Help me design my new 240gal setup!

[Slickdonkey]

Thanks Ed. Probably would be a good idea to somehow keep the skimmer reservoir level as well.

I'm also wavering on whether to go with a CL or just powerheads. After seeing Travis' tank, he has plenty of flow in there and the powerheads really weren't obtrusive.

One of the reasons is that the tank is going against the wall and I won't have any way to access the back. If I spring a leak or something, there will be no way to reach it with an 8' long tank.

 

[LakeEd]

Brian,

I've added 2 of the Seio 1500's to my tank... and they do push some water! However, if I had to do it from the start... I would go with a closed loop, hands down! Yes, there is a SLIGHT possibility of springing a leak... but normally once you've installed GOOD bulkheads, and glued in all of your PVC piping... that innitial leat test will tell you that you're good to go. From there, the only possible place for leakage would be wear on your pump seals... and having shutoff valves and disconnects for your closed loop pump would allow changing of those seals.

I would do the Closed Loop... but hopefully others will give you their imput here as well.

 

[Slickdonkey]

I'm still struggling over skimmer choices. I would appreciate any further opinons. I'm basically looking for something sized for 300 gallons of water with low maintenance requirements.

Ok, so no skimmer is really low maintenance, but I'd like something that isn't going to stop working if I forget to clean it once a month.

I'm willing to pay a premium for something that satisfies this goal, either upfront or in electrical costs. I'm just being realistic; I know I'm not going to be able to clean the thing every 2 or 3 days.

Internal/external doesn't matter. Ozone-ready is a plus.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Would anyone care to suggest a flow layout? Here's a picture. I haven't decided on closed-loop or powerheads, but I think I'm leaning towards powerheads at the moment to spare drilling the tank, extra plumbing, and the flexibility offered by powerheads.

I've never done this before so I would appreciate any input. Going to start with LPS and softies but may try my hand at SPS one day. I am planning to have a coarse sand bed, maybe 2" or so.

View attachment 11045

 

[Scooterman]

Wow that is a long tank! Personally I like drilling the tank & placing flow where needed with a CL, it is hard to beat for the price, later you could add a Oceans motion or MBV as in Nikki's, Mikes, Donw, BigT or Disturbed reefer tank. Search these you will get good design ideas. It is best to look at many designs before setting on one idea, running PH is ok but you deal with wires in the tank, more cleaning, some are costly & if you want sps one day you better think of high flow. Take a look at these and post your design ideas here & we (hope others will also chime in) can help get a design you like.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Yeah, I have seen some of these designs while poking around here. I'm mainly leaning towards powerheads because of the following:

- Easier installation

- More flexibility

- The tank is going to extend pretty far into my living room as it is, and I'd rather not have to leave another 6-8" in back for CL plumbing.

- There will be no access to the back, and as you noted, this is a long tank. There would be no way to get to a leak if it springs up (not likely but still possible)

- Won't have to drill the tank (not that big a deal, but it is permanent)

However, I'm not really sure what the best layout would be, how many PH's to get, how to keep detritus in the water column, and how to aim my returns (and how many?).

 

[Scooterman]

Well, the Tunze & the Vortex is the two hottest PH's on the market today, you would probably need 4 of the strongest they make for a good start. So now I say we have some good threads on them, well worth the reading.

 

[moortim]

This sounds like an awsome project! I wish I was doing the same thing. Some day..........
On your search for skimmers I just thought I would add my thoughts. Aqua C is my choice and I am very happy with them. The choices you have listed that you are looking at are all good so you won't go wrong but Aqua C's seem to be the lowest maintenance...IMO.
I am in the process of designing my own DIY skimmer that will be similar to an Aqua C so sometime in the future I will have to start a thread about it.

Tim

 

[Slickdonkey]

Well, the Tunze & the Vortex is the two hottest PH's on the market today, you would probably need 4 of the strongest they make for a good start. So now I say we have some good threads on them, well worth the reading.

I assume you mean 4 of the Tunze 6100s? I see they have a 6200 out now with 5283gph... wow. The price is also "wow".

I'm not too keen on the Vortex -- it's a cool idea but I don't think I want a motor hanging on the side of the tank.

 

[bc_slc]

I know you have voiced this before already, but I just have to pipe in again and say that the one and only thing I regret about my tank, which has been up and relatively happy for about 18 months, is that it is not drilled for a closed loop. Despite the issues if it leaks, despite the drilling, despite the extra room needed behind the tank, the "flexibility", cheaper cost and installation of the powerheads are not worth it IMO.

Powerheads are ugly, you have to deal with the cords, they fall down all the time, they heat the water, they get clogged and you have to have like 5-6 extra plugs rather than 1 for a closed loop.

Again, it is pretty much my only regret on my tank.

 

[LakeEd]

I have to agree with bc_slc about the ONE thing I wish I would of done differently from the start on my 180.

A closed loop would of been easy to do at the beginning, not now. Drill, and install the bulkhead fittings... even if I was to cap them off. They would of been there for "Future expansion" in my plans for my tank.

