600 Display (1100+ total system) Mixed Reef

[sixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6302651#post6302651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hdtvguy
Looking good Sixxer! That thing is a beast

Thanks,

I see you got an Emporor. Is that a X-mas Island Emporor?

 

[sixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6302718#post6302718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by matt & pam
How much access room do you have above the tank? Will you have enough room to move things around?

Awesome sized tank by the way.

Is this basement/space the same area where you were building the concrete tank?

Matt

This is that same space.

I have 16" left above the tank. Will most likely have my lights on a rail system so I can roll them out of the way for access.

 

[JazzMan]

Glad to see you got it up on the stand. How many people did it take to move?

 

[sixxer]

It took 4 of us to move it. Thankfully no stairs were involved.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6306549#post6306549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixxer
It took 4 of us to move it. Thankfully no stairs were involved.

LOL, you just had to rub it in didn't you...

Your acrylic with no stairs vs my glass going down stairs

 

[sixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6306600#post6306600 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
LOL, you just had to rub it in didn't you...

Your acrylic with no stairs vs my glass going down stairs

After moving my 12 foot glass tank twice, I have decided the next glass tank I ever own will be built on site! No moving involved.(That's still a few years away! )

At least you have someone moving it for you! Otherwise you would probably be out of commission for a month while your back was healing from the lift!:lol:

 

[jnarowe]

Looking great sixxer!! Wanna race??

I am interested in your sponge tank idea. Can you elaborate? Where did you get the idea? I would think that the sponges would need moderate to low flow considering that they are low-light, meaning deeper if I am correct. Can they be in the refugium?

I am debating on whether to install a surge tank and if I don't, I would have room for a sponge tank. Got any links on more info??

 

[sixxer]

I got my sponge tank idea after Steve Tyree did a presentation that included "Cryptic Fuge" filtration. I have a lot of Angels and intend to purchase other fish that thrive off of sponges so I decided to have a tank dedicated to raising sponges. I plan to use them for bio-filtration along with my refugium, and also will harvest some of the sponge for food for those harder to keep species. I got some ideas from Anthony Calfo and also from the 1700 gallon stingray tank thread.

Low light, low to moderate flow, seems like it should be a pretty easy tank to set-up. I plan to use a 100 gallon rubbermaid tub for mine.

 

[jnarowe]

you could set it up above the display so it gravity feeds into it and just supply it from your return. I'll try to find that 1700g stingray thread.

 

[sixxer]

Only problem with setting it up above my display is that I only have 16" between the top of the display tank and the floor joists above. The rubbermaid tub is around 30"+ tall.

I plan to have the sponge tank fed directly from one of the drains, and then the sponge tank will drain directly into the sump near the return drain, same with the refugium.

 

[jnarowe]

Makes sense but you might chop up any live food from the sponge tank. I don't have much room either. My ceiling is 7-1/2 feet, but there is room for 50g tubs so I am using those.

 

[sixxer]

I thought about that, hopefully enough of the goodies from the Sponge tank and fuge make it back into the main system without major losses. I planned to harvest the sponge by hand as well and throw chunks into the main display as treats along with the macro from the fuge.

 

[Kreeger1]

Sixxer, I have a couple rocks really covered with sponge. Some yellow, some greyish blue and some orange ball type. You can have a rock of it if you make it to the next csea fragswap thats coming in a couple months. Just remind me when the time comes. The rock should be a great starter for your sponge system
Erik

 

[sixxer]

Thanks Erik,

That would be much appreciated. Hopefully my system is up and running by then!

 

[Kreeger1]

No problem if not let me know.
Erik

 

[matt & pam]

Have you ever thought of using an airlift to move water from a sponge tank?

 

[sixxer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6310151#post6310151 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by matt & pam
Have you ever thought of using an airlift to move water from a sponge tank?

I had thought of trying the airlift in the past. Someone local to me had one on their 400 gallon system, but I would rather not mess with it.

 

[seandanekind]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6310397#post6310397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixxer
I had thought of trying the airlift in the past. Someone local to me had one on their 400 gallon system, but I would rather not mess with it.

That was my airlift tank... That was also my house where Tyree did the presentation - as I already had a 120 gallon cryptic fuge.

Sixxer- You'll like the cryptic fuge, The sponges eat up silicates, and supposodly consume excess bacteria and coral slime.

As for the airlifts... I got about 2000 gph out of three 1" airlifts pushed by a 120W linear Piston pump (5.2cfm@2psi). I also ran ain air skimmer and about 10 airstones in other tanks on that same air pump. The 180 refugium was about 2" higher than the 400 gallon display. The only problem I had was that I didn't have are true sump (other than the 400 gallon tank) to adjust water level for topoff. That, and as the multiple 1/8" air valves clogged over time, the airlift slowed down. I've since switched to a Sequence Dart since it's too much of a hassle to redo my plumbing to make the airlift idea easier to maintain... I now use the airpump to push some serious CFM thru my CC skimmer.

I plan on trying it again, but using a Geyser Pump instead of an airlift... http://www.geyserpump2.com/

 

[jnarowe]

did you make your own geyser pump or buy one? more info on your application?

 

[Kreeger1]

I plan on trying it again, but using a Geyser Pump instead of an airlift... http://www.geyserpump2.com/
plan is the key word there I think
Erik