Renewed Saltwater Tank Hobby

[bbees]

So I had a 55g SW Tank when I was in college a long time ago and always wanted to get a tank back and running but never really was motivated to do it again until I had the money to do it the way I wanted to.
I still can't do exactly what I want but I am back to starting the hobby with plans to eventually get my tank to a full on reef. My immediate plan is to go with non-aggressive reef friendly fish once my cycle completes and then move into some of the corals etc after I know tank is stable.
*My new tank setup is 125g Aquavim glass seamless cylinder, 32" diameter x 36" H. *Tank will have a 30g Sump w/ refugium + Skimmer and UV Sterlizer + 1500gph turnover sump pump.
*Lighting is to be one 24" 400w MH + 3 24" 24w HOT5 + 2 24" 24w actinic blue - My plan is to eventually keep my light needy corals on the side with the MH.
*The hood will have 4 4" Cooling Fans

I am receiving 70lbs of Dry Pukani Live Rock this week along with maybe 20+lbs of dry branch and shelf rock as well. Also planning on a bed of about maybe 1.5" of live sand/dry sand (argonite) mix.

***I am still not totally sure about my lighting and whether it will be adequate or not.

***I also know I need to purchase some powerheads and cannot decide on the highend vortechs (2 -40's) with the batterybackup (i live in FL) with the wavemaker valiable speeds etc.

I also want to purchase a reefkeeper system of some sort but not sure what I really need vs what "sounds cool"....The Apex sounds like the best but also the most expensive. RK sounds good but not all the bells and whistles of the Apex but less $.

I was thinking I could just aquascape the tank with my dry rock (after I picked out the dried boogers and stuff on it) and then place the sand and finally have some premixed RO saltwater delivered by LFS...adding some bottled bacteria to kick start the cycle and I am a little unsure here as well -

Picking up a used 35g tank and stand with simple hang on filter etc to use as a quarantine tank as well. Figure I can pick out some critters a few weeks after the cycle gets started and let them medicate in here until cycle finishes.

Would love to hear some input on what I have and what I still need as far as equipment goes and my plan to cycle with my dry rock in the tank (bad idea ?).

Thanks guys !!!!!! :D

 

[Gizmo]

Hello, & welcome, that sounds like a cool tank. I think your light's would be enough for the dimensions of your tank. I would put the metal halide right in the center of the canopy. If i'm wrong someone else will likely chime in. For the powerheads I would say if you got the loot get the vortech's, however I don't think they would work on a round tank.

 

[Alex]

Welcome to the forum! Your plans sound very nice to me. :)

 

[bbees]

Hello, & welcome, that sounds like a cool tank. I think your light's would be enough for the dimensions of your tank. I would put the metal halide right in the center of the canopy. If i'm wrong someone else will likely chime in. For the powerheads I would say if you got the loot get the vortech's, however I don't think they would work on a round tank.

Thanks for the reply. I am curious about the concern that vortex wouldn't work with a round tank - Is it becaust the push too much water? I was thinking whatever I get will need to have some downward push on one side that maybe hits the side of the tank and rebounds while the other side would have one that was higher in the column doing the same thing - My thought was there would be a lot of confused currents moving around especially if I alternate the pair so one pumps a few cycles then switches to the other side , etc etc. Maybe I am wrong though because the shape of the tank may just keep the current along the sides but never rebound any towards the middle?

Thanks again.
Bob :sfish:

 

[Gizmo]

A vortech powerhead is two pieces the propeller side goes inside the tank, & the motor side goes on the outside. They connect by magnet. I think they would only work on a flat surface. Your tank being a cylinder, with no flat surfaces other than the top & bottom, I don't think a vortech would work unfortunatelly.

 

[bbees]

A vortech powerhead is two pieces the propeller side goes inside the tank, & the motor side goes on the outside. They connect by magnet. I think they would only work on a flat surface. Your tank being a cylinder, with no flat surfaces other than the top & bottom, I don't think a vortech would work unfortunatelly.

I kinda was wondering about that as well but more along the line of the tank being 1/2" glass - My thought on the curve of the glass is that it is 32" diameter so the curve should be slight compare to the footprint of the vortech - My other thought was actually to have the powerheads on the overflow that is in the center of the tank - maybe that'll work - I guess I can order them and see - dunno what happens if they dont work - Maybe I can find one locally and return it if it doesnt work....