How would U??

[say]

If you could build a 40 gallon reef tank and put everything in it that you would want or need.... what would it have in it? Start with the equipment and go from there. I'm looking to building a 40 gallon reef tank and move up from my 32gal bio cube. Get specific if you can so I can learn from everyone else.

 

[whyamisofl]

Why would you go through that much trouble to gain 8 gallons of water??

 

[say]

Originally Posted by whyamisofl
http:///forum/post/2812988
Why would you go through that much trouble to gain 8 gallons of water??
Well I'm looking to get rid of the Biocube process and get a better balanced tank. I can't keep sps in the biocube.. not enough filtration for them. I dont' want to have to modify it so much that I have to drill holes and have a refuge sitting in my floor behind it. I want to be able to have a tank and the refuge be under it in the stand out of site and out of mind. See what I mean???
I would even be happy with a 65 gal tank.

 

[gatorwpb]

With a 40g, Id go with 2x150w metal halide lighting. With a 65, 2x250w MH would be better. But I have 2x150w on my 65g and its plenty of light, just have to keep stuff in the top half. I would think that retrofit with good reflectors would be better than a fixture, but I use a 36" sunpod and really like it. 14k Phoenix bulbs I use now, but you could use 20k radiums also.
But the key for sps is great water quality, which IMO means having a sump and refugium with a quality skimmer. I use a 20g with live sand and cheato and use a EuroReef RS100 as my skimmer.
Also need lots of flow. I use 2 modded mj1200s and a modded tunze 6025. If you have the money go with 2 tunze streams with the multicontroller.

 

[keebler]

I would plumb the two tanks together using a 50 gallon sump and then I would do aggressive or fish only (not much option I know) in the 32 and in the 40 I would do a reef. Just what I would do...