Mwbeach - 120 Gallon Build

[mwbeach]

I have decided to move to a 120 gallon tank. 4x2x2. I am in the process of planning it all out.

I currently have a 29 gallon with a HOB skimmer. No sump.

So as I am planning I know I will be having many questions.

Here are a few of my questions to start

1- what size sump? I know the bigger the better. Would a 20 or 29 be enough?

2- what type of return? I was thinking a Mag 9

3- would 2 Chinese LEDs be enough?

4- I am looking at a 20 gallon Refugium. Would this be large enough to be beneficial or do I need more?


Those are a few questions in the planning stages. Any help would be appreciated

Thank you in advance

 

[calhounreef]

120 is a great tank size, I really love mine after moving up from a nano cube.

1. I used a 40 breeder as a "in the stand" sump, a 20 or 29 gallon would probably be fine if all of your equipment fits in there and there is enough room for excess water draining from the display when your return pump shuts off.

2. The mag 9 should be plenty of return, I'm running a quietone 4000 which is 1100gph and I'm going to be feeding my calcium reactor and media reactor off of that pump as well. I figure if I'm still getting around 600 to 700 gph turnover that should be great.

3. 2 of the 120 watt Chinese leds will indeed cover a 4 foot 120

4. No clue on the fuge, never had one.

Good luck with the build and planning, I had a blast setting mine up =) I think you'll really like the 120 too.

 

[ghbrewer]

Acandoit;1015502 wrote:
10) Separate hidden checking account - (only needed if married)

Oh so true...lol

 

[calhounreef]

10) Separate hidden checking account - (only needed if married)[/QUOTE]

This

 

[mwbeach]

1) what type of tank? (What type of coral will you grow? FOWLR?) - This will determine lighting requirements
- Mixed Reef


2) Though many folks use the Mags, they may not be the best, (they get hot)....consider the Sicce line of pumps or the new Fluvals
- Thank you

3) Sump - needs to fit your equipment. I have a 150 gal sump for my 210. Probably overkill, (def overkill!)
- a 29 will hold all my equipment. May go with a 40 to get more space.

4) Controller - Just buy an Apex now and get it over with
- On the list to get


5) Powerheads - Jebao, Ecotech, Tunze, Maxspect - I am not going to open that can of worms as everyone has their own religion with respect to pumps.
- I have a Maxspect 150 Gyre

6) CA Reactor - Depends on your stocking list
- It will be low on SPS for now, mainly Zoas and LPS. Calcium has not been an issue it my current tank, but know I will need to do something more in the future.


7) Reactors - GFO and Carbon, (again, optional depending on what you have in your tank)
- This was on my list as well. Thank you.

8) UV
- I dont know much about these, can you help me understand the need?

9) Generator/Power inverter - something to keep the water at temp and moving when the power goes off
- I have a power inverter and an APC backup.

10) Separate hidden checking account - (only needed if married)
- HAHA

 

[mwbeach]

CalhounReef;1015466 wrote: 120 is a great tank size, I really love mine after moving up from a nano cube.

1. I used a 40 breeder as a "in the stand" sump, a 20 or 29 gallon would probably be fine if all of your equipment fits in there and there is enough room for excess water draining from the display when your return pump shuts off.

2. The mag 9 should be plenty of return, I'm running a quietone 4000 which is 1100gph and I'm going to be feeding my calcium reactor and media reactor off of that pump as well. I figure if I'm still getting around 600 to 700 gph turnover that should be great.

3. 2 of the 120 watt Chinese leds will indeed cover a 4 foot 120

4. No clue on the fuge, never had one.

Good luck with the build and planning, I had a blast setting mine up =) I think you'll really like the 120 too.

Thank you!

 

[crew]

A hidden checking account isn't needed... Everything I buy that is fish related is $10 or less ;-)

Sump - as big as you can fit. Why settle for a 29 if you have room for a 40?
Lighting - I can't tell you the chinese LED's will work, but 2 Kessil 360's cover my 120.

 

[genesis]

Hidden checking account/ everything cost $10 lol. SMH. As far as your sump, I had a 29 gal sump/refugium when I first started my 140 out but upgraded later to a 50 gal. For you a 29 would work but if you can the 40 breeder would be the better option. For a mixed reef I would recommend also getting a doser if your not trying to do SPS dominant and need a Ca reactor. Carbon/GFO reactor is a great bonus as well, so is a UV. I have success with the Chinese LED's on my mixed reef but get whatever you can afford. I run a mag 12 and it is great, reliable but it does give off quite a bit of heat.

 

[genesis]

As far as your fuge are you wanting to do a separate fuge or a sump/refugium?

 

[hnguyen]

Like everyone else has said, the bigger the sump the better. I have a 40 breeder I custom built for my sump and it fits perfectly under my tank. I have a 90 so it's only 18" deep, yours being 24" deep will have no problem fitting a 40 breeder in the stand.

I like external pumps better than internal but if that isn't an option then I would look into the quiteone pumps as someone has mentioned. The mag pump will do just fine but again will produce heat. Depending where the tank is, sometimes that added heat is welcomed.

