600 Display (1100+ total system) Mixed Reef

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6310864#post6310864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seandanekind
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/
Click to expand...

Your set-up was really unique (also seemed very quiet), didn't want to throw your name out there without your permission.

I guess I am a little impatient to sit-down and really figure out/and understand how the airlift works, all I know is I don't want to drill any more holes in the basement wall than is necessary.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6310864#post6310864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seandanekind
I plan on trying it again, but using a Geyser Pump instead of an airlift... http://www.geyserpump2.com/
Click to expand...

Very interesting... Now with that Geyser Pump, I could have that in my ref and then have say some airline tubing or some small PVC plumbed back to the main tank ?? I would need it to go up so far then 90deg along the wall then another 90deg to get it to the tank, so like 7ft worth of plumbing with some 90's ??
 
Didn't want to steal Paul's thread....

I am now thinking of running a closed loop of a Seq. Hammerhead with the eight nozzles coming up thru the bottom of the tank.

One hammerhead to run returns down right side of tank which will be broken down to 4 nozzles.

Same thing on the left side of the tank.

All with directional nozzles giving me 16 nozzles in total to adjust flow.

Then add one or Two Waveboxes and I am set.

Shawn, The two hammerheads will be running returns from the sump while the third was to run the Closed Loop.
 
Sixxer: have you checked out the new IceCap Pump coming out in March? I was originally going to use the Hammerheads and do two CL plus the return, but the IceCap Pumps have many advantages over the CL.

1. movable
2. no holes in tank
3. extremely low watts/gph
4. individually tunable
5. battery back up!!!

Imagine being able to change where the flow is as the reef grows? I really think you should consider this.
 
I have seen those pumps before, but with my tank being set-up for 3 sided viewing they would be an eye-sore, otherwise great product.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6311764#post6311764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
Very interesting... Now with that Geyser Pump, I could have that in my ref and then have say some airline tubing or some small PVC plumbed back to the main tank ?? I would need it to go up so far then 90deg along the wall then another 90deg to get it to the tank, so like 7ft worth of plumbing with some 90's ??
Click to expand...

You'll want to minimize the vertical difference between the tank and sump to be only a few inches and don't plan on lifting the water too high. The Geyser pumps (like airlifts) are still most efficient when 80% submersed or more.

These were designed for sewage treatment, not living rooms, so 2 words of warning:

VERY LOUD.

It sounds like the first second of a flushing toilet. The lift volume depends on how much water is in the riser above the air chamber. AKA: a 2" diameter x 36" pipe above the pump yeilds about 1/2 a gallon with every pulse. So, for 1000 gph flow you have to hear the gush of a flushing toilet every 2 seconds.

Still, the efficiency gains are impressive...
 
If the water level is close between the 2 tanks, airlifts can be more efficient than centrifugal or mag drive pumps.

Consider that I was using 3 x 3/16" feed lines for about 2000 gph. I didn't need the whole 120W of the air pump I was using. In fact, the air powered CC skimmer probably used 1/2 of it, and I was still bleeding off a few lines.

The GeyserPump site has a Geyser -vs- Airlift -vs- Mechanical pump comparo where they claim to get 120,000 gal/day out of a 4" geyser and a 79W linear piston pump. That's 5000 gph using only 79W!!!! But remember, that's with nearly ZERO vertical head, and the air pump costs about $350. But running 24/7, that's about $180 a year worth of electricity cost savings in Cincinnati compared to a Sequence Barracuda.

http://www.geyserpump2.com/new_page_6.htm

Anyway, sorry for hijacking the thread Sixxer.
 
yeah, sorry sixxer!

The Geyser wouldn't work for me (I think) then because my submergence would only be 1-2 feet and my tank top is 70" from the bottom of the sump.
 
Wow. So when you said "display tanks", did you actually mean two tanks?

(sorry if this was stated earlier, just had finals today so I don't feel like thinking much)
 
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!! An update....

It's been a few months since I have posted any sort of progress on my 600 gallon reef set-up, so here are a few of the latest bit of progress (Still no water! :? )

This tank is being set-up as for 3 sided viewing and will have a bar top install on the 3 viewable sides. The tank measures 96x48x30 with an external overflow.

12.jpg


MVC-037S.jpg


MVC-038S.jpg


MVC-019S.jpg


Hope to have the drywall completed and painting done this week and water in it by the end of this month.
 
Looking good was getting worried that you were not going to get that tank up and running! Great install how are the fish doing in the temp pool you have them in?
 
Thanks Janrowe

hdtvguy: I thought it was never going to come together either:lol:

Thanks Alien, I can't wait to have it finished.
 
WOW. I leave town for a few months and everyone goes crazy. How can I keep up with all these must read threads:D
 
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