Planning my new setup **PIC**

[Rich_1833]

Ive had a few plains and it keeps changing, but I think this will be the base of it. I used windows paint so its not the best, but you should get the idea. Let me know if I should add, take away or change anything. Lets start be saying that the blue box is a Tunze wave-box. The green thing is a Tunze skimmer(9010). The yellow think in the bottom of the sump is egg crate with LR and cheto on top of it. I will use a Eheim 1263 externally to return the water from the sump. For lighting I'm still in the planning stage but I'm thinking 1 PFO 175w MH Dead center and 4 T5's run by an icecap ballast with SLR reflectors. there will be 4 fans total 2 blowing in and 2 sucking out. The back will have egg crate from the top of the tank to the bottom of the canopy.(To keep everything in/out) This tank also has an almost Cali, coast to coast what ever you want to call it overflow. It is a26in long external overflow with 1/8 inch lip cut out of the top. The bulkheads are 1.5 inches all around.

 

[gummyworms]

Looks good, I really like your refugium return plan.

 

[jwccwj]

why not have both drains leading to the skimmer section of your sump and feed the fuge by teeing off your return line,this way you can use a ball valve to regulate the flow to the main tank and to the fuge.This way the skimmer gets all the tank water and tour fuge gets skimmed water as well.

 

[bosscrab]

:thumbsup: keep the pics coming

 

[skey44]

you could easily get away with the eheim 1260 for return...maybe even the 1250? this pump is not for circulation only for return. your wavebox will handle circ. head pressure wastes electricity/adds heat not the best way to circulate water. you want slower flow through your sump so the fuge and skimmer will get more "contact time" with the raw water from your tank.

 

[Rich_1833]

Would something like this be better.

 

[Rich_1833]

Anyone think this will work better or worst.

 

[JCTewks]

i think that it would be best to have the fuge between the skimmer and the return. that way the skimmer can try and remove most of the organics BEFORE the Cheato gets to them. thats what i'm planning in the 75 g sump for my 120. direct feed to the skimmer, output from the skimmer feeding the fuge, fuge flowing into return. i would say only run a return pump that will provide enough flow to feed your skimmer from the overflow at a rate of 1.5 - 2 times system volume. you've already got a wavebox, so i don't think you'll need the extra flow in the display.

 

[GuySmilie]

Rich, it looks real good, but I'd ditch the eggcrate plenum beneath the rocks if it were mine to maintain.

Also, what is the feature of having three bubble traps?
I can understand the one dividing the skimmer and return pump sumps, but don't see the need for the other two.

 

[Rich_1833]

the main reson for the traps were to told back the fuge so that the sand and rock dont get blown everywere. And so the stuff dont get sucked into the pump.

 

[ziac]

i can see if you are going to use those low holes drilled for you return in a power outage you might not have enought space in your sump when the power goes out i would route the return over the top with a syphon break right below the water line

 

[Rich_1833]

I took all of you comments and redid some of the system. Let me know what look good and I should keep and what looks wrong and I should change. Thank you to everyone for helping me with this system.

(The green circle is a SCWD - Squid Wavemaker. Yes I know it will render the flow but that OK because I need to slow it down a little anyway.)

 

[Rich_1833]

Ive also designed my stand and canopy. This will be made out of 2X4 from and Red Oak sheeting w/trim (don't know what kind yet)

Here the way the lights will be setup in the canopy.
The yellow boxes will have 2X T-5's each (probably icecap)
The green box is a PFO 175watt MH 10k bulb
The purple boxes will be PC (I still haven't pick these out yet)
The red boxes are fans

 

[GuySmilie]

Rich, looks like you're putting together a very nice system.
Can't wait to see the finished pix!

Are those access doors on the end panels of the canopy?
If so, how are the fans breathing?

 

[skey44]

don't worry about the sqwid its just heartaches and noise just split the line(remember the return is not for flow)...
make your return section a little bigger and submerge the eheim in it (they produce little heat bc they are low wattage). The reason to make the return bigger is bc this is where your evaporation will happen (where you will see it and top off), i haven't seen an idea about an ato with a top off water reservoir.

just some ideas ive come across and am trying to incorporate into my new tank

 

[JCTewks]

rish, depending on the skimmer, you might want to make the baffle between the skimmer and fuge taller and just feed the fuge with the output of your skimmer...depending on how much flow you are runnung through the skimmer. what kind of skimmer is it?

I agree with skey...if you return section is too small, you'll be topping off evap 2 or 3 times a day. figure out how much evap will occur and make your return large enough that with that amount of evap, your return pump will be sufficiently covered. that way if the ATO fails or goes dry while you are away, you won't burn up your pump.

 

[Rich_1833]

Im not following you please explain more or show me some pics.

 

[Rich_1833]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9854918#post9854918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GuySmilie
Rich, looks like you're putting together a very nice system.
Can't wait to see the finished pix!

Are those access doors on the end panels of the canopy?
If so, how are the fans breathing?

Yes those are doors on the side and the fans will be on the inside of them I just forgot to add the into the pic. The wires will run along the inside to allow me to open the doors.

 

[Rich_1833]

This should be the last change that I can see. What does every think of this. Ive do alot more research and have all of you to thank. So let me know about this one.

 

[jwccwj]

why not tee of your return line instead of using your drain to feed the fuge?