getting back in the game...

[merlin0883]

Skimmer. Wow. Octopus seems to have quite a few more to choose from than they did a while back. There are soooooooo many. Don't even know where to begin...the Diablos are apparently newer. That doesn't necessarily mean better, though. Any experience with these? Do I need the one with the controllable pump? I think that this model is for in-tank, which is NOT what I want, but am not entirely sure...Also, in the past, my HOB octopus was great--until the pump went out. Man, I don't care to deal with poorly designed pumps any more. I'm very over it, and it's even been a while since I had one. Hopefully the pumps for their higher-end skimmers are better...?

[merlin0883]

Out-of-tank powerheads. The vortechs are nice, but any info on pumps to get the water from the sump/fuge back to the tank?

[merlin0883]

Skimmer. Wow. Octopus seems to have quite a few more to choose from than they did a while back. There are soooooooo many. Don't even know where to begin...the Diablos are apparently newer. That doesn't necessarily mean better, though. Any experience with these? Do I need the one with the controllable pump? I think that this model is for in-tank, which is NOT what I want, but am not entirely sure...Also, in the past, my HOB octopus was great--until the pump went out. Man, I don't care to deal with poorly designed pumps any more. I'm very over it, and it's even been a while since I had one. Hopefully the pumps for their higher-end skimmers are better...?

Okay. Found a site that actually tells a little about these. Narrowed it down to Diablo 350 or Diablo DCS 300. THe 350 is powered by 3 pumps and controlled by output valve restriction. The DCS 300 in powered by one DC pump, and is controlled by altering the electrical current that the pump receives. Not sure which is best. Not sure if there are better brands out there...

[BBQHILLBILLY]

make sure you design your sump to fit these hungry skimmers, I have a 7ft sump, and it wouldnt fit

[reefreak]

Check out the maxspect razors for lighting.

[merlin0883]

make sure you design your sump to fit these hungry skimmers, I have a 7ft sump, and it wouldnt fit

Was your sump too narrow?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

i could have fit the diablo, but i would have to trim the top bracing, didnt wanna do it, remember sw has to go on the side of the skimmer,
for sure monster skimmer needs monster extra wide sumpunless you go external

[merlin0883]

Check out the maxspect razors for lighting.

So far--
Radion xr30wPRO--$899X4=$3600. 12" wide, so wouldn't cover whole 72" tank unless higher above water and spread them out a lot, which MAY be just fine, but I'm not sure. Total of 175wX4=700watts. Very controllable.

Maxspect razor r420r @160watts. 27", so X2=60" of 72" tank covered, with less control. X3=90", overhanging tank and wasting light. So X2@$500=$1000.

Maxspect Mazarra MZP01 complete system with 4 modules @ 60watts each=240 watts and $2100. Prolly need two sets, so 480 watts and $4200. Very controllable, and easy to adjust modules with the hood system that comes with it. Not sure if I'd suspend or use hood system. May even need 3 sets, so that's 720watts and $6300. More bulbs spread out with variable lenses seems like the lights should blend better than on the Radions. Can't afford 3 sets though, so that would put me at 480 watts for the tank. Not sure how many watts/gal are recommended for LED's. I'm used to halides and t5's.

[alton]

Go with Buckeye field Supply on replacing your filters and Membrane. On the 300D you have to ask for them now, they are not a stock item anymore. Being a person who has one if if I was to do all over again I stay with 30" versus the 36". I am 6'4" and I hate the fact I cannot reach stuff in the back. Ace has a 250DD but since he has his as an island he can reach all the way around. Lighting big tanks the edge still goes to MH, but hey if you have the money go for it. I use 3 x 250w MH lumin bright pendants (825 watts total) with Radium lamps that average 16 months before changing.

