Addiction wins, 450 gallon system begins
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
On a semi-unrelated topic:
I've been thinking about turning my 125 planted tank into a lightly populated FOWLR. But I really don't want to add a sump, etc. So I've been trying to figure out how, with minimum overhead to equip it. I had every thing sitting around except a decent skimmer.
So I decided to take my Bak-Pak2 skimmer and mod it. I've been thinking about this for a few months. I decided that I was going to make it a recirulating skimmer by adding a needle wheel pump. But for the cost of that, I may have well just bought a ASM and added a sump.
So anyway, this morning I made the bak-pak a recirluating skimmer from just what I had laying around the house (couple of MJ1200s). It isn't pretty, but I'm testing it on the sump of the 450 now. We'll see how it does after a day of running in there
If it works out, I'll post some pics.
I've been thinking about turning my 125 planted tank into a lightly populated FOWLR. But I really don't want to add a sump, etc. So I've been trying to figure out how, with minimum overhead to equip it. I had every thing sitting around except a decent skimmer.
So I decided to take my Bak-Pak2 skimmer and mod it. I've been thinking about this for a few months. I decided that I was going to make it a recirulating skimmer by adding a needle wheel pump. But for the cost of that, I may have well just bought a ASM and added a sump.
So anyway, this morning I made the bak-pak a recirluating skimmer from just what I had laying around the house (couple of MJ1200s). It isn't pretty, but I'm testing it on the sump of the 450 now. We'll see how it does after a day of running in there
If it works out, I'll post some pics.
jnarowe
New member
Aren't you the guy who was getting out of aquariums?? :lol: Tired of the plants? I like my FWP tank because it requires very little maintainance. I only stock fish that like extremely dense foliage and I trim it out about every 6 weeks. I particularly like it in the Dining room because it adds some nice plant colors to the room and our dining room is on the shaded side of the house so most house plants don't do well there...
I have not decided 100% yet I like the planted tank, but I really would like a couple not-so reef safe fish in there. But who knows... I just needed an excuse to try out the mod I thought of while the skimmer was running on the q-tank
At the very least it's helping skim out the big tank right now... All I can say is that the amount of bubbles in the chamber is insane (for a bak-pak) and very few are making it out of the return.
I like the planted tank, but I really would like a couple not-so reef safe fish in there. But who knows... I just needed an excuse to try out the mod I thought of while the skimmer was running on the q-tank At the very least it's helping skim out the big tank right now... All I can say is that the amount of bubbles in the chamber is insane (for a bak-pak) and very few are making it out of the return.
Well I really couldn't afford it, but I bought a Deltec PF600 Calcium Reactor from another person here on the board today
it was all part of the plan for the next upgrade, so hopefully it will be installed in a few months. I'm planning on upgrading return pumps slightly so that I can T off of the return pump in order to run about 200 gph through a few media containers, T off for the calc reactor and feed a small prop tank before it returns to the sump.
The second upgrade will most likely be either a Deltec AP703, new Euro-Reef RC with Eheim pumps or H&S skimmer. Then maybe I'll be done buying equipment for a while
Hopefully my OM revolutions will be in this week!
it was all part of the plan for the next upgrade, so hopefully it will be installed in a few months. I'm planning on upgrading return pumps slightly so that I can T off of the return pump in order to run about 200 gph through a few media containers, T off for the calc reactor and feed a small prop tank before it returns to the sump.
The second upgrade will most likely be either a Deltec AP703, new Euro-Reef RC with Eheim pumps or H&S skimmer. Then maybe I'll be done buying equipment for a while
Hopefully my OM revolutions will be in this week!
The Ca reactor and OM revolutions are on the way. I guess Paul at OM had to make mine as he was out of the 180 degree sweeps, so it took a couple extra days.
I'm very happy that the colt frags and birdsnest that I got a few weeks ago are taking off Looking at the pictures of when I got them, there are new branches and the ones that were there have grown between 4 and 6mm. Doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty exciting. I guess the 175 watters that I was told would never work, work OK. I'll admit that they would never sustain SPS on the sand, but at just above mid-level of the tank, they seem to be fine for what I want! I just want a few colonies of SPS above mid level with softies and zoos filling the lower section.
