, but I found the prices to be excessive for the same lighting set-up minus a few bells and whistles. I like the onboard computer they have, but I have 5 machines collecting dust here now. I know someone is going to write us some software sooner or later that will enable us to make use of a pc to do the work of an octopuss or the like. I know there is raw software out there for x-10, but I don't have time to screw wid it these days... sheesh I'm lucky to have gotton the reef up and ready to get wet.
So that's the lights, and pics will be a few weeks easy.. unless I use the cam corder and just capture images with my all-in-wonder. I dunno, I got in the habit of just using my new Sony VAIO and haven't wired it into the network yet with my workhorse machine.... more work to do sheeesh. Anyway, I promise, as soon as I get the lights hung and the basement squared away pics will be posted. I might try and get a better cam for the occasion too.
Golfish, I was thinking of the tank placement when the realtor brought me through here... I was like hmmmmm a whole 12' x 14' room to myself.... ahhh yeah, basement below... mine..bid! Reefin's sick ain't it?