Mungus's 75g

[mungus]

I thought I would start a thread on my tank since I will be doing a lot of changes to it and need some advice.

My current setup
Hard Goods
75g RR Oceanic
2x150 Sunlight Supply Reef Optix III
2 x 110 VHO Attinic
MRC-1 w/mag 12
25w aqua ultraviolet UV
Aquaclear wet/dry sump (converted no bioballs)
Return pump (to embarrased to mention)

Stuff not being used but hopefully will be shortly
Blueline HD 55
Genx-pcx40

Live stock
Maroon clown
Yellow Tang
Sixline wrasse
Orange Digita
Yellow Digita
Red Monti Cap
Yellowish encrusting monti
Xenia
Clove polyps
Toadstool leather
some other very small leather of some sort
Hairy mushrooms
A few types of other various mushrooms
All corals but the harry mushrooms and xenia I would consider frags.
My maroon went ape S##T yesterday and smashed my yellow digita (would have considered it a colony prior to yesterday.

Sorry no pictures yet.

Brian

 

[mungus]

Here is the current plan for the tank (can be changed via your advise). I would like to setup a new sump in the basement. There is just not enough room under the tank to set it up the way I would like. I would like to set up a water changing system, refugium, kalk reactor and or CA reactor. DIY a new beckett skimmer or purchase depending on time. Re-aquascape the display, remove the sandbed or maybe not, and redo the flow. The first thing I will would like to tackle is moving the sump and setting up the fuge.

 

[Krish]

Sounds like fun Brian! So you're finally ready to tackle it! Best of luck man

 

[mungus]

Sounds like fun Brian! So you're finally ready to tackle it! Best of luck man

I am not sure I am ready but I am going to proceed anyway. lol I wish I would have known about RF before I set up my tank. Then I would not be where I am now. I will be out shopping for a new sump this weekend so hopefully things will start moving shortly. Thanks for the wish of luck!!

Brian

 

[mungus]

I got the bubble trap built this weekend. I will get some pics posted by Friday. I used a 32 gallon brute garbage can with a 2" bulkhead and 2" plumbing. I did find that the 2" bulkheads are much cheaper from places that sell irrigation equipment. ($10.98)

I need to find some sort of sump that will hold a decent amount of water and not cost me to much money. Would a rubbermaid tub work? I am concerned that to much water would evaporate before the ATO would kick in. Is there any way to section off a portion of one to have it kick in sooner? Anyone have any other ideas for a cheap sump?

I got the bulbs for my non-exsistant fuge today. I can't wait to get it setup. They are the 5100K melev recomends. Thanks again Finn for the bulbs. The calandar was a really nice supprise too it is up on the wall already.

 

[spongebob lover]

yuuhhuu !!! finally a thread about your tank dood .
we are gonna need some pictures dood and i hope everything turns out the way you want it, so good luck dood .

 

[mungus]

yuuhhuu !!! finally a thread about your tank dood .
we are gonna need some pictures dood and i hope everything turns out the way you want it, so good luck dood .

Thanks Gaby! I will get some pictures soon. Hopefully I can figure out what to do about a sump so I can start plumbing this weekend.

Brian

 

[spongebob lover]

Thanks Gaby! I will get some pictures soon. Hopefully I can figure out what to do about a sump so I can start plumbing this weekend

well just like i always tell Krish... get some towels just in case dood , but i'm glad to see a thread about your tank.

 

[Krish]

Sounds great Brian! Not sure about what to use for a sump though other than a tank converted or something out of acrylic...I guess you will have to go with something Rubbermaid like you said...I wish you luck man and can't wait to see a few photos

 

[mungus]

Work has really gotten me down this week so I didn't get to take any pictures. I bought a 60 gallon freeland stocktank last Sunday. It looks like it won't be to hard to add a baffle to it. Here is the only pic of my tank I have so far. Its not to good

Brian

 

[Krish]

I see tons of purple! That's a good start Brian...These things take time especially since we have a "life" outside of our hobby

 

[NaH2O]

Eeek - how'd I miss this one?

Brian - I was going to recommend a stock tank for your sump, and sounds like you went that way...great! Do you already have a return pump that will push all the way back up to the display? Where are you at on the planning?

