CurvBall's Reef, so it starts...

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CurvBall

12g ZEOvit reefer
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Messages
100
Location
London, UK.
Morning everybody,

Well, my tank is officially underway:)
I've decided to include some images of my tank in it's construction phase. I had to check and see if the closed loop system holes were in the correct place before Duraquatics went ahead and added the overflow box and bracing.
tank1.jpg

tank2.jpg


Here is some background on this system.

Tank:
1000mm long x 500mm wide x 550mm deep (water level will be 500mm), external overflow box with three 32mm drains. (one to sump, two for CLS 'see Circulation')

Circulation:
This will be achieved using a closed loop system. To start with this closed loop system will only be run by one pump. The water will be drawn from the overflow box. From there the pump (estimated to do 3500-4000lph) will push water through a SCWD wavemaker. This will then run to four CLS outlets. Two of these are lower in the tank while the remaining two outlets with serve flow to the mid water area of the tank.
A sump pump rated at roughly 2500lph will be split into 4 outlets placed in each top corner of the tank. The sump return will not be on any form of wave maker. The sump returns will be used for surface agitation to aid in evaporation to cool the tank.
I will add a second pump to my closed loop and this will also run through a 2nd SCWD wavemaker. The same size pump will be used.
When the 2nd CLS pump is added, one pump with push water through the mid water CLS outlets while the other pump will run the lower outputs. SCWD units will provide alternating currents from one side of the tank to the other.

I would just like to say thanks to Mike aka MojoReef for his invaluable advice and input regarding my closed loop system.


Sump & Filtration:
900mm long x 320mm wide x 320mm deep. This has been divided up to accomondate a fairly large refugium area where I'll have mud (Miracle Mud by EcoSystem Aquariums will be used, my tank will be a test model for this product in South Africa) substrate. This will be lit 24/7 using 2-4 x 20w energy saving bulbs to promote growth of macro algae, namely Caulerpa sp.
I plan to also add two fluidised reactors each for Rowaphos and Carbon. From the first day, I will run Rowaphos and Carbon in socks in the sump until I get the reactors.

Lighting :
1 x 150w Metal Halide 5200K
1 x 150w Metal Halide 20 000K
2 x 39w Deltec Aquablue T5's (an additional two T5's will be added at a later stage)

This will give me a total of 378w of light. I would like get my wattage to as close to 500w as possible, without extra heat, so an additional two T5's will be added at a later stage. That will then give me 456w of light.
This lighting set-up will be used inside a custom hanging pendant (thanks to a friend). The pendant will also incorporate two fans to help cool the light bulbs down.

Misc. stuff
I will have a float switch connected to a small powerhead inside a reservior which will hold my 'kalkwasser' top off water.

For more details and diagrams please visit my website:
Regal Projects
 
Very Cool Curv,
Always exciting to see a new tank take shape!
We'll be watching your progress. Good Luck!
Scott:cool:
 
Wohoo!! Awesome! Can't wait to see more pics! Let us know how your testing goes with the Miracle Mud.
 
CurvBall said:
Morning everybody,

Circulation:
This will be achieved using a closed loop system. To start with this closed loop system will only be run by one pump. The water will be drawn from the overflow box.

You are feeding the CL from the overflow? IMO you will no have enough water to do this by way of the overflow, unless this is a dedicated overflow just for this purpose.

JMO
 
Thanks wanareef.

I enlisted the expertise of Mojoreef regarding this and after he did some calculations, he said that the size of my overflow will handle my CLS comfortably.
 
I said it would be close, lol, you will know soon enough. So far looks like a great start curv, keep us in the loop on how things shape up.


Mike
 
I feel that if you are feeding the closed loop via a overflow it takes the closed out of the loop and will give a big chance of having problems with bubbles. I hope you took that into account and I wish you the best of luch with your new tank. It is awesome that you are building it yourself! You da man!!!
 
I feel that if you are feeding the closed loop via a overflow it takes the closed out of the loop and will give a big chance of having problems with bubbles. I hope you took that into account and I wish you the best of luch with your new tank

Good point.
 
Hi Everybody,

Thanks for the comments.

big t wrote: "It is awesome that you are building it yourself! You da man!!!"

I'm not building this tank myself, my friend who runs an installation/maintanence business called Duraquatics is building it for me. I do all his design and website site stuff and he builds me tanks:)

With regards to the closed loop inlets in my overflow box, I'll be using a stand pipe for the sump outlet while the CLS inlets will also be using standpipes much shorter than the sump inlet. Is that making sense? I'm confusing myself:S

I do understand the risk of bubbles and I do have a plan to help elimanate them, just need to put it into action. It is hard to explain, as they say an image is worth a thousand words. You're just going to have to wait for the next set of images:)

Mojoreef wrote: "I said it would be close, lol, you will know soon enough." Jeez, now you tell me! LOL
 
Last edited:
Hey Everybody,

I know it has been awhile but just a quick update. I finally have my tank at home and starting to get the plumbing sorted. Will also have my stand before the end of the week. Finally, something is starting to happen. Images and more updates to come within the next few days:)
 

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