Carl's 75 reef

[Carl]

I've had a 61.8 gallon mixed reef tank many years.

 

What I like about my current system:

simple design

no sump

What I don't like about my current system:

no sump

black/clear acryllic modern designed stand and hood

mediocre BakPak skimmer

3 visible power heads in tank

1 visible heater in tank

1 visible BakPak preskimmer in tank

difficult water changes - pails, water spilling

acryllic scratches easily

 

I am now upgrading to a 75 gallon glass tank.

 

I will post pictures of what I have so far, and am looking for suggestions on Best Practices of tank setup and design for a tank this size. Initially, I'm looking for help with plumbing and electrical design, and as things progress, help with sand and rock design and finally the inhabitants.

 

-Carl

Edited April 9, 2008 by dbartco

[treesprite]

it's always a big challenge - good luck with it

[Carl]

My goal is a healthy mixed reef (with plenty of fish), and I have so far:

75 tank, 30 sump

1 GSA Shorty (yes everyone, I am the proud owner of the first GSA Shorty!!!)

1 40w UV

RO/DI

4 96w PC's

 

As I plan for future upgrades over the coming months/years, what equipment would you add first? and in what order?

 

Wish list??

refugium

Phosphate remover

Kalkwasser Stirrer

Calcium Reactor

CO2

ATO

Automated controller

filter sock

ozone

wavemaker

something else?

 

I realize this is somewhat subjective, but I want your thoughts on what you would do. and in what order would you add things/upgrade?

 

-Carl

[NAGA]

what happened to your 9ft. tank?

[Brian Ward]

My goal is a healthy mixed reef (with plenty of fish), and I have so far:

75 tank, 30 sump

1 GSA Shorty (yes everyone, I am the proud owner of the first GSA Shorty!!!)

1 40w UV

RO/DI

4 96w PC's

 

As I plan for future upgrades over the coming months/years, what equipment would you add first? and in what order?

 

Wish list??

refugium

Phosphate remover

Kalkwasser Stirrer

Calcium Reactor

CO2

ATO

Automated controller

filter sock

ozone

wavemaker

something else?

 

I realize this is somewhat subjective, but I want your thoughts on what you would do. and in what order would you add things/upgrade?

 

-Carl

 

From your list:

1- Filter Sock - mechanical filtration to remove particulate from the water - absolute necessity

2- Refugium - removes phosphate and nitrate from the water providing nutrient export to prevent algae

3- power heads/wavemaker/closed loop - additional circulation in the tank. since you are running PCs you're not going to have SPS so high circulation and randomness isn't as necessary

4- ATO - you'll get so tired of topping off every day

5- kalk stirrer - helps maintain alk and calc in the system, but for a softie and fish tank monitor your usage before investing

6- automated controller - nice to have, cycles the lights and does some other things for you. very helpful for managing hard to keep corals and fish but not necessary

 

You won't need the calc reactor unless you upgrade your lighting and start keeping SPS - dosing calc should support your needs. Co2 goes with the calc reactor and mostly just drags your pH down - the fish will produce enough of this for you. Ozone is still a bit experimental - don't do it without an automated controller and ORP probe. Phosphate remover/phosphate reactor/media reactor can be used before you set up the fuge. most people i've heard about get sufficient phosphate export from the fuge.

[dandy7200]

refugium- If you plan to have one it is nice to get it set up and plumbed from the start.

Phosphate remover- wait to see if Po4 becomes a problem

Kalkwasser Stirrer- would never run a tank without one

Calcium Reactor- probably not on a mixed reef

CO2- ditto

ATO- would never even cycle a tank without one, I don't have time to top off manually

Automated controller- toys, I like toys.

filter sock- nice to run the first couple months of a tank to filter out fine particles, I don't use long term

ozone- not for me. That 40w UV will do a fantastic job clarifying your water, most people run either/or.

wavemaker- For mixed reef, not really needed but nice.

something else-

a. Carbon filter somewhere. Pulls toxins from softies out of the water. Very usefull in mixed reef environment.

b. Good test kits if you don't have already.

[Carl]

what happened to your 9ft. tank?

 

Yes...the 9 foot tank...the 5-year project.

 

It has come down to timing and budget. I've got the tank, stand, skimmer, some lights, sump(maybe), and a Barracuda pump. I still need to waterproof the fish room walls and floor, put in a floor drain, cut a hole in the wall for the tank, run another electrical circuit...and of course the plumbing and purchase more equipment.

 

The next part of the project is to get the fish room in order...put floor drain(s) in the concrete floor, epoxy paint the floor, paint the walls, put in an air vent. I hope to get to these tasks this fall.

