480g sps shallows + 1000g build

[mch1984]

Just joined in on this build, tank is looking great. Every time I see these deep tank it makes me like then even more. Your dimensions are awesome, looking forward to this progressing.

 

[Recklessryan904]

Just joined in on this build, tank is looking great. Every time I see these deep tank it makes me like then even more. Your dimensions are awesome, looking forward to this progressing.

Thank you ! I absolutely love the dimensions , my goal was to have big acro colonies but not sacrifice swimming room for fish .these tanks progress will be a slow journey , but I plan to document every step of the way !

 

[mch1984]

Thank you ! I absolutely love the dimensions , my goal was to have big acro colonies but not sacrificing swimming room for fish .these tanks progress will be a slow journey , but I plan to document every step of the way !

It will be fun to watch, hoping to do a 400+ in a couple of years when we add on to our home. I will definitely be watching this one for tips on something this size. Wanted a 3' deep but now I'm considering the 4' deep. I like the scape but for me it would because I like my LPS and that amount of sand bed is perfect for it.

 

[Recklessryan904]

It will be fun to watch, hoping to do a 400+ in a couple of years when we add on to our home. I will definitely be watching this one for tips on something this size. Wanted a 3' deep but now I'm considering the 4' deep. I like the scape but for me it would because I like my LPS and that amount of sand bed is perfect for it.

It’s definitey a learning curve trying to plan everything on to make sure it’s done the right way so the corals and fish can thrive . I left the front 12 inches completely open for swimming room and to put some lps on the sand bed . I definitely think lighting is the biggest hurdle. I feel very confident I have more than enough random flow for acros and adequate filtration .

 

[mch1984]

It’s definitey a learning curve trying to plan everything on to make sure it’s done the right way so the corals and fish can thrive . I left the front 12 inches completely open for swimming room and to put some lps on the sand bed . I definitely think lighting is the biggest hurdle. I feel very confident I have more than enough random flow for acros and adequate filtration .

Well i'm still a little new to the hobby so my comments are personal opinions on the lighting subject. I think LED's are proven to be able to grown and do a good job. The hybrid fixtures are nice but I feel like it complicates the build and mounting part. Plus one uniform technology through out makes things easier. I'm not knocking MH or T5, there are certainly some stunning tanks and they are also proven technology. I'm a sucker for techy stuff though and LED's play right into that on most of the fixtures now a days. You can get the wifi capability with t5 and MH but the price gets insane when you do. I'll probably always stick to LED's but you that has nothing to do with performance and strictly personal preference.

 

[vector824]

Can’t wait to see the progress on that 400g. The ‘scape looks great and I admire the attention to detail! One day I hope to have a tank that big.

 

[Recklessryan904]

Well i'm still a little new to the hobby so my comments are personal opinions on the lighting subject. I think LED's are proven to be able to grown and do a good job. The hybrid fixtures are nice but I feel like it complicates the build and mounting part. Plus one uniform technology through out makes things easier. I'm not knocking MH or T5, there are certainly some stunning tanks and they are also proven technology. I'm a sucker for techy stuff though and LED's play right into that on most of the fixtures now a days. You can get the wifi capability with t5 and MH but the price gets insane when you do. I'll probably always stick to LED's but you that has nothing to do with performance and strictly personal preference.

I absolutely agree I think in today’s aquarium world leds,mh,t5 have beyond proven they can grow the highest of demand corals . I’ve had great success with radions so I’m totally with you on leds . Every lighting type has its pros/cons , you have to find what’s going to meet your happiness when it comes to quantity of fixtures , spread , consumption, price ,heat , yearly cost , bulb replacement....etc . What’s amazing about this hobby is their is beautiful tanks with all kinds of lights and different equipment . That’s why I’m leaning towards the radions .their rail system makes it very easy to mount and add on more fixtures . You also have to take into consideration how you want your tank to be down the road , a small frag doesn’t need as much light in the surrounding areas as a colony would . I’m trying to think about long term success , what am I going to need to having large thriving acropora colonies . T5 retrofit is a no brainer but then you have to look into mounting and add bulb replacements into your annual expense . Unfortunately with my dimensions I feel I would need 8 g4 pros to have long term success / awesome coverage . That’s why I’m not rushing into a decision so I can find what’s going to fit my needs / wants for the end goal of this tank . I’m a firm believer in if your a beginner or an expert everyone has opinions that can really help each other out . To me that’s the whole
Point of this forum is people voicing their opinions to either help with troubleshooting , overall health , aquascaping , lighting , coral growth ...

