If I was setting up a LPS/soft coral tank I would....

[ShaunW]

Let's hear it! give over your advice. Think of it as a exercise in system design.

My answer based of limited resources living in a walk up NYC apt where weight is an issue (you can imagine your own settings):
- 75 gallon reef ready tank (with overflow customary placed on the outside of tank),
- 30 gallon sump
- T5 lights 2 true actinic, 2 10K (not sure if more would fit)
- in sump recirculating skimmer (in sump to prevent overflow).
- Dual chamber phosban reactor with carbon in first chamber and phosban in second.
- Temperature maintence: 300 watt heater for winter. Computer fans built into the hood for summer. Air conditioning for humans, corals and fish to enjoy during the rare hot summer days. Tank temperature would be kept at 82oF in summer, 80oF in winter.

Corals and Fish
- live rock about 50 pounds of porous rock
- in tank DSB of 4 inches.
- minimal fish bioload, approx. 7 fish. One yellow tank must be present and would be the biggest fish in the tank. No other aggressive fish.
- Zoos placed on the lower rocks, green star polyps on the sand bed, toadstools, one RBTA with hosting clownfish. Acans towards the middle to top so direct feeding can occur via a pipette. Blastos present also.
- Many different species of xenia.
- All corals would start as small pieces.
- 20 hermits (red legs that live a long time)
- 5 pacific turbos, 10 astras.

Anyway off the top of my head that is what I would do, I am sure it is not perfect, but it would be perfect for me.

 

[Bob 1000]

Sounds good... Display 8 T5 fixture.. Rockwork 3 small islands. I would increase the water volume by making the sump larger maybe about 55 gallons.. A little more rock maybe in the sump if you don't want to loose room in the display.. A 4ft stand so that you'd be able to get in the sump.. The stand would also be wider leaving about 6in on each side of the display, giving you room for phosban/carbon reactors on one side inside the tank as the sump is pushed to one side and a skimmer on the other side outside of the sump. An external pump under it compartmented off for room for water spills.. Lps system so I would dose rather than run a calcium reactor.. 2 t5 light over the sump to work as refugium and sump..
Oh yeah definetly a natureef denitrifier a staple in my systems,,lol..

 

[ShaunW]

Problem is in a NYC apt where would you put the 55g sump. Would you expect it to fit under the tank? Even if you could fit it horizontal you wouldn't be able to get into the sump for maintenance unless the stand was higher than the typical one used for a 75g tank (removing and cleaning the skimmer and other sump related equipt.)

 

[ShaunW]

Tobin spell out your ideal LPS/softie system.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/53648-chiefs-34-starfire-solana.html

The 34 Solana with the 150 or 20" T5 Extreme Pro light IMO. Perfect size for just the right amount of reef

 

[Bob 1000]

Elaboration complete,,lol..

 

[bad coffee]

One vortech for circulation would be enough circulation, if you're not doing a strong return pump.

B

 

[jackson6745]

I would love to do a larger softie tank like a 150g so all my leathers and LPS can grow really big and extend polyps/tentacles.

My list for a 150g 48x24x30 (whatever sump fits underneath, the size not important IMO)

Lighting- 8 bulb T5 system

Filtration-Large ATB skimmer or similar. Reactor for phosban + reactor for carbon. Monthly 30gal water changes

Flow- just 1 MP40 set on pulse mode to gave a wave effect. Most LPS + softies that i see extend better with a gentle flow

Controller-heater, fans, lights all set to desired times + temps

Dosing- b-ionic

Corals + Fish

I would add a ton of different zoos for color diversity. I would add a neon green toadstool, regular toadstool, green nepthia, Hammer coral, duncan, and bubble coral giving them all space to grow LARGE. I would also pave the sandbed with Rics

 

[NYreefNoob]

do just as i am ding with new tank
3x2x22" external overfow
2 vortech mp20's
tek 8 bulb t5
vertex in180 gen 2
gen x pc 40 to ru return, chiller, cal reactor and carbon and phos reactors
sump is 30x20x16
i know for what i plan i really wont need a cal reactor but keeps me from worrying about dosing and do plan to add some sps later, tank will be clowns 6-8 and starting with 2-4 anenome's, and of course all my zoa's will go into tank, want alot of color

 

[h2o]

Since u moved to Australia and assuming that acans and scollys are in the reach of your hand i would go with a 120g or 150g tank and half of the tank would be rainbow acans , 20 scollys on the sandbed

 

[Chraddam]

...gotta have a brain in there somewhere