<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I currently have a 75DT and a 36sump. This is a first setup for me as I have had FW w/ HOB filters in the past. This is my 2nd sump and never used the first and I want to build a 2nd one as I have found that I need to make more changes. I know they say about 10% of DT for sump and I have about 20gal of actual water in the sump. This started out as a temporary tank to begin with as a test and learning tool. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Now the time has come to start planning the upgrade. I have time it wont be until February before I can do this. The wife told me at the beginning to keep it cheap to start with and I could by a bigger tank later. I built the stand to hold a 150DT 48x30x24. It actually measures about 52x48. I took down part of the wall and it’s in the middle of the living room and kitchen. It was to have the sump on the LR side and a cabinet and counter space on the kitchen side. The wife had decided after I started building it that she wanted a shelf in the LR under the tank so this moved the sump in the kitchen. She then decided that she wanted the counter top to be like a breakfast bar, so you could eat and watch the fish swim. I’m not anywhere finished with the build and at the moment the aquascaping is kind of one sided. I had to pull the cheap seaclone out of the sump as I did not have room for the 7” filter soc. But the wife says she likes to watch the tornade swirling around. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Now that I had rattled alone. I guess I should get to the point. I have been thinking, if I get a used tank instead of new I will have more money for equipment. If I have to sacrifice size I might, it just depends whats available when the time comes. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I know I want a drilled tank but which way? I don’t want anything blocking 3 ¾ sides of viewing. When facing the front I will only have the left side about 16” from the front available. This means if it’s the 150DT I planned for it’s 30” deep I’ll have about 14” and if it’s a 120DT then it would only be about 8”. I have not looked at the OF calculators yet. But the OF and return would be on the same side or should I plan on bringing the return up in the opposite corner any way or run it overhead in the canopy? </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I would like to have a closed loop inside of the tank so I would not have to look at PH hanging on the glass but I just might have to live with it.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">The next would be the other equipment. I love DIY stuff and prefer making everything but I will way my options. I know first off I will replace the seaclone PS but with what? I don’t know if I could fit a 40B tank in for a sump but I think I could drill the tank for an external setup. My sumps intake side is only 7” x12” and water is about 14” deep. The fuge part which I’m getting some cheato this weekend is about 18x12x14 with about 2 ½ LS and some rubble and the return pump is a undersized Mag 7 but the return area is about 7”x12”x 6”. I’m getting about 331pgh but that’s all she’s got captain. I also already have a DIY ATO. w/ RODI water. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">What about reactor Phosban, calcium and carbon? I have heard good and bad. Some say if everything is running correctly you don’t need it and some say you do. My ultimate goal is do water changes and kind of forget it. I want mostly a living reef with lots of color and some colorfully fish swimming around. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Lights…. I think I’m going to wait on this one til later. I currently have a 6 bulb T-5 fixture. It has two 12k white, wave point, two 420 actinic blue, zoo med, 460 actinic blue, wave point and a 420 purple, wave point. I would like to go with LEDs. I was thinking about rebulbing but want to see how the market does with the LEDs. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What would your suggestions be if you had to do it over again? </span></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I currently have a 75DT and a 36sump. This is a first setup for me as I have had FW w/ HOB filters in the past. This is my 2nd sump and never used the first and I want to build a 2nd one as I have found that I need to make more changes. I know they say about 10% of DT for sump and I have about 20gal of actual water in the sump. This started out as a temporary tank to begin with as a test and learning tool. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Now the time has come to start planning the upgrade. I have time it wont be until February before I can do this. The wife told me at the beginning to keep it cheap to start with and I could by a bigger tank later. I built the stand to hold a 150DT 48x30x24. It actually measures about 52x48. I took down part of the wall and it’s in the middle of the living room and kitchen. It was to have the sump on the LR side and a cabinet and counter space on the kitchen side. The wife had decided after I started building it that she wanted a shelf in the LR under the tank so this moved the sump in the kitchen. She then decided that she wanted the counter top to be like a breakfast bar, so you could eat and watch the fish swim. I’m not anywhere finished with the build and at the moment the aquascaping is kind of one sided. I had to pull the cheap seaclone out of the sump as I did not have room for the 7” filter soc. But the wife says she likes to watch the tornade swirling around. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Now that I had rattled alone. I guess I should get to the point. I have been thinking, if I get a used tank instead of new I will have more money for equipment. If I have to sacrifice size I might, it just depends whats available when the time comes. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I know I want a drilled tank but which way? I don’t want anything blocking 3 ¾ sides of viewing. When facing the front I will only have the left side about 16” from the front available. This means if it’s the 150DT I planned for it’s 30” deep I’ll have about 14” and if it’s a 120DT then it would only be about 8”. I have not looked at the OF calculators yet. But the OF and return would be on the same side or should I plan on bringing the return up in the opposite corner any way or run it overhead in the canopy? </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I would like to have a closed loop inside of the tank so I would not have to look at PH hanging on the glass but I just might have to live with it.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">The next would be the other equipment. I love DIY stuff and prefer making everything but I will way my options. I know first off I will replace the seaclone PS but with what? I don’t know if I could fit a 40B tank in for a sump but I think I could drill the tank for an external setup. My sumps intake side is only 7” x12” and water is about 14” deep. The fuge part which I’m getting some cheato this weekend is about 18x12x14 with about 2 ½ LS and some rubble and the return pump is a undersized Mag 7 but the return area is about 7”x12”x 6”. I’m getting about 331pgh but that’s all she’s got captain. I also already have a DIY ATO. w/ RODI water. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">What about reactor Phosban, calcium and carbon? I have heard good and bad. Some say if everything is running correctly you don’t need it and some say you do. My ultimate goal is do water changes and kind of forget it. I want mostly a living reef with lots of color and some colorfully fish swimming around. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Lights…. I think I’m going to wait on this one til later. I currently have a 6 bulb T-5 fixture. It has two 12k white, wave point, two 420 actinic blue, zoo med, 460 actinic blue, wave point and a 420 purple, wave point. I would like to go with LEDs. I was thinking about rebulbing but want to see how the market does with the LEDs. </span></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What would your suggestions be if you had to do it over again? </span></span>
