Our 375 Gallon project

[JustOneMoreTank]

Amazing setup Sidewinder! It is coming along nicely. I love those T5 lights super bright and little heat compared to other options. That Rebel XT takes great macro pictures. I need to get one of those for work ... and then use it for tank pictures.

 

[JustOneMoreTank]

Sorry everyone.

 

[Detritivore]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6695486#post6695486 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sidewinder770
Detritivore- Chris (clkwrk) is correct- the ballasts will work up to 30' away but I have mine running off x10 which can work a lot farther away than that. The ballasts are on top of the canopy- not in the equipment room. The ballast in the equipment room is just for the T5's over the frag tank. I will probably be changing the x10 stuff soon to the Neptune DC4 or DC8 so I don't have to have my homemade x10 'powerstrip' on top of the canopy any more - it works great but it doesn't look so good and I need to add another ballast so I might as well get the DC4. And while Neptune doesn't "officially" support the DC4's or 8's at a distance greater than 20' they said it should work fine- the distance I will be going is about 70'.

could you explain it in more detail? how do you plan on wiring the DC's to the ACIII? will it go under the sidewalk like the plumbing?

thanks.

 

[sidewinder770]

JustOneMoreTank- I'm suprised how bright these T5's are- I thought they would be bright but this is borderline insane . If my neighbors didn't wonder about me before I'm sure they do now! That's a darn good idea- I just need to start having work pay for this hobby! I think they might hesitate at that expense report It does take awesome pictures though! I added a few more below just for the fun of it.

Detritivore- I didn't need to run electrical or anything else underground with the plumbing- I can do all that from the attic. For the DC's I just plan to run a phone cord from the ACIII to the DC through the attic as well. I just haven't felt like spending the money on the DC's or felt like getting in the attic to run the line so it's an item that will remain "on the list" for now. The X10's work great now so I am in no hurry to change it and probably won't till I add the T5's to the main tank.

The next project is getting the stand and canopy skinned and the canopy venting system in place- I want to have all that done before summer gets here.

 

[WanaLeime]

I just spent about 2 hrs. reading and checking out the other links on this thread....kept me very entertained...

SideWinder- YOU ARE THE MAN!!!! THANK YOU for sharing with us...and thank the commander in chief (reefmaiden) too...= )

AWESOME, truely AWESOME!!!

oh yeah....When I hit the LOTTO can i PM you? so I can hire you to design and build mine? LoL....

 

[WanaLeime]

opps...

 

[gobygoby]

any chance you could post a pic of the inside of your canopy with the actuator installed?

Thanks!!
Goby

 

[kamil5000]

Ahhh the actuator again.

Goby, The pics of the actuator will not be posted before the canopy is complete. And then all the secrets will be revealed. And then I can copy them all ;-)

 

[gobygoby]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6717351#post6717351 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kamil5000
Ahhh the actuator again.

Goby, The pics of the actuator will not be posted before the canopy is complete. And then all the secrets will be revealed. And then I can copy them all ;-)

not sure what you mean? I was talking to sidewinder.

 

[Jim_S]

Nothing but great stuff in this thread! Nice work sidewinder!!!

Jim

 

[chetm2]

gobygoby - he meant that others have asked and sidewinder said we was going to wait till he had the canopy finished before posting pictures.

 

[gobygoby]

oh.......I see. thanks.

 

[clkwrk]

Hey Scott & Erin,

I have a ? How much heat does all the pumps add to the system ? Sorry if I missed it somewhere. I know my ampmaster is the reason my chiller runs and if unchecked/chilled my tank will rise to 83 and run 83-84. I run a 1 degree swing and have my setpoint at 81 . I had found off early in the setup stages of my 120 that the ampmaster added almost 2 degrees and 3 or more when the 2 intakes had debri ,snails and frags stuck to them .

Just trying to figure out if I am going to miss the closed loop once I have my 180 up and going. It does provide a very good function of keeping my area behind the rocks clean . However the heat (tired of)and hum( i can live with) are out weighing its usefulness . In all the big pump requires me to run my chiller. Both have good power draws. I know not to mention my 900+watts of lights but my roIII are the coolest running pendants that I have used and transfer less heat downward. The pfo is the same in the regard IMO also . I can keep the heat off the tank with one simple fan so they really don't add much heat IMO.

I plan on replacing the closed loop for 2 6200's which will require less cooling and less power draw.

TIA

 

[melev]

I ran an Ampmaster 4700 on my 280g reef for 9 months, and it did add heat. My tank was around 81F to 83F daily, but I used fans and the window a/c unit to keep the fish room at 77-78F. No chiller.

When I removed it and replaced it with a Little Giant, the tank temperature dropped to 79F, and I've seen the heaters come on during the day, during summer, while the lights were on! And that is without using fans. I still keep the fishroom at 78F during the daytime during summer. That a/c has been off for the past two months due to cooler weather, saving on the electric bill.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your Tunzes. I've got two 6100s in my tank, and they use around 84w. And a VorTech using 26 to 45w depending on my mood. I may get another VorTech and stick it on the back wall. I don't want to add a closed loop. Each of these pumps can move over 3100gph, plus my return pump. Flow isn't an issue, and power consumption is better than running a Sequence Dart pump.

 

[clkwrk]

Thats kinda what I was thinking . I will have 3x6100's(in the 120 now) and 2x6200's in the 180 and that mainly just to keep the same turnover my 120 has . Plus I think I can get away with the chillers not running unless something goes wrong .Both the pump and chiller together would knock 100+ off my electric bill easy .

Thanks

 

[sidewinder770]

WanaLeime- Thanks for the compliments- Reefmaiden is definately the commander in chief- ther's no way I could have done this, or wanted to, without her. And let me know when you win that lotto- I'd be happy to help

gobygoby- Unfortunately- the actuator is one secret I'm keeping till I get the canopy skinned- to show it now just wouldn't do it justice and I would like for this to be one of my ideas that I get to finish before someone else does. I'll be sure to post when it's fully operational.

jimdogg187- Thank for the compliments- I've tried to put as much info as I can in the thread as well as pics.

clkwrk-
I personally don't have experience with the Ampmaster, nor have we had both pumps on a single system to be able to compare them. I can say the Sequence pumps are only slightly warm to the touch - and from what Erin has told me the Ampmaster she had was extremely hot to touch. With all 5 Sequence pumps running we are still running 900w of heaters and our chiller hasn't kicked on since the end of September - temps are running from 79.1 - 80.2. We don't run any fans whatsoever. As far as noise goes, the Hammerhead and Barracuda might be a little noisy to have in the house, but the two Darts we have under the tank with no cabinets can barely be heard. As for the streams, I couldn't really tell you - I haven't used them but we went with closed loops because I don't like the look of streams in a tank - just personal preference I guess. Sounds like Melev has had similar experiences.

I'm working on posting some more pictures but probably won't put them up until tomorrow. Any requests besides the actuator?

 

[sidewinder770]

Here's a few I was able to get to tonight-

 

[clkwrk]

That wrasse looks like the lubbuci is it ? I love them I have 3 in my 120 . Nice shots.

 

[sidewinder770]

I presume this is the one you are referring to. I've been told he's a Lubbocks - but when I purchased him they just called him a "red fairy wrasse". I think it's the "deer caught in the headlights" fish This shot just makes me laugh- he's got great personality.

 

[clkwrk]

I would say lubbocks also . Mine are so active and personable . Another + for me is they do not bury themselfs the sleep in the rocks and cover themselves with a mucus at night . Mine came from pet inc .

How many you have? They can order them and they are around 30-36 each.