150 gal DD Build

Well I just purchased a new tank to replace my 75gal. It is a 150 gallon marineland deep dimension tank with low-iron glass on the front panel. Some things I have figured out like the skimmer and the placement of the sump. The tank is 3ft by 3ft and is a cube.

I am going to have the tank on the 1st floor in the family room and the sump will be located below in the basement. I think I know what pump would be good to get and am working on getting a used one. I am looking at the reeflo taron for the return pump.

I need to figure out a sump for the new system. I have a tank to use but it is not drilled so I am thinking about just getting a prefab sump. If anybody knows of a used one, that would be awesome.

I also need to figure out what to do about lighting. I currently have a tek t5 fixture and really like it but I also like the shimmer effect from halides. I am looking for some advice on this because of the weird shape of this tank. What I'm thinking right now is one or two 250 watt halides in the middle of the canopy and t5s on the rest of the canopy. I am open to any recommendations however because I have no idea what to do for lighting.

I'm sure I am forgetting stuff but any comments would be appreciated.

 

Haha Gered. Yeah I've wanted it for a long time too. So you think I would need two lumenarcs and not just one in the middle of the tank then? If two are needed then where would I place them side by side or diagonal or what? And you would go with a 400 watt? I am going to try to keep the temp down so the room doesn't get too hot and I really don't want to have to purchase a chiller. I forgot about using a rubbermaid stock tank for the sump. I even had one a couple years ago when I had my 220 gal tank.

 

Thanks Austin! Yeah, I really would like to do a led system but I think in the time frame that I want to set this tank up, I could not do all that. What about just doing a lumenarc mini with a 250 watt and a 6 bulb t5 retro for supplemental and actinics?

 

Yeah it was the tank that has been sitting right inside the door.

Does anybody have experience in having a remote sump? I am wondering if it will be just as easy as having the sump in the stand or if I am missing something.

 

The tank is definitely heavier than it looks. I was originally planning on putting it in the basement but we couldn't get it down there so that is why its going to stay in the living room and the sump will be in the basement. Yeah, I think I'm really going to like having everything in the basement. You won't have to worry about all the noise and other issues that come from having it below the stand.

 

How about LED? Anybody have any idea how many LEDs I would need to light this tank up? If I can figure out how many and estimate cost, I might end up going down that route.

 

Well after talking to reefgeek and doing some research, I think I am going to go with t5 for the new tank. I think Initially I am going to go with 10 bulbs and once the tank is full and has more rock in it (I will have to buy more rock) then I will probably get a couple more bulbs and over drive them to give some extra light. Becase of the space limitations inside of the canopy and the shape of the tank, I just dont think MH is the way to go.

 

Okay I really need some help deciding what to do. Haha. Reefspecialty has a great deal on two lumenbright 250 pendant kits for almost half the price of the t5 setup I was looking at doing. How much would these heat up my tank? I am not wanting to have to run a chiller. Also, How would these look if I just either cut a whole in the canopy for the reflectors or took the top of it out completely.