Started getting the painting done in the wetroom yesterday. Painting everything to match and added a 6' shelf to hold the future Ca reactor, media containers, Co2 tank and DIY Kalk stirrer. I was hoping on finishing that off today, but the wife wants me to finish the wainscot and painting in the laundry room so next week I can get the cabinets in and some other goodies to make laundry a bit easier...
If I have time I'm hoping on getting the pane cleaned up and some pics of the frag growth this weekend
I'm very happy that the colt frags and birdsnest that I got a few weeks ago are taking off
Looking at the pictures of when I got them, there are new branches and the ones that were there have grown between 4 and 6mm. Doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty exciting. I guess the 175 watters that I was told would never work, work OK. I'll admit that they would never sustain SPS on the sand, but at just above mid-level of the tank, they seem to be fine for what I want! I just want a few colonies of SPS above mid level with softies and zoos filling the lower section.Started getting the painting done in the wetroom yesterday. Painting everything to match and added a 6' shelf to hold the future Ca reactor, media containers, Co2 tank and DIY Kalk stirrer. I was hoping on finishing that off today, but the wife wants me to finish the wainscot and painting in the laundry room so next week I can get the cabinets in and some other goodies to make laundry a bit easier...
If I have time I'm hoping on getting the pane cleaned up and some pics of the frag growth this weekend
Sadly I bet you are right I was asking melev the other week how he liked his aquamedic HQIs... I was thinking of upgrading to three 250 watters. Then I was looking at just upgrading my ballasts and going with single ended 250s. Then I remembered what my goal was when I started this thing... So I'm going to stick to the initial plan... Initially Once I have all the equipment and everything basically "done", and I have the time to focus on the aquascape, the whole thing may change. I may just not like the mixed reef and go with the full blown SPS set up...
Sorry, no pics today. I just finished up doing the woodwork in the laundry room and it's after 10:00. Still have about 3-4 more hours of it tomorrow and then I want to get the painting done in the wetroom.
I was asking melev the other week how he liked his aquamedic HQIs... I was thinking of upgrading to three 250 watters. Then I was looking at just upgrading my ballasts and going with single ended 250s. Then I remembered what my goal was when I started this thing... So I'm going to stick to the initial plan... Initially Once I have all the equipment and everything basically "done", and I have the time to focus on the aquascape, the whole thing may change. I may just not like the mixed reef and go with the full blown SPS set up...Sorry, no pics today. I just finished up doing the woodwork in the laundry room and it's after 10:00. Still have about 3-4 more hours of it tomorrow and then I want to get the painting done in the wetroom.
The OceansMotions revolutions came in today
These are version 4s that only output 180 degrees on two different angles. I went with .75" as I thought that the back pressure on these would increase the flow on the alternate 1" flex nozzles on the other end (with the OM 4-way drum I use, output is supplied to two nozzles at any given time). So hopefully these will do the trick, otherwise I'm going to have some custom 1" revolutions made.
I got the canopy doors made yesterday, but have to get them and the cabinet doors painted. I also have yet to finish the wetroom upgrade. Hopefully this week I'll get it done
These are version 4s that only output 180 degrees on two different angles. I went with .75" as I thought that the back pressure on these would increase the flow on the alternate 1" flex nozzles on the other end (with the OM 4-way drum I use, output is supplied to two nozzles at any given time). So hopefully these will do the trick, otherwise I'm going to have some custom 1" revolutions made.
I got the canopy doors made yesterday, but have to get them and the cabinet doors painted. I also have yet to finish the wetroom upgrade. Hopefully this week I'll get it done
You know it did really well. Problem is that me MRC strips the water really well, so I had to run it for a night with out the MRC going. Then it really pulled out some nasty stuff. My goal is to make a NW impeller and go from there, but after the test run I think for the money, it was worth the experiment
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