Quote:
Originally Posted by
sweat90lx http:///t/392352/starting-over-what-suggestions-do-you-have#post_3483242
I am so new to this I have a hard time thinking that big. LOL. but now... a room that has a tank around all four walls with the only break big enough for a doorway. Ill stop now because I cannot imagine the cost and maintenance.
I wish I had planned a mixing station and auto top off for mine now. A sump setup would be nice too, but it would have to be in the stand, I dont have a basement or ever seen one.
Forget the break big enough for a doorway - a trapdoor in the ceiling works, and adds another 36" of tank in the wall. But seriously...I like the idea of putting your equipment in the basement and your DT on the first floor. Just don't underestimate the size of the sump since it seems that almost daily I want to add some piece of equipment to mine, and I'm plain out of room in there. That makes maintenance a chore as well. What kind of display tank (DT) are you planning - FO or reef? That will dictate for you what equipment you will need. What size DT? At the very least, regardless of the type of DT, plan on a mixing tank, a reservoir tank for RODI, a RODI system and either a sump/refugium or a wet/dry filter (or a combination of both) return pumps for the sump and for the mixing tank (to circulate water during mixing, and to deliver the fresh saltwater to your DT without your having to carry buckets up the stairs). Find the largest skimmer you can, then reject it and keep looking for a bigger one
. Get the JBJ ATO system because you can replace their small pump (which won't pump make-up water from your basement reservoir to the DT) with a larger pump (I use a Mag 7.5 which can deal with a 10 foot head). That's just my $.02 - I'm sure others here will have different ideas, but having just finished a 220 gallon installation a few months ago, that's what I wish I had done (I actually did about 75% of that, but not perfect). Good luck!