New setup 90 gallon tank

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ChrisC

Small Fish
#1
Jun 1, 2006
10
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#1
I am picking up a 90 gallon all-glass tank pre-drilled with the megaflow.

Ok i still have to get a bunch of stuff yet.

I was wondering what you thought of the:
http://www.all-glass.com/products/featured/megaflowsump/index_left.shtml
How powerfull should the pump be to return the water to the tank from the sump? says maximum 600 gph but not sure if thats what i should get for the pump or not?

Here are a couple of questions i have:

I was thinking of the redsea berlin skimmer, do you think that would work great? What would you recommend?

For a 90 gallon how many powerheads should i need (at x gallons per hour?)

Should this http://www.current-usa.com/novaextreme.html (the one with 432 watts do for a tank with coral, and fish? - i plan on also having invertibrates in the tank also)

When i go to pick the tank up im going to ask them also, because i got the nova extreme with the 4 lights (i was going to use a 55 gallon) but i decided to get a 90 gallon instead, so i am going to return the light and get the one with the 8 lights if needed.
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#2
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#2
the following site has some great suggestions for lighting depending on what you want to keep. My suggestion is go with the most light your budget can afford as it is hard to justify the expense later when you need to upgrade lighting. Also, check out the Aqua C Remora Pro skimmer, I am sure you would be happier than with the Berlin which is good for smaller tanks......If you go with the Remora make sure you get the upgrade to the Mag pump.
 

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ChrisC

Small Fish
#4
Jun 1, 2006
10
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#4
Hmm im looking for something around $500? Last week i got the nova extreme with 2 actinc lights 2 10,000k daylight and it has 4 moonlights, i paid $329ish they also have the same thing but it has 4 actinc lights 4 10,000k daylight and 4 moonlights.

Each bulb is 54 watts, so should i go with the nova extreme with 8 lights its about $500ish. Id have to take the one i have now back to the store. Course i have to ask them what they suggest...
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#5
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#5
The redsea berlin is horrible. An aqua-c urchin is infinitely better, there are other choices too, depending on what's available, what you want to pay, and what you're comfortable with. Aqua medic ,deltecs are great, there are other brands too. Please don't bother thinking about seaclones or prisms.

For powerheads forget the traditional little maxijets and rios , and go for water flow pumps like Tunze Turbelles (pricey, but super.) or Seios (cheaper). 2 of these will likely be better than 6 trad powerheads.

For lights I would get a single metal halide, and not worry about actinincs and moonlights. They're simply for aesthetics, if you like them.
 

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ChrisC

Small Fish
#6
Jun 1, 2006
10
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#6
I went to the store, and talked to the salesperson, they said i could go with the 8 light nova extreme but it would set me back $600 for it, i also do like the actinics and moonlights, thats why i am thinking of getting the 8 light nova extreme. Im going to do some research before i go any further.

I got the #3 sump by allglass (megaflow) and the pipes for the prefilter for the tank, i pick-up the tank tomorrow as they have a bunch of stuff on the pallett they said. I also pickup the stand next week (they had to order it).

I can concentrate on the skimmer, powerheads, pump, lighting, and all that other good stuff :D

Also while i was there, there was a terrable lightening storm!!!! I got there about 6pm there power went out!!!!! I was like woow! They didnt have any backup generators!!!!! I thought the store would have them? The one sales women said, im not staying to 3am in the morning again.

If you have over $100,000 in fish and coral wouldnt you have a backup generator? :?
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#7
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
3
0
#7
OK, if I was you I'd research lighting a bit more. I think you are going to drop 600 bucks a bit prematurely. For a start I would not go with 8* powercompact bulbs as the bulbs do not have a long lifespan. Do you want to change 8 bulbs every 6 months - have you costed that? Also 8 of these bulbs to dump every 6 months is not terribly sensitive enviromentally as well as being frustrating. I think you need to investigate a metal halide alternative, or T5's, rather than PC's, a fairly crude technology.
Also, why do you want actinics. They make things look nice, but they are a hangover from when the only 'main' bulbs available were 6500 and 10K's, so people supplemented blue for, almost entirely, aesthaetic reasons. If you want your tank to look blue now it is far easier to simply put in a 18K main bulb.
I cannot see the point on blowing 600 on a mega, multiblulb PC fixture - it does not make sense to me. Buying lights from all but a very few LFS's without a lot of upfront research is unlikely to give you a good, value for money lighting solution.
 

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ChrisC

Small Fish
#8
Jun 1, 2006
10
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0
#8
Well what im thinking about, see there is a black pine canopy that matchs the stand, i was thinking of getting that, but i need a light that would fit into that,http://www.all-glass.com/products/stands/mseries_black.html so how would i work that? I have heard of retro fitting (but im not sure what that is?)
Would this one be a better alternative:
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_HQIProaqualight.html
Plus it has the actnic, and moon lights i would like if possible.

I mean i would like to try and use the hood, if possible, i want to try and keep it looking nice, and not suff hanging from the ceiling.

I still have a long time before i get everything setup.
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#9
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#9
I think to keep the canopy you will need to retro fit the light and remember that you will need really good fans under that canopy to keep things cool. I have this light on my 75 and I love it. It comes with timers and separate controls so the pc's and mh run independantly. It is pricey but in the long run there isn't much I can't keep in the tank either.

http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/metal_OuterOrbit.htm

A 90g if a 48 inch tank it is deeper and you will need light that will penetrate the depth if you want to keep certain things. If you go with pcs you will be limited to what you can keep. Remember the lfs is trying to sell you something. We are not. Read up on lights and what you want, after live rock it will probably be the most expensive single outlay of cash in your system. (not counting livestock that is, though most livestock is added over time.....god forbid Ishould add it all up)
 

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