42 replies to this topic

[golden_dase]

Hi folks

I'll be getting back into having a marine tank very very soon. It will only be a FOWLR (Fish only with live rock)
Below is the list of equipment I'll be using. Feel free to advise..


Display Tank:
Tank will be a 5ft L x 18" D x 30" H tank (buying it from a fellow member). It already has a built in weir/overflow

Display Lighting:
My trusty Haiyang 5ft T5 LO light unit (will be changed to LED lighting - 2 or 3x 120w LED units)

Stand:
5x18 pine stand. I use a piece of black cloth to cover the stand to hide equipment that's underneath the display tank

Hood:
None

Sump:
48x15x14 – Sump is being designed at the moment.

Support systems:

System Water: Will be mixing my own

Display Water circulation: 3-4 Tunze Turbelle 6045

Return Pump: 5000LPH sump pump (no idea on brand, included with the display tank

Skimmer: Deltec MCE600 (will be run in the sump)

I'll update with pics and journal as soon as the tank is here.

Cheers!
Kevin

Edited by golden_dase, 04 March 2011 - 05:32 PM.

[highlucks]

Sounds good Kev, check out the vortex pumps that Veba's stock instead on the tunze's. Much more aesthetically pleasing.

[Paddy]

Yeh Check them out Kev Great units

[golden_dase]

Most of the parts I'm getting are secondhand from a friend who closed down his tank...

The Tunze are $XX... whilst the Vortechs are $XXX.... sheesh!

Edited by golden_dase, 01 March 2011 - 03:30 PM.

[tranced]

not going to use natural salt water?

[Kieran]

Hmmm Tunze vs. Vortech. Reliable, upgradable and ugly vs. Pretty, broad flow and discouraging failure rates out of warranty.

I'll be watching Kevin to see how it goes Remember the pics!

[golden_dase]

No Nico, I'll be mixing my own. Have done it in the past with great results.

I've also been told that the Vortechs are noisier than the Tunze... from the same person that had both running. Looks like it'll be Tunze wavermakers then...

[Jules]

I used to run a tunze turbelle or something on my RSM130, was ok, then it died, now i got an MP20 and crap tidal waves lashen out the edges of the hood!!!! have had less detritus build up and my sps corals are doing so much better.
My mate runs tunze and has had a bit of trouble with em (2 wave boxes melted within a year, warranty claims though)

IMO, Vortech is the solution.

Edited by Jules, 02 March 2011 - 11:38 AM.

[golden_dase]

Thanks for sharing the experience Juls. I've been reading mixed reports/experiences with Tunze & Vortech. My friend has both and reckons Vortechs are better too, But are noisier. The marine tank will be sitting in the dining/family room, so noise levels is an important factor. The prices I'll be paying for the Tunze is not much so I am seriously thinking of giving them a go.

[Neakit]

i have tunzes and to be honnest i wouldn't change, either way there is issues. its now down to personal choice. I have seen a vortech working in person but i couldn't hear it over the overflow( badly setup)

[Jules]

Funny you should mention the noise, last night my girlfriend said your tank sounds noisy today and last week my mum said it is annoying that winding sound....
there is a bit of noise, but not as bad as a cannister filter vibrating on the base of my stand of my other tank............

[tranced]

i have a vortech mp10 from brand new and its real noisy. i have had to have it replaced once (under warranty) already. i bought a secondhand tunze that looked like crap and it was dead silent and ran like a champ... but yeah they are ugly lol. in fish only you wont need the fancy modes anyway, so go the tunze i say!

[golden_dase]

I'm planning to change the new marine tank from FOWLR to mixed reef, because the following tank shots (from MASA) have inspired me!




So, I'll be changing from T5 LO to LED lighting, to cater for some corals!

Edited by golden_dase, 04 March 2011 - 05:27 PM.

[Neakit]

Are you going to run a skimmer? It would be an advantage to have a decent needle wheel skimmer.

[tranced]

lookout ofr the slipperery slope of wanting SPS coral reef that will take all ur money and time lol

[Kieran]

Tell me about it... $2.5K for a DIY LED setup for a 6x2x2 SPS in the works...

[golden_dase]

Simon, I'll be running a Deltec MCE600, as stated in my list of equipment.

Nico, I'm shutting down my breeding set-ups so will have the resources and time for the new marine project. I'l also be having mainly hammer corals coz I love the "flowing" effect!

Kieren, LEDs have come down in price. I'm getting 3x 120LEDs at an awesome price...

Edited by golden_dase, 06 March 2011 - 11:18 AM.

[golden_dase]

Yay, the tank is here!

Tank (lit with my current Haiyang 5ft T5 LO light unit):


Overflow:



Will spend the weekend cleaning the tank, and also playing around with pvc tubing to find a way to stack liverock... lol

And for something different, instead of the usual coral sand, I'll be using Krystal Black Sand for a different look!

Edited by golden_dase, 11 March 2011 - 02:52 PM.

[highlucks]

Hey Kev if you remember the Black sand I had in my tropheus tank. that is now available if you want it. Lots cheaper than crystal black.

I also have a small metal halide you can have.

Edited by highlucks, 11 March 2011 - 03:26 PM.

[golden_dase]

Yay! Abit of progress..

I used some pvc tube/pipes to make "pillars" so I can drill holes in rocks and stack them properly.

Pics of PVC pillars:




Pic of Krystal Black Sand. This stuff looks sooo awesome when seen in person!


Tomorrow I'll be grabbing some "dead" liverock from a mate and will drill holes in them so they can be stacked into the PVC pillars. Give me a few days to work out how to use the drill properly.. haha!

P.S: FYI Ollie, I used 25kgs (5 bags) of the substrate.