Large tank project Advice
- Thread starter Herpervet
- Start date
Herpervet
New member
Well, Yes.
I put about 500 pounds of Kailini and marshall is. rock in it 4 weeks ago. I will be adding some herbivores soon to take care of the hair algae and a little cyano.
The Precision marine bullet xl is starting to slow down a bit, seeing some zooanthus polyps, nice coralline coming back and some odd cnidarian growing on the glass.
Added 5 deep sand buckets to the sump also- 5 gallons each.
Thats the progress.
The regress:
We had a very nasty storm (high winds) a couple of days ago and it blew off on of the sky-light domes.
The installer claims the screws got sheared from the force but I am skeptical.
I think they just did a **** poor job installing it.
Anyway the lens got cracked and they taped up the holes with duct tape until a new one arrives.
Other issues: micro-bubbles but not all that bad. I tried adding on 100 micron filter bags over all the returns to the sump but they need some tweaking still.
I also need some way to pre-filter the return from the sump to the cistern to prevent particulate from settling out in the latter.
Should be simple enough but I havn't had the time lately to spend on it.
oh yea. and the standard bulkhead in the rubbermaid sump gets salt-creep from a very slow leak. Apparently this is a consistent problem. Now I need to figure out how to seal it without draining the sump if possible.
I'll post some updated pics later. Mainly to get input on tweaking the system.
I put about 500 pounds of Kailini and marshall is. rock in it 4 weeks ago. I will be adding some herbivores soon to take care of the hair algae and a little cyano.
The Precision marine bullet xl is starting to slow down a bit, seeing some zooanthus polyps, nice coralline coming back and some odd cnidarian growing on the glass.
Added 5 deep sand buckets to the sump also- 5 gallons each.
Thats the progress.
The regress:
We had a very nasty storm (high winds) a couple of days ago and it blew off on of the sky-light domes.
The installer claims the screws got sheared from the force but I am skeptical.
I think they just did a **** poor job installing it.
Anyway the lens got cracked and they taped up the holes with duct tape until a new one arrives.
Other issues: micro-bubbles but not all that bad. I tried adding on 100 micron filter bags over all the returns to the sump but they need some tweaking still.
I also need some way to pre-filter the return from the sump to the cistern to prevent particulate from settling out in the latter.
Should be simple enough but I havn't had the time lately to spend on it.
oh yea. and the standard bulkhead in the rubbermaid sump gets salt-creep from a very slow leak. Apparently this is a consistent problem. Now I need to figure out how to seal it without draining the sump if possible.
I'll post some updated pics later. Mainly to get input on tweaking the system.
Herpervet
New member
update
update
the tank has had rock in it for 3 1/2 months and I put the first corals in it about 6 or 7 weeks ago.
So far things are going well. The acro frags are showing some really nice color even though the calcium keeps dropping from rapid coralline growth.
I will try to get better pic's but this one gives an overall look with sunlight and actinics only.
update
the tank has had rock in it for 3 1/2 months and I put the first corals in it about 6 or 7 weeks ago.
So far things are going well. The acro frags are showing some really nice color even though the calcium keeps dropping from rapid coralline growth.
I will try to get better pic's but this one gives an overall look with sunlight and actinics only.
JeridJohnson
New member
How about an update please...
Herpervet
New member
I will take some photo's as soon as I can find my camera.
Things are looking good. I have added a school of red spot cardinals.
Three small hippo tangs.
Three sunburst anthias (started with 5 the survivors are eating well).
Square anthias male (who is guilty of wife battery so no females anymore)
Green mandarins X 3
marine betta
Geometric pygmy hawk.
The lone survivor bangai cardinal baby from my home tank.
Three firefish.
Powder blue tang.
and more frags.
Issues: Heat: I had placed some mylar curtains around the three sides of the tank and added mylar to the front wall above the tank.
This worked fine during the winter but cut down on air circulation and the heat from the skylight caused the temp to hit 83 F a couple of weeks ago.
So I took down the two end curtains and added some fans. Now the temp is hanging at 78F (i.e. still no chiller which was one of the original goals)
During the afternoon the tank is truly stunning. The sun light is phenominal.
I have experienced some issues with this high intensity however
. The bright spots change day to day as the suns angle changes. Areas in the tank that are relatively shaded can become brightly illuminated all at once.
I have seen some bleaching from this even on farmed acro's. (some of the bright spots are brighter than natural sunlight due to the focusing of light as it bounces off the reflectors.)
The plan is to change the skylight dome to a prismatic diffusor. This will cut down on the laser beam effect and hopefully resolve some of the bleaching.
I still don't think my circulation is good enough even with the two hammerhead closed loops and eductors. I may add some diy modified powerheads (i.e. maxijets with a model boat prop) or upgrade to sequnce pressure rated pumps for the closed loops. This would drive the eductors through the roof but I would like to cut the electricity draw if possible.
Anyway. There you are. Overall I'm very pleased with the progress and our clients love the tank.
Things are looking good. I have added a school of red spot cardinals.
Three small hippo tangs.
Three sunburst anthias (started with 5 the survivors are eating well).
Square anthias male (who is guilty of wife battery so no females anymore)
Green mandarins X 3
marine betta
Geometric pygmy hawk.
The lone survivor bangai cardinal baby from my home tank.
Three firefish.
Powder blue tang.
and more frags.
Issues: Heat: I had placed some mylar curtains around the three sides of the tank and added mylar to the front wall above the tank.
This worked fine during the winter but cut down on air circulation and the heat from the skylight caused the temp to hit 83 F a couple of weeks ago.
So I took down the two end curtains and added some fans. Now the temp is hanging at 78F (i.e. still no chiller which was one of the original goals)
During the afternoon the tank is truly stunning. The sun light is phenominal.
I have experienced some issues with this high intensity however
. The bright spots change day to day as the suns angle changes. Areas in the tank that are relatively shaded can become brightly illuminated all at once.
I have seen some bleaching from this even on farmed acro's. (some of the bright spots are brighter than natural sunlight due to the focusing of light as it bounces off the reflectors.)
The plan is to change the skylight dome to a prismatic diffusor. This will cut down on the laser beam effect and hopefully resolve some of the bleaching.
I still don't think my circulation is good enough even with the two hammerhead closed loops and eductors. I may add some diy modified powerheads (i.e. maxijets with a model boat prop) or upgrade to sequnce pressure rated pumps for the closed loops. This would drive the eductors through the roof but I would like to cut the electricity draw if possible.
Anyway. There you are. Overall I'm very pleased with the progress and our clients love the tank.
onetrickpony
Premium Member
Love your setup
I have been torn between tracking skylights and the 21†solar tubes
What kind of parr are you getting?
Wouldn’t a light diffuser at the bottom of the light shaft work out better.
On the tracking skylights web site they state less heat gain than the MH ballast they replace
How much does your temperature fluctuate over 24 hrs?
Wonderful setup
Ken
I have been torn between tracking skylights and the 21†solar tubes
What kind of parr are you getting?
Wouldn’t a light diffuser at the bottom of the light shaft work out better.
On the tracking skylights web site they state less heat gain than the MH ballast they replace
How much does your temperature fluctuate over 24 hrs?
Wonderful setup
Ken
JeridJohnson
New member
Thanks for the update.. pics would be great.
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