225 Tank build thread
- Thread starter calvin415
- Start date
calvin415
New member
Thank bro, I'm looking forward to seeing it all setup.
Thanks Larry!
Well, we've decided on replacing both ballasts so we don't risk having different colors on each end of the tank. Going with the PFO Dual HQI so according to JB NY it will over drive the XM's to a PAR value of almost 950!!! Just to compare Russ, that almost 50% brighter! Should be close to a normally driven 400W!
Tank is empty and wiped out (shavings from the ceiling and PVC) and ready to fill. RO/DI is running and has started the final fill! Should be done in about 3 days...
All that's left is rinsing the sand and adding the rock, plus timers, heaters, etc... Gotta be running by Saturday evening! 
racer69
New member
Eric, I have roughly 230 gals total, and I don't run any heaters. The lights keep it plenty warm and with the water volume it doesn't cool too much. I have about a 2.5-3 degree swing. I run two fans in the canopy, and one on the sump while the lights are on and no fans when they are off.
calvin415
New member
Thanks for the thought Todd and I considered that, but this tank is a basement (already cool), in a room that's 7x13 with 9ft ceilings and only 2 250w lights which are not enclosed... I fear the lights won't heat it nearly enough, and the room will remain cool causing major temp fluctuations when the lights go out...
calvin415
New member
That's what I was afraid of... Russ, do you know how heaters work? I mean if it's a 300w heater does that mean every time it turns on it's pulling 300w? So a 1000W heater would pull 1000W everytime it turned on? Just trying to make sure we don't overload the circuit with a heater...
That's what I was afraid of...
I guess it's cheaper than a chiller, I'll have to just see what happens with the temps... Thanks for the discussion guys!
reefkoi
Premium Member
I use a 300 watt heater in mine, it rarely ever turns on and our basement is 70 degrees or less usually.
The plumbing..............ok i see you upped the gravity flow drain to a 3" , was it flowing too slow? and why do you have the vent at the end of the run near the sump? it should be all the way back at the tank where the water starts to flow. for a simple fix you could just drill a couple small holes on the caps you put at the top of those 2 lines near the center of the tank, as long as the tops are above water enough it will help the flow.
Unless your method is now working I wouldn't bother but just though i'd throw it out there.
The plumbing..............ok i see you upped the gravity flow drain to a 3" , was it flowing too slow? and why do you have the vent at the end of the run near the sump? it should be all the way back at the tank where the water starts to flow. for a simple fix you could just drill a couple small holes on the caps you put at the top of those 2 lines near the center of the tank, as long as the tops are above water enough it will help the flow.
Unless your method is now working I wouldn't bother but just though i'd throw it out there.
calvin415
New member
Yeah but you've got 6 250 HQI setups enclosed over the tank, I will have 2 with no enclosure... I guess we've got a couple Jager heaters I can throw in the sump and see how it does and then adjust from there...
I went with the 3" pipe because, 2 2" drains couldn't flow as well as I wanted it to with a 2" pipe... Air kept getting trapped (even with the 2" caps drilled and even removed) and the water level kept bouncing. Going this route it works great, air can vent and it's more reliable. I still need to get a cap on the 3" vent stack to dampen the noise from that, but otherwise it works well.
Deuce67
New member
Like what fuzzyt said, heaters will kick in at the wattage it was designed for. I have a 300w on my setup and that thing rarely kicks on during the day. I hope you dont need a chiller. You can just crack than window open and let the exhaust fan suck out all the heat out when it gets a bit warm. May have to put some fans blowing on your sump too. Youll be alright I would think.
calvin415
New member
I don't think a chiller could possibly be needed... That room is nice and cool, the house has A/C and my parents are not afraid to run it. With 2 SE bulbs and nothing to enclose the heat I don't think there will be much heat added to the water and even all the pumps are run externally... I think heating the tank will be my only worry. 
But with the lights, heater and return pump on one circuit, will I be pushing the limit? 250W+250W+(est 750W-1000W)+160W=1410W-1660W... 20A circuit should be fine right?
I could always use an extention cord and hit the other ciruit...
With 2 SE bulbs and nothing to enclose the heat I don't think there will be much heat added to the water and even all the pumps are run externally... I think heating the tank will be my only worry. But with the lights, heater and return pump on one circuit, will I be pushing the limit? 250W+250W+(est 750W-1000W)+160W=1410W-1660W... 20A circuit should be fine right?I could always use an extention cord and hit the other ciruit...
