No cruises this Fall...
We're staying close to home for the rest of the year... we'll need to train our tank sitter on the new system. Our house sitter has already seen the tank, and ran out screaming into the night! :lol:
LL
Lightsluvr's 340G Upgrade
- Thread starter Lightsluvr
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No cruises this Fall...
We're staying close to home for the rest of the year... we'll need to train our tank sitter on the new system. Our house sitter has already seen the tank, and ran out screaming into the night! :lol:
LL
Brad Rogers
Member
now that's funny!!! :lol:
I compared the features, especially networking and control, and really like the iphone app designed for the Apex. I also liked Neptune's reputation for a quality product without a lot of updates, fixes and add-ons.
Not a slam on RKE, just a few features I wanted tipped the scale for me.
LL
I know you bought the tank already drilled in the bottom. Would that be your choice or would you rather drill the back of the tank?
I'm asking because I just bought a used acrylic tank 72 x 24 x30 ******* curved front edges and nothing is drilled. The only holes are in the top. There is a "lip" around the top so an external coast to coast overflow is what i'm planning. Reading and learning so I do this right with hopefully no regrets later on.
I'm asking because I just bought a used acrylic tank 72 x 24 x30 ******* curved front edges and nothing is drilled. The only holes are in the top. There is a "lip" around the top so an external coast to coast overflow is what i'm planning. Reading and learning so I do this right with hopefully no regrets later on.
The holes in the bottom are just for the closed loop. Interestingly, the tank has been filled for a couple of weeks, and I haven't even turned on the CL yet (!). The only flow in the tank is the returns plus those two Vortech MP40W located on left rear and right front sides of the tank. They create incredible fow for an 8 foot tank.
That being said, If I had to do it all over again, I would probably still order the CL holes for the bottom of the tank... I like the way thay can be camouflaged by LR - and I love my aquascaping with nothing leaning against the back wall of the tank... it really adds to the three dimensional appearance of the tank.
Also, on the hybrid tank, the PVC bottom is supposed to be stronger and more flexible and can be machined to recess the bulkhead nuts...
Your coast to coast overflow sounds interesting... I think you would be pleased with the additional surface skim it provides... My overflow is 36" and I really like it - very quiet, too, because he water only falls about half an inch into the overflow box...
Good luck with your new build!
LL
OkR33Fer
New member
If the bottom is available to be drilled, I would definitely do it that way. I just got thru doing mine and had to go thru the back(all glass) and plumbing it this way is a bit of a pain. Just remember, if you ever have a leak, the tank will drain to that level. So if the CL is all in the bottom and it's plumbing under the tank that leaks...well, you get the idea.
George, this thing is looking great! you availbe tonight? I'll swing by if you are.
George, this thing is looking great! you availbe tonight? I'll swing by if you are.
Reef_Matrix29
Water Lover
Those T5's are really putting out some good light over that tank, are you overdriving them with Icecaps or just regular ballasts? I remember the first wave tank, my how far you have come with your mini ocean, looks great. Do you get good movement with the two MP40w's?
I will be here! See you this evening...
LL
They are not being overdriven - just using standard electronic ballasts - one ballast for each of the 12 rows of bulbs:
Thanks, Wes. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were just setting up the 95G Wave, and thinking what a huge tank it was...
I think the bulb selection has a lot to do with the crisp appearance of the tank - the bulb arrangement was suggested by GrimReefer over on RC's T5 Q&A thread. That thread is a great source of information on T5s and related equipment...
As I mentioned above, I get get good movement from the MP40's but not enough to make SPS consistently happy, IMO. When I get the Apex hooked up and programmed, I will be alternating the MP40s making clockwise flow, with the closed loop which pushes water counter-clockwise... The controller will switch back and forth between the two on a timed basis. That's the plan anyway...
LL
Reef_Matrix29
Water Lover
I love my T5's and they were suggested to me a few years back from a guy on RB. They have really worked great and I'm keeping a few SPS corals under them pretty happy and a clam on the sand bed. However, I don't want to press my luck and am upgrading my light in the next three weeks to LED. I will post some pics of my tank on here, let me see...
Waiting for my electrician to connect the last circuit... I have the (3) large pumps distributed over three circuits, but one hasn't been connected yet... It's wired to the fish room, just needs to be connected at the distribution box.
Trying to avoid tripped breakers...
LL
Yup -
I will use both, coordinating their activity with the controller...I will probably use the CL in daytime, and use the Vortechs for nighttime flow. By switching the flow, I hope to keep detritus stirred up in the water column where it can be more readily filtered out...
LL
Thanks for stopping by, Tony.
You checked out the tank - what do you think? Any suggestions?
LL
I am new to SW tanks and I am not fully understanding this closed loop system. How I think it works: Your water drains into your sump where you have a pump that picks up the water, the water comes out the other side of the pump where a hose is attched to the pump and the hose is split into several hoses and these hoses are attched to holes cut into the under side of your tank, the back of your tank or over the top of your tank, thus providing water flow and current into your tank without the need for power heads in your tank? If these hoses are attched to the underside of you tank and feed into the tank inside of your live rock aquascaping this helps keep the silt and stuff from building up in your tank by keeping it stired up and allowing your skimmer to get it out of your system. Right or wrong? I don't want to side track your thread, but I am trying to learn, and when I learn enough, LOL, I will be ordering myself a bigger tank. Thanks for your time.
Reef_Matrix29
Water Lover
strout, for the most part you are correct, but the returns don't have to be pre-drilled, they can be over the back hanging and the pump can be in your sump or DT. I think the feed water for the pump needs to drain from your DT and return to your DT in case of power outage you aren't draining your tank, though you could drill anti-siphons to prevent this. All in all your understanding is correct.
Closed loop
Closed loop
The sump is not involved...
The term "closed loop" means just that. It is a loop, and it is closed - (not open to flow into a sump or other holding method.) The closed loop in my tank draws tank water from two 1.5" openings covered by large strainers. It passes through a large pump where it is returned to the tank via five 1" ports which are terminated in flow accelerators. The closed loop just replaces all those unsightly powerheads you often see in marine aquariums... It does not provide filtration; it just provides lots of vigorous circulation in the tank...
Scroll back in the build thread and you will see the bare bones of the closed loop before it was installed...
LL
Closed loop
The sump is not involved...
The term "closed loop" means just that. It is a loop, and it is closed - (not open to flow into a sump or other holding method.) The closed loop in my tank draws tank water from two 1.5" openings covered by large strainers. It passes through a large pump where it is returned to the tank via five 1" ports which are terminated in flow accelerators. The closed loop just replaces all those unsightly powerheads you often see in marine aquariums... It does not provide filtration; it just provides lots of vigorous circulation in the tank...
Scroll back in the build thread and you will see the bare bones of the closed loop before it was installed...
LL
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