I got the new tank up and running.

[Engloid]

220g's overflow and two skimmers are online. I have the sump working, and lights on it. Tomorrow, I will get the lights on the tank, but I have to move a HOB skimmer from the side to the back first.

This Octopus HOB skimmer puts out the gunk FAST!! I have had my hands all in the tank, stirring up stuff, scrubbing rock and all...and still got about 1.5cups of nasty stuff out of it in just a day.

The odd thing is that I had a pair of ocellaris, hosting hairy mushrooms. The new pair had been hosting a small anemone that's about like a half dollar. I put them all in this tank at the same time with mushrooms on one end and anemone on the other. They ALL are hosting the mushrooms now, and after about 10 minutes of off and on threats and sparring, they're all getting along like old friends. They even school together when they stray from the host mushrooms.

There's going to be a big difference in maintaining a 220 vs the old 125. This tank requires a step stool and your entire arm to get to the bottom of the tank. Forget about doing it with a shirt on and not getting it wet!! Part of me is already missing the 125g. Is it normal to think like that so early into a 220? I have actually considered putting all the stuff back in the 125 before I move it.

 

[DevinWolfe]

I was considering adding a third clown to my 2 in the Biocube, but I read that once the dominant pair reaches sexual maturity that they will kill off any "third wheels" so just watch out for aggression down the road.

I can't remember if you told me what kind of lighting it came with, but I'm sure it will look sexy once it's all set up. PICS!

 

[Steve W]

Congratulations. I hope things go well for you.

Were the new ocellaris small? If so, they are probably sexually immature and will remain so. That may be why you haven't had problems.

I'm sure that the 220 is going to be a challenge in more ways than one. That's one reason that I told you I'm only going to go with a 72 gallon for a while. I think that something as big as a 220 would be more than I have time or inclination to undertake.

Good luck

Steve W

 

[bluestarfish]

Congrats on getting things going. I think now you see why I downsized from the 220g I had my reef in. It's a pain but if you have the time for it, you may find it well worth it.

 

[GPhiAce]

Congrats on getting it up and running. :beer:

So what's the plan? Aggressive, FO, SPS, LPS, Softies, mix?

 

[Engloid]

I'll be doing a typical reef tank with mainly sotfies, fish and some sps. I think I may have some heat issues with the mag24, since I'm having to use a valve to restrict flow so much. The dual U tube overflow simply doesn't flow enough to keep up, so without a valve at the return pump, it overflows the tank.

Anybody have one of those really nice HOB overflows that flow something like 1200gph?

 

[DevinWolfe]

You could always do a full siphon line and leave the 2 boxes for what the siphon doesn't pull out fast enough. You could use it temporarily or permanent if you wanted to make it self-priming.

 

[Engloid]

If I did a full siphon, I increase the risk of siphoning through a power outage and flooding...unless I use a small hole in it to let air in, or only submerged the inlet about 1/4" into the water, or put a 1/2" pipe down inside with a cap and drilled a hole in the side that was just below the water surface.

Any other thoughts on it? I'd love to get one of the 1200gph overflow boxes. The mag 24 specs say it flows 1850cfm at 5 ft. Now that I think of it a bit more, I need to make sure if I have a mag 18 or 24. The 18 flows 1200cfm at 5ft.

 

[macclellan]

There's going to be a big difference in maintaining a 220 vs the old 125. This tank requires a step stool and your entire arm to get to the bottom of the tank. Forget about doing it with a shirt on and not getting it wet!! Part of me is already missing the 125g. Is it normal to think like that so early into a 220? I have actually considered putting all the stuff back in the 125 before I move it.

Tall tanks require that you plan and place your livestock appropriately if your armpits don't like swimming. I know my 30" tall tank affects my plant choices. Invest in a good quality go-go-gadget-arm doohickey too.

 

[DevinWolfe]

unless I use a small hole in it to let air in, or only submerged the inlet about 1/4" into the water, or put a 1/2" pipe down inside with a cap and drilled a hole in the side that was just below the water surface.

This is what I would do, a siphon break just like on the return line. From what I have read about large tanks a lot of people do a full siphon line with a couple regular durso standpipes to keep up with what the siphon doesn't.

You could also make it self priming by using a powerhead with a venturi intake hooked to the top of the siphon tube. That way when power returns your siphon gets primed immediately.

Some also have another standpipe that just runs straight up slightly above the water line. This is an "emergency" drain in case something happens with one of the others, it keeps the DT from overflowing and sump from running itself completely empty. Likely very noisy, but would hold you over until you figure out what's up with the blocked drain.

We will be doing an 8' in-wall once we get into a house, I don't have my resources avaiable right now but I could send them once I get home.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[Engloid]

Tall tanks require that you plan and place your livestock appropriately if your armpits don't like swimming. I know my 30" tall tank affects my plant choices. Invest in a good quality go-go-gadget-arm doohickey too.

You're exactly right. Even short sleeves while working the tank won't work. I have a long pair of tweezers that I use a lot so far, but may look for a used set of the tongs I see in stores.

Some also have another standpipe that just runs straight up slightly above the water line. This is an "emergency" drain in case something happens with one of the others, it keeps the DT from overflowing and sump from running itself completely empty. Likely very noisy, but would hold you over until you figure out what's up with the blocked drain.

I thought about doing that, with just pvc pipe, and working it in a way that I wouldn't have to prime it. I don't think I have any clog in the drains I have, its just that the pump runs more than the two U pipes can handle. By choking down the mag24, I think it's putting heat into the water. I'm not running any heaters at all right now and the water is at 80F.

 

[DevinWolfe]

I thought about doing that, with just pvc pipe, and working it in a way that I wouldn't have to prime it. I don't think I have any clog in the drains I have, its just that the pump runs more than the two U pipes can handle. I'm not running any heaters at all right now and the water is at 80F.

I mean if something happens with one of your drains down the road. The 3rd straight pipe would just allow for emergency drainage, not being used at all unless you have a blockage down the road.

Basically, make one drain a full siphon and the other a gravity fed (durso), then the third a little above the water line to cover for the drain that something happens to in the event there is an issue down the road.

The 3rd pipe is completely optional, but I had planned to do it just due to the massive volume of water that we would be dealing with.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[DevinWolfe]

I completely forgot to post the link to the 3-pipe setup I keep talking about.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310585

Here's a couple in action:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1893104

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1799925

I will definitely be doing one of these when I get a bigger tank. Supposed to be dead silent...

 

[macclellan]

 

[Engloid]

Yeah, I need to put up some pics. I'm busy right now, have to go pee in a cup for a job, and do some other things and I'll try to remember to get some pics tonight.

 

[Engloid]

PICS!!!

First pic: Lights in room on.
Second pic: Lights in room off.
Third pic: Right side of sump.
Fourth pic: Left side of sump.

Well, maybe not in that order. I uploaded in that order, but it looks like they may not have posted that way.