I need advice tips and help from anyone....especially ppl with these size tanks already....I want type of tank,pumps, lights, refugium/sump setups, bulkheads, overflows, PH's, reacs....etc etc....gimme it all! Im also considering getting a Starphire tank....this new tank will replace my already established 90 gal tank.
Please help...even if you just give me a link to someones page that has this size of setup.
This tank will be for a mix of softies, lps, sps and clams
These are the specs Im gonna get 2 different estimates from IA ( I think im leaning more to Option1...for cost effectiveness and room)
OPTION 1
72" Long
27" Wide
24" High
This equals a 200gal (I think)
OR
OPTION 2
72" Long
30" Wide
24" High
This equals a 230gal (I think)
My main concern now is how many and what size of the holes drilled and I want IA to make the Overflows to, also at this point I want to use a 55 gallon under the tank as a Sump/Refugium (I already have the 55....and I dont know if or what panels are tempered, so drilling is really not an option on the 55) With this is mind I want to move atleast 3000 GPH through the tank....My thoughts are making 3 Holes one in each back corner and one in the middle back of tank. I was thinking of running a spraybar off of the middle overflow? and the two ends using two 1" SS's ? Im not real worried about lighting right now....thats gonna be a DIY project along with my Canopy. But Im just having a hard time figuring out if I go with the 200 or the 230 where/howmany/whatsize the holes drilled should be? Please help me with this as Im thinking about placing this order soon.....I have already spent many hours going over the threads and know how Im gonna order the options as far as polished edges and euro bracing and black back glass etc etc.....I just want to know what I should do as far as the drilling of the holes and having IA make the overflows? Does IA make the standtubes as well? For an extra few bux I would rather them make them that way I dont have to worry about that crap that I seen w/others for clearance of the Standpipes!
Bracing
Im pretty sure I want Euro bracing all around the outer edges of the tank instead of the center braces....but my question with eurobracing is, How will i mount my SeaSwirls/Spraybar in the tank with that type of bracing.....Do I plumb around it (which will create much more drag, thus decreasing my GPH rate) Or do I have IA customize the Euro bracing to fit the SeaSwirls/Spraybar mounts, and would this comprimise my bracing too much?
Back Glass
Back black glass or mirrored image? I know they make the black back...dont they make like a mirrored image type too? If so what are the pros and cons to both? heat? light defraction? etc etc...They also do Coloring...maybe blue?
Overflows
Im pretty sure I want IA to do them, is there a standard size? Do I need to build the Standpipes or can IA build them for me? (cost effeciently) should I make them black as well? So algae has less chance of growing in the overflow area?
Glass Edging
I realize that this has been a problem in the past with IA. and to my best knowledge I have read that the ground & polished edges is the best way to go
Trim Top&bottom
This also from what I have read has been a problem in the past....I would like to know the EXACT verbage I need to use to clarify to IA that I dont have sloppy unmatched continuous trimming
Silicone seals
They offer clear or black silicone on the seals, i cant say that I understand the pros and cons to either.....I would guess that the silicone around the overflow could be black so there again to decrease the chance of algae growth in the overflow area but maybe have clear silicone every where else where there is a seam?
Stand & Canopy
It seems to me that I would be better off building these myself....Im almost 100% sure that Im gonna build my canopy myself....Unless I see some major response of ppl that state that IA has a very nice stand & Canopy that would be more effecient i will build them both myself. Their prices for stands & canopies seem a bit steep IMO
Sump/regugium
I have an old 55 gal tank that I would like to use as my Sump refugium area, the only problem here is that I dont know what brand of tank it is or if the panels are tempered or not, so I dont think that drilling it is an option....even though I do have a local glass shop that has drilled successfuly my 90gal tank (I knew it wasnt tempered)
Lighting
I havent really decided yet on lighting .....I dont think its a major concern yet, except for wat works best with bracing design, which is why I chose the euro bracing so in case I do decide to put a MH bulb directly in the middle the brace wont interfere.....FWIW Im thinking along the lines of 4 MH's for lighting 2 250watt (graybar ballast) 6500k Iwasakis and 2 20k ALS 250 watt ( I may change this to VHO 03's or PC's...not sure yet) I would definately like to have the options available to change the lighting around
Im sorry for being longwinded about all this.....Im just trying to be consistent with all the other IA threads :lol:
Please help...even if you just give me a link to someones page that has this size of setup.
