1/2 blog, 1/2 overhaul thread

jacksonpt

jacksonpt

New member
We don't get many build threads 'round these parts, so I thought I'd see if I could stimulate some synapses. I also like to write and share thoughts/pictures/experiences with the false hope that someone else might actually care about what I have to say.

So I give you this thread... 1/2 blog, 1/2 build thread. Do with it what you will.

I think I've finally gotten a pretty good feel for what works and what does, what I like and what I don't though about 3 years of trial and error. OK... after 3 years of mostly error. I've been through different types of lighting, including various bulb combinations. I've been through an array of circulation options, including power heads, a closed loop, and vortechs. I've done the all-in-one thing, built my own pseudo all-in-one, and done the sump thing. I've had success running skimmerless, I've had success running skimmered. I've tried out dosers, ATOs, media reactors, media trays, and a refugium. I've done regular weekly water changes, I've gone months without water changes.

What have I learned after all this? That the more I think I know, the more I end up being wrong about.

I think this hobby is equal parts passion and stubbornness. Some might say those two things aren't really all that different.

So with renewed excitement (and a bit of "I'll make this work dammit" stubbornness), I'm getting ready to overhaul my tank.

At this point, I'm still planning things out and acquiring parts. I'm hoping to make the swap late next week, but I'm having a few things custom built, so ultimately I'm dependent on those things before I can do any real work.
 
Sounds cool. I care what you have to say Jackson. Lets see some pics of what it looks like now before you even touch it.
 
So lets start with a little background...

My name is Jackson, I'm 34, I like long walks on the beach, good conversation... Oh, wait... wrong forum.

About 2.5 years ago I started with a 12g aquapod. Loved the simplicity of it, but quickly wanted more room. So I upgraded to the 30long I have now. I built a small corner overflow box to house a heater and pair of powerheads to replicate the simplicity of the AIO. It worked pretty well, but made maintenance very difficult because of how tightly everything was packed into the overflow box.

I eventually nixed the idea and went with a more traditional sumpless design using 4 powerheads strategically placed. My strategy changed about weekly as I tried to get good flow throughout the tank/rockpile without abusing my corals with direct flow.

Eventually I got tired of dealing with the powerheads, and they certainly didn't help the aesthetics of the tank, so I decided to drill the tank and use a sump/fug for nutrient export and a closed loop for flow. I had 4 outlets on the closed loop, each used a hydor rotating deflector. the setup worked well, when it was working properly, but the hydors proved fussy and needed constant attention.

I eventually removed the closed loop and replaced it with a pair of vortech mp10s. Some plusses and minuses compared to the previous setup, but all in all I think it was an improvement. I'm not sure it was enough of an improvement to justify the cost, but an improvement none the less.

So that's where things stand now. I've got a 30long that works pretty well when I leave it alone. But when I get playing with things I find myself burning up outlets, flooding the basement (scary considering my tank is on the first floor), and generally making a huge mess.
 
Now lets talk about my goals with this overhaul.

First and foremost, I need to make things more "reliable". That means less prone to drips, less prone to fuge lights falling into fuge, less prone to ATO float switch getting bumped out of place, less prone to ATO water line getting bumped outside sump (thus filling up my basement instead of my tank), etc.

Next... I'm a tinkerer at heart, so I need something that's easier to fiddle with. Ball valves that I can actually reach without causing a fitting or a connection to leak. A sump I can actually work in/on. Options for different flow patterns and light cycles. Those kinds of things.

Last, a few subtle though important improvements.
  • The glass holes box I currently use is too noisy for me to run at anything more than a trickle. So I'm having a custom box made up. The box will hopefully be quieter, and be more efficient at surface skimming, thus leading to cleaner water while allowing me to run more flow though the tank.
  • My stand is crowded and messy, so working under there is a bit of a nightmare. I want to plan things out a bit more... route cords and plumbing in a way that makes more sense, position hardware such that I can adjust/service them when needed, etc.

And lets not forget about enjoyment of the tank. The end result needs to be something that I can enjoy. It's gotta look good and be reasonably stable with reasonably husbandry practices. While I generally enjoy maintaining the tank, I don't want it to become work.
 
