Planning my next (hopefully last) tank.

[MikeP]

Have been kicking it around for a while and have come up with the following for my ultimate reef tank.

- Oceanic 215 Gallon 72x24x28
- 8 Foot stand - will have 24x24x24 cube refugium next to tank.
- 75 gallon sump
- Lifereef LCR1 Calcium reactor
- Lifereef SVS3-24 In Sump Skimmer
- 3x 250 watt HQI , 2x 10k, 1x 20k (already have 2)
- 2x 72" VHO Actinics on IC 660 (already have ballast)

I debated going with precision marine for the calcium reactor and possibly a big aqua C for the skimmer but wanted something good that would go in sump. Was going to have just a little sand/gravel in main tank and a DSB in refugium and sump.

Stocking would be:

1x Harlequin Tusk
1x Regal Tang
1x Niger Trigger
1x Foxface Rabbitfish
1x Bicolor Blenny
2x Yellow Watchmen
1x Marine Betta
1x Mandarin Dragonet

plus my clams, lps, sps and will be taking all softies out to trade in or move to my jawfish tank instead.

Suggestions? This is going to be it for tanks for me so I want to make it good , once i get this I am going to sell the 75 and sump off cheap and keep just the 215, the 46 gallon for the jawfish and the 15 gallon hex for my mantis.

[Richard]

I have an Aqua C EV series skimmer in my sump and have been very happy with it. I just had to make a little stand for it out of eggcrate and pvc.

You might want to research the compatibility of your proposed stocking for this tank.

Richard

[TexasState]

I would place your tank where you can ventilate a chiller if you needs to in the future. If this is your last tank for a long time. Get starfire front glass (or on the side too if you can afford it.) Oceanic does have brick style tank(w/out the center brace.) But it's usually meant for build in the wall tank. Instead of a 20K third HQI, have you though about getting a 400Watts 20K (Radium or XM) instead? PFO sell those moonlight to go w/ the MH's socket that you can use for night viewing.

[Jimnorris]

Now this sounds like a awesome set up. The only item I would be concern with is the 250 watt lights. IMO you will need 400 watt Mhs with a 28 inch high tank. I like the idea of the cube tank on the same stand. Well done!
Jim

[MikeP]

Jim - good call on the lights, if I don't have a DSB in my main tank that is going to be really deep for 250k, just wanted to use my existing lights if possible.

Vinh - I thought about the starfire - do you know if Oceanic offers this as an option? I'm sure it costs a fortune if they do.

Richard - thanks for the feedback on the skimmer, as for the fishes I own most of these already so compatibility issues are well understood.

I'm thinking of foregoing the Ca Reactor to start with and just use my JimD special kalkreactor for a while.

Good suggestions - I have a while before this all comes together but I am thinking of getting tank, stand and sump sooner and getting it cycling for a month or so while I work on lighting.

[Tim Marvin]

I'm kinda back and forth with Jim. I am currently running 2-250w DE on the Ice Cap mh ballast. I am getting better growth now than I was with the 400w moguls. It could be because the prop system is getting older too, but it still seems to have better color as well. The frags are not very deep or far from the lights which makes a difference. They are probably 16inch at most from the lights. So a deeper tank would probably benefit from the 400's, but the 250's are half as much to run...

[Chris]

Vinh - I thought about the starfire - do you know if Oceanic offers this as an option? I'm sure it costs a fortune if they do.


Mike... I may be wrong about this but last I remember hearing something... Oceanic offered an option to add starfire glass to just the front viewing glass. For a 200G I believe it bumped the price up an additional $500-$700 dollars.

You should contact someone who sells them like Charley to find out for sure though.

[TexasState]

http://www.oceanicsystems.com/products_dimensions.html#Aquariums

I look on the manufacture's website. They are not listing the 215 as a RR option. I'm sure you can get Oceanic do it as RR, but if it's not a production model, it might be considered a custom tank and cost more. You'll have to talk to a fish store on that. Have you though about a Cherry Oak 175 Gallons RR Bowfront tank? My price on it is $2,300 for the RR tank/stand/light, glass top.

As for the starfire, Oceanic does offer Star Fire Glass, but I don't know in what size. I've seen 120 Oceanic RR Star Fire tank. For a tank that long, you might wants to put some sand bed down or you're going to spend a long time vacumming the fish poops out. Are you going to spend $1,300 on the Tunze Stream Kit TS48 to stir up the detrius?

I'm not sure if you can fit a 75 underneath your tank. YOu might have to settle w/ a 40 gallons breeder. For sump size, you can email oceanic to ask them what fits what.

[Richard]

I'm Sure Oceanic offers the 215 with RR option since I have been thinking of getting one myself. Although my heart is really set on a 315 - same tank but 8 feet long with a 125 gallon sump.

[MikeP]

Just and update I ended up ordering the 215 with a cherry oak finish plus a stand. I checked and I can fit a 75 under there but will have to put it in from the back so I'll finish the sump out before the stand gets here. Lighting - I am going to stick with the 250HQI and keep a 1-2" bed of substrate in main tank for looks. Also went with two smaller center braces spread out instead of the one large annoying one. Appreciate the feedback everyone and hopefully I will have this up and running by September !

[TexasState]

I'd hate to put thing in under a stand that I can't pull out. Have you though about using two sump (possibly connected to each other, instead of using a big 75.) Are you getting one center overflow, or two side overflow?
I heard that you're going to sell your corals for cheap. Can me and Jaime come by on Saturday to clear it out for you? LOL

[brewercm]

Just curious, but wouldn't a harlequine tusk have a field day munching on your corals?

[TexasState]

Well, it should be ok if you have a big *** tank like what he's planning. Kind of like a cow eating grass on your ranch and mowing the grass at the same time. (JK)

Seriously, if any of your currently well behaved, "Angel" fish turn bad, it would be hell tearing down a tank that big to catch it.

[brewercm]

Keep updates on how things are going with it. I'm wanting to do something similar and build it into a wall with lots of room to work behind the scenes. Couple of years down the road but starting the planning process out along with buying pieces a bit at a time that I'll need.

[TexasState]

You're going to be like Chris huh. I would save your money and buy it all at the same time. There might be better stuff coming out by the time you have everything ready.

[MikeP]

Brewer - the harlequin is a kind of wrasse, actually a very gentle fish for the msot part unless you are a shrimp or crab! He has left my emeralds and my CBS alone totally but my peppermints may have dissapeared - I moved most of the small shrimp to other tanks before putting him in.

Vinh - I thought about that but I wanted to have the extra water volume , I guess I could do 2 smaller tanks.

[adaminaustin]

Mike,

I thought that your 75gallon w/ the cube next to it was cool. When you get the new tank up and running I would love to check it out. If you do sell off any corals let me know.

Thanks,
Adam in Austin

[brewercm]

That sounds good. I was given bad info at one time or another on one. I think they are a really cool looking wrasse and would like to get one once I get around to the larger tank myself. Put up pics once you get it up and going, it'd be great to take a look at.