Blackthunda77's 80Gal Shallow Reef Build
- Thread starter blackthunda77
- Start date
blackthunda77
New member
Yea that's what I'm afraid of. We shall see...
nivram
New member
Even and $350 used it is expensive. To answer your question they are worth it
Just wish they were cheaper.
John with your shallow sand bed you'll have to get creative. I have mine mounted about 4 to 6 inches from the top in a 20 inch deep tank and it still moves my sand. They create some crazy undertow.
blackthunda77
New member
Even and $350 used it is expensive. To answer your question they are worth it
Just wish they were cheaper.
John with your shallow sand bed you'll have to get creative. I have mine mounted about 4 to 6 inches from the top in a 20 inch deep tank and it still moves my sand. They create some crazy undertow.
Dang it. I was contemplating a mp10. Oh well. My sand is not very fine so I'm hoping that will help. I have 3 korallia 1400's in there right now and i don't have any issues. I guess we shall see...
blackthunda77
New member
Um yea, i was actually planning on having the MP40 on the wall side since this set up is a peninsula. I dont want any wires on the other side of the tank. Im trying to keep it clean looking to go with the rimless look. Please dont tell me now that it wont work! LOL. Oh well, if it doesnt work like i need it to i will sell it to someone else. Good thing vortechs have good resell value. Im not looking for any waves or anything, just good flow.
The way i have the rock work set up it was always with a vortech in mind. rockwork is shallow right in front of where the MP40 will be going and then gradually goes up on the sides and slopes down towards the other end of the tank. Ohh well, fingers crossed.
The way i have the rock work set up it was always with a vortech in mind. rockwork is shallow right in front of where the MP40 will be going and then gradually goes up on the sides and slopes down towards the other end of the tank. Ohh well, fingers crossed.
rovster
New member
I have seen a few in action, and their flow pattern is WIDE. I was just concerned that with the shallow tank, you may have to crank it a bit to get flow to the other side, and that in itself may have its issues. My tank is not much deeper so I'll have similar issues. I hope it works out, it probably will. Make sure you post a video when its set up. However, if your Koralias are getting it done, then the MP should be no problem. Sorry to make you doubt yourself, LOL!
PS, just noticed your sig. I guess a lot of us thought black thunda referred to something else, LMAO!
PS, just noticed your sig. I guess a lot of us thought black thunda referred to something else, LMAO!
blackthunda77
New member
Ha, yea I got tired of people asking me weird questions and people saying "ohh you look different then what I expected" when I'm meeting to trade or sell frags, hahaha
blackthunda77
New member
also, wide flow is fine with me, its a 24in wide tank. and as for it reaching the other side of the tank. Strong flow all the way back there is not needed too much, its where my lps and zoanthids are mostly placed. again, specifically because i didnt want a powerhead on that side of the tank.
blackthunda77
New member
Here's a couple coral shot updates...
Yellow brick roads and sunset monti
Bird of paradise from rogger
Green acan
Some zoas i don't know the name of
Yellow brick roads and sunset monti
Bird of paradise from rogger
Green acan
Some zoas i don't know the name of
blackthunda77
New member
Armor or god and purple deaths
Acropora jaqulinea (spelling?) From rogger
Bluespot and radioactive greens
Fire and ice
Wider angle shot with large dreads (which is for sale or trade)
Punk rockers, radioactive greens, yellow brick.roads
Acropora jaqulinea (spelling?) From rogger
Bluespot and radioactive greens
Fire and ice
Wider angle shot with large dreads (which is for sale or trade)
Punk rockers, radioactive greens, yellow brick.roads
blackthunda77
New member
rovster
New member
Awesome! I thought you needed a deeper sanded for a bluespot. That is such a cool fish. You lucky bastard, those colonies from Roggers tank are sick. Save me a frag for my tank will you. Also love all the open swimming room. And, your pics seem to be getting better. Who have you been hanging out with, LOL!
blackthunda77
New member
Thanks. As soon as I see some obvious growth on those colonies showing me they have acclimated properly I should be able to get some frags off them. As for the pics,o have just been hanging out with the fish more, lol. Unfortunately they are still camera phone pics. Not bad though. Its off my HTC one x.
Joshporksandwic
Premium Member
Very nice pics. Your tanks look very healthy! Let me know when I can go check it out.
blackthunda77
New member
I'll be home most of tomorrow.
blackthunda77
New member
I'll be waiting for my MP40 to arrive. 
blackthunda77
New member
What happened bro, i was waiting for you to show up?!
blackthunda77
New member
Ok, so i received the vortech this weekend. Got it up and running on the tank. Its on the back glass against the wall. Tank looks MUCH sleeker now with 3 less koralias and no koralias on the glass facing the living room. Exactly what i was envisioning, nice and clean, free of wires. The pump is definately enough for my tank and i can even get it up to 100% without disturbing the sand bed too much. The only sand i was having an issue with was the crappy "fine" sand i have under the more coarse seaflor reef sand. Im in the process of removing as much of it as possible with water changes and replacing with more seaflor sand from caribsea.
With 2-3 koralias all on the glass facing the wall i was still getting no surface turbulance on the other end of the tank and it was accumulating that surface film, but with just this one MP40 im getting plenty of surface turbulence all the way to the other end of the tank without splashing over and without creating any sand storms. I think using a more coarse substrate with vortechs is key. And dont get me wrong I DO NOT have crushed coral, not even close. Everyone that comes to see my tank says they love the sand.
I posted on another thread that im not too sure if the pump is overly loud or if thats just the nature of the beast with vortechs. Im hoping someone comes by or i can see someone elses tank with some mp40s to put my mind at ease because i was thinking of taking apart the dry side and replacing the bearings if it is indeed louder than normal. The way the tank is set up is that the back glass is abotu 3" away from the wall and thats where the vortech is placed. I was thinking of making a wood frame to go around the side of the tank and top basically sealing in the vortech dry side. the wood frame would be painted to match the stand or the wall and the inside of the wood would be lined with sound dampening material like the stuff in sound booths. I stuffed some towels in that area basically doing the same as i would with the wood and the noise has been reduced pretty significantly.
With 2-3 koralias all on the glass facing the wall i was still getting no surface turbulance on the other end of the tank and it was accumulating that surface film, but with just this one MP40 im getting plenty of surface turbulence all the way to the other end of the tank without splashing over and without creating any sand storms. I think using a more coarse substrate with vortechs is key. And dont get me wrong I DO NOT have crushed coral, not even close. Everyone that comes to see my tank says they love the sand.
I posted on another thread that im not too sure if the pump is overly loud or if thats just the nature of the beast with vortechs. Im hoping someone comes by or i can see someone elses tank with some mp40s to put my mind at ease because i was thinking of taking apart the dry side and replacing the bearings if it is indeed louder than normal. The way the tank is set up is that the back glass is abotu 3" away from the wall and thats where the vortech is placed. I was thinking of making a wood frame to go around the side of the tank and top basically sealing in the vortech dry side. the wood frame would be painted to match the stand or the wall and the inside of the wood would be lined with sound dampening material like the stuff in sound booths. I stuffed some towels in that area basically doing the same as i would with the wood and the noise has been reduced pretty significantly.