This tank will be for a mix of softies, lps, sps and clams
These are the specs Im gonna get 2 different estimates from IA ( I think im leaning more to Option1...for cost effectiveness and room)
OPTION 1
72" Long
27" Wide
24" High
This equals a 200gal (I think)
OR
OPTION 2
72" Long
30" Wide
24" High
This equals a 230gal (I think)
My main concern now is how many and what size of the holes drilled and I want IA to make the Overflows to, also at this point I want to use a 55 gallon under the tank as a Sump/Refugium (I already have the 55....and I dont know if or what panels are tempered, so drilling is really not an option on the 55) With this is mind I want to move atleast 3000 GPH through the tank....My thoughts are making 3 Holes one in each back corner and one in the middle back of tank. I was thinking of running a spraybar off of the middle overflow? and the two ends using two 1" SS's ? Im not real worried about lighting right now....thats gonna be a DIY project along with my Canopy. But Im just having a hard time figuring out if I go with the 200 or the 230 where/howmany/whatsize the holes drilled should be? Please help me with this as Im thinking about placing this order soon.....I have already spent many hours going over the threads and know how Im gonna order the options as far as polished edges and euro bracing and black back glass etc etc.....I just want to know what I should do as far as the drilling of the holes and having IA make the overflows? Does IA make the standtubes as well? For an extra few bux I would rather them make them that way I dont have to worry about that crap that I seen w/others for clearance of the Standpipes!
Bracing
Im pretty sure I want Euro bracing all around the outer edges of the tank instead of the center braces....but my question with eurobracing is, How will i mount my SeaSwirls/Spraybar in the tank with that type of bracing.....Do I plumb around it (which will create much more drag, thus decreasing my GPH rate) Or do I have IA customize the Euro bracing to fit the SeaSwirls/Spraybar mounts, and would this comprimise my bracing too much?
Back Glass
Back black glass or mirrored image? I know they make the black back...dont they make like a mirrored image type too? If so what are the pros and cons to both? heat? light defraction? etc etc...They also do Coloring...maybe blue?
Overflows
Im pretty sure I want IA to do them, is there a standard size? Do I need to build the Standpipes or can IA build them for me? (cost effeciently) should I make them black as well? So algae has less chance of growing in the overflow area?
Glass Edging
I realize that this has been a problem in the past with IA. and to my best knowledge I have read that the ground & polished edges is the best way to go
Trim Top&bottom
This also from what I have read has been a problem in the past....I would like to know the EXACT verbage I need to use to clarify to IA that I dont have sloppy unmatched continuous trimming
Silicone seals
They offer clear or black silicone on the seals, i cant say that I understand the pros and cons to either.....I would guess that the silicone around the overflow could be black so there again to decrease the chance of algae growth in the overflow area but maybe have clear silicone every where else where there is a seam?
Stand & Canopy
It seems to me that I would be better off building these myself....Im almost 100% sure that Im gonna build my canopy myself....Unless I see some major response of ppl that state that IA has a very nice stand & Canopy that would be more effecient i will build them both myself. Their prices for stands & canopies seem a bit steep IMO
Sump/regugium
I have an old 55 gal tank that I would like to use as my Sump refugium area, the only problem here is that I dont know what brand of tank it is or if the panels are tempered or not, so I dont think that drilling it is an option....even though I do have a local glass shop that has drilled successfuly my 90gal tank (I knew it wasnt tempered)
Lighting
I havent really decided yet on lighting .....I dont think its a major concern yet, except for wat works best with bracing design, which is why I chose the euro bracing so in case I do decide to put a MH bulb directly in the middle the brace wont interfere.....FWIW Im thinking along the lines of 4 MH's for lighting 2 250watt (graybar ballast) 6500k Iwasakis and 2 20k ALS 250 watt ( I may change this to VHO 03's or PC's...not sure yet) I would definately like to have the options available to change the lighting around
Im sorry for being longwinded about all this.....Im just trying to be consistent with all the other IA threads :lol:
