Let me preface this with the new Tivo S3 is out and it will probably arrive the same day as I intend to really set up the tank. Talk about Christmas coming early. TWICE.
Ok. So I bought a 25G with an integrated sump and skimmer. Canopy with dual 65w PCs and a microfan. The return pump is a rio1400. the display chamber is just under 20G. The idea was to put it on my desk at work. Not knowing what I was going to get behind the tank I compiled a wish list that included the following items:
1) upgraded return pump
2) CL manifold giving better than 50x total (with main) turn over
3) "remote" DSB to denitrify and avoid an in-tank DSB
4) Keep everything in the sump
5) rolling Chaeto ball for export (i know its a long shot)
Here is a picture of what it looked like out of the box:
Initially I have 4 concerns
1) the skimmer is suspect in terms of efficiency
2) and it spews serious micro bubbles
3) who uses bioballs in a reef?
4) The overflow is seriously noisy
First, I am going to ditch the skimmer and bioballs and rings. I may try to tweak the skimmer later once it has something to skim. Second, the drip plate over them will be moved to the first chamber in a diagonal config to eliminate splashing and all that racket.
I have ordered all the parts for the CL and they arrive tomorrow. I am planning on drilling the intake 4 inches from the bottom in the area between the skimmer and the bioballs and placing the pump over the bioballs. I have a Mag9.5 that will fit in that space but will only be partially submerged.
So the first thing I tried to do was upgrade the rio1400 to a Mag5. Problem one was that it wouldn't fit into the opening but it was close. So I removed the foot plate and beveled the opening by like a millimeter. Slid right in but (insert problem 2) it wouldn't lay flat on the bottom since the baffle got in the way by just a hair. Took a hammer and knocked a (thankfully) small piece off the bottom.
Every thing looks good so I fire it up (think Paul Sr. yelling FIRE IT UP) and it's the loudest pump I have ever heard. I looks like the pump cavitates unless the input or the output are restricted. Calling Danner in the morning and put the rio back (as it is in the pic).
No one claimed it wouldn't be an adventure. I actually am one of those folks that jump to the equipment section of tank of the month first so i am giddy like a school kid about all of this.
So welcome aboard my adventure. I will go into much greater detail on other parts as I get to them. One thing that may seem strange is some of the equipment that I put on the tank. I am going to use this little guy as a test bed for some of the stuff I will ultimately move onto a big tank I am planning. This will also test some of the ideas I have for the big one on a smaller more forgiving (think less expensive) system. Also, I am going to include all of the mess ups I make in the hope that it will save others from repeating my mistakes.
I will post a big update tomorrow as I build the CL system.
Ok. So I bought a 25G with an integrated sump and skimmer. Canopy with dual 65w PCs and a microfan. The return pump is a rio1400. the display chamber is just under 20G. The idea was to put it on my desk at work. Not knowing what I was going to get behind the tank I compiled a wish list that included the following items:
1) upgraded return pump
2) CL manifold giving better than 50x total (with main) turn over
3) "remote" DSB to denitrify and avoid an in-tank DSB
4) Keep everything in the sump
5) rolling Chaeto ball for export (i know its a long shot)
Here is a picture of what it looked like out of the box:
Initially I have 4 concerns
1) the skimmer is suspect in terms of efficiency
2) and it spews serious micro bubbles
3) who uses bioballs in a reef?
4) The overflow is seriously noisy
First, I am going to ditch the skimmer and bioballs and rings. I may try to tweak the skimmer later once it has something to skim. Second, the drip plate over them will be moved to the first chamber in a diagonal config to eliminate splashing and all that racket.
I have ordered all the parts for the CL and they arrive tomorrow. I am planning on drilling the intake 4 inches from the bottom in the area between the skimmer and the bioballs and placing the pump over the bioballs. I have a Mag9.5 that will fit in that space but will only be partially submerged.
So the first thing I tried to do was upgrade the rio1400 to a Mag5. Problem one was that it wouldn't fit into the opening but it was close. So I removed the foot plate and beveled the opening by like a millimeter. Slid right in but (insert problem 2) it wouldn't lay flat on the bottom since the baffle got in the way by just a hair. Took a hammer and knocked a (thankfully) small piece off the bottom.
Every thing looks good so I fire it up (think Paul Sr. yelling FIRE IT UP) and it's the loudest pump I have ever heard. I looks like the pump cavitates unless the input or the output are restricted. Calling Danner in the morning and put the rio back (as it is in the pic).
No one claimed it wouldn't be an adventure. I actually am one of those folks that jump to the equipment section of tank of the month first so i am giddy like a school kid about all of this.
So welcome aboard my adventure. I will go into much greater detail on other parts as I get to them. One thing that may seem strange is some of the equipment that I put on the tank. I am going to use this little guy as a test bed for some of the stuff I will ultimately move onto a big tank I am planning. This will also test some of the ideas I have for the big one on a smaller more forgiving (think less expensive) system. Also, I am going to include all of the mess ups I make in the hope that it will save others from repeating my mistakes.
I will post a big update tomorrow as I build the CL system.
