120g new build

[SlipperyJohnson]

?

[xiaan]

$5550 total leaving me $1950 for my Live rock, substrate, plumbing and materials to build stand.
I'm not really worried if I go over budget but I don't want it to blow it by very much.

Never plan a buget for a reef tank you will always go over

Here are my specific questions
1) I want to have the tank built & drilled for me. Are two holes enough? Drain and return? Tank to have coast to coast possibly on the short side.

If you are going with a custom tank I would go with a external coast to coast.

2) Where can I order this locally & a rough estimate would be cool?

I ordered my tank though Pat(Redbelly) at Ottawa inverts he uses Miracles aquariums and they did an really good job.

3) Are two MP-40's overkill?

Nope I have two in my 130G cube and it has really good flow!

6) Tank will be all SPS, will the ATI powermodule be sufficient or should I be looking at something like this  http://www.aquaticselite.com/Infinity_DDE_4x250w_p/in-dde-4250.htm
Or is this overkill too.

I think you should be fine with the powermodule.

[redbelly]

1) I want to have the tank built & drilled for me. Are two holes enough? Drain and return? Tank to have coast to coast possibly on the short side.
Are you looking for a custome built tank? If your are looking for a standard perfecto with drilled oholes and an installed c-c it will certainly be under $1k.
Number of holes is dependant on what you want in the tank. Closed loop requires more holes.
For your overflow though you will want 2 holes.
With a coast to coast overflow you will have to either go over the top for your return or do some creative plumbing inside the tank to avoid it creating a syphon

2) Where can I order this locally & a rough estimate would be cool?
We can take care of this for you. We have a new 120g perfecto in stock and can drill it to your specs. If you are looking for custom then we can also get this.

3) Are two MP-40's overkill?
Not at all!

4) Suggestions for a return pump would be greatly appreciated. The sump will be directly under the display in the stand.
For a side c-c overflow a small ehiem or ocean runner 2500 would be my preferance.

5) Suggestions for sump layout/design would be helpful too.
Do you want a fuge under the tank?

6) Tank will be all SPS, will the ATI powermodule be sufficient or should I be looking at something like this  http://www.aquaticselite.com/Infinity_DDE_4x250w_p/in-dde-4250.htm
Or is this overkill too.
The ATI powermodule will do very well on this tank. If you want more light then go for the 10 lamp.

[johnrt]

> Tank will be all SPS, will the ATI powermodule be sufficient or should I be looking at something like this  http://www.aquaticselite.com/Infinity_DDE_4x250w_p/in-dde-4250.htm

A ten lamp ATI will use less than 1/2 the electricity as the DDE 4X250 with a lower ongoing bulb cost. You are not planning an overly deep tank, so you do not need the higher penetration of the MH bulbs to light the bottom. The ATI will let you grow anything, but will not generate the 'shimmer' that point source MH will.

[Hookup]

I think I can offer something of value to you Paul.  It looks like you have most aspects planned out very well.

I would (and did) go with the 10 bulb fixture on my system, which is SPS dominated.  More bulb combos and i like lots of different blues for that artificial looking colors.  Two extra bulbs, IMO, are nice for extra PAR, but I think unless you want to grow hihg-light requiring SPS on the bottom of the tank 8bulb will do.  To me this would be a budget decision.

I would also run a fuge.  I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to, unless you plan on going with some ULNS zeo system like zeovit of faunamarin.  Even then it's not a bad idea, it just wont grow very fast.  I did not see this in your costing/plans.  This can have different levels of cost depending non how automated you set it up, but it's not a "big-ticket" item generally speaking.

I would add into your budget a few bucks for a carbon reactor and a phosphate reactor.  It's not much, maybe $200 including media and pump, but again, you're at the beginning so might as well plan for it all.  The benefit of running carbon is hugely understated in the hobby.  It's even been proposed, and tested that carbon reactors can remove as much, if not more DOC than a skimmer.  I'm not suggesting to go with out a skimmer, (BTW I like your choice), but I am making a case to add Carbon to your system full-time.

Closed loops are nice, but you have budged for 2xMP40's so there's no need to double-up the flow.  You can get a CL going for less than the 2xMP40's cost and, IMO, CL's have a nicer end product look.  But the MP40's are pretty stellar.  It's a personal perf mostly.  The MP40s will cost less to run than the CL pump from a KW/hr perspective.

You are planning SPS but you've not put any budget in for systems to maintain your Ca/Alk/Mg.  Many of us run controllers and dosing pumps to setup the baling lite system.  This method is pretty popular and it's definitely what I recommend.  I believe that a baling-lite starter kit can be had for under $900.  Given your in for this much, i'd consider this a good investment.


Good luck.

[mikerobart]

From what I have seen balling light (basically modified two part + mag.. more or less with slightly different chems and recipe) can be done for a lot less. Two part + mag on dosing pumps can be done for $300 if you buy chems dry and mix up solutions. Bulk reef supply has some deals, as do some forum members who can supply chemicals at a good price to mix these up easily.

Bubble Magus has their standalone 3 pump doser, expandable to 11 pumps if you want to automate amino acid, feeding, phyto.. whatever later on.. or if you want to run a balling complete or something like that. It is well reviewed and a nice price point if there is not wiggle room for another 1k for dosing.. I think it's maybe $250usd for the head unit that has three pumps. The grotech or aqua medic standalones cost more.

Alternatively with the RKE you can buy individual dosing pumps for pretty cheap and run them off that... only about $90 per pump.

I think a fuge is good but lately I have been reading a lot about going barebottom, using frequently changed filter socks and cooked rock, with heavy skimmer, ozone, carbon, and gfo (as hookup mentioned carbon + gfo are good things to have and cheap to implement.) This can be another route to a more or less so called "ULNS"... and can of course be used with the carbon source dosing as well. I am wary of sand beds of any depth as a place for detritus to accumulate.

Good choices overall though... MP40w's would be my choice for flow. Lighting I am MH + t5 all the way guy but of course you will get great par and colours with that light and t5's.

The return pump is not too big a deal, aim for 3x to 5x of the displays volume through the sump per hour for optimum skimming. Don't think the return is a way to get tons more flow in the tank, it's not really a great idea, that is what your vortechs are for.