New 125 gallon setup from scratch

[andysgirl8800]

based on everyone else's comments, I did take pictures as I assembled it, so if the kids smash it somehow, I'll know how to rebuild the bloody thing!

 

[yote]

Promise! Never even heard the word "refugium" until 2 weeks ago. So you think this one will work for my size of tank? The overflow walls are 8" high, about half the volume of the tank. Figured that would allow enough room for the excess show tank water if the pump fails, until suction is lost.

Yep.It'll work perfectly.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Is there something extra I will need to do to control the water flow? If my pump is too powerful, won't it drain the refugium faster than the show tank can fill it?

 

[yote]

Just install a ball valve in the return line.Then you can throttle it back some if needed.
Whats the spifics on your return pump?

 

[andysgirl8800]

Beauty is, I've not purchased my pump yet. What would be the best GPH rating for a submersible pump to feed water from my refugium back to the show tank? I will be pumping up approximately 4.5 feet. I have a canopy on my tank, so I do not have anything as HOB, since there is nowhere to hang it.

 

[yote]

This is the pump I'm running on my 125.I got the 1200 (mag 12).That would give you right 1100gph depending on how many 90 degree elbows you have in the return line.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thanks Yote! I will start pricing these pumps. Also, I was reading through some other posts on the forum in regards to lighting. I see the acronym "PC" used often. What does this mean?

I am planning on live rock, live sand, and fishes, no corals/anenomies at this time. That said, I am totally confused about lights. Honestly, I can't swallow a $600 price tag for "MH" lights.

The owner at my LFS told me that I could use ordinary compact flourescent lights, one blue, one white per strip and I can have a happy, healthy aquarium. I understand this means a future upgrade, if I ever want to add corals and such, but I'm looking for a straightforward answer......can I use a more "economical" lighting system, such that I can buy/build from Home Depot?

 

[daugherty]

pc lights are sre ppower compacts. i sugest that you buy a good set of t5's with ir's like a nova extreme pro. or your tank i would get at a ixture that had 8 80w bulbs. t5' give of great light or half the cost of mh bulbs. and are cheaper than pc anf mh because they last longer before you have to change them. you can get away with chep strip lights from hd or lowes but if you have the wrong spectim of light you may have very bad alage problems.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Quick question then.....in the long run, which is better, metal halide or compact flourescents? I ask in terms of maintenance costs, replacement bulbs, and quality of aquarium life.

 

[daugherty]

it depends on what you want to keep if you want to be able to keep clams and other corals that are not low light than i would go with either mh's or t5's the cost of t5's in the long run are cheaper than mh bulbs and last longer. pc bulbs are about double the cost of one t5 bulb and for one mh bulb you could buy three or four t5 bulbs.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thank you everyone, your advice has been invaluable. I am also getting mixed information about cycling. I was told that if you are setting up a new tank, you should get uncured live rock, not cured live rock. Is this true? Do I WANT my tank to cycle?

 

[daugherty]

just get cured live rock. uncured is usually cheaper but it will stink up your house it smells worse than crappy diapers. your tank must cycle it will start with an elevated amount of ammonia than the nitrite will start to rise and ammonia will fall then the nitrate will raise and the nitrite will fall. when the ammonia and nitrite are 0 than the tank is cycled.

 

[daugherty]

here read this it will explane it better

https://www.livingreefs.com/articles/cycle-tank-without-using-fish-t441.php

 

[andysgirl8800]

Hmm. Raw shrimp. Wouldn't have thought of that.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Would a "Quiet One 6000", rated as 1506 GPH be too powerful for my return pump?

 

[daugherty]

works good just adding rock will usually start the cycle. but dont let your LFS talk you into needing to add a fish to get it started. they usually will tell you to get a damsel than if they live through the cycle they will torment any fish you add to the tank they are like the devil

 

[daugherty]

it may be ok how far does it need to lift the water to the tank.

 

[daugherty]

i think that pump will be fine. 1" drains can handle 600gph so you can drain 1200gph if you have two drains. and at about 3.5ft to 4ft or more of lift will put you under that it looks like.

 

[andysgirl8800]

and I can add a ball valve to better control the return flow, if needed, right?

 

[yote]

and I can add a ball valve to better control the return flow, if needed, right?

Yep.You'll probably leave it wide open,but it nice to have the option.