Need help for BEST setup for 72x24x24" (180G)!!!
- Thread starter mcegelsk
- Start date
alien9168
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7188614#post7188614 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Natterjak
Here's what I'm planning for my 180 (72x24x24 acrylic):
Mag 12 return
Sequence Dart and OM 4-way for closed loop
H&S 200x2-F2001 skimmer
K2R calcium reactor
60-70 gallon sump/fuge
Red Sea 100mg/h ozonizer w/Milwaukee ORP controller
Aquacontroller Jr.
3x250w HQI MH, ReefOptixIII pendants with SLS HQI ballasts, Phoenix 14k bulbs
Looks good to me!
hipertec
Active member
I have a newly set up 180 but I am having an issue with my return/flow in my tank. I bit the bullet and bought a Dart as a return going to 4 outlets (loclines). My flow out of the loclines are not strong at all and I am afraid that I dont have enough pressure to create flow in the tank.
But the flow going thru my sump is ALOT. Does this mean that I have enough flow in my tank?
I hate to drill another hole in the tank for a closed loop and I tried to add a RIO 32HF as a return and the Dart and I think it was too much from my sump.
Is there anything I can do to keep the Dart as my main pump?
PS- My plumbing is 1.5" in and 1/5" out to about 2ft from the return to the tank where it reduces to 3/4" bulkheads/loclines.
Plumbing it directly to 1.5 all the way is not going to work...any suggestions???
But the flow going thru my sump is ALOT. Does this mean that I have enough flow in my tank?
I hate to drill another hole in the tank for a closed loop and I tried to add a RIO 32HF as a return and the Dart and I think it was too much from my sump.
Is there anything I can do to keep the Dart as my main pump?
PS- My plumbing is 1.5" in and 1/5" out to about 2ft from the return to the tank where it reduces to 3/4" bulkheads/loclines.
Plumbing it directly to 1.5 all the way is not going to work...any suggestions???
mcegelsk
New member
Hipertec-
How much head (feet from pump up to outlets) is the pump pushing against? This should give you a good idea of how much flow you have going through your tank. To add some flow you have other options other than drilling other holes. You could use one of the new IceCap Vortech pumps, I plan on doing this and using a minimal flow through the sump. Or you could just try this idea, isolate one of the 4 locklines returning to the tank. With only 3 lines returning you should get more water flow through the other three. If you have your system setup well, then this should only be a twist of a valve. You could rotate which line is closed and therefore kind of give the tank a longer term "tidal effect". Just an idea. ~Matt
How much head (feet from pump up to outlets) is the pump pushing against? This should give you a good idea of how much flow you have going through your tank. To add some flow you have other options other than drilling other holes. You could use one of the new IceCap Vortech pumps, I plan on doing this and using a minimal flow through the sump. Or you could just try this idea, isolate one of the 4 locklines returning to the tank. With only 3 lines returning you should get more water flow through the other three. If you have your system setup well, then this should only be a twist of a valve. You could rotate which line is closed and therefore kind of give the tank a longer term "tidal effect". Just an idea. ~Matt
mcegelsk
New member
Brose-
Thanks. I'm glad people are getting useful stuff from this. That is why I originally started it and will continue to ask and accumulate the wealth of info from people here on RC. Experience, in my opinion is worth tons more than winging it on this kind of thing! Just make sure you come back and share your experience!!! ~Matt
Thanks. I'm glad people are getting useful stuff from this. That is why I originally started it and will continue to ask and accumulate the wealth of info from people here on RC. Experience, in my opinion is worth tons more than winging it on this kind of thing! Just make sure you come back and share your experience!!! ~Matt
Drewcipher
Premium Member
I have finally decided that my new 225 is going to be all T5. Tom at aquatinics.com makes a 14X39 watt fixture that is 72 inches long. He has one on his 180 and says it is plenty of light. I am going to get one and then see if I want to further supplement it later. His user name is aquatinics, so you can check with him if he has any pics.
bradleyj
Reefkeeping Mag Staff
I am in the process of just finishing the setup of my 225g, 72"x24'x30' . This is what I have so far.
2- Sequence Darts, one return, one closed loop
Deltec AP702 skimmer
DeltecPF500 calcium reactor
Deltec Rowaphos reactor
Red Sea Aquazone Deluxe 100 Ozone
72" Maristar Light fixture 3x250w DE MH and 4 39w T-5's
Neptune AquacontrollerIII
We are in the process of designing an auto waterchange system where I will be able to do a 30 gallon waterchange with the push of a button on my PC thru the neptune. It is going to be great and very convenient.
