Taking the leap- 210 gallon set up

All of my reef buddies know I've been thinking about going larger. Well, I found a great deal on a 210 gallon AGA tank, stand and canopy and now it's sitting in my garage!! Hubby (Mike) is being tolerant but I know he questions if this is going to keep me more distracted (probably) than I sometimes am. I am super stoked and can't wait to get it going!
Here are the plans so far. The stand needs some rebuilding as it was an 8 ft long stand that we are cutting down to 6'. The previous owner had an extra tall cabinet on the end to house the skimmer and other equipment. Since Mike is a carpenter/cabinetmaker by trade, this won't be hard. It's currently painted black (which I like) and he's not keen about the color but it will make it easy to blend cosmetically after the modifications are done.
Step two will be plumbing the tank(1st floor) to a basement Rubbermaid stock tank (100 gallon) sump in the basement. I am probably going to use a ReeFlo Hammerhead pump for return. I'm not sure about which skimmer I will get but I'm leaning towards a MSX 250 or Octopus Pro. If I was wealthy I may go with a "big name" skimmer but I'm reading good things about both of those skimmer, esp for the price.
Lighting. Alas, the hood that came with my setup is wonderfullly setup to accept three Ice cap fixtures with fans in between each and two fans in the end of the hood (5 fans total built into this hood.) I really have my heart set on Lumen Bright reflectors (small ones)
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-06/review/index.php
which won't work in this configeration at all. Another build for Mike to totally redo the hood just reusing the piano hinge doors. I really feel it will be worth it as I can use 250 W Reeflux bulbs on Coralvue ballasts and get the look I want without 400's or huge heat issues. That is the plan anyway!
Suggestions, personal experiences are all welcome. We have lots to do and it's going to take a few weeks to get to the point where I have water in the tank. Mike thinks we should consider spa flex to plumb down to the basement but I've been told that there are ridges inside it and that makes for more resistance. I know he is a bit horrified to think about all that pvc and elbows to get from point A to point B (possibly 16ft away without an exact measurement).
I just ordered some Pukani rock from Bulk Reef Supply and I'll get it in water with a PH as soon as it arrives. Which is the "safe" rubbermaid container again? The grey Brute one?? This time I'm planning on more of an open aquascape rather than the "wall" I have now so I don't need another couple hundred pounds of rock to achieve the look I hope to get.
I've had two tanks so far and bought and moved established tanks both times so I know nothing about the "cycle". I plan on putting some of my water change water in the new tank when I fill it up but what else can I do or how long might I expect it to take to cycle?
Hoping for great advice here! I need it!!

 

Thanks Jeremy once again.  You have always been great answering all my questions and I value your opinion and suggestions.  Actually, there are several of you guys that have always been most helpful!
 
In one thread I was reading where the Flex spa "stretched" in length when it had water in it.  Have you heard of this problem?  I hadn't thought of T'ing the return-good idea.
When I talked to the guy from BRS and he told he how light and porus the Pukani rock was, (and therefore you get a lot for your money.) To me, it looks a lot like Marco Rock. I went with 60 lbs to construct the initial pillar/arch style I hope to achieve while using the couple of hundred lbs that I already have in my existing tank.  We'll see, I can always buy more!  One thing I want to get away from is the "rock wall" look (which is pretty much what I have now.)
I am finding that it is the general consensus that most people feel that 250's in a 29" tank is not going to cut it.  The beauty of the Lumen brights is that you get awesome spread with less heat than most halide applications.  From what I have read, it has a lot to do with the height that the LB reflectors are above the water.  It's a pretty good read and new users and owners are pretty happy with them.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1211402&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

I don't intend to skimp on true union valves and I'll be buying them online.  I want it set up so that I can maintainence or remove the pump if needed so I'll take your advice.
I've talked to Mike from Reef Specialty over the phone and he told me that I would be fine with SPS on the top two thirds of the tank with the LB reflectors, the 12K Reeflux bulbs and Coralvue ballasts. Since he could just as easily try and sell me 400W, I don't question his motives.  There are quite a few reefers out there right now with this combination and I've been watching and reading threads for over 6 months and those are the tank pics that really please my eye.  I really think that no matter what, I wouldn't be putting SPS on the bottom third of the tank so this works out well for me.  At this point in time I still prefer LPS but I think that if I ever had true success with SPS I may change my tune  lol  Leaving the bottom third of the tank for softies and LPS makes sense to me.
I plan on going with sand bottom and Tunze for PH (although that step may not be immediate.)  I also hope to utilize my stock sump as a prop tank down the road. 
How much sand do you think I'll need for 3-4" bottom?  I guess I better start pricing sand too.  Maybe find a second job??  Too bad that's more true than funny!
Oh, and I did just buy a new dehumidifier for the basement in preparation for all the extra humidity I'm going to be dealing with.

