Have sum questions about large tank systems??

[Scuba Steve]

I'm setting up a 72"x36"x25" 280 gallon tank. With two 150 gallon Rubbermaid sumps. With a 4' x 4' Frag tank. My question is how offen do I do a water change and how much water??

 

[tom obrecht]

I did 10-15% changes once a month on my old 260. That was about right but I kept all softies which liked a bit "less than pristine" water. If you have sps it might be that much every 2 weeks to keep things in check.

 

[Scuba Steve]

Ya going to have a ton of sps, lps in the system. I will have a Geo 624 calcium reator on the system. Just don't want to take out to much water when I don't need to. I know I'm going be spending a ton of $$$ on salt!!

 

[Scuba Steve]

What does everybody use to heat there large systems?
Four to five 300W Jager Aquarium Heater????
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Engine8ff]

I had a 215 with a total of about 375 gallons with sps, lps, and some softies. I did 35 gallon water changes every 2 weeks on sundays. I didnt need a heater on mine. I had 3-250 MHs a fan in the sump area blowing on the fuge and my ceiling fan infront of the tank. Everything was on the Apex with temp settings to help maintain the temp +- 2 degrees year round with a house temp of 72 degrees. My goal with my 300DD is to do the same thing but I may need to run a smaller heater due to the tank being in the basement and the temp running 68-70. That the fun thing is figuring out your tank and how it wants to be operated. Good luck with your new tank.

 

[sarmo]

i currently have 5 300 watt heaters. i like having multiple heaters for redundancy. 4 are hooked to my controller and the other one is just plugged into the wall.
i have a 500 display w/ 2 150gallon rubbermaid tubs for fuge and sump and a 50 gallon rubbermaid for a frag tank. i change 100gallons every 4 weeks. although i think i would be better off to do 35 or 50 gallons every week.

 

[Scuba Steve]

I had a 215 with a total of about 375 gallons with sps, lps, and some softies. I did 35 gallon water changes every 2 weeks on sundays. I didnt need a heater on mine. I had 3-250 MHs a fan in the sump area blowing on the fuge and my ceiling fan infront of the tank. Everything was on the Apex with temp settings to help maintain the temp +- 2 degrees year round with a house temp of 72 degrees. My goal with my 300DD is to do the same thing but I may need to run a smaller heater due to the tank being in the basement and the temp running 68-70. That the fun thing is figuring out your tank and how it wants to be operated. Good luck with your new tank.

Thanks for the help. Display will be in living room and the sumps and frag tabk will be plumbed to the garage. I live in Okc so it is boiling hot in summer and like Eskimo in the winter!!

i currently have 5 300 watt heaters. i like having multiple heaters for redundancy. 4 are hooked to my controller and the other one is just plugged into the wall.
i have a 500 display w/ 2 150gallon rubbermaid tubs for fuge and sump and a 50 gallon rubbermaid for a frag tank. i change 100gallons every 4 weeks. although i think i would be better off to do 35 or 50 gallons every week.

Great idea thanks for the help. Why do you plug so many in to a controller and so many in the wall??? So you are Always in the safe zone. Good thinking.

Trying to do sum planing and collect info before justing in head first into this build.
Always have had smaller tanks. Now time to bump up to a BIG system!! Need all the help I can get Thanks guys for all in put!

 

[Scuba Steve]

I want to have two 150 gallon Rubbermaid sumps daisy chained together. One of the rubbermaid 150 gallon will be full of rock and deep sandbed. I would like to use the second rubbermaid 150 gallon for a coral grow out tank. With a deep sand bed and some rock with fish. Are these stock tanks going to hold the weight of the water and rock?? Has anyone had problems with these stock tanks??? Has anyone daisy chained two rubbermaid 150 gallon together? And How do you do it??

 

[sarmo]

that's what i have. the way i connected them is a primitive but it was cheap and works great. i use 3" pvc to connect the two. my tubs have flat sides and that is where i used a dremmel to cut a hole just big enough to fit the threaded male end of pipe through. then i screwed a female threaded/slip union to the male. i used a bunch of silicone to make sure it was sealed. like a bulk head but cheaper and siliconed in place. one of my tubs is about 18" higher than the other. the rest of the connection was 2 90's and a 6 foot piece of pipe. it has been leak free for about 4 years..... knock on wood

the mistake i made was to put my fuge first in line from the display and my sump second. if i did it over, i would make my first tank the bare bottom sump so that i could siphon out the detritus that comes from the display tank and collects in the deep sand bed. i should just switch them but i built a plenum and don't want to disturb it now. it just adds extra maintenance, i have to siphon the gravel once a month or so. only an inch or so though.

 

[Scuba Steve]

QUOTE=sarmo;18289106] one of my tubs is about 18" higher than the other.

What did you use to raise the rubbermaid 150 up 18"???? What will hold that weight?? cinder blocks??

 

[dahenley]

i have a 240 and only do about 55gal once a month....
i have mostly sps and lps. everything is fine and grows well. (i think if you pay attention to your parameters, you can do more with less. (plus im not the best at schedule keeping)

 

[Scuba Steve]

i have a 240 and only do about 55gal once a month....
i have mostly sps and lps. everything is fine and grows well. (i think if you pay attention to your parameters, you can do more with less. (plus im not the best at schedule keeping)

Thanks for the input. Really helps out. Thanks to everyones advice and sharing knowledge!!