Ok, my new 560g should be here some time next week, and I have a lot of remodeling, supporting, and planning to do, so this is really just the teaser thread. I will post a build thread when the time comes...

I am hoping for some input, because over the years, one thing I have learned, is that more ideas are far better than less ideas!

The tank itself is 120x36x30 with three overflows and a dual closed loop. The back is black and I will be building it into a wall with a closet for the other tanks and equipment.

All together this system will be around 1000 gallons. I really like mixed reef tanks, and I will have a large par variation through the tank. I am thinking 2 or 3 islands with different types of coral spread throughout lots of room on the sand bed, and at least one of the islands will have rock to the top (or even out of the water) and lot of sps towards the tops, zoa/palys/softies mid level mixed in with lps throughout. Also hoping to dominate the sand with low light and non photosynthetic coral.

I am a primarily small fish guy, but with a tank this big, they will get lost, so I am hoping to add a few BFG's the (F)riendly part is the most important, I have had aggressive tanks in the past, and I think it really ruins the mood of the reef. Don't get me wrong, predator tanks are cool, they just don't really mix with the reef vibe (IMO) I plan on having a ton of inverts as well, so fish gobbling them up really isn't an option for me

The tank will drain into a 60x18x18 pre-sump with a RDSB and my skimmer (Euroreef RSA250)
Then the pre-sump will drain into the main sump where I can add my reactors and other equipment.
The main sump will pump the water up to my elevated fuge (72x8x10) that will be above the display tank and packed full of chaetomorpha algae. This system will be ran at a slow flow rate to ensure good contact time with all of the equipment etc.

In the future, I plan on adding another stage in my basement that will have a 100g rubbermade tub with a 48x24x12 frag tank above it, and a PVC closed loop for a chiller if I need it.

Lighting will be LED (maybe not at first) but I am definitely working this out!

I will have a 100g 72x18x18 quarantine tank in the closet and also hope to have a 55g tank plumbed into the main system for easy water changes (50g r/o water + 1 bag of salt and a little mixing room) makes for an easy water change. If I hook the 55 up to a drain, I can easily turn off the pump, drain it, then fill it with r/o (I have a 150gpd r/o) mix the water/salt and turn the pump back on. I plan on doing this over the weekends.

Friday I will turn the pump off and drain the tank and let the r/o fill it overnite. Saturday I will add the salt and turn on the heater and mixing pump, then Sunday I will turn on the circulation pump to mix the new water into the system... when Friday comes, it will be time to "rinse and repeat"...

I am hoping to have plenty of room in the closet for all of this and my other reef goodies (food, cleaners, jugs etc), I have a feeling I will probably be having the pre-sump under the tank, and maybe even the main sump...

Plumbing is my biggest conundrum, I want to do this with minimal pumps, I know I will have one main return (everything will be plumbed inline via gravity) and then I will probably use just one pump and tie the two closed loops together.

I am really hoping to hear your guys thoughts on this setup, how would you do it (or better yet, how have you done it) I have cleared the space in my barn, and have acquired the equipment, but that's where I am as of right now. This is the perfect time for ideas...

please feel free to chime in, wisdom is appreciated flamers... not so much

Thanks every1
Derek