What Size Tank

[tmreeftank]

I currently have a 35 hex that I just hate due to the height and shape of the tank. Thought it would look good in the corner.
I am currently looking to build a small tank into the wall of my basement in a closet. My current set-up is the 35 hex, 2x65 PC's, Modified Seaclone 100, 2 maxi-jet 1000's, 40 lbs lr, 20 lbs cc.
My desire is to basically buy a new tank and replacing the crushed coral with live sand (southdown or quickcrete dependant on HD supplies). I'm not currently in a position to upgrade the lights or skimmer. I am planning on keeping some soft corals (colt, zenia, shrooms) and maybe a few hard corals (elegant, brain, frogspawn).
With a 4-5 inch dsb can I successfully keep these corals in a 38 or am I better off with a 30 gallon tank? I realize that the 2x65 is low for a 38 but with the dsb the depth would be reduced.
Your thoughts????

 

[tmreeftank]

So if I read into your response correctly, I should be able to keep a 38 gallon successfully with the equipment I have?? I would be able to add a 30 watt NO bulb if needed down the road.

 

[danrw84]

sounds good to me. just dont have too many things on the bottom?
but, TM , ive got a question for ya. I am setting up a sump. I currently use a prizm skimmer, but i have a seaclone 100 as well. its in a box somewhere. It would fit perfectly in the sump. How do you like yours, and what did you modify?
sorry to get off topic, i saw it in your post and i had to ask. thanks bud.

 

[tmreeftank]

For the Seaclone I removed the tube that runs through the body of the skimmer. I saw this modification in a post somewhere (sorry can't remember where). If the skimmer is kept clean it seems to work pretty well. I have a very low bioload right now so it doesn't skim a whole lot. When I feed it does kick in and skim a lot more. I will probably drill a hole in the top and put a wooden air difuser in when I move to the new tank.
Current setup:
35 hex
2x65 PC's
2 maxi 100's (8 years old and still running great)
approx 40 lbs lr
20 lb cc
1 damsel (mean as sh....)
1 coral banded shrimp
1 brittle star
tons of small purple shrooms
1 rock anemone (sometimes called a flower anemone) 8 years old.
Feeding is rarely performed. The tang, shrimp and star pretty much are self sufficient. As I move forward with the new tank and increase inhabitants I will be changing my routine to a more normal feeding pattern.
Tim

 

[danrw84]

TMReeftank:
thanks. Ive heard of doing that..
Do you have the newer model? or is yours old? Did you take the tornado tube thing completley out? how?
got a pic of what you've done? i am going to try it and i am going to drill the hole and place the big airstone
thanks. any more help is great!

 

[tmreeftank]

I have an older model that I removed the tornado tube out of. I read that you should try to pull it out and then cut it down to about 2 inches in length, then put it back in. When I pulled on the tube it broke at the bottom so mine doesn't have that 2 inches of tube. IMO having the 2" of tube would help keep the bubbles out of the tank better. This adjustment definitely helped with the skimming ability of the Seaclone.
Good Luck!!!
Tim