Hello All - 125 Gallon Build

[richard kagen]

After a bit of confusion we are getting going on building a 125 FOWLR tank:
- New dual Megaflow
- Building an extra tall stand, extra deep stand
- High output T5 lamps: 10,000K daylight and 460nm Actinic. 78 watts of each. Using 2 36" Nova Extreme HO Light Fixture
Home designed and built sump, I am planning:
- 5 gallon bioball chamber with a pad draw/drip tray
- 2 - 4" x 17" socks
- 1 - 4" x 17" sock in a PVC pipe to hold 2 units of ChemiPure
- 12" x 16" x 12" Refugium with live sand and macro algae
- Bubble Magus BM100 skimmer in 13" of water (already bought it new $179 shipped, look great quality, we will see how it runs)
Looking for any feedback on the sump design ???
Thoughts on Flex PVC vrs braided Hose???
It will be an agressive tank, triggers, puffers, tangs, hawkfish, etc

 

[crypt keeper]

with an aggressive set up I would get rid of the Bio ball idea. They trap to much waste in this set up and you will have to keep cleaning them monthly IMO to keep water qaulity what it should. get the biggest skimmer you can afford. Run a 55 gallon sump. Set up the largest fuge in the middle you can.

 

[richard kagen]

I already bought the skimmer BM100, we will see if it is big enough. If not I will put it on the 80 set up (60 agressive connected to a 20 "couples" tank with a mated pair of coral banded shrimp and a hopeful pair of small false perculas). Not sure how one actually knows if their protein skimmer is big enough.
I am planning to build the bioball tower with a deep drip draw with 2 layers of pads to change weekly. There will be a bypass for clogged pads that will go straight to the sump rather than let unstrained water to the balls. I have had good luck with bio balls in the 80 and my LFS is also a big proponent of bb.
Thoughts on what to put in the refugium? It is currently 16 x 12 x 12 for 10 gallons.

 

[crypt keeper]

Thats cool. IMO the bigger the fuge the better. You are going to have a huge bio load in that tank. Ever seen a 6 inch puffer take dump? Makes you want to do a water change on the spot.