600 Gallon Mixed Reef: Looking for input
- Thread starter sixxer
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Had one more thought on my flow after drooling over DGASMD's tank again.
My overflow is external, I may see if I can have 2 to 4 additional holes drilled thru the overflow and the same sidewall of the tank giving me two drains and two returns to run spraybars down the middle part of the tank under my aquascaping, and still keep the manifold on top, as well as the false wall for streams.
Thus giving me a manifold on a closed loop, 1 or 2 spraybars on closed loop and no holes in the bottom of the tank so I don't have to worry about any leaks anywhere except in the overflow.
My overflow is external, I may see if I can have 2 to 4 additional holes drilled thru the overflow and the same sidewall of the tank giving me two drains and two returns to run spraybars down the middle part of the tank under my aquascaping, and still keep the manifold on top, as well as the false wall for streams.
Thus giving me a manifold on a closed loop, 1 or 2 spraybars on closed loop and no holes in the bottom of the tank so I don't have to worry about any leaks anywhere except in the overflow.
sixxer said:
Dude, if that is not a reason for me to have a beer, I guess I don't know what is. Very flattered
During MACNA, I went to the talk that David Saxby was giving and I also looked the Deltec tank they had on display. I can tell you I learned more than just a few things and knowing what I learned there I would definitely do my tank differently and better.
One thing we all do is drill as much as we can on the walls and bottom of the tanks. Those are huge gambles because should one of the bulkheads ever leak the tank will drain to the lowest point where bulkhead is. And it will happened the one day you took a 9 day vacation to rural mexico with no phone and left your 12 y.o. cousing to care for the tank. In glass tanks is even worse because every hole is a huge stress point in that pane. Especially on the bottom pane where there will be additional stress point based on how your aquascaping is.
The Deltec guys seem to bring all their plumbing from the top through holes in the eurobracing and hide it with false channels similar to what an overflow box looks like. Very ingenious indeed and you still don't see any plumbing. That "false channel or box" doesn't come all the way to the bottom as the space below is where the water going to the intake of the CL goes through. Then, they direct all the plumbing through the bottom of the tank and make U turns pointing up. You can hide all the outlets behind aquascaping too, so you still see nothing. This and the new powerheads at MACNA were the major things I learned about equipment and tank set ups. Pretty exciting stuff actually.
You can see what I am talking about in the poor picture below. The black platic walls tot he left is the false channels I am talking about.
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Thanks for that photo Alberto,
Also, if your anything like me, you have had quite a few beers during the set-up of your tank! It looks awesome, I love the low lying rock work! That will be one of the main features of my tank as well.
I have been looking at a lot of CLause's tanks, love how he does all his plumbing and then covers it with that foam/fake rock background.
I will have my builder adjust my fake wall so that I have an opening on the bottom. That's a great idea.
I am really on board with bringing all my plumbing from above or thru the overflow to avoid total tank drainage in the event of a closed loop leak in the bottom of the tank.
What was that new powerhead photo I saw you posted? Looked like a magnetised powerhead of sorts!!!!!
Also, if your anything like me, you have had quite a few beers during the set-up of your tank!
It looks awesome, I love the low lying rock work! That will be one of the main features of my tank as well.I have been looking at a lot of CLause's tanks, love how he does all his plumbing and then covers it with that foam/fake rock background.
I will have my builder adjust my fake wall so that I have an opening on the bottom. That's a great idea.
I am really on board with bringing all my plumbing from above or thru the overflow to avoid total tank drainage in the event of a closed loop leak in the bottom of the tank.
What was that new powerhead photo I saw you posted? Looked like a magnetised powerhead of sorts!!!!!
sixxer said:
MAybe I am too much of a puristm, but that ceramic stuff looks terrible to me. It is sort of like finding a huge trickle filter under someone's tank
Just me though. There are many ways to hide plumbing and such without it being so permanent and unnatural looking.If you look closely at the picture above and you re-read my description, you'll see that you will never see the pipes anywhere. Also, because they are all coming in and out from above rather than through the tank, if there was a leak somewhere other than inside the tank itself, the water level will always stop at the very top of the tank as you would still drill syphon breaks.
