So I am finally getting around to building my frags a new place to live outside of my DT.There new home will be a 40" by 60" by 15" deep coral flat.Over the next few days I will be getting it all together and up and running.I will be adding a Ecosystems 200 refugium for filtration as well as a custom sump with a hydor performer 500 protein skimmer.For lighting I have not yet chosen between 2-250 watt mh's or 1-400 watt mh,I have both so I guess I could experiment a bit.I thought about going with 10k's for the growth.I have a little giant for a return pump as well as some maxi mods I will be putting in the tank for flow.Anyway as I said over the next few days as I am building this I will update photos and progress as well as answer any questions one might have and also I would like to hear any suggestions as well.Thanks for tagging along.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Nice setup you got there

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Celebrating 500 posts



Planted 20 gallon
2 emerald corydoras
2 gold barbs
2 cherry barbs
4 swordtails
2 platies
1 balloon mollies

wow..need many money..

10k for growth 20k for sweet sweet color

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Looking good Rob. Tagging along this thread for sure.
Did you put a level on it yet to check if its square with the earth?

Okay so I did a few more things today, not much,but hey, I am steadily making progress.Here is a few pic's.(sorry they are kinda lousy,it is a cellphone) The first one is a pic of my little giant pump next to my new sump.I know it is not to pretty but remember I have the ecosystems 200 to go on it as well,I just wanted a place for some LR and the protein skimmer.


Next up is a little bit of plumbing.I have measured the stacks but will cut tommorow.



After that this is what it will look like once in position.I am also going to cut some of the rim down for easy access in the front.



And last but not least, a pic of my hydor skimmer in action.


Also thanks everyone for the kind words and i appreciate all feedback.I was thinking of going half 10k and half 20k actually, cdot. It would be the best of both worlds,growth on one side and color up on the other.

The tank came to me by a friend that owns a lfs and yeah I did check to make sure it is level and I tell ya it is pretty darn close.
Well everybody I am heading to bed it is getting late but I will have her filled up with water tommorow and will share a few more cruddy pics with yall but hey pic's of a tank build are pic's of a tank build,right.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

I'd suggest that you re-think your lighting. With 15" of water depth I'd be looking at 175w MH unless you intend to hang them way above the tank. With 250's or 400's you stand a much better chance of bleaching them out.

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Doc

Dr Hank's 200 gallon Reef Tank
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f46/drhanks-tank-3440.html

Thanks Doc for your input.I wasn't sure if it would bleach them considering it was about 3.5 watts per gallon but then again I never thought to much about the depth.I already have everything though for the 250's and 400 but I guess I am kinda leaning toward the 250's to get better light coverage. Also if I hang them high I might get away without using a chiller.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Hang them higher, especially the 400s, and keep a close eye on them. If necessary, some fiberglass screen (in layers) can help with the acclimation.

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Doc

Dr Hank's 200 gallon Reef Tank
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f46/drhanks-tank-3440.html

Okay so I admit that I have been slacking a bit on my build and my estimated date of completion has moved.So I have completed hooking up my pump.I chose flex pipe because I will be moving the sump around once in awhile and will be easy to disconnect.Sorry not much else,except for my little soldier guarding my investment.

Oh by the way Doc I am only using the 2-250s' not the 400.I only had 1 400 and I figured I would get a better spread with the 2 lights.Also instead of hanging the lights from the ceiling I am going to build a rack on top of the tank.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Rob, as long as you have a way to change the distance up and down, it should work fine. Actually, the spread is going to be about 2'x2' regardless of wattage. What increases as you go up from 175 to 400 is depth of penetration.

By the way, I love your tank guard dog. Markings are similar to my Jack Russel.

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Doc

Dr Hank's 200 gallon Reef Tank
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f46/drhanks-tank-3440.html

Here is round about what the light rack will look like.Of course a little fine tuning is needed.Bandit says thanks for the compliment Doc.,Jacks are great animals.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Okay so I finally have water in the tank now as well as my protein skimmer.



I am going later to pick up some sand and LR to put in the tank and sump because it just looks to darn empty right now.I don't know about yall but I hate waiting for a tank to cycle, all I want to do is fill it up with corals right away.(The doctors tell me it's a sickness I got



I also have not hung the lights yet but it wont be long, I just haven't figured out what reflectors I want yet.Below is another sweet addition I am adding to the project.A nice GEO should get everything growing.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

wow...that is an impressive build you got there...

nice job

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Celebrating 500 posts



Planted 20 gallon
2 emerald corydoras
2 gold barbs
2 cherry barbs
4 swordtails
2 platies
1 balloon mollies

Well I finally got around to putting in substrate and some LR.I used Puka shell for the substrate,I figured it would give zoos and stuff alike good stuff to cling to.I also added about the same amount of LR in the sump as in the tank.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Nice tank. is that a custom tanks? I always wanted a shallow tank like that. Were did you get it?

HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICS.I DECIDED TO GO WITH ICECAP SPIDER REFLECTORS AND 250WATT 10K'S.

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Those who trim themselves to meet other peoples needs will soon whittle themselves away!

Wow...do you put fish in there???that is an overflow in the middle right?

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Celebrating 500 posts



Planted 20 gallon
2 emerald corydoras
2 gold barbs
2 cherry barbs
4 swordtails
2 platies
1 balloon mollies

Great looking fixture. Looks like it wont be getting in your way as you work in and around the tank, plus it wont sway like if you hung it from the ceiling.
Now you gotta get some powerbrites on there and your all set.