Advice for a 180 gallon upgrade

[Mongo1.0]

Getting a 180 helping tank with a 120 gallon sump. Will be moving corals, CUC and the smaller fish from the 75 gal over to it. Going to have repair/restore the stand and hood. Getting a protein skimmer, lights and calcium reactor with it. Need advice/helpful ideas on some of the following:

1. Size return pump for the sump (back up pump needed?)
2. Powerheads
3. Substrate, was thinking without but wife wants the natural look
4. Helpful fish to include
5. Helpful CUC that would be good for larger tanks
6. Any other equipment/advice to make managing it easier?

 

[BryanM]

Getting a 180 helping tank with a 120 gallon sump. Will be moving corals, CUC and the smaller fish from the 75 gal over to it. Going to have repair/restore the stand and hood. Getting a protein skimmer, lights and calcium reactor with it. Need advice/helpful ideas on some of the following:

1. Size return pump for the sump (back up pump needed?)
2. Powerheads
3. Substrate, was thinking without but wife wants the natural look
4. Helpful fish to include
5. Helpful CUC that would be good for larger tanks
6. Any other equipment/advice to make managing it easier?

Live rock, if you can afford it, it just makes things better. Period.

1000-2000 gph return pump should work well. But I rely on wavemakers for flow in the DT, not return pump GPH.... You should too, especially in larger tanks.

Powerheads kinda depends on the goal of the tank. LPS/softies, my 180 has two 2k gyres and works great. BUT if you go SPS dominate that's a completely different ballgame.

Reefcleaners.org for a clean up crew.

I LOVE herbivore fish, and peaceful fish. Hippo tang, Sailfin tang, yellow tangs, lawnmower blenny, tomini tang. ... All happy family members here.

 

[Mongo1.0]

Thank you for the info. Is your pump in the sump or external? The sump is set up for either way. Curious about the heat added if internal.

Yes on the herbivore. My wife is very much looking forward to a Tang, lol.

 

[BryanM]

Thank you for the info. Is your pump in the sump or external? The sump is set up for either way. Curious about the heat added if internal.

Yes on the herbivore. My wife is very much looking forward to a Tang, lol.

My return pump is in the sump in its own chamber.

 

[GoAskAlice]

I have a 180 gallon display with an approx. 40 gallon sump. I use the Vectra M2 for the return pump (2000 gph). I keep one as a backup after one failed and I had difficulty getting a replacement quickly (even though it's kind of hard to purposely keep a $500 piece of equipment on hand "just in case").

I agree with @BryanM about using as much live rock as you can. I started with 100% dry rock and later replaced some of it with live rock due to continuing algae battles that I believe were the result of the dry rock soaking up nutrients.

Agree with your wife on the sand.

Good luck with your new tank and the transfer into it!

 

[Mongo1.0]

I have a 180 gallon display with an approx. 40 gallon sump. I use the Vectra M2 for the return pump (2000 gph). I keep one as a backup after one failed and I had difficulty getting a replacement quickly (even though it's kind of hard to purposely keep a $500 piece of equipment on hand "just in case").

I agree with @BryanM about using as much live rock as you can. I started with 100% dry rock and later replaced some of it with live rock due to continuing algae battles that I believe were the result of the dry rock soaking up nutrients.

Agree with your wife on the sand.

Good luck with your new tank and the transfer into it!

Thank you. I plan on moving live rock from my smaller 2 tanks into it (of course I'll need more). Put some of the media from the canister filters into sump or run the canister in the tank and gradually add water. I'll definitely check out the pump. Thanks again!