 

So, in the meantime, I've taken on a smaller project...upgrading to this 75 gallon...and keeping my eyes out for good deals through WAMAS on dead LR, lighting and other misc stuff.

 

-Carl

[Carl]

Thanks Brian and Dan,

 

So...refugium seems to be the obvious must-have (with dsb and 40w light).

 

Followed closely by filter sock and enough water turnover in the tank (75 gal x 15 = 1125 gal/hr??) or more?

 

And a runner up being the ATO, with integrated kalk wasser (kalk stirrer correct?).

 

A test kit can be purchased anytime...not critical in planning.

Carbon filter can be added later...or at least have a means to hang a bag of carbon in the sump.

Phosphate remover can be added afterwards...but I'll need to plan to build an extra 2+ T's off of my return pump to add carbon and/or phosphate canisters in the future.

 

and forget about the ozone, wavemaker and automated controller for a while.

 

And I will add towards the top of my list...an easy way to do water changes...I'd like to have some sort of automated way to do water changes...similar to what NAGA did on his personal tank, and the tank he's currently building for his client.

 

Brian and Dan...I appreciate your help with this!!!

Edited October 18, 2007 by Carl

[jason the filter freak]

go with a manifold, if you don't like seeing power heads.

[Carl]

go with a manifold, if you don't like seeing power heads.

 

I agree...and I'm thinking about the following:

 

The closed loop: I know some people love drilling the bottom or low in their tank for a hidden closed loop. and others swear that it's flirting with danger. So I may meet somewhere in the middle, and drill the back of the tank, about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way up, for input/output of a closed loop. What do you think if I were to use a mag 9 or 12?

 

Then I would like to drill two additional holes near the top of the tank (back) to skim the top of the water, and return it down to the refuge/sump and skimmer.

 

Returning back into the display tank from the sump, I'd like to have it go directly to 2-3 returns near the surface of the display tank so you only see an inch or so of the pipes sticking down. And a 4th return that would branch through the UV before returning to the main display. I'm not sure what pump to use here? perhaps another mag 9 or 12?

 

-Carl

Edited October 18, 2007 by Carl

[Brian Ward]

I agree...and I'm thinking about the following:

 

The closed loop: I know some people love drilling the bottom or low in their tank for a hidden closed loop. and others swear that it's flirting with danger. So I may meet somewhere in the middle, and drill the back of the tank, about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way up, for input/output of a closed loop. What do you think if I were to use a mag 9 or 12?

 

Then I would like to drill two additional holes near the top of the tank (back) to skim the top of the water, and return it down to the refuge/sump and skimmer.

 

Returning back into the display tank from the sump, I'd like to have it go directly to 2-3 returns near the surface of the display tank so you only see an inch or so of the pipes sticking down. And a 4th return that would branch through the UV before returning to the main display. I'm not sure what pump to use here? perhaps another mag 9 or 12?

 

-Carl

 

15X is probabably too much flow through your sump and way too much through the fuge. scale back the flow rate on your filtration loop and make up for it on the closed loop. i wouldn't add an extra pump for the UV, just split the return to the tank, 1/2 through the UV, 1/2 not and split the output of the UV before returning it - that will still get you 4 returns, but you only need 1 pump.

[Carl]

It would seem to make sense to plump the UV after the skimmer - but that's just a guess.

 

Does it really matter?

 

Can I push the water through the UV and then into the Skimmer?

 

-Carl

[rioreef]

Flow through the UV should be optimized for the wattage of the UV bulb. I have my UV on my closed loop running off a PanWorld pump. I calculated the head pressure through the closed loop with various pump sizes to optimize the flow through the UV for maximum exposure.

[Carl]

OK Moderators...if you like, please move this thread to the Dedicated Tank Forum...The 75 gallon tank build is in process, and I've been taking pictures!!

 

And you can delete the ISO best practices on the 2nd line as well.

 

I've spent the past 2 weekends trying to figure out the plumbing for the CL, and the Mag5 return. I'm almost there. I'll start posting pictures tonight or tomorrow.

 

-Carl

[Larry Grenier]

what happened to your 9ft. tank?

 

Hey Jeff, If you already built it and want to cut your losses, I'll give you $50

[tbittner]

And the vultures move in....

 

I'll give you $75!

[Carl]

And the vultures move in....

 

I'll give you $75!

 

I think what Jeff is refering to...is that he wants to build me a sump for my 500 gallon tank...and wants to know when he can start cutting with his new toy!

