Planning a 225g reef tank
- Thread starter DaveWC
- Start date
I have the free version too. Go to Tools - Text, then click on an object and drag the cursor. When you stop moving the mouse you can type in some text and it will place the text there & have an arrow pointing to the object you clicked. After keying in the text you can right click on the text object, choose Entity Info and change the font/size.
Started the power center today. It's much harder then it looks when others on RC make these. I had to combine my lack of carpentry skills while planning for my lack of electrical knowledge. Hopefully it will work out. Here's what I got done today.
The idea is that the nine boxes on the top row will be wired to 3 prong leads (computer power cords with the female ends cut off) and the plugs will go to one DJ power center. So each switch on the DJ panel will control one set of plugs & one switch will control two sets. I've figured out what will be plugged into those outlets and the total power consumption will be 1400 watts. That should be ok for the DJ panel as well as the outlet that will power it.
The other 6 boxes will be wired to plugs going to the 3 pairs of wall outlets dedicated to this tank. So the DJ panels will plug into those outlets as well as the Aquatronica controller & power bars. There will also be a few spare outlets.
I will be hardwiring the second DJ panel to 3 prong leads and plug those into the Aquatronica power bars. Then I'll plug the devices that are being controlled into the DJ panel. That should allow the Aquatronica controller to operate these devices and the DJ panel to override that control. But that stuff has to wait until I get the DJ panels & the Aquatronica gear.
The idea is that the nine boxes on the top row will be wired to 3 prong leads (computer power cords with the female ends cut off) and the plugs will go to one DJ power center. So each switch on the DJ panel will control one set of plugs & one switch will control two sets. I've figured out what will be plugged into those outlets and the total power consumption will be 1400 watts. That should be ok for the DJ panel as well as the outlet that will power it.
The other 6 boxes will be wired to plugs going to the 3 pairs of wall outlets dedicated to this tank. So the DJ panels will plug into those outlets as well as the Aquatronica controller & power bars. There will also be a few spare outlets.
I will be hardwiring the second DJ panel to 3 prong leads and plug those into the Aquatronica power bars. Then I'll plug the devices that are being controlled into the DJ panel. That should allow the Aquatronica controller to operate these devices and the DJ panel to override that control. But that stuff has to wait until I get the DJ panels & the Aquatronica gear.
melev
Well-known member
I think you have the right idea thus far about the power panel. I've not used the Aquatronica and didn't make the time to get familiar with that controller at MACNA for some stupid reason.
Those large slugs looked like cucumbers to me at first, but perhaps they are huge chitons.
Those large slugs looked like cucumbers to me at first, but perhaps they are huge chitons.
The Aquatronica powerbar is really just like a typical powerbar in appearance, though it does have other functionality.
Normally you'd just plug stuff into it and it would control that gear. But to have an on/off override switch I figured I'd wire the lines from the DJ panel to a 3 prong lead like in this picture...
Then I'd just plug that lead into the Aquatronica powerbar and the equipment into the DJ panel and it should work as planned.
Normally you'd just plug stuff into it and it would control that gear. But to have an on/off override switch I figured I'd wire the lines from the DJ panel to a 3 prong lead like in this picture...
Then I'd just plug that lead into the Aquatronica powerbar and the equipment into the DJ panel and it should work as planned.
Yeah, I kinda decided that halfway through. By then I was committed, having purchased much of the stuff. Plus I didn't want to have about 30 outlet/switch combinations. Oh well, it's all a learning experience. Luckily the power center that I made will be off to the side, the wires relatively hidden and all that will be visible should be the DJ boxes. I hate looking at tons of wires so that's the goal.
Today I got an ozone reactor, air & water carbon filter from Marine Technical Concepts. It looks really good, well built. It allows me to use ozone without risking my Deltec skimmer.
fishcatdog66
Member
I followed the link and am a little confused about the operation of this equipment.The diagram shows an air filter off the side of the reactor.Wouldn't both water and ozonated air be mixed in the chamber so water would be exiting both outlets?Would there be 2 water returns to the sump?What does the the middle cannister with the white tube in it do?Very interesting as I am in the planning stages still for my own 225.