Right now... I've purchased 2 of the SEIO 1500's for added circulation in the tank... have a MAG-18, pushing SQWD's... for more random added flow... and I'm not even close to what I would of had with a closed loop.

Hopefully, there will be a house move in my future... and at that time, I'm DEFINATELY putting in at least the bulkheads for a closed loop!

 

[bc_slc]

Yeah, same for me....for now, all i can do is look 3-4 yrs to the future when I will move and have the chance to drill it. And you bet your ass I will do it then.

Mat

 

[Slickdonkey]

Ok, I'm closing in on a final design for the sump. It's based on Melev's model F. I should have some extra capacity on the return pump (Sequence Hammerhead) to run water through a chiller and the refugium.

Comments are appeciated. I've never done this before, so I'm hoping to learn from all y'all's experience.

View attachment 11071

 

[reedman]

late to the show here, but I will tell you for easy, simply skimmers, Lifereef puts out some great stuff. I run their 24" tall model on my 75 and really works great. No fiddling, just set it up, run it and watch the skimmate come out. Good old fashioned venturi skimming. not glamorous, but very effective.

 

[Slickdonkey]

late to the show here, but I will tell you for easy, simply skimmers, Lifereef puts out some great stuff. I run their 24" tall model on my 75 and really works great. No fiddling, just set it up, run it and watch the skimmate come out. Good old fashioned venturi skimming. not glamorous, but very effective.

Now you're talkin'. Never heard of them, but I'll look into these.

 

[Scooterman]

That is a very nice sump.
Now running that pump through that sump I have to wonder why, usually you want very slow passing water through the sump, that pump will blow water so fast it'll probably suck it dry. That would make for a nice closed loop pump yea man. Now as for as Life reef they do make nice stuff but first I'd say iron out the flow designs before trying to do it all at once, flow is very important regardless how you do it.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Now running that pump through that sump I have to wonder why, usually you want very slow passing water through the sump, that pump will blow water so fast it'll probably suck it dry.

I don't know, wouldn't that be overkill for a closed-loop pump? I will be starting with LPS so I don't want to blow them out of the water like a ruptured fire hydrant.

I'm shooting for 3-5x turnover (max 1375 gph figuring 275 gallons of water) in the sump. There's going to be around 14' of head pressure so according to the pump specifications I should expect around 4200gph. I had planned to route some of the return flow through a chiller and UV as outlined in the diagram above, so that should cut down on the return a little bit. If more is needed I could throttle it back with a ball valve.

 

[reedman]

Now running that pump through that sump I have to wonder why, usually you want very slow passing water through the sump, that pump will blow water so fast it'll probably suck it dry. That would make for a nice closed loop pump yea man

This is very true. I always recommend low flow through the sump for two reasons. (1) you get more time for the skimmer to process the water = cleaner water (2) this usually produces a much quiter setup. If you want to use the sump return for increased flow, get a pressure rated pump and use penductors....works great and keeps the flow through the sump low.

but first I'd say iron out the flow designs before trying to do it all at once, flow is very important regardless how you do it

this is also very true. My only issue is that you need to choose your flow based on what you want to keep. If you are going all SPS that is one thing, if you are doing SPS and anemones and clams and some LPS, different design. You have to tailor your flow to the inhabitants or you will be redoing it.

My suggestion: Make a list of what you want to keep. Look in dive books for parts of the reef that are most atractive to your eye and identify the dominant species in the pics. List them out here and/or research them on the web to see what their needs are (lighting, flow, nutrient levels, etc.). This will help ensure the corals will get along with each other (not fool proof, but a great start). Also, look at the track record of the corals in captivity. Some just don't do well.

I want to emphasize something that I found out the hard way. If you have any idea that you are going to go SPS, seriously consider not having any softies in the tank. They will get in/on the rocks and you won't be able to get them out. There is no "transitioning" to an SPS tank if you are looking for long term success in SPS. This includes green star polyps, zoanthids, and other similar encrusting softies.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Thanks Reed. By the way, I met you prior to the last PSAS meeting at Dang's; was sitting across from you right next to Bob Fenner.

I am still researching species and have all the major books on the subject. I am definately going to have anemones and most likely clams and LPS. I especially like gorgonians, but most of the ones I like are the Pacific variety and not well-suited to aquarium life.

I have read accounts of people not doing well with softies and SPS in the same tank, and others who have. I guess it's just one of those things with a lot of variables and every setup is unique.

 

[Scooterman]

I think Reed hit it dead on, he explained my short comments thoroughly.
If your running a mixed tank like your saying then start off with the sump flow, you want a steady movement but not overwhelming, you can design it to cover several items at once & still be very effective. From there if your staying from a sps dominate tank you can add ph's, over the top cl or whatever water movement your tank requires. If you ever decide to go sps then you will probably want to consider making lagre changes by then anyways. Read & read on, man that is the best way to get started out, try not to over complicate your system & move slowly, your results will be your reward.