120 Gallon Plant Tank

[Spine]

I just broke down my(48x24x124) 120 gal. Reef tank and I want to turn it into a plant tank.The tank has a overflow and sump is this a problem if I'm going to you CO2? I also have two 10K 175w Metal halide bulbs do I need both for plants or is one good enough. For substrate I have a 50 lb. bag of Pro Choice Soilmaster Select do I need the whole bag? or how many inches of substate would you recemend.


Thanks,
Kevin

[krisw]

I just replanted my 75G today with Soilmaster Select, and I used almost exactly a whole bag doing a large hill. So, I'd expect that if you do a normal slope and depth, you'd need a least one bag. Definitely not 2 whole bags, but it's never a bad thing to have extra substrate on hand.

[Aaron]

You'll also want to use both metal halide bulbs. It's generally accepted that the light spread of a well reflected MH bulb is an area of about 24"x24" so your tank would need two bulbs.

CO2 can be used on an overflow setup, but more CO2 will be lost. You could plumb a canister filter into the overflow instead if this is a concern for you.

[gnatster]

Having had a Reef Read 120 with a sump I learned a few things. Instead of using the sump I would plumb in a canister with inline heater and CO2 reactor.

For the lighting I would use both. Mine had 2x250 HQI. 2x175 would have been a better option for me.

[krisw]

Excuse my ignorance on everything plumbing, but when plumbing a canister into an overflow, do you just hook up the canister intake to the drain pipe in the overflow? If so, wouldn't CO2 still be lost when water trickles into the overflow box? Or, do you close the bulkhead in the overflow box, and just run a canister filter like you normally do over the back of the tank?

[Aaron]

Kevin,

I forgot to answer your substrate question. Yes, the whole bag should be used. You may find you'll even want to use a little more than one bag. Typically a slope from front to back of about 2"-3" or a little more works well.

[Spine]

Thanks,
I think one bag will do the job because I used a three in. wide border of sand all around the front of the tank. I ordered more substrate just in case I change my mind.

Kevin

[gnatster]

Excuse my ignorance on everything plumbing, but when plumbing a canister into an overflow, do you just hook up the canister intake to the drain pipe in the overflow? If so, wouldn't CO2 still be lost when water trickles into the overflow box? Or, do you close the bulkhead in the overflow box, and just run a canister filter like you normally do over the back of the tank?

One would place a standpipe in the overflow box thus keeping the overflow filled. A Duroso or Stockman type standpipe would be perfect. For the return come back up thru the overflow box and terminate with Locline. For a 120 with dual overflows I would use 2 canisters, with the drain of one side being the return on the other side for good water flow. On one I'd hang the reactor and the other a heater and possibly UV if needed. Very neat, very clean and easily serviceable. Oh, I'd also put union type shutoff valves on the lines to make it very simple to remove the canisters for maint.