OK I give up

[parkerdt]

Not really, but my 26 gallon display tank crashed the other night - fortunately, all the fish survived the ordeal and transport to the 30 gal. presently, I am reconstructing the 26 gal and hope to have it habitable in a few days, the 30 is too small for the bio load long term.

I have convinced my wife we need a bigger tank. The choices are now between a 90 gal and a 120 gal 48" tank - that is all the linear space we have. I will be going with a sump/wet-dry and a skimmer vs my fluval 304 that currently filters my tank.

What say you all? The 90 setup - (minus sand and rock) runs about $1600 and the 12- about $2200. I've spec'd a 175 wet/dry for each, same sized heater, etc.
I will do the lights on the cheap for the moment since I have no corals or amemonies.

Am I making a serious mistake by not going with the extra 30 gals? I would like to keep a tang and a pygmy angel in addition to my current group, and eventually to add and anemonie. I'd like to give my Green Chromis the opportunity to school as well...

Thoughts?

thanks,
DP

 

[Navarre]

Glad you are not going to throw in the towel and give up. I cant understand why the 30 gallon cannot take the bioload when the 20 gallon was smaller?

Anyway, good choice, larger tank is far more forgiving than smaller tanks. It also gives many more options as well.
Glad to see you are opting for a sump, its definately is the way to go for anyone who has the option of running one.

As for which tank size. Well i would advise the largst tank you can get. If you have room for the larger tank then i would go for it. Just be sure that you have room around the tank for work and maintenance. I have a 5 f gap in my living rom but i only put a 4ft tank in there and even then its a tih space for working on

As for your stocking list... You want a tang and this in istelf really suggests that you need the larger tank. Tangs need loads of space and the extra 30 gallons will make a huge difference for this fish alone.

So, with a 120 Gallon tank, add the water from the sump and you have quite a pond there!

Good luck with it!

 

[parkerdt]

The 30-gal had it's own inhabitants, thus the extra bio load. All are well so far, chemistry is holding MUCH better in the 30 than the 26 - wish I knew why!

Hoping to get the 120 deleivered this weekend - have definitely decided (and even convinced the wife) that it is the way to go.

Now, to try and keep everything alive for the time it will take to get the 120 set up and stable....


thanks again,
Dave

 

[Great Lakes]

Man, I hate being away for even a day or two.

please tell me you didn't spend 2200.00 on a new tank...

I know of a guy with a complete 158gal right now for 525.00....

GL

 

[Navarre]

OUCH! Are tanks taht expensive over there?

I got my custom built 100 gallon (UK) (thats 120 US gallons) for £250.

I think with conversion of the british pound to US dollar that come roughly to $375

This is with 10mm glass and drilled for use with a sump. (without the drilling it would have been £200 ($300)

 

[ostrow]

There's a guy selling his stuff and he's quite close to you I think. Has several tanks that would work for you for a tenth of what you are quoting (which is absurdly inflated in the first place).

http/reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...threadid=409705

 

[parkerdt]

OUCH! Are tanks taht expensive over there?

I got my custom built 100 gallon (UK) (thats 120 US gallons) for £250.

I think with conversion of the british pound to US dollar that come roughly to $375

This is with 10mm glass and drilled for use with a sump. (without the drilling it would have been £200 ($300)

the tank is actually quite inexpensive. The furniture to house it, the wet/dry , the skimmer, the lights, heater, and plumbing are not.

Dave

 

[parkerdt]

There's a guy selling his stuff and he's quite close to you I think. Has several tanks that would work for you for a tenth of what you are quoting (which is absurdly inflated in the first place).

http/reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...threadid=409705

Unfortunately,, Chicago is 6 hours away by car, and I'd have to rent a van to haul stuff....

Dave

 

[parkerdt]

Been a bit delayed in getting the 120 - new LFS opening up tomorrow with Grand Opening prices.... May get lucky! Here is what I am planning; prices are from my current LFS, and do not include the sales tax

120 gal pre-drilled All-Glass 48x24 ~ $450
Stand for above ~500
Canopy ~ 150
Pro Clear Aquatic systems 200 wet/dry ~300
Pro Clear Aquatics systems MPS 250 skimmer ~125
Glass top, cheap light, pumps, heaters, bio-balls, 4 powerheads ~ 350
plumbing kits and setup charges ~250
delivery and installation ~150

I can't find this stuff substantially cheaper locally, (unless as I say the new LFS has a sale) so yes, around $2200 for the setup.

I'll need to add ~ 200 lbs sand and around ~ 180 lbs live rock. Plus whatever the water ends up costing - depends on how many changes I have to do with the new LR - pre-made salt water is $0.65 per gallon here. Additionally, I have an electrician coming to provide service near the location I've selected....

So tell me, how can I do this cheaper, and what is out of line? I'd really love to upgrade to better lighting, with moonlights included....

Will be a huge step up from my current set-up.

Dave

 

[Max]

Man, I hate being away for even a day or two.

please tell me you didn't spend 2200.00 on a new tank...

I know of a guy with a complete 158gal right now for 525.00....

GL

did it have coral and live rock?

 

[parkerdt]

Woo Hoo! The room is set up, stand in place and leveled, tank has been plumbed,
sump all set up except one bulkhead fitting fo r the skimmer. Tank is being deliverd this Thursday, on Friday I am making a road trip to Premium Aquatics to hand pick live rock. The 120 is coming together, finally.

All fish are doing well ATM - but I have banished my Yellow-Tail to the upstairs tank by himself as he became WAY overly agressive with the green chromis.

Anyone think there is any hope the two can co-exist in a 120?

Dave

 

[parkerdt]

Tank took about 4 weeks to cycle, then I did an 80% water change fololowed by a 20% change a week later. Levels held at zero for ammonia and nitritesfor two weeks, so I took the plundge an moved my guys. We;re now a week later at 7 weeks. I have never seen fish so happy! Or hungry for that matter. They swim and eat like CRAZY now, vs the 30 gal. I have the old 30 set up as a qt for new fish when they come after a thorough cleaning and purchase of new substrate.

Decided not to move the yellow-tailed blue damsel, probably going to get another
2 of them and let them have a species tank. He seems so happy without having to dodge a clownfish, or attack a green chromis.

Dave