Krish
RF STAFF
Still tagging along sixxer. Just waiting patiently to see a picture of your tank and see you get started setting it up.
Alberto, that photo you posted is really cool. Thanks for sharing it. I was also interested in knowing about what sixxer asked you on an earlier post
Alberto, that photo you posted is really cool. Thanks for sharing it. I was also interested in knowing about what sixxer asked you on an earlier post
I too saw it, but didn't understand how it worked and what i was.
NaH2O
Well-known member
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aquariumdebacle
electrolyte addict
My input is that you need more input. A tank that large is not in the realm of "energy savings" I would recommend the two surge tanks AND a closed loop. You might be able to run it off the existing overflow. Any possibility of drilling up through the bottom? You could forgo the "mixed tank" and focus on softies, LPS's, and clams.
That picture Nikki posted is what I was refering to. This is a nice concept for smaller to medium tanks. It is basicly a tunze stream that was cut in half with the motor part on the outside and the impeller section on the inside. A magnet in each unit hold it together on the glass and also is what powers it. Very neat concept.
I would seriously forget about surge tanks. They are not a design for a home tank. Tey are very bulky, regardless of how you make them they put out tons of bubbles and salt creep, and are very cumbersome and inpractical for most tanks. They are also a huge receipe for disasters as there are too many mechanical parts that can fail and cause lots of problems at once.
I would seriously forget about surge tanks. They are not a design for a home tank. Tey are very bulky, regardless of how you make them they put out tons of bubbles and salt creep, and are very cumbersome and inpractical for most tanks. They are also a huge receipe for disasters as there are too many mechanical parts that can fail and cause lots of problems at once.
DGASMD - That powerhead is wild, probably wouldn't be good for acrylic tanks though! Unless it has some sort of buffer between it and the tank wall. Did you see that company is coming out with a wireless controller that can run up to 10 of those on a wavemaker!!!!!WOW!!!!!
I really was considering having two 75 gallon surges installed, but as you stated that is a recipe for disaster in my living room!!!!!!
I really was considering having two 75 gallon surges installed, but as you stated that is a recipe for disaster in my living room!!!!!!
aquariumdebacle said:
Not concerned about "energy savings" as much as I am preventing total livestock loss from leaking closed loop holes in the bottom of the tank. I have a lot large Angels so I don't know if I will have any clams, I would like to have some clams, just have to figure a way to introduce them to the tank without my Angels making them an expensive meal.
Sorry about that Mike. I am all over the place and did not notice. It just came to my mind when I saw this thread, and I did not take the time to do my research.
It is just much easier to blurt out something without thinking. :lol:
Besides, I know you guys are a little more flexable.
It is just much easier to blurt out something without thinking. :lol:
Besides, I know you guys are a little more flexable.
LOL its all good Steve, I had just got threatened with being banned because I put up a link to our library on RC, so I thought it was a bit funny thats all. At RF we dont care if you put up links our even carry siglines, as long as its good for the folks.
Mike
Mike
bradreef
always kidding
Mike that sounds like a very good and helpfull policy you have hear at Reeffrontiers.
Was paging through FAMA the other day and saw an ad for a wavemaker called wave2k. Maybe you have seen it.The web site is www.wave2k.com. Its overkill for my 30g but maybe an idea for yours. I like the wave action and it may give a cool look to the tank. Cant wait to see pics of this thing. Its fun to see what can really be done if you have the money and time to spend.
This project is coming along very slowly, tank builder switched building and that delayed my tank construction. Builder told me that my tank will go into production this week (FINALLY!!!).
I have been working on some of the fishroom in the meantime and will try and post some photos.
Hopefully tank photos to come in the next two weeks.
I have been working on some of the fishroom in the meantime and will try and post some photos.
Hopefully tank photos to come in the next two weeks.
