chimera

yeah steve weast still get's my vote!

OMG...!!! I hope he isnt planning on moving house at some stage soon.... for anyone doing your own tank plumbing - the ball valves shown 2nd pic down (with blue handles) are the ones ya want :lol:

i could only see 3/4" and 1" on some USA sites - but maybe they do bigger?

so then you either: 1. need to give retailers a better buy price to pass onto the consumer (only making a small margin? ok, so either get a new job or move onto point 2) 2. inform the lfs (im sure most know) that we, as the consumer, demand better buy prices and to drop their own margins (cant run their business on lower margins? ok, move onto point 3) 3. if you cant beat them, join them - tell the jansens and hollywoods to start selling online offering discounted products completely agree. most beginners dont have the contacts or know of resources (like this web site) so rely on the LFS to provide goods and service. some offer good advice, some offer poor advice. unfortunately there comes a time when: 1. the hobby becomes too costly and sourcing goods offshore via the net is far more cost-effective 2. your own learning and experience goes beyond what (the average) LFS staff member knows i openly admit, as a consumer, im selfish. i'll only support the LFS out of convenience. if im driving passed and need something urgent, I'll get it. however if there is a $200+ price difference by purchasing through LFS vs overseas, I'll take the offshore purchase and keep my own pocket happy. to quote pies, "welcome to the Internet"

not a bad idea, i would be keen on the halide - but only at the right price duke - what you would need to do is throw the figures around - assuming you got it for $2k, and work out what each item would be worth.

Pies, rainbow lifeguard appears to be a bulkhead with strainer and 90 degree fitting all in one kit.

As Pies says, compact ball valves are best sourced from Mico's. Mico get them from Plastic Systems - however you are better off asking for trade price at Mico's as they're about $5ea more direct from Plastic Systems (even thoug they are a wholesaler, not a retailer!)

best item for this is a sea swirl. water flows through it and the nozzle oscillates side to side 90 degrees. it's an item i dont believe i could do without - the best part i believe is that it adds cross-flow to my closed loop flow thus creating random water movement. very cool!

:lol:

true, timers can cost heaps at $20 a piece. i've got 5 timers i think!

exactly. or if it's a higher priced item its generally a rip off. take my iwaki for example, $1200 here, $600 from marinedepot. i gladly welcome the Internet for these types of purchases - and it's not just fish products.

ball valves are a must. if something goes wrong with the plumbing, you want to be able to shut it off.

yes, you can get the closed loops done now (ie: holes drilled, plumbing etc) but be aware it IS costly. each hole drilled needs a bulkhead fitted and a ball valve attached. just for those two bits you're looking at about $50 per hole (that's trade price for about 3/4" to 1" hole)

well, a difficult one really depending if you buy 2nd hand or retail prices. but doing a quick guesstimated add up, i would say anywhere from $5k up. probably (minimum) $5k if all sourced 2nd hand and at least double if through LFS (for a 5 footer)

an accepting wife... yeah, i think we all forgot about that accessory. perhaps the most expensive part of a reef tank. goes something like "for every dollar you spend on your tank i'm spending that on clothes..." "yes dear, but dont forget we have a mortgage to pay" :lol: "whats this invoice hidden in the back of the drawer?" "oh that, it's just another set of tunze streams dear..., the $1,200 at the bottom was for a box of them, but its ok coz I only bought two..."

i don't understand why you just paint the outside of the tank. glass was transparent last time i looked otherwise, as everyone else has stated coralline will eventually cover it.

oh, "excuse me sir but does that hydrometer come with a free dive mask?" :lol:

personally i wouldnt run the risk of having the return going into a spray bar - leave that up to a closed loop instead. keep your overflow and return simple. have it go back over the top of the tank with an 'anti-reverse syphon hole' near the top of the plumbing (but under the water) optionally add an anti-reverse syphon valve to your plumbing - but unncessary if you design your sump correctly. the pipe out of your sump into your return pump should be as close to the bottom of the sump (but not on the bottom so as to suck up any crud) also as brian says, the sump should have enough space above the normal 'water line' for any water reverse syphoning from the main tank. lastly, consider baffles (over, under, over) in the middle of the sump to reduce micro-bubbles effecting performance of the return pump. where about's is ya skimmer going?

Basic definition is a control system with an active feedback loop. In other words you are circulating water around in your main tank by taking the water out and putting it back in. Its just used to increase circulation without having powerheads in the tank. Hence reason why some people drill their tanks. Water goes out of tank into a pump then circulated back into the tank again. When the water is cycled around it obviously creates water movement (good for SPS corals) and (depending where the loop goes back into the tank) provides aeration.

ease up, im married :lol:

a bit of worthless information (albeit interesting) information for you all: Seal enclosure at the Auckland zoo has 900,000 litres of seawater, 12 tonnes of salt. Every litre is filtered once every 80 minutes on average. Anyone got room for something like this in their home?

yup that's the one. also rate it 10/10. an item i just couldnt do without either!

so got anything else to add to it?

As I said above "All are mandatory unless otherwise stated" mandatory = required accessory = a subordinate or supplementary item; an adjunct. Something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole

i would HIGHLY recommend you go along to a meeting first and have a look first hand at one of the guys (or girls?!) tanks. ask as many questions as you can and learn how it all works. once you get a better idea, someone there will be able to help you get your tank setup (which will not only make it easier, but is likely to be more cost-effective too due to having some good contacts - in other words they'll send you to the best places. its less likely you will waste your money on crap products too - a few of us have been there done that )