2- Sequence Darts, one return, one closed loop
Deltec AP702 skimmer
DeltecPF500 calcium reactor
Deltec Rowaphos reactor
Red Sea Aquazone Deluxe 100 Ozone
72" Maristar Light fixture 3x250w DE MH and 4 39w T-5's
Neptune AquacontrollerIII
We are in the process of designing an auto waterchange system where I will be able to do a 30 gallon waterchange with the push of a button on my PC thru the neptune. It is going to be great and very convenient.
mcegelsk
New member
Drew-
Amazing that I have price quoted the exact same thing from Tom and will be ordering it soon. I've already purchased most of the bulbs, and going to add some of the new URI/UV bulbs into the mix. Please let me know what you think of the fixture once you receive it. I'm anxious to hear customer reviews on the setup. Thanks. ~Matt
RokleM
Premium Member
I'm interested in that setup as well. I have T5's on my 58 now, but am still up in the air for what to do on my new 180. I'm thinking I'd like the open top idea as well, but there aren't many options for non-retro thus far in our size.
I was also looking at the 72" Maristar Light fixture 3x250w DE MH and 4 39w T-5's. I've heard pretty good things about it.
Just finished my stand last night, so I'm really starting to look at hardware as well.
I was also looking at the 72" Maristar Light fixture 3x250w DE MH and 4 39w T-5's. I've heard pretty good things about it.
Just finished my stand last night, so I'm really starting to look at hardware as well.
mcegelsk
New member
Well, I have finally acquired my main pump. I've just purchased the Red Dragon 4.5 and look forward to getting this project moving along! I'm going with a low turnover through the sump and going to have internal flow from two Vortechs.
I'll be ordering the 72" fixture from Tom as mentioned in above posts and I've decided to DIY upgrade my tank and mod it with the external tank length overflow. I'm going to be integrating the quieting features of Calfo.
So the next big items will be the piping setup and I will be utilizing spaflex I believe as much as possible. I still also need to build my sump and I'm debating what route I want to go as well as the size I really need.
Does anyone have sump recommendations for my 180G? Any experiences for different sizes or benefits of smaller or larger? Thanks!
~Matt
I'll be ordering the 72" fixture from Tom as mentioned in above posts and I've decided to DIY upgrade my tank and mod it with the external tank length overflow. I'm going to be integrating the quieting features of Calfo.
So the next big items will be the piping setup and I will be utilizing spaflex I believe as much as possible. I still also need to build my sump and I'm debating what route I want to go as well as the size I really need.
Does anyone have sump recommendations for my 180G? Any experiences for different sizes or benefits of smaller or larger? Thanks!
~Matt
RokleM
Premium Member
Sorry, I never did reply to this post.
I installed daul 400w MH's on a HQI ballast with the new LumenMax2's. I've tried both the Radium and Hamilton 14k and like the look.
If you have space, I would consider just using a 100 gal rubbermaid poly. If you want to stick it under than tank, depending on the stand size and such, you should have little issues sticking at least a 30 gallon down there which only takes up about half the underside (plenty of room for equipment).
I'm running a Sequence Tarpoon, but that feeds both my 58 upstairs and my 180 in the basement from the sump. When I ran it in a closed system (not hooked up to my large sump and 58), I justed used a Mag9 and it worked fine.
Slightly recent picture.
I installed daul 400w MH's on a HQI ballast with the new LumenMax2's. I've tried both the Radium and Hamilton 14k and like the look.
If you have space, I would consider just using a 100 gal rubbermaid poly. If you want to stick it under than tank, depending on the stand size and such, you should have little issues sticking at least a 30 gallon down there which only takes up about half the underside (plenty of room for equipment).
I'm running a Sequence Tarpoon, but that feeds both my 58 upstairs and my 180 in the basement from the sump. When I ran it in a closed system (not hooked up to my large sump and 58), I justed used a Mag9 and it worked fine.
Slightly recent picture.
mcegelsk
New member
Back at it, with progress...
Back at it, with progress...
Well finally I am making some headway with my 180G. I've acquired most of the major basic components and have it doing the initial fill of Saltwater currently. This set of pictures includes the coast to coast external overflow that I built on the back of my existing 180G. Then it also has the sump construction.
Back at it, with progress...
Well finally I am making some headway with my 180G. I've acquired most of the major basic components and have it doing the initial fill of Saltwater currently. This set of pictures includes the coast to coast external overflow that I built on the back of my existing 180G. Then it also has the sump construction.
mcegelsk
New member
Coast to Coast external overflow...
Coast to Coast external overflow...
Well with a little bit of trouble at first I managed to finish the external coast to coast overflow. It works exceptionally well. You can see in a couple pictures that I had a bit of trouble routing the first cut (guide wasn't tight enough), but after that the cuts are pretty good. Also for the bulkheads (1.5") all I did was put some tape over them and one held perfectly the other had a small bubble in it that leaked but didn't really matter since this was just a test, it sufficed. Again, no leaks on either the tank which I wanted to test as it just made a move from CT to VA. And then the overflow test as well.
Coast to Coast external overflow...
Well with a little bit of trouble at first I managed to finish the external coast to coast overflow. It works exceptionally well. You can see in a couple pictures that I had a bit of trouble routing the first cut (guide wasn't tight enough), but after that the cuts are pretty good. Also for the bulkheads (1.5") all I did was put some tape over them and one held perfectly the other had a small bubble in it that leaked but didn't really matter since this was just a test, it sufficed. Again, no leaks on either the tank which I wanted to test as it just made a move from CT to VA. And then the overflow test as well.
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