Petes 270 project

[vitor pestana]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9789572#post9789572 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by petedoc
I think I need to add an ozone generator, but not sure how important this is. What are the big system guys doing? Should I add an ozone generator, a UV sterilizer, or an aluminum foil decorative flamingo, or what?

Thanks, pete

Hi Pete!

In my opinion, you should use a ozone generator if you have a small Skimmer or to much fish in the tank, the first evidence is cianobacteria (red slime) to much organic matter or low circulation.
Be very carefull with the Ozone, it is lethal for all living things in a great concentration, at home you can use active carbone filter in the top of the skimmer to remove the residual ozone... be very carefull with this.

I advice a use of a UV in a quarentine tank, or if you use natural sea water, you can use a UV before you add the natural sea water to the tank, if you use sintectic salt, never mind the UV.

Regards

Vitor Pestana

 

[petedoc]

Vitor, Thank you! That makes sense. I have a small bio-load of fish at this time and don't plan to heavily stock the tank, in addition my Barr Aquatics skimmer is heavy duty. I will work on adding a carbon filtration area to my sump instead of the hassle involved with ozone. I had read that ozone helped with a number of factors, but the true upside is questionable compared to the downside factors. The cost and maintenance, as well as the ongoing monitoring of ozone was daunting. I have to use man made saltwater here in Idaho, too far to the ocean. I envy your location in Portugal and appreciate the map you provided in your thread. Pete

 

[petedoc]

Thanks, Tanya! I enjoy the challenge and the results.. Pete

 

[tylorarm]

If you're going to be SPS dominated still you'll need either to fire up your Ca reactor or get a two part dosing system ready. Don't wait until you fully need as it's a balancing act that needs practice before game time. As soon as the SPS start growing the Ca/Alk demand jumps beyond what passive kalk dose can handle. Kalk helps keep PH up against CO2 from Ca react. As bare bottom you also have less buffer from argonite sand, however, large water volume will help. You need to get used to monitoring Alk in particular as it swings much more than Ca and can cause damage to SPS in a hurry. Tinkering with Alk is way of life for heavy SPS. Get used to the finicky nature while there's still margin for error. Mine now can be depleted by 1dkh in a day if my Ca reactor off-line, then need to carefully supplement manually. Stability is the key, and Alk seems to be the hardest part.

 

[petedoc]

I am planning to add a Barr Aquatics Kalk stirrer, in line with the top off this weekend, but the calcium reactor will wait a little while. I will be adding the sps coral slowly over the next six months. I also have a 65 gal refugium/grow out tank with a Southdown aragonite sand bed plumbed to help stabilize the system.

 

[petedoc]

This is my wavemaker! It is designed to be an closed loop powered by a Mag 9.5 inside the aquarium. It fits inside one of the large overflow boxes in the back of the tank. The main reason for this system is to avoid the primary problem and recurrent worry of broken plumbing, salt creep, leakage, and sudden swamp formation that potentially could/would exist when you pump about 1000 gallons per hour out of a tank.

And what it looks like inside the overflow

 

[chris wright]

Looking good, good idea with the wave maker. Where did you get the educators. Theres a diy thread on them, which im about to use, but the manufactured ones look better.

Keep up the pics

Chris.

 

[petedoc]

Premium Aquatics, but there are cheaper sources. These arrived bright blue, which was unacceptable. I spray painted them with an marbleizing black acrylic paint to blend in with the Pond foam back. The wave maker is part of my theme, keeping things as simple as possible. The other overflow has two 1.5" PVC running to the sump and skimmer and the other goes to the far end of the refugium/grow tank. The refugium empties into the sump and the return pump is another Mag 9.5. The output of the return goes through a SCWD to another pair of eductors on the sides of the overflow box. I have about 1,000 Gal/hr flowing through eductors, which are capable of tripling the flow. I estimate about 5,000Gal/hr effective and alternating flow through six eductors. This won't be enough long term, when the sps coral grow out, so I plan to add Vortech controllable pumps when they are available.

 

[petedoc]

I have made my own eductors and the principle is simple. You just need a nozzle inside of a shroud, with a hole in the shroud. The simplest design I came up with used a nozzle stuck in a large PVC tee, quite ugly but effective for moving water in a curing tank.

 

[petedoc]

Expenses

Expenses

Everyone is always interested in the initial expense of setting up a large tank so I thought I would lay out my current expense list. I do realize that the ongoing costs will someday be greater than the setup costs but now I might be able to calculate when?-----------------Tank 1200$----Stand 325$ ---- LuminarcsX3 330$ ----------Ballasts 190$ --------MH lightsX3 60$ ------ PC lighting 300$ -------Sump 90$ -------- Refugium 110$ --------Barr Aquatics Skimmer and mag 12 500$ -------return pump and closed loop 210$ -------RO/DI 225$ --------Eductors 100$ --------- PVC plumbing 150$ --------Plumbing for water and drain in the den 400$-----Marcorock 300$ -------SCWDsX4 125$ wood for cabinetry and hardware 300$---------THE JOY OF IT ALL, OF COURSE--PRICELESS! And the grand total thus far is $4,365.00

 

[petedoc]

Today's photo------------------------------------------------------------

 

[petedoc]

A piece of the Marcorock tablerock up close. It is about 14X18" in a rectangle. I should be able to attach about 100 frags easily, but that would be a problem someday. Great rock!------------------------

 

[chris wright]

It sure is money well spent. Your tank will look amazing with a few more corals etc, cant wait:lol:

I think the eductors are a good idea, im going to incorporate them into my system one day

looking foward to more pics of your progress. Keep up the good work.

Chris

 

[petedoc]

Thanks Chris. I believe in any enhancement that will increase efficiency, cost effectively and without too much disruption. Eductors and Luminarc reflectors are an example of ways in which we can amplify a costly aspect of reefkeeping without big expense.

 

[petedoc]

Just placed my new fish order including: two Chrysurus Angels, two Pyrimid Butterflies, pair of gold stripe maroon clowns,Vlamingi tang, Golden rabbitfish and a few odds and ends. All will arrive tomorrow! The pair of Crosshatch triggers may have to wait for my Birthday. This is exciting, but I am sure you all can relate. Somehow the people I work with don't seem to quite understand all the excitement. Pictures will follow. Pete

 

[petedoc]

An end view--------------

 

[chris wright]

Some people just dont know what they are missing out on. :lol:

 

[leoskee]

Out of curiosity, why did you use the foam on all of the back of the tank? It makes the tank look like its in a cave. Is that the look you were going for? Ive seen a few other people do the same thing but this is the first time I ask.

Thanks.

 

[petedoc]

The pond foam povides a way to attach corals as well as a series of holes and cranies for fish and inverts to hide. I like the look better than smooth black acrylic also.

 

[leoskee]

Aaah. I didnt think about using it to attach corals. Thats a good idea. I guess you just dig the coral into the foam and let it encrust?