Upgrading, will this work?

Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum

Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:

NO problem, undertaking was my 40 gal. Pet**, got me on my 40 and I payed dearly for it. Dumb kids that have no business giving advise or even selling the equipment! They sell you all the wrong stuff, with all the wrong info. They sent me home with a tank, stand, canister filter, 18w t-8(420nm), L sand, LR, and boxed ocean water. They said ready to go in a week! No power heads, no testing, nothing more. And you can guess what happened!!!!! Poor animals, Iwas sooo mad.

Thank you!!!
 
Sometimes learning can be tough on us. Hopefully better things will come of it. I have killed my share of things over time.
 
@the6goat6man6
["Thanks guys, that help. I'm not trying to rush things, well a little, but I just don't want to have two tanks set up. I figured I wouldn't have too many issues doing it this way."]
i found this very interesting hoping i will help me a lot
Regards,
 
Update:
This is the plan. I have found a 70gal acrylic, I've never used acrylic but I figure it will be safer to pit holes in? I will be picking it up this Sat. weather permitting.
Anyway, I will use my existing system as the fuge, removing all live stock, rock, and hydors. They will be used in the new display with some additions. I plan to put the fuge (with the macro from the old fuge) as close to the ceiling as possible, this will allow the pods and such to be gravity feed to the display. Trying not to blend them up, I will use a seperate "return" pump to feed the fuge from the sump, with lower flow. Also, some live rock, but I will be useing some "egg crate" and short peices of pvc to suspend the rock above the DSB. The 40gal has an established 8in DSB, with lots of critters, has a Current nova extreme T-5 light(6 bulbs, 108w).
The sump will be about 40 gal, 50 gal tank with 10gal for back flow. No baffles except for skimmer. This I have chosen the SWC 180 extreme cone, Thanks Skimmy! The ruturn pump, I have a Supreme Mag 9.5, after head loss I figure I should have alittle more than 10x. The lighting, I have chosen to use 2-Evo 200w 3G LED setups.(I can't wait to get them and power them up!!!!) Since I have chosen a smaller display, I will not be using extra LR because I have more than enough in my existing display, so there shouldn't be much of a cycle(hopefully). Water movement will be Hydors, not sure of how many or placement because I have to see how the rock work turns out, at least 4 of them. I will be using my wave maker from the old display to control the water movement.
The new display will have about 1-1.5in dry rinsed sand, no organics. The LR and the live stock(I have no fish only corals and 2 em crabs) will be put in the new display with the old water from the old fuge and sump(approx 40gal), and some new water. I will reuse the old water from the display after I relocate it higher.
I currently have a JBJ heater w/ dig controller and probe(300w), I think I will use the same just a little bit bigger since I can't find just the element. The controller is good for 1000w, I can't find just the Tit. heat element alone. So I will get a bigger one and save the old one for a future frag tank.
I like the Bean animal Over flow system, I will be cutting 3 holes, high in the back side.

Well I think thats the plan. If I missed anything PLEASE let me know, or if you have any suggestions PLEASE let me know. I could use All the help I can get, sometimes with so much planning and soo many things racing through the brain coral, I lose track. Once I get underway with real materials, not just thoughts, I will take some pics and post my progress.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED AND HELPS ME IN THE FUTURE!!!!!!
 
Here's what I'm thinking?

plansdiagram.png
[/URL][/IMG]
 
I would add a air outlet line on the refugium overflow box wit a aqua lifter or a line attached to one of your pumps to ensure ther is no bubble trap in the overflow box. Controll, ball valve, on all return pumps in case you need to adjust the flow. Unions if you plan on hard plumbing it.
 
well, you have no fish and some softies....
i would say you should be fine moving into a larger system AS LONG as you pre-cure the new live rock,
treat the new water with bacteria(like brightwell aquatics microbacter7),
use as much of the existing water from your current system, as well as the live rock.
i personally never transfer substrate, and if you only want a small amount(1-2")
just get some new...and dont waste your money on bagged "cured live sand".

also, test and match your salinity, ph, alk and temp to your existing set-up.
 
Skimmy said:
well, you have no fish and some softies....
i would say you should be fine moving into a larger system AS LONG as you pre-cure the new live rock,
treat the new water with bacteria(like brightwell aquatics microbacter7),
use as much of the existing water from your current system, as well as the live rock.
i personally never transfer substrate, and if you only want a small amount(1-2")
just get some new...and dont waste your money on bagged "cured live sand".

also, test and match your salinity, ph, alk and temp to your existing set-up.
Click to expand...


I don't think I need any more LR, I have more than enough in my current tank, fuge, and sump( I got way to much in the begining). My display has about 50-60lbs, in a 40gal. I didn't plan to get live sand, just clean dry sand, then rinse it. I'm only reuseing the DSB, I am not desturbing it, only to removeing the LR. I want to use the DSB for my fuge, it's all ready established.
Why do I need to treat with Bac.? I thought there wasn't much bac. in the water column? And wouldn't it be like a big water change? The onlything new will be sand but I am getting dry sand. My current system has approx 80gal, the new system will have approx 150gal, so it will be like a 50% water change? I think, right?
I will be using all of my current Bio filtration, just with more water?
 
vinny2261 said:
I would add a air outlet line on the refugium overflow box wit a aqua lifter or a line attached to one of your pumps to ensure ther is no bubble trap in the overflow box. Controll, ball valve, on all return pumps in case you need to adjust the flow. Unions if you plan on hard plumbing it.
Click to expand...

What do you mean? air outlet? I have an Eshopp's HOB O/F box, no "air outlet", no problems ever, any bubbles I've seen go through the "u" pipe is swept away, I've watched them.
 
Everything is here, just waiting on my skimmer and my lights.

Go figure the skimmer would be held up in customs and the lights are on back ordrer, they can't keep up with the demand. I wish theycould make them faster.

I have decided against cutting holes in the tank, just can't risk breaking it. So, HOB overflow box, Eshopp's, I like them they work great. They are just noisy, so I ordered one that is over sized with two drains. I am not sure how it will work, but I am goin to try and set up a "herbie overflow". Both drains have 1in bulkheads. I think I will only need one of the "U" tubes, since they are rated for 800GPH each.

I will be plumbing up the system in the next couple days getting ready for some water. And waiting for the rest of my equipment to show up.
 
UPDATE:

I am now having problems after the move. All water tested perfect and still tests good (nitrates 5ppm after everything dieing). I even drip acclimated everything.

I did not realize that upgrading lights would cause such problems, if this was the cause to begine with. My be a little of both, but the LEDs were way too bright and Before I new it, it was to late.

For those who plan to upgrade, there is more to it than water chemistry. I found out the hard way, brighter lights WILL burn your corals. I wish I knew or thought of it, to slowly work the lights up to par. After I burt my corals, they started to poison the tank (so we think), now nothing looks good and I have lost about half. I had one SPS that I think may have been the problem poisoner, but still it is my fault. You can fallow what has happened http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f14/my-new-lights-too-bright-60442/

Just a word to the wise, the lights play just as important part in acclimation as water!

And I went with 100w LEDs instead of the 200W (I have a total of 200W instead of 400w!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

barrierreefcf
Arrivals 9/21 - 9/25
Replies
0
Views
271
barrierreefcf
barrierreefcf
darklcd
135 gal build
Replies
5
Views
3K
spieszak
spieszak
C
Need help with cycling tank
Replies
2
Views
2K
Scooterman
Scooterman
M
Are LEDs killing my hammer corals?
Replies
0
Views
2K
MontanaCyn
M
C
It's been a while but I'm back at it pico style!
Replies
2
Views
3K
SantaMonica
S
Back
Top