Josh's 180 SPS system

[zibba]

:eek1: Sick!

 

[frogg21]

crx

crx

My new cheapo check valve failed too, does this ruin the solenoid or needle valve usually?

Good Needle Valves: Parker
any others$

Good CO2 Check Valves:
any brands people know that function long term?

 

[woodwrangler]

I like the look of the Kessil's, very nice :thumbsup:

 

[zrogst]

Kessils look great. Are these the new dimmable ones?

Wish it was easier to route the power cord. You could try goosenecks and black-zip-tie the cords onto the neck, but if you don't like the style it wont matter.

 

[needmore-reef]

:eek1: Sick!

Thank you sir!

My new cheapo check valve failed too, does this ruin the solenoid or needle valve usually?

Yes, this is my second solenoid.

Good Needle Valves: Parker
any others$

Good CO2 Check Valves:
any brands people know that function long term?

Not a whole lot of info on check valves. I've tried most available from Marine depot and Aqua Cave. Learned about Aquarium Plants check valve from a thread here on RC. I'll let you know.

I like the look of the Kessil's, very nice :thumbsup:

Thank you, My metal halides were much higher kelvin, but I think I like the lower K and corals, except for pink and purple Stylos, should look better.

Kessils look great. Are these the new dimmable ones?

Wish it was easier to route the power cord. You could try goosenecks and black-zip-tie the cords onto the neck, but if you don't like the style it wont matter.

Yes. These are the new A350W "œtuna blue" set at 50% in the photo. The blue and whites are independently dimmable which I think is a nice feature.

I originally planned on using the gooseneck and really like the look better, but the saltwater was making contact with the clamp and corroded the metal within a few weeks.

I've seen a rubber coating/ dip for hand tool handles at home depot that may provide enough protection from the occasional splash. The power cords are killing me.

 

[needmore-reef]

Originally the SRO5000INT was on my radar, but decided to go with the Reef Dynamics INS350 and couldn't be happier I did. It's not the most popular, has no bubble plate or cone shaped body, but the thing is amazing.
Dimensions are 10 x 26, rated for SPS aquariums up to 300 gallons. It takes up a ton of room in the sump. Dimensions of sump skimmer section are 17.5 x 23.5 and water level is 7"

 

[needmore-reef]

time for more fish - QT

time for more fish - QT

 

[zibba]

:dance:

Sweet!

 

[SweetCoralline1]

screen top

screen top

Where did you find this screen material...I am looking to make a screen top for my tank.

 

[needmore-reef]

:dance:

Sweet!

Thanks. I thought this was a good project to give flame polishing a try.

Where did you find this screen material...I am looking to make a screen top for my tank.

This is a great DIY project. Reef Monsters and Aquarius sell the 1/4 clear sceen. Home Depot has the rest. You're welcome to come by and use tools. I also have extra spline you can have.

 

[needmore-reef]

night time shots

night time shots

Uploaded with ImageShack.com
Uploaded with ImageShack.com
Uploaded with ImageShack.com
Uploaded with ImageShack.com
Uploaded with ImageShack.com

 

[dahenley]

hows the sump and equipment working for you?

 

[Anthrax15]

Tanks look great, man. Came together real nice!

 

[needmore-reef]

hows the sump and equipment working for you?

My only trouble would be the calcium reactor. Every few days the effluent drip rate slows and occasionally stops. Reef Dynamics has a video on youtube that may help with that. Jeff recommends having a much faster drip rate than I've tried.

Sump, Skimmer and Geo media reactors are doing ok, although I'm loosing Rowaphos out of the reactor which is driving me a little nuts. The 2 Sicce Voyager 4000 pumps are now doing great. After blowing through 3 impellers I was about ready to switch to Tunze, which I still feel are better pumps, but glad I'm not out 500.

My Vortech pumps are getting a bit loud I feel another set of wet ends may soon be in order.

Tanks look great, man. Came together real nice!

Thanks so much! Its not perfect, but I'm real happy with how it turned out.

 

[azjohnny]

How often do you remove your Vortechs and clean them?

 

[dahenley]

i saw that video, and i run my effluent like the video (that fine line between drip and stream)

hows the sump?
like the design and would you change anything?

 

[needmore-reef]

How often do you remove your Vortechs and clean them?

The pumps are cleaned each month.

i saw that video, and i run my effluent like the video (that fine line between drip and stream)

hows the sump?
like the design and would you change anything?

I like the design of the sump because it's so simple and works well for my application. My requirements for the sump were, large as possible using an 8x4 sheet of acrylic, fit under the tank, have refugium section, maintain a constant 7" water level in the skimmer section, and could fit the INS350, a few media reactors and Eheim 1260.

One issue that I had with the sump was noise. I really needed this thing to be as quite as possible. The water spilling over the weir between the refugium and the skimmer section was a little loud during my leak test so I began drilling small holes (unsure what size) in the panel between the two sections just below the skimmer section water line until it was silent. (It ending up needing 4 holes)

I will also say that this design only works because there is a relatively low flow rate through the sump. Any more flow and a few over under weirs would be needed. I'm using an Eheim 1260 as I only wanted three times total system volume through the sump each hour. The low flow rate is based on recommendations from the article "œEnergy Costs," Coral- March 2010, and recommendations from Reef Dynamics.