Now, on to the good stuff... This is a pretty accurate model of what I'm planning:

FullBuild.jpg


SumpWithWater.jpg


Equipment
  • Tank gets upgraded from a 30 long to a 38 (had to keep the same footprint).
  • Lighting is a Hamilton 4x39 T5 retro. I'm swapping out the single, large reflector for individual ice cap reflectors. Currently running Geisemann bulbs, may switch to ATI when the time comes but I've been happy with the Geisemanns.
  • Sump goes from a 20h to a 15 (the extra height ended up just getting in the way).
  • Overflow box will be 30" long, draining a nice thin layer of surface water to the sump, which should make the filtration that happens in the sump/fuge more effective.
  • Return pump will still be an Eheim 1262, though I'm hoping that I can come up with a more effective (less restrictive) plumbing scheme to give me more flow. I'm probably going to give up on the media reactors as they seem to be more hassle than they are worth. I'll go with a media tray in my sump if I need to run carbon, gfo, phosphate remover, etc.
  • Skimmer is an SWC 120 Cone. I don't love it, but I have no real complaints either, so I'm sticking with it.
  • Circulation will come from a pair of mp10s.
  • ATO is a 5g bucket controlled by a float switch in my sump connected to an aqualifter.
  • Dosing will be manual - I'll probably end up selling my dosing pumps unless I can find another use for them.
  • RO/DI comes from a 5 stage filter from The Filter guys consisting of a 5 micron poly filter, a 1 micron poly filter, a carbon block, a 75gpd membrane, and a DI resin canister.

Notes
Under normal operating conditions, the water level in the tank should be < 1/4" above the weir, which would result in roughly .5gallon of water draining into the sump when the return pump is turned off/loses power.

Sump will hold roughly 10g of water under normal conditions, allowing for 4-5 gallons of additional drain water in the case of pump failure.

There should be roughly 6" of clearance from top of skimmer cup to bottom of upper tank support. Should make it MUCH easier to adjust the skimmer or remove it for cleaning/service.

Roughly 12" of clearance from top of sump to bottom of upper tank support.



OK, I think that's it for today. Think will probably be slow the next week or so, but stay tuned...
 
Last edited:
fatrip said:
Sounds cool. I care what you have to say Jackson. Lets see some pics of what it looks like now before you even touch it.
Click to expand...

I'll get a full array of pics at some point this week. I've been trying to do it the first of every month, so the timing works out well. I've noticed some good growth lately in a few of my corals, so I'll get shots of that for sure.
 
i would first say go ahead and make it alittle bigger(as they say the bigger the better) more water volume. even if you have to make the tank a 30x20x20 is close to 50 gal. as far as ball valve location..dry fit the PVC, make sure you can access it, and then cement glue everything together.! wham! No leaks. Get a clamp on shop light and the spring wont let it drop bc of the tension. go with a sump, again bigger the better, in the space provided of course. . in turn that will allow you more room for an ato float switch.. as far as sand bed being messy..clean it...or replace it if its not deep. you can always get a nice clean up crew too and then trade em in or swap em to a local reefer when the algea is gone:) as far as drips and what not...get a waterproof electric box..or a plastic baggie and tape. As far as plumbing just think about it a ton and get zip ties:) make sure u cut the excess off though or you'll poke your eye out, just joking I almost did that though. Happy reefing and nice build, cheers:beer:
 
I'm kicking around the idea of getting a controller. Anyone use them? What kind, and what do you control/monitor with it?

I've thought about it before, but it always seems to come down to this - do I really want to spend $300 for what is essentially a few conveniences?

I've got a cheap ATO that works fine, so I don't need a controller for that. I've got a few $9 timers that work fine for my lights, so I don't need a controller there. I run vortechs, so I don't need a controller for wave making. I've got central air in my home and run T5s over my tank, so heat control isn't a big issue for me. I can definitely see the benefit (convenience) to having real-time one-touch access to pH and salinity... but those are pretty easy to test...

Thoughts?
 
It sounds like you are set than because a controller with a ph and salinity meter will be a bit more than 300. I think Adam uses AquaController Apex. I think you can hook to the net and get graphs with the info from your tank.
 
i use apex as well and they are well worth the $. they are a bit tough to get the coding right but after that they are very reliable. if you go with apex visit the neptune forum those guys are very knowledgable over there
 
switches ffrom different modes thoughtout the day. i can also turn them on and off via phone, not a big deal. they are also connected to the lights to simulate a storm type climate. I love my vortechs just my 2 sense..
 
lol... yea, I actually spent a lot of time last night trying to compare the 2 systems, both from a functional standpoint and in terms of cost.

There's a lot of info about what the systems/modules do, but I had a hard time figuring out how to best build a system for me. I definitely want the System Lab 2 to monitor pH, salinity and temp, but can that module be added onto the RKL, or is only the RKE customizable/expandable?
 
Have you considered using a filter sock on the sump end of the drain? I use them and they capture a ton of crap (snails, starfish. bubble algae, etc) that would have ended up in the sump or even sucked in by the pump....

Dave
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Wave maker recommendations?
Replies
12
Views
679
ExitTrauma
E
DPauley
Bonnethead Shark Collection and Care in Home Aquaria
Replies
3
Views
264
Dr. Reef
Dr. Reef
M
Bulkhead leaking, need advice
Replies
6
Views
195
wvned
wvned
W
Cycling new Tank
Replies
2
Views
416
C.Eymann
C.Eymann
P
Considering saltwater
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
Patscom4
P
Back
Top