[footballdude2k3]

So I found an all glass Marineland 300gallon dd aquarium on the marineland site. I love the dimensions. 72long, 36deep, 27high. Perfect. It has a cornerflow in both back corners. At a quick search, I could not find a price for them--any recommendations for a site that sales them? Also I'm not entirely sure about the drilled holes in this tank. As is, I would still have to use in-tank powerheads. I was thinking about having a few (like 3) holes drilled in the bottom of the tank and spread evenly from left-to-right (a little closer to the back of the tank than the front--like 12" from the back) with double-nozzled return jets that I could hide with my rock-work. I've seen this done before, but have never used them. Is this a good route to take, or are the extra hole just begging for more trouble with extra places that might leak?

If you like extra holes, put that in there, there is always risk when a tank is drilled, but it shouldn't be enough to deter you if that is what you want. I think you might have to go with a custom tank if you want to drill the bottom, pretty sure that would be tempered.

Lighting. So I found Radion xr30w Pros. I assume this is what was mentioned? Is the 30w the highest output? I found them in one store for $899. I assume that I could find them for perhaps a little cheaper if I did some digging. They don't appear to be very wide though. I haven't found a dimension for the entire hood, but it looks like they're about 16" wide and 12" deep. If so, 3 may not cover the tank well. I may need 4-5. I don't mind if the ends of the tank are a little dim--I can put low-light corals there. I just don't want the tank to be light-deficient or look weird because of too little light. How far above the tank can you mount these? I don't want bubble popping and covering the lenses with salt all of the time. I also don't want concentrated beams of light--or a "spotlight effect" from each bulb. Do they blend well? And as for the controller comment, I assume that you mean a light/powerhead combo controller? If so, I agree, but don't know anything about them. I assumed that the lights would come with one.

They will cover more room than what the fixture is, picture it like a headlight in fog, it has some spread, as an example, I am doing a generic 120w set of LEDS, will do three of them in my 6 foot and get plenty of coverage, the whole fixture is 16x9, with the lights not taking up the whole thing, but it covers 2'x2'

DSB remarks. Are you saying to go with no-sand, or to have a shallow sand bed? I personally like having sand, but don't want to have to deal with the DSB harboring phosphates after a few years like has happened to me in the past. So I leaning towards a shallow sand bed of crushed coral. Sound good?

Yes, I personally hate no sand, love the look of SSB, but if you wanted a DSB for the extra filtration, I would do a remote DSB because if you start having problems, you just remove that one from the system.

I have a BFS RO/DI system that I got from Aquarium Design when I lived in San Marcos. It needs a new membrane and all new media. I found it to be a little inadequate for my 55gal tank, but I think it's because I'd hook it up, use it to make enough water to do a change, and unhook it. I've heard that not having it plumbed to allow water to continuously circulate is bad for the membrane. I plan to fix this in the future with a bigger system that is plumbed to a water line. Sound good?

you should be fine either way, just get something that measures TDS, 0 is ideal, 1 is a warning, replace by 2

Powerheads. I'm digging the vortechs. They aren't cheap, but if they do what they claim, I'm ok with it. I'm sure some of you actually have these. How many would I need for the tank if I do use in-tank powerheads, which I probably will now that I've checked these out--2? 3? 4? Would it be better to use 2 of the next size down on each side or one of the 60's on each side? Seems like the 60's may blast over a 20lb rock...

I love VorTechs, I was having a problem in a 40b with cyano a few years back, had 3 Koralias in there, replaced with one MP20 which they do not make anymore, problem cleared up in a couple days

Out-of-tank powerheads. The vortechs are nice, but any info on pumps to get the water from the sump/fuge back to the tank?

I like Eheim returns, just look for the size that gives you the amount of flow through your sump that you want

Okay. Found a site that actually tells a little about these. Narrowed it down to Diablo 350 or Diablo DCS 300. THe 350 is powered by 3 pumps and controlled by output valve restriction. The DCS 300 in powered by one DC pump, and is controlled by altering the electrical current that the pump receives. Not sure which is best. Not sure if there are better brands out there...

Love these things, a ton of power and usually very energy friendly.