First 90 gallon salt setup

[oakes]

I'm about to start my first saltwater setup and just want to make sure I have everything in the right order before I start the plumbing. I already have all the parts for the DT in my main setup just not all the lights for the filtration/frag tank.

I am working on setting up a 90 gallon DT tank in my living room with the filtration in my basement. The DT will drain to a 60 gallon frag/separation tank which will then drain to a 100 gallon tank and this tank will then drain to another 100 gallon tank and from here is pumped back up to the main tank.

One 100 gallon tank will be a sump and the other a refugium. I cannot decide which order to place them in. Should the first 100 gallon tank be the refugium and the second the sump with skimmer and other accessories down the road? I first was going to have the sump first and refuge second but while talking with people at my LFS they suggested the opposite.

I know everyone has their own views but just want some input and hear what others have to say before I start making the plumbing final on this thing!

Currently I am working on getting my RO/DI and QT tank setup first so by the time the DT is ready I will hopefully have a fish or two in QT ready for the main tank. QT tank is a 75 gallon with a 29 gallon long home made sump.

Thank for any and all input!!

 

[oscarinw]

I am just trying to understand your setup correctly. You will have a 350 gallon setup correct? If so, I would have the refugium first, then the sump and back to the DT.
I must say it is an uncommon setup for a 90 gallon display tank.
Hopefully this helps.

 

[fpv930]

Wow, that's alot of water and tanks. I am jealous. lol
I would drain the 90g display tank into the refugium and the frag tank at the same time. Then drain both into the last 100g tank where your skimmer and bubble trap would be located. The nutrients from the DT would benefit both the frag tank and the refugium. Unless the frag tank is totally SPS. If so, I would run the frag tank separate.

 

[oakes]

Correct around 350 gallons all together depending on water depth in each 100 gallon tank. Sounds like the refuge will be before the sump and draining the DT to both the frag and refuge can be done which does sound like a good idea. Should I also return water from the sump to either the frag and refuge as well as the DT? I guess it will mainly depend on the water pressure the pump. My main pump is a reeflo super dart/snapper gold hybrid and will be doing at max 12'-13' to get back to the main DT.

 

[oakes]

Also, not 100% sure on what type of corals I will be keeping and I am only adding frag tank because I have the spare and think it will be easier to incorporate it now rather than later. Going with 90 gallon tank because living rooms isn't that big and I already that tank as well. So far I have only bough the two stock tanks and equipment. QT tank is the same, had both tanks already...Going from freshwater to salt water!!

 

[fpv930]

Should I also return water from the sump to either the frag and refuge as well as the DT?
That's a tough question. I guess it depends on the location of the tanks. I would think the sump would return only to the DT.

I agree with setting up the tanks now as opposed to trying to incorporate at a later date. With the amount of water volume and filtration you are going to have I think the DT will look amazing. Also, it should be very easy to control the nutrients with the sump and refugium being so big.

All this being said I don't believe there is a particular right or wrong way to set up the system. Systems work with Deep sand beds, bare bottom DT's, No refugiums, No skimmers, ETC. I would read some of the archived articles on Reef Keeping Magazine. There are great articles there and they might be able to help you decide just how you would like to set up the system.

 

[nlgill13]

You might want to draw up a schematic of what this might look like (it would definitely help me visualize what's going on).

 

[oakes]

You might want to draw up a schematic of what this might look like (it would definitely help me visualize what's going on).

Not the best but blue is drain and red is return.

 

[nlgill13]

Sweet setup...couple of suggestions that might help:

1) I would have the DT/Frag tanks drain into the sump. The reason for this is to try and keep the buildup of detritus out of the fuge.

2) To bring water to the fuge, you could plumb in a extra line from the return line (go small like 1/2" with a gate valve, don't want to much flow in the fuge). The idea here is that this will bring in already skimmed water that hopefully doesn't have any detritus.

3) To return water from the fuge to the sump, you could use gravity (ie have the fuge above the sump) or create a second section in the fuge to hold a pump.

 

[oakes]

Only pump I plan to use is the main pump to return from the sump to the DT. Everything else I plan to use gravity. Frag tank will be above the refuge which will then be above the sump, just hope the gravity is enough so the sump does not go dry which it shouldn't with the head height and all. Frag tank will have a 1 1/2 drain pipe, not sure on the refuge yet and the sump will have to be plumbed at 2" for my pump.

 

[oakes]

Got my RO/DI installed over the weekend and currently making water for my QT tank. Hoping to finish this one this weekend so by the time my DT is ready I will have at least one fish to put in.

 

[oakes]

Finally getting everything ready and have water in the whole system and triple checking for leaks, had a few leaks earlier but have fixed them and so far no leaks this go around.

Currently this system is setup with the DT upstairs which drains just to the sump in the basement. The refuge and frag/separation tank which are also in the basement drain to the sump as well. Water from the sump will be cleaned out and then pumped back to the DT, refuge and frag/separation tank.

No new pictures at the moment but will try to get some, waiting for everything to settle in the DT which is almost done I believe then I will start adding salt.

Once salt is added and the heaters arrive and get the right temp I will start seeding this system from my 75 gallon "play/test" tank which I have had setup since January just to get my feet wet with SW.

Been a long road but will be worth it once all of this is done and setup!!

 

[oakes]

Pictures.....First one is DT with no lights, then LED are set to 10% and 30%, then 100% across the board....next is the filtration in basement....square tank on left is frag/separation tank, then the refuge which is raised off floor and the sump where pump is attached..