125gal advice

[jttide]

What return pump, and power heads for a mixed reef would you all recommend for a standard 6’ tank? For lights I have two Kessil AP9X’s. I’ve been away from reefing for a few years and the tech has improved. Just want advice from you folks that are more experienced. This is my first time with any tank over 90gal. I appreciate any input.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Sounds like you have a good start on your new tank.

The first thing I would note is that 2 AP9X will cover a 125 but the bracing can mess up the light distribution. If you have a tank with a single brace then the 2 AP9Xs is a great option. If you have 2 braces then 3 lights would be a lot better.

For circulation pumps, I would look at getting 2 controllable pumps for either side of the tank. I would recommend each pump be rated for about 20-30 X turn over so you are looking at the 2500=4000 GPH range. The nice thing is you can always turn down the pumps if they are too large. I am a fan of traditional in-tank propeller powerheads so I would likely go with some Octo Pulse or Tunze Streams.

For your return pump. The first question I would have is what size drains do you have? We would also need to know how you plan on plumbing the drains. Full siphon drains can handle a lot more flow than gravity drains. Assuming you are using 2 x 1in gravity drains then I would look at a pump rated at 800-1000 gph. Any more than this and the drains can get really loud. If you are using a full siphon drain then you can go bigger. I think the new Lifegard DC pumps could be a good choice. I have been impressed with how quiet they are for the price and they can always be dialed down if the noise is too much.

Others will have their own equipment preferences but these can get the job done.

 

[jttide]

Sounds like you have a good start on your new tank.

The first thing I would note is that 2 AP9X will cover a 125 but the bracing can mess up the light distribution. If you have a tank with a single brace then the 2 AP9Xs is a great option. If you have 2 braces then 3 lights would be a lot better.

For circulation pumps, I would look at getting 2 controllable pumps for either side of the tank. I would recommend each pump be rated for about 20-30 X turn over so you are looking at the 2500=4000 GPH range. The nice thing is you can always turn down the pumps if they are too large. I am a fan of traditional in-tank propeller powerheads so I would likely go with some Octo Pulse or Tunze Streams.

For your return pump. The first question I would have is what size drains do you have? We would also need to know how you plan on plumbing the drains. Full siphon drains can handle a lot more flow than gravity drains. Assuming you are using 2 x 1in gravity drains then I would look at a pump rated at 800-1000 gph. Any more than this and the drains can get really loud. If you are using a full siphon drain then you can go bigger. I think the new Lifegard DC pumps could be a good choice. I have been impressed with how quiet they are for the price and they can always be dialed down if the noise is too much.

Others will have their own equipment preferences but these can get the job done.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate that! I do have a single brace that the AP9X’s will hang on. It’s sturdy and I’ll be renting a par meter as soon as I have it set up. If needed I will add more lighting. I also have two 6’ Actinic strip lights that I found a deal on. I believe they are Reef Brite brand.

I’ve used Gyre’s in the past with now issue and have considered the new Clouds by Maxspect but I’m not seeing good reviews on here with those. I’m definitely open to going with your recommendations. I just want this to be done right.


I have two 1” drains on my sump. It is a Fiji 24 Advanced/2nd Gen. I will look into the Lifegard pumps! Thank you for the advice on this!

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate that! I do have a single brace that the AP9X’s will hang on. It’s sturdy and I’ll be renting a par meter as soon as I have it set up. If needed I will add more lighting. I also have two 6’ Actinic strip lights that I found a deal on. I believe they are Reef Brite brand.

I’ve used Gyre’s in the past with now issue and have considered the new Clouds by Maxspect but I’m not seeing good reviews on here with those. I’m definitely open to going with your recommendations. I just want this to be done right.


I have two 1” drains on my sump. It is a Fiji 24 Advanced/2nd Gen. I will look into the Lifegard pumps! Thank you for the advice on this!

As someone who sells at least 3 versions of the gyres my preference and what we get the best feedback from are the IceCap gyres. They ship with the Hydros controller which is reliable and easy to use. https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RIC81026-NEWBundle1

 

[jttide]

As someone who sells at least 3 versions of the gyres my preference and what we get the best feedback from are the IceCap gyres. They ship with the Hydros controller which is reliable and easy to use. https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RIC81026-NEWBundle1

Thank you very much for sharing this info. The gyres that I used were the ice caps. I do like the new feature on the fans and the way you can direct flow in multiple directions. My concern is see so many people having problems with the Wi-Fi connection.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Thank you very much for sharing this info. The gyres that I used were the ice caps. I do like the new feature on the fans and the way you can direct flow in multiple directions. My concern is see so many people having problems with the Wi-Fi connection.

The connection issues I am aware of are with the Maxpect Cloud Gyres. I have heard of issues with the wave engine that comes with the IceCap gyres.

 

[jttide]

The connection issues I am aware of are with the Maxpect Cloud Gyres. I have heard of issues with the wave engine that comes with the IceCap gyres.

I would love to try them out but that is a concern that turns me off, considering the price they are. Hopefully the company can correct the issue and release some information concerning the issues. They are unique compared to others with the flow direction options that are on the Clouds. I may go back to ice cap gyres along with a couple of Nero 5’s.