As for lights, I'm running the Reef Breeders Photon 48" fixture over my 90 and it's doing a great job. I had an ATI T5 fixture of my tank before and it was frying my corals. It's been about 2 months now and my corals are starting to open up more and are getting their color back. One fixture is good enough to cover my tank (also 48" long).

I have another 40 breeder that I use as an external fuge and love it. It's feed by my return pump and drains back into the sump via gravity. Although my system is an in-wall in my basement so everything is spread out with just the sump under the tank. It won't work if your tank is in the living room or any place that you don't want to see equipment laying around. However, even with a 40 breeder as your sump, you should still be able to fit a 20 gallon tank inside your stand (elevated) as use it as an external fuge.

One thing I didn't see mentioned (if I didn't miss it) was an ATO. IMO an ATO is a must have and will take away one daily chore you need to do.

I notice you have a HOB skimmer on your current tank, don't even think about using it on your 120. Buy a new one, the best you can afford and avoid buying another one down the road when you start to hate it. Vertex, Reef Octopus, Bubble magnus and MRC are all great brands that most of us use.

Good luck and looking forward to a build thread.

 

[mwbeach]

Genesis;1015520 wrote: As far as your fuge are you wanting to do a separate fuge or a sump/refugium?

Thanks for your feedback. I would like to do it separate, but may do it combined if I get a large tank for the sump/refugium

 

[mwbeach]

Hnguyen;1015526 wrote: Like everyone else has said, the bigger the sump the better. I have a 40 breeder I custom built for my sump and it fits perfectly under my tank. I have a 90 so it's only 18" deep, yours being 24" deep will have no problem fitting a 40 breeder in the stand.

I like external pumps better than internal but if that isn't an option then I would look into the quiteone pumps as someone has mentioned. The mag pump will do just fine but again will produce heat. Depending where the tank is, sometimes that added heat is welcomed.

As for lights, I'm running the Reef Breeders Photon 48" fixture over my 90 and it's doing a great job. I had an ATI T5 fixture of my tank before and it was frying my corals. It's been about 2 months now and my corals are starting to open up more and are getting their color back. One fixture is good enough to cover my tank (also 48" long).

I have another 40 breeder that I use as an external fuge and love it. It's feed by my return pump and drains back into the sump via gravity. Although my system is an in-wall in my basement so everything is spread out with just the sump under the tank. It won't work if your tank is in the living room or any place that you don't want to see equipment laying around. However, even with a 40 breeder as your sump, you should still be able to fit a 20 gallon tank inside your stand (elevated) as use it as an external fuge.

One thing I didn't see mentioned (if I didn't miss it) was an ATO. IMO an ATO is a must have and will take away one daily chore you need to do.

I notice you have a HOB skimmer on your current tank, don't even think about using it on your 120. Buy a new one, the best you can afford and avoid buying another one down the road when you start to hate it. Vertex, Reef Octopus, Bubble magnus and MRC are all great brands that most of us use.

Good luck and looking forward to a build thread.

Thank you. I do already have an ATO. Run the JBJ right now, so I will continue with that.

With the Fuge you have setup, will you share some pics how you have it done?

Thanks

 

[hnguyen]

I will try and remember to take a picture tonight.

 

[mwbeach]

Hnguyen;1015555 wrote: I will try and remember to take a picture tonight.

Thank you

 

[hnguyen]

>

class="gc-images" title="uploadfromtaptalk1424348475133.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a>
Here you go. This is in my fish room looking at the back of the tank. The 40 breeder I use as my fuge is at the very top of the tower I built. I have 2 external pumps, 1 to feed just the display tank and 1 to feed the 2 tanks you see on the tower. Both tanks on the tower drain back into the sump.

 

[mwbeach]

Hnguyen;1015785 wrote:

>

class="gc-images" title="uploadfromtaptalk1424348475133.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:400px" /></a>
Here you go. This is in my fish room looking at the back of the tank. The 40 breeder I use as my fuge is at the very top of the tower I built. I have 2 external pumps, 1 to feed just the display tank and 1 to feed the 2 tanks you see on the tower. Both tanks on the tower drain back into the sump.

Nice! Love it

 

[mwbeach]

I am in the process of building a stand/canopy. What height would anyone recommend? I dont want to be hunched over to look into the tank. I also dont want to climb a 6 foot ladder to get in the tank. I am OK with a stepstool to get into the tank, if needed.

Thoughts?

 

[crew]

For me, I measured from my arm pit to the floor and then subtracted the height of the tank. This made the tank as high as possible without me needing a stepping stool to work on it.

Granted - I do need a step stool if I'm doing anything serious (when I was aquascaping, for example) but most common stuff can be done standing.

 

[genesis]

mwbeach;1016915 wrote: I am in the process of building a stand/canopy. What height would anyone recommend? I dont want to be hunched over to look into the tank. I also dont want to climb a 6 foot ladder to get in the tank. I am OK with a stepstool to get into the tank, if needed.

Thoughts?

3 ft stands are pretty standard height and depending on the height of your tank will give you a good view without having to hunch over to much but also not too high. I'm able to do things in the tank without getting on a stool unless I need to get in the bottom of the tank