 

Posted By BGreenlee on 06/23/2008 12:01 PM
Congratulations Robyn. I never had a doubt you were going to jump on that tank. Let me know if you need help moving it or anything. I am not around that often, but would be glad to help if needed and I am home.
I do like the look of the lumen brights. On that size tank you should be ok since its a 24" tank front to back and could hold three of the lights. With the apparent concentration of light they have you will likely be fine, colors towards the bottom may not be what they would under 400's, but they will be healthy none the less. By keeping them close to the water and toward teh back of the tank you should be fine since you likely willnot have corals growing right at the front glass anyway. You effectively use the back 16-18" of the tank for livestock anyhow.
I was looking at the skimmers you mentioned while I was at Premium Aquatics last week. They are very well made and look like a very good product for the money.
Are you referring to the Octopus Pro Billy?  I currently have an Octopus 150 and I've always been happy with it.  I have to clean it about every three days as it really does a good job!
Thanks for the offers of help moving it too.  I told Mike that there was no way I was going to try and be "on one end" of that tank and I'm glad I didn't try.  We drove to Madison WI to get it and I didn't want it dropped on my garage floor so he called up some young guys that work for him and it took two minutes to unload it.  They were joking about how they figured they'd get a call when it was time for it to go in the house.  Smart guys!!

 

Thanks again Billy.  Actually with the 100gal stock tank sump I'm going to have closer to 300 gallons total water volume.   I am still in the research phase on a skimmer and I haven 't checked out what load they will handle.  I only intend to buy once so I'll have to find the best (appropriate) bang for my buck.   Equipment-wise  I got a dual chamber calcium reactor not too long ago and I ended up going with the Reefkeeper 2 (which I love.)

Wayne, I'd like to hear more about your MSX.  That must be a MOOSE.  I think that the 300's are on backorder and have been for some time, when did you get yours?

 

I started a thread a while back on RC asking about Rubbermaid stock tank sumps and most of the 100gallon sump users don't use baffles.  I am going to "segregate" an area for the chaeto but otherwise it will be open.  One of my considerations is that my skimmer is likely to be pretty large and will be easy to fit in the RM sump vs a glass tank.  I really think that it is the best way for me to go in my unfinished and rough basement.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1410252

 

I ordered 60 lbs of Pukani rock from Bulk Reef Supply on Monday.  It was delivered today.  Yea!!

I am really impressed with this rock, it looks like the Marco Rock that I have seen in person and almost all of the pieces( except one dried Porite rock) is very lightweight and porus.  I have been pleased with each and every order I've made from BRS and this is no exception. 

 

Some pics:

 



I should add that I asked for mostly larger pieces.  You get to choose from small, med, large or mixed.

 

Well, I'm still trying to get it all together to get this tank together but here is what I have coming tomorrow. 
Can you spell EXCITED!!
I decided I needed just a little bit more rock so I have 30 more lbs coming today.  I can't tell you how impressed I am with that Pukani rock from Bulk Reef Supply.  It looks just like the Marco rock that you've seen, it's very lightweight and porous and it has a lot of character.  Some of it looks like coral skeleton.  I soaked my first batch in a diluted bleach water for a day or two and since then, I've had it in a large Brute can with the "old" water when I do the water changes weekly.  I'm hoping that helps get it ready for the new tank.  There was almost no "gunk" or anything that has come off this rock, it's very clean really.   I intend to drill it and use acrylic rods to build the pillars and bridge that I envision in my mind (and on paper!)
 
I just made a huge order with Mike from Reef Specialty.  That guy knows his stuff and is ready to help you with each step and specializes in plumbing too.  It's a good thing my husband loves me, this is what I ordered.....
Return pump:   Sequence ReefFlo Barracuda
Skimmer: ReeFlo Orca 200 Protein Skimmer (they now come with Sequence Dart Gold motor with a 5 yr guarantee)
3 - Lumen Bright reflectors, CoralVue 250 ballasts and Reeflux 12,000K bulbs.  I've been researching for at least six months on equipment and I love the look of this combination.  Mike uses this on his own tank, you can check it out here  http://www.reefspecialty.com/index.php
I also have coming all the True union ball valves I'm going to need and a replacement bulkhead for the rubbermaid stock tank.  I am going to be ordering the spaflex from Savko.com today.  Hopefully, this is going to come together soon, it's been a long time coming.

 

Good point Travis and one I have considered also.  Luckily the tank will be located on an outside wall of the house and will also sit perpendicular (sp?).  I have asked my husband Mike if he thinks we need to beef up the floor and he says no (this coming from a guy that has built Federal Courthouses in his career) so I guess it must be ok, however the house is now 114 years old.  I think I'll look up what 210 gallons weighs and pass that by him again. Does anyone know the formula?
All of my equipment showed up today (all shipped free and within 24 hours).  Mike from Reef Specialty had called me earlier in the day on Saturday to see if it arrived and then called me back with the exact routing # and told me I would be receiving it Saturday.  All I can say is........impressive.  That Gold Dart pump that goes on the Reeflo skimmer is unreal.  When I look at the little pump that runs my Octo NW 150 and then look at the Dart.......well, I think I'm going to find out what skimming is all about.  I have only taken the collection cup out of the box (no time to really play with it, I had to go to work shortly after it arrived)  but the lid on this skimmer is amazing.  If the rest of it is machined like the lid, it will be alright.  In this day and age of not much of our goods being "made in America"  both of my pumps and my skimmer were made in the good old USA.
More pics to come later.  Mike has promised me a base cabinet to start painting by Monday.