ThadMan23 Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Hey I'm new to the forum and starting a 65g build in yhe next few weeks kinda a rookie as Iv only messed around with SW for a few years and never really dove in. wanted to get into it again, so I picked up a 29g bio-cube been running it for almost 4 months without a hitch so decided to get a bigger tank. Now I have a 65g tank that I picked up this last weekend got the paint on the stand done and the acrylic buffed and Polished out but now kind of at a standstill on where I should go with it it came with the sump but not really too sure if I should use it although I think it would work for the meantime just want some insight from you old-time reefers anything helps and ideas are always great haven't decided what lighting to go with yet either. This is a few pictures of the tank before and after and what it looks like in its new current state of white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingRider62 Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Great start, I would definitely run a sump. Personally I would ditch the sump in the pics and go with something more customizable, like a 20 or 40 gallon with baffels and chambers for return pump and skimmer. As for lighting, you could pickup some cheap T5s for now and upgrade as time and money permits. If you need some help, there are several of us in the Salem, Dallas area. Just ask. Good luck. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bicyclebill Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Welcome to the group! I think you could get by just fine with that sump as long as you don't put bioballs in it like it may have come with. It looks like it will fit a heater, skimmer, and return pump just fine. I've got a 4 bulb T5 retrofit if it's 48" wide and you need lightsSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 18 hours ago, Bicyclebill said: Welcome to the group! I think you could get by just fine with that sump as long as you don't put bioballs in it like it may have come with. It looks like it will fit a heater, skimmer, and return pump just fine. I've got a 4 bulb T5 retrofit if it's 48" wide and you need lights Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk sorry been super busy, thanks for the response! i picked up 150lbs of rock from a guy on here Tenderfoot I believe his SN is. so what I don't use I'll be sure to try and find a spot to put what I can in. I was thinking my old 20g long tank and putting my own baffles in it so I can also make a spot for a refugium being that something I want to do in the future. Yes the tank is 48 inches long, what kind of corals would that T5 be able to support? I was thinking of picking up a couple of 150w metal halides from Garrett at TPA but not sure if those warm it up so much that I would need to put a chill or on it and not wanting to have to do that nor do I think they would fit in my hood and I don't want to have to build a new one. I think in the end the AI Prime would be the best way to go with it two of those but not in the budget at this time but still up in the air with what I'm actually going to do with it just got it in the house and trying to figure out a good spot for it at the moment this is the location it's in right now and I don't know if I really like it or not yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashy Fins Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Love the white! I've never heard of a coral you can't grow under T5 lights; they will grow anything you like. LEDs have become more popular lately, but I still prefer the look of T5 light in most tanks. Just one of those things that is personal preference, although I do notice with T5, it seems any fixture will do (some just have better reflectors and fans than others), whereas that does not seem to be the case with LEDs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Love the white! I've never heard of a coral you can't grow under T5 lights; they will grow anything you like. LEDs have become more popular lately, but I still prefer the look of T5 light in most tanks. Just one of those things that is personal preference, although I do notice with T5, it seems any fixture will do (some just have better reflectors and fans than others), whereas that does not seem to be the case with LEDs. Yeah I chose white because I thought that it just looked nicer than black and not the standard. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_kieran Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Great first build. Love the white. I see so many black stands like myself, so the white is a very nice touch! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Great first build. Love the white. I see so many black stands like myself, so the white is a very nice touch!Just waiting for the cycle to finish!Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_kieran Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Just now, ThadMan23 said: Just waiting for the cycle to finish! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Lookin good! Love the rock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Looks amazing!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Lookin good! Love the rock!hey thanks! the wait time is killing me so I decided to test the parameters every other day so I don't feel like I'm a dwelling on it lol I ghost Fed mysis shrimp for a few days and ammonia came pretty quick but finally starting to get nitrites to show up still no nitrates yet well as of yesterday anyways! [emoji35] Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Looks amazing!!thanks man!Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 The white looks great. I just picked up a 90 gallon corner that I'm gonna paint white with some kind of from color. Was thinking red. How did you do the buffing in that tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 The white looks great. I just picked up a 90 gallon corner that I'm gonna paint white with some kind of from color. Was thinking red. How did you do the buffing in that tank? used a chip foose buffing ball and Novus 3-2-1 as directed and lots of micro fiber cloths and patients lolSent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Nice. I think this new tank has a few, but luckily thet are on the outside. What kind of lighting did you use? I think I'm having issues with growing my stuff because of my lights, but I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Here's my before pics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Nice. I think this new tank has a few, but luckily thet are on the outside. What kind of lighting did you use? I think I'm having issues with growing my stuff because of my lights, but I have no idea. bought some China leds from powderblue. their was 3 on a 160 ANF and it grew all corals great so I stuffed 2 over the 65. what kind of lights are you using? what's your water parameters?Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Unsure if my water right now. Need to check. Trying to upload my lights. I think T5 with 3 white lights and 2 blue and a purple. All tube of course. Need to probably upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Unsure if my water right now. Need to check. Trying to upload my lights. I think T5 with 3 white lights and 2 blue and a purple. All tube of course. Need to probably upgrade.looks like a good setup what time tank is it?Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadm73 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 65 tall I'm told. I have quite a bit of rock in there. Probably 100-125 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_kieran Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 57 minutes ago, ThadMan23 said: hey thanks! the wait time is killing me so I decided to test the parameters every other day so I don't feel like I'm a dwelling on it lol I ghost Fed mysis shrimp for a few days and ammonia came pretty quick but finally starting to get nitrites to show up still no nitrates yet well as of yesterday anyways! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Takes some time. but the wait is well worth it. Build a good foundation to support everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Takes some time. but the wait is well worth it. Build a good foundation to support everything else.yea, did the same years ago with my 55g still takes to long lolSent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThadMan23 Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Takes some time. but the wait is well worth it. Build a good foundation to support everything else.yea, did the same years ago with my 55g still takes to long lolSent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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