Jeffs 150g setup

[randumbwit]

Hi everyone!

I'm not completely new to the hobby, but I am about to start setting up my first

[Origami]

Hi randumbwit. Welcome.

 

A past member, Fishwife, had a similar over-the-top closed loop on her initial system setup. You may be able to search some and find her build thread.

 

Your 150 AGA should have a tempered bottom, but I don't know about the sides. According to the Aqueon (AGA) spec sheet (http://www.aqueonproducts.com/assets/011/19784.pdf) it's the bottom that's tempered. You may be able to drill the back. This might keep you from having to use an overflow box.

[randumbwit]

Hi randumbwit. Welcome.

 

A past member, Fishwife, had a similar over-the-top closed loop on her initial system setup. You may be able to search some and find her build thread.

 

Your 150 AGA should have a tempered bottom, but I don't know about the sides. According to the Aqueon (AGA) spec sheet (http://www.aqueonproducts.com/assets/011/19784.pdf) it's the bottom that's tempered. You may be able to drill the back. This might keep you from having to use an overflow box.

 

Thanks for the welcome! Perhaps I was mistaken and its not an AGA. I am fairly certain that it is tempered though. Thank you for the tip on the past member as well! I'll do some digging...

 

Jeff

[zygote2k]

It's usually only the bottoms that are tempered- they hold the weight of the water and rock and are therefore strengthened. Maybe since you are still in the planning stages, you could find a reef ready tank of the same size. You'll be spending additional money on all the PVC to use in place of a drilled tank. Maybe the cost breakdown will lean you toward the rr tank....

You have 1600w of light for your tank- I hope you plan on running a chiller. For a 150, I'd only use 2) 400w mh and 2) VHO's. It will be plenty.

 

Good luck.

[Boret]

The SCWDs are a bit of a pain. They clog too often, and after a while stop working altogether. They are cheap, but you really get what you pay for.

I recommend to use an OceansMotions for the close loop. The regular 4 Way is close to $400, however, you can get the Ocean Motions Squirt for about $165. You wouldn't run the OM Squirt with the Dart, unless you add a bypass:

 

 

If you do the bypass then you can use the Dart for the close loop and the return and avoid the Mag. Otherwise get a quiet external 1000-1200 gph pump for the Close loop and a different pump for the return.

 

I use the Dart, and I like it, but it is not a quiet pump. I use a Little Giant for the close loop, which is quieter than the Dart. All my pumps are in a separate room, so the noise is not a big issue, but I know for sure I wouldn't be able to stand the motor noise if it was in the same room.

 

As far as the overflow.... just drill, its cleaner and safer (HOB Overflows fail) and takes way less space in the tank. You could drill 2 x 1.5" holes on the left and right back top corners for overflow, and then 2 x 1" holes around the middle (3/4 up) for the Close loop. The thicker the glass the easier it is to drill. Or do as Zygote2k said and get a Reef Ready tank. I am not crazy about the space the internal overflow take, but I prefer that over a HOB overflow.

 

I think it really pays to think about your plumbing. Take your time, look at other people's setups, think about the best way to accomplish what you want, and think about the future... meaning that you might not be using a Media Reactor now, or a chiller, or a UV or an Ozone Reactor, etc... but you might, and a powerful return pump with a distributor will save you a ton in extra pumps to run everything.

 

Think about the advantages of the close loop versus investing in better power heads. You can get a couple of Vortecs MP40w for about $800 new, and about $600-660 used. Those will move enough water in your tank and produce plenty of random flow, and all you need then is a return that moves about 800 to 1000 gallons per hour at most. You really don't want to move water too rapidly through your sump.

 

Good luck with the new tank and welcome to WAMAS!!