New tank advice needed.

[Dorking It]

Well good news a build thread will be coming soon. Here is the plan.......

I am going to do a 96x36x24 peninsula tank. 3 1.5" drains on an external overflow with 2 1" returns feed by my Vectra m2s one on each line. Sump is a Synergy SK60 with dual clarisea rollers with a Royal Exclusiv supermarin 250 (upgrading from my lovely double cone 200 as I do not think it would be enough for the new volume).

Currently I have 4 MP40s and 2 MP60s for my XXL750 that I will be bringing over. I was thinking that I wanted to put 4 MP40s on the return side and 2 MP60s on the far side, BUT I am up in the air on a possible closed loop instead of the MP60s. The closed loop drains would be placed on the return side feeding 2 1" returns on the far side floor. I was thinking 1ft from the end and 1ft spacing from walls and each other. I have never had a closed loop and was wondering will this provide enough flow being fed by a Vectra L2? I would like to not have any pumps on the far side. With the closed loop a foot off the end would this create dead spots with them aimed back at the return side. I need some help here with this or should I just stick with the MP60s.

If I do the closed loop, I could use the MP60s on the return side and eliminate the MP40s. Any thoughts on that?

I am getting ready to place the order on the tank in a few days and need to figure out if I am going a closed loop so I can have it drilled. Feedback please as I am not very experienced as it's only been my costly hobby for a little over a year now and do not want to make an error as the wife has said this is the "last one". We will give it a few years lol.

 

[Uncle99]

Enjoy! Very nice stuff.
You may want to consider get some rock going in a brute so it’s maturing as you build.

I’m a closed loop system if that helps. I would guess that might be the majority.

Good luck!

 

[Dorking It]

The plan is to bring all my rock work from my 750 over. I have more that i just started to cycle to get ready

 

[C_AWOL]

It will be hard to say whether or not a closed loop will be enough to handle all your flow needs without planning the aquascape design first (due to hole placement of the closed loop return jets)
depending on your goals you may need to even consider running 2 closed loops fed by 2 separate vectras.

While I do like using either option of closed loop and/or vortechs, I tend to lean towards using vortechs more when I'm not restricted by tank thickness since they're not permanent and believe that your line up of 4 mp40s + 2 mp60s will be more than adequate.

 

[Dorking It]

Here is some aquascape ideas. The brown blocks and box

are my current rock work in my 750

 

[PharmrJohn]

If you haven't pulled the trigger on your tank, take a look at Glass Cages. The support is phenomenal and the choices you have are near limitless. The vast majority of their tanks are made to order. Even the standard sized tanks. Lots of add ons and options. Stands and canopies available as well. They are a tad more expensive than the norm, but you get quality in return. I'm going that route when I finally get a tank. And @Joe Glass Cages has helped me out bigtime.

Edit: Do your tank build on an actual computer. Not your phone. It makes a world of difference. At the VERY LEAST, you'll have fun seeing what you can get.

 

[dedragon]

The brown blocks and box

what is in those bags? Just curious why they are in sterilization bags

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Dorking It]

what is in those bags? Just curious why they are in sterilization bags

To grow gourmet mushrooms

 

[dedragon]

To grow gourmet mushrooms

Well that makes sense. Just odd seeing them next to reef stuff

 

[Should I]

what is in those bags? Just curious why they are in sterilization bags

maybe magic mushrooms?

 

[dedragon]

maybe magic mushrooms?

looks like sawdust not grain, idk tho

 

[Dorking It]

maybe magic mushrooms?

No magic here.

 

[Dorking It]

looks like sawdust not grain, idk tho

Yes they are sawdust (substrate). Not the grain bags (first step)

 

[bakbay]

Pretty cool build - following along. I was going to build the exact same dimension (96x36x24) 3/4" acrylics made by AA; but a sweet deal came along and I've upgraded to a CDA 3/4" glass (96x36x30). See old build here:

Bakbay’s 360g Carpet Dream Tank

So it begins — finally relocated everything (minus the sand) from the 175g to the frag tank! Since we got some strong nephews over for dinner, we managed to move the 360g and sump to their spot. Still a lot of work ahead but looking good so far….

www.reef2reef.com

Flow: if it's a 3/4" thickness, your MP40s should be okay. Depending if you're going to fill up with SPS to the brim, I suspect that 4 MP40s and 2 MP60s are more than enough. Currently, I'm running with 4xMP60s on the back glass and have to dial back to 50%! Opposite of the external overflow, you could do 2xGyres (I used to run dual-XF350) and that should be plenty of flow coming back from a 8' tank. Given that it will be a peninsula, I assume you'll want to hide those MP40s? Closed Loops: sorry, I've never had one -- just so scared of drilling the bottom of the tank. If there's a leak, there will be 360gal+ of water on the floor! That's just me...

Lighting: what are you going with?

 

[Dorking It]

Right now I have 4 Radian XR30 G5 pros and not sure if I want to fully change or just add some (4) 48" LED bars. I am not sure what I am going to do for this at all.

I was thinking Maybe 4 x Orphek Atlantik iCon LED fixtures (rather save some cash here first) or my XR30s with some of the new OR4 iCon LED Bars as I already have the XR30s, and they are in great shape about 2 years at 40%

I am lost as the tank is so large

 

[bakbay]

Right now I have 4 Radian XR30 G5 pros and not sure if I want to fully change or just add some (4) 48" LED bars. I am not sure what I am going to do for this at all.

I was thinking Maybe 4 x Orphek Atlantik iCon LED fixtures (rather save some cash here first) or my XR30s with some of the new OR4 iCon LED Bars as I already have the XR30s, and they are in great shape about 2 years at 40%

I am lost as the tank is so large

I would keep your XR30G5s and add Orphek OR4 bars. I have 12 of those OR3s on mine - love them!

Our tanks are like women’s diamonds — they shrink in size over time! lol

 

[Dorking It]

I have this thought on a closed loop system. If I want to add in the future via sea swirls on the far side. My overflow will have 3 inch and 1/2 drains, could I add two additional inch and 1/2 "drains" and pull the closed loop from the overflow? I would cap the pvc for now but possibly utilize for the closed loop in the future? Would it work to pull closed loop from the overflow box?

 

[bakbay]

I have this thought on a closed loop system. If I want to add in the future via sea swirls on the far side. My overflow will have 3 inch and 1/2 drains, could I add two additional inch and 1/2 "drains" and pull the closed loop from the overflow? I would cap the pvc for now but possibly utilize for the closed loop in the future? Would it work to pull closed loop from the overflow box?

Sorry, no experience on closed loop either in-tank or overflow. I would not recommend the latter since that's a lot of pressure/water to circulate from the overflow though.

Anyway, if you want more flow - you could use Sea Sweeps instead? If you supplement Sea Sweeps with Tunzes 6255(?), that will be more flow. I actually have 2 of them but took them out since I already run 4 MP60s and they are rather bulky. Right now, my 4 MP60s are sorta hidden away in the black background - you don't even know they are there!

 

[Dorking It]

Didn't even think about the burden on the overflow. Looks like the closed loop idea is quickly dieing.