Getting back into hobby with a bang

Crazed Chris · 08/14/2017, 07:49 PM

Started almost 3 years ago with a 65g mixed reef with 40g sump. Long story short, new baby, less one tank.
Finally got the wife into the idea of getting a new tank but this time I'm going for a 180g sps dominant tank. Here is what I'm looking at so far,
-180g custom tank with starphire front and sides with coast to coast stopping just 3" short of the ends to make room for return lines. Will also have an external overflow box with 3 drain holes for bean animal method.
- I will Build my own stand with removable side doors for access and flush mounted pull out tables for work space and fragging.
- Eshopp x-220 skimmer
- 2 Photon v2 32" Led Light fixtures
- Pukani rock and #3 coral sand
- Maxspect Gyre 250 and a slave Gyre 250
- Zeovit sounds like the way to go if I keep with the regime, would like input on this
- Sump- Because I want to use bean animal I will need to find one with 3 drain inputs. Only one I have found so far is the trigger systems emeald 39 but it retails for $525 and there is no way I can sell my left arm for it so I need to find something else if anyone knows of any. A refugium would be nice but not required. I made my last sump out of a 40g breeder and silicone in some 1/4" glass baffles but I wasn't really pleased with how it turned out.
-Return pump- I was looking at the eheim 1262 because it is silent but I don't think it will be able to match the sicce on the skimmer after it splits into the dual return lines. Wife said this tank must be silent so I'm looking for input on this one as well (red dragon is out of the question). I will have plenty of space under the tank so internal or external pumps are fine.

That's it so far, I plan on buying it all at once so I don't try piecing together this tank and have a Frankenstein tank like my last one turned out with random equipment everywhere.

Kayvon · 08/16/2017, 02:56 PM

For your sump you won't need 3 inputs. I went with the 34 and had the final emergency directed into the skimmer section. It'll only make a lot of noise if there's something wrong that way. Also you could build your own sump with no inputs and just use rigid plumbing that is tied down solidly.

A DC return pump is almost always quieter than AC. Take a look at a Jebao if you want something cheap.

Crazed Chris · 08/16/2017, 05:19 PM

I realized shortly after posting that the 3rd drain was emergency with no water flowing through it and I could plumb anywhere else in sump to make a lot of noise to let me know something is wrong. Thinking I will go with the eshopps r-300 sump. thanks for the imput on the dc pumps, ill look into those.

08/14/2017, 07:49 PM	#1
Crazed Chris Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Redding Posts: 0	Getting back into hobby with a bang Started almost 3 years ago with a 65g mixed reef with 40g sump. Long story short, new baby, less one tank. Finally got the wife into the idea of getting a new tank but this time I'm going for a 180g sps dominant tank. Here is what I'm looking at so far, -180g custom tank with starphire front and sides with coast to coast stopping just 3" short of the ends to make room for return lines. Will also have an external overflow box with 3 drain holes for bean animal method. - I will Build my own stand with removable side doors for access and flush mounted pull out tables for work space and fragging. - Eshopp x-220 skimmer - 2 Photon v2 32" Led Light fixtures - Pukani rock and #3 coral sand - Maxspect Gyre 250 and a slave Gyre 250 - Zeovit sounds like the way to go if I keep with the regime, would like input on this - Sump- Because I want to use bean animal I will need to find one with 3 drain inputs. Only one I have found so far is the trigger systems emeald 39 but it retails for $525 and there is no way I can sell my left arm for it so I need to find something else if anyone knows of any. A refugium would be nice but not required. I made my last sump out of a 40g breeder and silicone in some 1/4" glass baffles but I wasn't really pleased with how it turned out. -Return pump- I was looking at the eheim 1262 because it is silent but I don't think it will be able to match the sicce on the skimmer after it splits into the dual return lines. Wife said this tank must be silent so I'm looking for input on this one as well (red dragon is out of the question). I will have plenty of space under the tank so internal or external pumps are fine. That's it so far, I plan on buying it all at once so I don't try piecing together this tank and have a Frankenstein tank like my last one turned out with random equipment everywhere.

08/16/2017, 02:56 PM	#2
Kayvon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 20	For your sump you won't need 3 inputs. I went with the 34 and had the final emergency directed into the skimmer section. It'll only make a lot of noise if there's something wrong that way. Also you could build your own sump with no inputs and just use rigid plumbing that is tied down solidly. A DC return pump is almost always quieter than AC. Take a look at a Jebao if you want something cheap.

08/16/2017, 05:19 PM	#3
Crazed Chris Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Redding Posts: 0	I realized shortly after posting that the 3rd drain was emergency with no water flowing through it and I could plumb anywhere else in sump to make a lot of noise to let me know something is wrong. Thinking I will go with the eshopps r-300 sump. thanks for the imput on the dc pumps, ill look into those.