Okay, seriously...I need advice.

[Anonymous]

Looks like I'm going to have $10k for a completely new saltwater section, and it's happening in the next month.

What would you do with that much money? How would you set it up? What size and how many tanks would you have?

I have ideas, but want to explore all the advice/information I can absorb before anything happens.

The only things that're already in place are :

1. three 125-gallon tanks, two for corals (one tiple 175W halide, another 250-400-250 radiums) and one for larger fish like angels, wrasses, etc (very low levels of copper and formalin as preventatives)

2. two 100-gallon rubbermaid containers for live rock.

3. one 155-gallon bowfront set into the back wall, currently empty.

Everything else is up in the air, and there's probably 600 square feet, at least.

Any idea is welcome...I want it to look really nice, too, so think of the total look of it, and not just the system part. Also, if anyone has pictures of their setups or setups of stores they think look good, please post them.

Thanks in advance.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

if you do a search on the 'looky' threads in the sump, you'll see some pics on how the store i worked at last was designed, and presented

 

[Anonymous]

Chip, why don't you make use of the information on wetwebmedia?

 

[Anonymous]

Chip, why don't you make use of the information on wetwebmedia?

You know, Marina, I've been meaning to look thru that site, but it seems that every time I sit down at the computer at night, I forget about it.



I'll try and remember tonight...they have store system setup info there?

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

Chip, its really hard to give set-up advice without total details. What are the dim. of the room? Are you going to do all the install (electricaol and all)? Are the tanks/equipment going to be bought from a distibuter or straight from the manufacturer? Acrylic or glass? How many levels is exceptable to you and your store (mine, 3 levels of 40g tanks straight up was fine, but many don't like using step ladders to enter top tanks)? What is your local code as far as row width (is it more then ADA standards, or the same)? Are you going to buy from a plumbing distributer, local plumbing shop or box store like Home Depot? We gotta know these things in order to stay under budget. Got any pics of the over all store right now?

 

[naesco]

I would provide excellent service, healthy product, at a fair price.

 

[logicalreef]

I would provide excellent service, healthy product, at a fair price.

:roll: ummm, ok

 

[Anonymous]

I would provide excellent service, healthy product, at a fair price.

ROTFL!

This, ladies and gents, is Naesco's pathetic attempt to get my goat.

However, what he doesn't realize is that I'm a goat herder...I have plenty of goats.

:lol:

Peace,

Chip

 

[naesco]

Actually It was an attempt at humour!

 

[JennM]

Why don't you offer your input on store systems, Wayne?

Chip you can get an idea of what's going on in my place at http://photos.yahoo.com/jennmyers . Try viewing it as a slide show... it's kinda neat My cabinet guy is *supposed* to hang the skirting on the big tank tomorrow... but we're no frills in the fish room. We use pallet racking, used, cleaned up and painted.

We are about to assemble our freshwater system... any advise? We're thinking 4 systems: Hard water, soft water, goldfish/koi and feeders... all will be in a square configuration in the middle of the store (you'll see the empty floor space in the pix.

Glenn uses pallet racking too - he's got a lotta tanks, and he's got a sump that runs underground... but as he explained to me there are some pitfalls to his system.

We use the rubbermaid vats for the live rock, I need to take new pix we have 2, plumbed together with an ETSS knockoff downdraft protein skimmer, and a 175 W MH pendant on each vat, helps keep good stuff alive and kick starts the coralline as it cures.

I think I've described my tank configs in the other thread, look at that and the pix and you'll get an idea. I'm not sure how many tanks or how much square footage you get but you can see what we've got at least

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[JennM]

Oh I forgot to mention... all our pumps/sumps/skimmers are in the main back room. We rented a second suite in our mall, and the big tank is in that section, but the plumbing goes into the back room on the "old" side. Keeps all the noise and mess in one location.

Jenn

 

[fishfanatic2]

I suggest you set up a few large tanks, like 1 FO and 1 reef. or 2 reefs. :wink: Possibly a shared sump? MH lights, euroreef skimmers, top of the line RO...the possibilities.

 

[JennM]

I like my 20 longs for small fishes. I've got 12 of them... good for separating conspecifics but I hate little cubes - this avoids that but lets you keep several of a species. I have 75s for larger fishes.

Jenn