Hi Guys, so I'm not "new" to the hobby but I've been out of it for a while, about 10 years. Last summer I started gathering thoughts, ideas and equipment for a new mixed reef (most likely softies only) in our family room/office. I'm now at the stage of water testing the system. I'd like to lay out what it is and how it's set up and ask you to point out any glaring mistakes now so I can avoid having to break the system down later. I am fully aware that the equipment is not top of the line. I've done my research and settled on specific items as being of adequate quality and within my budget.
The tank: is a Aqueon 54 gallon corner tank that I have drilled and equipped with an Eshoppes Eclipse M which flows 800gph. Plumbing from the overflow is a main 1" PVC pipe with a true union ball valve and a 1" pvc pipe on the safety side. both of which run directly to the sump and terminate just below the water level. The return plumbing is a 3/4" nylon flex hose leading to a linelock return. No valve. Return pump is a Quiet one pro series 3000 ( 800gph ) which has some throttling capability. at 3' of head it should do about 650gph and can be throttled down from there if needed. Currently the main overflow line is choked just a bit to maintain the water level in the overflow so it's just running into the safety line. It's very quiet.
The sump: is a 10g standard tank ( I know but the corner stands don't allow anything larger) with three equal sections and a bubble trap leading into the return section. Volume when running is about 5 gallons and the return is set at a level to allow about another gallon back to the sump in a pump malfunction/power out situation. so no worries there.
Skimmer is a Remora with a MJ1000 as a pump. This draws water from the second section of the sump and returns to the first (which are running at the same level)
I have 2 Jebao PP8's for circulation in the tank. Can be linked wireless for wave action (have not tried yet) night and feed modes. Variable flow rates of 185 - 2100gph.
Light is a Reef Breeder superlux 110watt led fixture that I'll be running at about 4.5 inches above the water through the glass top in a custom made black case (white on the inside) to reduce/eliminate light bleed into the room. supposedly equal to a single 250w MH. Built in timer and programmable.
I will be running a shallow sand bed, about 2.5 inches of caribsea reef floor special grade aragonite sand. ( I do not want to get into DSB vs SSB vs BB, I prefer the look. )
For live rock I have about 25lbs of rock currently in a smaller set up that's been running fallow for about 3 months with very limited light ( looks good, nothing growing on it but some corraline) and about the same amount of dry reef rock that's been curing in a tub with pump, heater and H2O changes for about the same amount of time. rock will be mixed in as rockscaping dictates.
I will also be running an 8"x8"x1" ceramic bioplate in the sump.
A simple ATO is set up on a timer running water from the basement RO/DI storage barrel through the floor and into the sump. I realize it's not the best set up but I ran this the same way on my former tank and it worked okay for all but extended time away.
That's really all I can think of although it's completely possible I've missed something. It's a simple system and at the moment the pumps aren't driving me crazy although the Quiet one is a little louder than I'd like.
Thanks in advance for any input guys!
The tank: is a Aqueon 54 gallon corner tank that I have drilled and equipped with an Eshoppes Eclipse M which flows 800gph. Plumbing from the overflow is a main 1" PVC pipe with a true union ball valve and a 1" pvc pipe on the safety side. both of which run directly to the sump and terminate just below the water level. The return plumbing is a 3/4" nylon flex hose leading to a linelock return. No valve. Return pump is a Quiet one pro series 3000 ( 800gph ) which has some throttling capability. at 3' of head it should do about 650gph and can be throttled down from there if needed. Currently the main overflow line is choked just a bit to maintain the water level in the overflow so it's just running into the safety line. It's very quiet.
The sump: is a 10g standard tank ( I know but the corner stands don't allow anything larger) with three equal sections and a bubble trap leading into the return section. Volume when running is about 5 gallons and the return is set at a level to allow about another gallon back to the sump in a pump malfunction/power out situation. so no worries there.
Skimmer is a Remora with a MJ1000 as a pump. This draws water from the second section of the sump and returns to the first (which are running at the same level)
I have 2 Jebao PP8's for circulation in the tank. Can be linked wireless for wave action (have not tried yet) night and feed modes. Variable flow rates of 185 - 2100gph.
Light is a Reef Breeder superlux 110watt led fixture that I'll be running at about 4.5 inches above the water through the glass top in a custom made black case (white on the inside) to reduce/eliminate light bleed into the room. supposedly equal to a single 250w MH. Built in timer and programmable.
I will be running a shallow sand bed, about 2.5 inches of caribsea reef floor special grade aragonite sand. ( I do not want to get into DSB vs SSB vs BB, I prefer the look. )
For live rock I have about 25lbs of rock currently in a smaller set up that's been running fallow for about 3 months with very limited light ( looks good, nothing growing on it but some corraline) and about the same amount of dry reef rock that's been curing in a tub with pump, heater and H2O changes for about the same amount of time. rock will be mixed in as rockscaping dictates.
I will also be running an 8"x8"x1" ceramic bioplate in the sump.
A simple ATO is set up on a timer running water from the basement RO/DI storage barrel through the floor and into the sump. I realize it's not the best set up but I ran this the same way on my former tank and it worked okay for all but extended time away.
That's really all I can think of although it's completely possible I've missed something. It's a simple system and at the moment the pumps aren't driving me crazy although the Quiet one is a little louder than I'd like.
Thanks in advance for any input guys!