 

[Recklessryan904]

Can’t wait to see the progress on that 400g. The ‘scape looks great and I admire the attention to detail! One day I hope to have a tank that big.

Thank you so much ! I’ve taken many ideas from fellow reefers on this forum . Now that I have my dream tank I wanted to be able to look back years down the road and be proud with no regrets on this tank top to
Bottom.

 

[Wrangy]

I don't think you'll go wrong with whatever you choose to use for lights! you can always add t5 retrofits later on, so don't be scared to skip them to start with!

 

[Recklessryan904]

I don't think you'll go wrong with whatever you choose to use for lights! you can always add t5 retrofits later on, so don't be scared to skip them to start with!

That’s most likely the route I’ll take is start off with 6 g4 pros then either add in 3 rows of 2x54 retrofits or 2 more radions .

 

[Wrangy]

That’s most likely the route I’ll take is start off with 6 g4 pros then either add in 3 rows of 2x54 retrofits or 2 more radions .

I think it sounds like you've got your lighting plans sorted! Now you just need to get back home and get cracking! haha

 

[Recklessryan904]

I think it sounds like you've got your lighting plans sorted! Now you just need to get back home and get cracking! haha

Right now it’s the most cost effective choice being that I already have 3 g4 pros on the tank . If I end up going with a t5 retorifit I would have perfect coverage throughout the tank . Trust me I’m dying to get home it’s hard seeing the tank through FaceTime just waiting to be christened with acros ! I’m pretty excited about some of the acros I have picked out for the first frags. I’m going to be very selective with signature acros so when the tank is mature it’s packed with some amazing colonies .at least someone is enjoying the tank !

 

[BigJohnny]

I believe WWC only uses radion only on the grow out tanks where everything is pretty flat. The tanks with rock use t5 supplemental.

Pretty sure they only use radios everywhere now.

 

[BigJohnny]

Pretty sure they only use radios everywhere now.

Nvm I'm wrong, t5s too. Radions only in the warehouse.

 

[Recklessryan904]

After all this back and forth indecessiveness I am pretty set on a lighting plan . I really wanted t5s for this build but don’t want the heat from 24 54w bulbs , but I also love the vivid colors / shimmer I got from my radions . I figured the best way to satisfy my wants / coral needs / wallet / ease of maintenance for my wife / spread is to do 6 radion g4 pros using the (2) 80.5 rms tracks and 3 rows of t5 retrofits. I’m not sure how I will hang the t5s yet but I think I could use 80/20 rail to combine 2 48 inch retrofits . I think this setup up will give me the growth / color and best of both lighting setups . Their has been some new additions to the 1000g ;Bookworm (sailfin tang , powder blue , black tang,yellow tang , rabbitfish , hippo tang and blond Naso.

 

[Recklessryan904]

Sorry for the crappy pics these are cell picks that are sent to me . I’ll have better pics when I’m home using a DSLR .

 

[CoralWealth]

that sounds like a really good solution on the lighting, I am sure you will love it!

That salfin looks huge, any idea on the size?

 

[Recklessryan904]

that sounds like a really good solution on the lighting, I am sure you will love it!

That salfin looks huge, any idea on the size?

I’m pretty excited now that I’ve finally settled on lighting and can start figuring out how to mount the retrofits now .i would say the sailfin is around 5-6 inches . He is from the pacific ocean while the one in the 480 is from the Red Sea .

 

[bubbaque]

Beautiful fish! I haven't seen many black tangs.

 

[Recklessryan904]

Beautiful fish! I haven't seen many black tangs.

My father is huge tang addict and their may be a possibility of a gem tang soon . On the other hand I’m addicted to wrasses and anthias . I can’t wait to see the outcomes of both tanks being that our styles of reefing is way different . He’s more into a mixed reef packed with fish while I’m an acro addict obsessed with the shallow reefs with big colonies and lots of smaller fish . Also our methods are completely different as my father is in the early 2000s style of reefing while I love the technology / automation . I think that’s what’s going to be unique about this thread as you see 2 large tanks mature with 2 completely different styles of reefing .