Water enters the unit from the top and exits from the bottom. But this unit maxes out at about 500gph so it's not like the unit fills with water. The anticipated water level is down in the clear section of the unit. The filter media (the white shredded plastic) causes the water to drip down rather then just pouring in so the ozone has a better chance of dissolving. The water then goes to the small carbon filter (not currently filled with carbon). The white pipe forces the water to go to the bottom of the filter and rise up through the carbon before exiting and going to your sump.
Ozone enters the unit from the top and is dissolved in the water. It exits from the air output in the middle of the unit. That output pipe is connected by silicone tubing inside the reactor to a float valve so only air/ozone should leave through it. A tube is connected to this pipe and goes to the carbon filled air filter.
Ozone enters the unit from the top and is dissolved in the water. It exits from the air output in the middle of the unit. That output pipe is connected by silicone tubing inside the reactor to a float valve so only air/ozone should leave through it. A tube is connected to this pipe and goes to the carbon filled air filter.
fishcatdog66
Member
Got it.That makes a lot more sense now.I guess the outlet from the carbon air filter to the sump is a just in case the float valve sticks kind of safety feature?
fishcatdog66
Member
Sorry,I was referring to the red line on the diagram that goes from the outlet to the sump and not the actual car-12 unit itself.Thanks for clarifying.
btw, one question I had when I saw this unit is how will it push water out of the fitting on the bottom of the unit and into my 18" tall sump? I figured it would have to fill up to at least 18" before it would start flowing into the sump. That would mean that water would be coming out of the air exit valve. So I hooked it up today by my sink to test it. The one thing I hadn't accounted for was that the unit is sealed and therefore there is pressure in it. Even more pressure once you start pumping ozone into it (which I didn't do). So the pressure in the container forces the water out very soon, when there is about 5" of water inside. Works great, can't wait to get it going.
fishcatdog66
Member
Yea ,I guess that explains the pressure gauge too.Also, there would be enough pressure so you would not have to be too concerned about water level in the sump compared to the water level in the reactor(like you would if you had an in sump skimmer).You could have the reactor body at any height,right?Can't wait to see pics of it running!
The stand is painted and in my house. It sure is tall. I'd measured the area that it would go in before so I had a good idea how big it would be but until you see it you just don't know. Now I'm painting the boards that will form the base, shelf & sit on top of the stand. There will also be 3/4" styrofoam on top of that.
I got my Aquatronica controller & accessories today too. This unit will allow me to control the temperature, monitor salinity, control the ozone by monitoring ORP, top up the sump with a couple of float switches & solenoids, control my kalkwasser mixer, control the calcium reactor pH and affect any other devices on a timer basis. There are two power bars that will be connected to each other.
Here's the main unit. There's also a PC Interface so all of the programming can be done on the computer and this unit is just used to check parameters at the tank...
And here's the unit with a power bar connected and a few probes attached. This unit can also be used to control multiple tanks. You can connect up to 10 power bars. With longer USB connectors the tanks can be pretty far away too...
I got my Aquatronica controller & accessories today too. This unit will allow me to control the temperature, monitor salinity, control the ozone by monitoring ORP, top up the sump with a couple of float switches & solenoids, control my kalkwasser mixer, control the calcium reactor pH and affect any other devices on a timer basis. There are two power bars that will be connected to each other.
Here's the main unit. There's also a PC Interface so all of the programming can be done on the computer and this unit is just used to check parameters at the tank...
And here's the unit with a power bar connected and a few probes attached. This unit can also be used to control multiple tanks. You can connect up to 10 power bars. With longer USB connectors the tanks can be pretty far away too...
fishcatdog66
Member
Wow!I had to back up a page to realize the power bar was Aquatronica as well.Is there such a thing as a 30 foot usb cable(I want my sump etc. in the basement)?Or is a wireless router type of connection a better way to go?Running up and down stairs might be good exercise but I'd rather monitor the regular stuff at my pc at tank level(like you are planning!)
fishcatdog66
Member
By the way,is the tank coming from "some place here in Calgary"?(nudge,nudge,wink wink,say no more!)or made more locally?Mine is going to be made here from second party contact...