 

And the answer is...not sure...it all comes down to budget...my limited budget. You see I got the tank at a great price...and now everything else around the 500 gallon project is costing me a fortune...Just the materials alone for the stand, were twice the cost of the tank. And the skimmer was twice what the stand cost.

 

But hey...if this hobby was about money, I would've quit long ago...

[tbittner]

Where did you buy the tank? And is it glass or acrylic? I've been kind of, half heartedly checking around to get a glass tank made for our predators. It would complete our aquarium room.

[Carl]

My tank is acrylic. I bought it off a Marine Scene customer a couple of years ago. I forget the exact dimensions..but it's approx 9 feet long by 30 deep and 36 tall.

And this is the last item that will complete our "tropical" basement project. I've been working on my basement for 4-5 years, as budget and time permits. I'm done with the whole basement now except for the fish tank, and part of the bathroom.

 

The prior owner used the tank as a room divider, viewable on 3 sides. I'm converting it into a single sided view at one end of the basement. It will have it's own room...or at least share the room with the xmas decorations.

Edited April 10, 2008 by Carl

[Carl]

OK...back onto the 75 and time to post some pictures...

 

Thanks to Eric...I decided to try dark blue adhesive vinyl on the back glass, instead of painting. Here is an extra piece of it sitting amongst the plumbing pieces. Eric any tips on how to apply this correctly?

 

 

Edited April 10, 2008 by Carl

[Carl]

I purchased my bulkheads and drill bit from BRK...and was succesful in drilling 4 holes in the back of my tank...no issues...no cracks...let's hope it stands up to the water pressure once it's filled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then added the bulkheads.

 

The two lowest ones are 1.5 inches for the CL

 

The two upper ones toward the left are 1.5 inches for the drains to the sump.

 

The one on the right was there already, and I'll use it for the sump return to the tank. It's 1 inch.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2008 by Carl

[tbittner]

I had to laugh when I saw all the plumbing pieces. It's a jigsaw puzzle!

 

Great job on drilling the tank!

[Carl]

I had to laugh when I saw all the plumbing pieces. It's a jigsaw puzzle!

 

Great job on drilling the tank!

 

And I think I still need to go to HD again for a couple of pieces I'm still missing... :(

 

 

 

More PVC pieces...

 

 

 

And laying out some of the pieces to form the sump return to the UV, tank, and skimmer. Although I'm struggling with how to feed the skimmer? Gravity feed from the return to the sump? Or directly from the Mag5. Which is easier? And Is it easier to control one vs the other??

 

 

 

And the pieces...pieced together, not glued yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be using these American DJ "power strips". I won't be using any fancy aqua controller for now. Just a timer on the lights and fans.

 

 

 

The Dart and OM getting dry fitted

 

 

 

And trying to figure out how to plumb the UV. The connections are all glued, so not sure how I'll connect it to my return yet, as the connections are different sizes than my bulkhead and my return pump...I may have to buy two new 2" Sched 80 Unions, and use 1/2 of them to screw onto glued on unions on the UV.

 

 

 

 

The 29 gallon sump and GSA Shorty squeezed under the tank. I'm not sure how I'm going to fit everything under there...sump, Dart, OM4-way, 2 power panels, a few timers, tons of plumbing etc....

 

Edited April 10, 2008 by Carl

[tbittner]

Small suggestion...

 

Take those ball valves back and get the unionized ball valves. I SO wish I would have done that and been able to take the pipe apart at any of the ball valves. They DO cost more though....

 

I also made sure that I had ball valves as close to the pumps as I could get them so I could shut off the water and remove the pump for maintenance. A 1 1/2" pipe holds quite a bit of water in a foot of pipe.

 

These ball valves are normally wide open though, I don't think it's good for the pump to be restricting the flow that close to the pump. At least, that's the way I plumbed my system up.

 

I had to order them online but I used gate valves close to the returns from the sump to tune the flow to match the overflow. Gate valves are really easy to tune and ball valves I had to keep tapping with a hammer in order to tune the flow. Ball valves aren't real good for that purpose.

 

There is a place in Winchester, VA that sells the gate valves but they're expensive there.

[Carl]

Small suggestion...

 

Take those ball valves back and get the unionized ball valves. I SO wish I would have done that and been able to take the pipe apart at any of the ball valves. They DO cost more though....

 

I agree with you...Two weekends, three Home Depots, and one lowes...and I can't find the unionized ball valves. I suppose I could order on line. Lowe's on-line has 2 inch ones for only $23. And 1" ones for $11.

 

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none

 

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none

 

Problem is...they say online that the store has them...but when I got to the store...no luck.