 

[mungus]

Do you already have a return pump that will push all the way back up to the display? Where are you at on the planning?

Nikki its great to have you onboard!!! I actually have 2 pumps currently that would do the job. A pcx 40 and a blueline 55HD. I am not sure what to do because I need the pcx 40 to run my current skimmer. I am planning on either DIY'ing a new skimmer or purchasing one. I would use the blueline to run that skimmer. I guess I will have to swap them out once the new skimmer is complete. I have a mag 12 I am running my skimmer with now but it is not running as well as it could be.

As far as planning goes I am kinda flying by the seat of my pants. lol I am debating on if I should build a stand to raise the sump and bubble trap off the floor. The more I think about it the more I think it would be a good idea. It won't be anything fancy or pretty to look at just some 4x4's and plywood. It would reduce the head loss and the sump would be easier to work on if it was at waist level or so. I also need to decide how I am going to incorporate the fuge platform into the stand. I will be using a tee with ball valve in the return line to feed it.

I was at a fellow reefers house recently with a similar setup to what I am doing. He used a flexible drain line like the ones from a wet dry filter. He added a rubber boot around the bulkhead and the drain line as insurance for leaks. He put the drain end into a larger diameter pvc pipe which ran down into his sump. I am thinking of going this route also. It seems alot easier than hard plumbing the drain. What do you think good idea / bad idea? (I already have a 4' flexable drain line from an old wet dry.) The return will be hard plumbed. Once I have the plumbing and stand done I will start on the electrical.

Here are the picks of the new sump and bubble trap and helper. Once the stand is built I will cut another piece of pvc for the drain of the bubble trap.

 

[Krish]

That's a cool DIY sump Brian! Is the little one an alternative to chaeto and if so how much light does she need? Very cool man...Do you have to prime the big drum to get it to flow into the lower container?

 

[mungus]

That's a cool DIY sump Brian! Is the little one an alternative to chaeto and if so how much light does she need? Very cool man...Do you have to prime the big drum to get it to flow into the lower container?

Thanks Krish! She loves to help me and I really enjoy her help! Things don't get done as fast but it sure is cool that she shows so much intrest. The big drum is actually a bubble trap on steroids. It will overflow once the water reaches the height of the bulkhead. It's probably a little overkill but it was cheap and very easy to build. Cutting and glueing baffles into that sump seemed like to much work.:lol: I will have to add one baffle to the sump so the ATO will work properly, if things work as planned.

Brian

 

[Krish]

Sounds great! I'm always all for overkill! Infact, I'm not sure there is such a thing I think it will all work out well...I can't really see why not. Are you going to extend that 90 coming down into the tub with the mermaid in it?

 

[NaH2O]

Brian - check out this site and see if it helps with your project: Reeflady's Sump

 

[spongebob lover]

well dood that's what i call a monster sump .
i think it's a great idea and i'm sure it's gonna work out fine.
I think your daughter is a great chaeto and i'm sure she'll be able to keep up with all the phosphates and what not .
Anyways, you better hurry before the baby comes out.

 

[mungus]

Are you going to extend that 90 coming down into the tub with the mermaid in it?

Yeah I will extend it. I wanted to see where the water level would fall in the sump before I cut the piece. I don't know if it matters or not but I thought I would hold off.

Brian - check out this site and see if it helps with your project: Reeflady's Sump

Awsome link Nikki. I am getting a lot of good ideas from it already.

well dood that's what i call a monster sump .
i think it's a great idea and i'm sure it's gonna work out fine.
I think your daughter is a great chaeto and i'm sure she'll be able to keep up with all the phosphates and what not .
Anyways, you better hurry before the baby comes out.

Thanks Gaby. I am a terrible procrastinator. The sun came out this weekend and I decided to take the girls to "the lake" instead of getting the stuff done I had planned. We have an awsome state park right down the road from our house thats right on Lake Michigan.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/ka/
There are some pic of it in the link. BTW the water is freezing cold year round. Max 68 at the surface and thats like two days out of the year.:lol:

Brian

 

[spongebob lover]

that looks pretty !!!
to bad is to cold .
well dood just don't procrastinate to much because the bun is almost done and then you won't have time to get it all done.