new tank plans, what ya think?

[bcarleton]

Seroiusly considering the 90 gal that Gerwin has in the shop. It will be replacing my current 75. The 75 has some serious design flaws to be used as a reef tank. I believe the main flaw is that it started as a FOWLR with a very coarse crushed rock bed about 2.5" deep over an undergravel filter plate that was in use with 2 small power heads but now is not. The 75 is not drilled so i am using a HOB fuge and a HOB skimmer (AquaC Remora). I just changed the powerhead set up recently, currently for flow I have one Koralia 1400 and 2 400's. The change to this was positive, had too much flow with the other arrangment. Lighting right now is 2 175W Halides and a single 48" t5 for actinic. I do have about 100lbs of rock in the 75, which I think is a positive.
Ok, on to my plans for the 90. Equipment: Lighting will pretty much stay the same. Halides will stay but step up to 2x48 t5 for actinic. Water flow stay the same, the 1400 and 2 400's along with watever the return from the sump adds. A small sump like 10-15 gal. For skimmer, looking at Octopus 110. Return pump, something like Mag 5.
I will probably drop the amnt of rock down just a little but still stay in the 80lb area. Lookin at a shallow sand bed, bout 1" or so.
Livestock will change a little. I am for sure keeping my 2 black Clowns, single Citron Goby and the 4 Chromis. I also currently have a FoxLo, a BiColor Angel and a Yellow flanked Wrasse. Either the Fox or the BiColor have decided to start eating zoanthids so probably gonna move both of them. Wrasse may stay.
Anyway, getting long winded here. Tank will be prmarily for Zoas, leathers and LPS. Maybe SPS at some point. Any suggestions? Anything that would be good to look at changing. Don't bother telling me g LED's. That will come one day, but not at this point in build.
Oh, what is best way and product to paint back wall of tank?

[Redfish]

I would consider going bigger with the sump, I would get rid of both the Fox Face and the Bi Colored angel either one of them could be eatting your zoas.

[Bud]

If you have room and resources, I'd go at least 125gl. More water, bigger sump, more stable system.

[bcarleton]

A bigger tank just wont fit where the tank will be going. Between 2 windows that are just under 60" apart. the 48" wide tank is about it for there.
I have thought about bigger sump. I have an old 30 long in storage, see if I can fit that thru the doors of the stand.

[Gerwin]

30 long will fit, stand goes right over the top of it

[Gerwin]

I use krylon spray paint.
I never push anyone on LEDs, but if you ask I will sure tell you all be benefits if they are in the budget. T-5;s , VHO, MH, even power compacts will all work (see previous post showing successful systems with OUT LED )

[bcarleton]

I guess I am in a worst case scenario kind of mind set. Like what if something happens to where the sump needs to be pulled from inside the stand while the tank is set up?

[Redfish]

This is what I would do

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

Before you go to Lowes, come over to my house and I will let you use my Craigs Jig, then go to Lowes and they will cut the wood for you. You could have the stand up in about 2 hours. These are the plans I used to build my stand. The only thing I did diff. was to put a few 2x4s on the bottom to screw the flooring into. Don't buy P. Treated wood, I have read that it will tend to warp as the wood dries, you can buy some Kiltz primer for the stand or the Lowes brand which is cheaper, paint the wood before you start putting it together.

[bcarleton]

I remember seeing that thread a while back. I just never paid that close attention to it to realize he was saying that no center brace was needed for 48 wide using 2x4's. Figure that I could wrap it in 1/2" board and have a 30" opening in the front with doors. I like it. I've got plenty of clamps and power tools to do the framing. Just on the sheeting might need to find someoe with a table saw to get good straight long cuts. All that can be glue and screw and then use some stain grade trim to finish it out and make it clean.