Pre-Setup Pointers (45 Cubes)

[WDLV]

I havent had a display tank in over a year and I think it's time to revisit that avenue.
I think I've finally decided on an in-wall tank size for my next four systems with option to install a fifth. It's a Marineland 45 cube.
Unfortunately it's one of their newer products, so I can't view the dimentions on their site.

Species for the four systems will be:

Tank 1 - A. leucokranos with E. quadricolor
Tank 2 - A. latezonatus with E. quadricolor
Tank 3 - A. leucokranos with E. quadricolor
Tank 4 - A. thiellei with H. magnifica

I will probably have a few zoo colonies or other encrusting colonies just to cover the three walls, but they will not be the main focus of the systems.
I plan to install a false wall on the back of each tank. Each will have a 3-5 gallon Carlson Surge Device on their returns and powerheads servicing their primarary circulation needs. Powerheads will be imbedded in the false wall so the impellars will be separate from the display (no anemone chum thank you.)
I plan to plumb them into a common sump and will run the latz tank to the other side of the room to keep it a bit cooler than the other systems.

Lighting will be suspended 250W MH

Any size or logistical concerns?

 

[WDLV]

I got the dimentions. 24"x24"x19" Given those dimentions I will probably forgo the false back in exchange for the extra room in the tank. I guess the question becomes what about creating anemone safe circulation and overflows? I have some ideas, but I'd really like to hear what other opinions are out there.

 

[Chelsey]

I agree with the forgoing of the false wall. When it comes to anemone-safe circulation/overflows (is there such a thing?) here's what I do. I take some plastic canvas like you'd use for cross-stitching, paint it black with Krylon Fusion paint, then attach it via zip ties (cable ties) to any and all inlets and outlets for water. I haven't lost a BTA or LTA to this yet...can't say anything about carpets though.

 

[WDLV]

My problem is that I'm resisting the temptation of keeping anything but asexual reproducers until I can build my big tank. As it stands that won't be for several years.
What that means is that I will be keeping E. quads and H. magnifica. E. quads aren't too bad. The problem lies with H. mag. They love to wander.

 

[rkelman]

You can buy that mesh for needlepoint in different colours at Michaels here. I`m not sure if they are in the US but here we can get it in black..

 

[tpdpercula]

The needle point mesh is available in Wal-Mart as well in the arts and craft section.

 

[WDLV]

I have no idea what you're talking about regarding the needlepoint mesh. I wouldn't even know what to look for.

 

[Arati]

Instead of going with a reef ready system I used overflows from http://www.glass-holes.com/main.sc . even with 700gph per overflow my quads could not get in or be injured by them.

I have had a few clowns go through with no problem and no place for them to get stuck they just plop into the sump.

hard to see but the nem can walk all around the top without ever falling in. I mean I guess it could happen but its far less likely then a stock reefready overflow

 

[username in use]

How about a sea-swirl on each tank, if aquascaped right with the right flow rate, you shouldnt need any powerheads. Especially in a cube where you can hit all of the tank with some good flow when your nozzel turns 90 degrees. This will give you random flow and intermitent flow. I would imagine the 3/4inch seaswirl would give you enough flow, but you could always up it to the 1inch. This system will also eliminate the chance of an anemone getting into a powerhead.

 

[OrionN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15377137#post15377137 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WDLV
....
What that means is that I will be keeping E. quads and H. magnifica. E. quads aren't too bad. The problem lies with H. mag. They love to wander.

I keep many of both at one tiem or other. I find that H. magnifica really stay put if it is happy. E. quadrcolor really like to wander, happy or not, espeically if it split.

 

[rkelman]

It looks like screen but bigger... Just ask in that section and they will help you

 

[traveller7]

Been looking at that size for awhile now myself Walt. My gasters have alot more space, but they really dont use it. Just have not talked myself into making a move.

I would consider a Magnifica, if I was using a 175wt metal halide and a very narrow focus reflector. I find they dont move much when presented with the right flow, a pedestal, and a point light source.

Cheers.

 

[OrionN]

I agree with Scott, if your have a 24X24 surface area, keep a Mag from wander is easy if you set the flow right and have a MH as light source. So far I am able to keep mine in a 30 G cube 7 months and counting. I do have a 30X30X30 if I decide to feed him more and get him growing

 

[WDLV]

Thanks for te replies. I am listening.

 

[elegance coral]

You can see what I'm doing for a magnifica in this thread. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1669131

The problems I see with the Carlson serge device on a display tank are the noise and air bubbles. The air bubbles would create salt spray that could effect your lights. They may irritate anemones too. If you're married, the wife may not like the sound of toilets flushing in the living room either.:eek1:

You could try an Ocean Motion 4 way. They're silent and don't cause air bubbles, but they are pricy and run on electricity. I'm running a SCWD on mine. They have a very bad reputation for freezing up though. I figure, for the price and the fact that they don't require any additional electricity, I can deal will soaking them in vinegar once a year.

I agree with the others about magnificas. I've never had a problem with them going on walkabouts. I keep them on a high point in the rocks right under a MH with alternating current.

 

[WDLV]

Thanks for that. Oh and how's the sub-dural hemotoma? Haha!

FYI I have a great CSD running right now. It has almost no bubbles and makes almost no noise. I used a 5 gallon bucket and kept the lid on. There's a 1/4" hole drilled through the lid to allow air to move back and forth with the fill and surge stages.
I was considering using a SCWD on my return. One side of the SCWD would act as a traditional return and the other would feed the CSD. That way it gets a wave-like motion from the one side of the SCWD and an occasional massive surge from the CSD to stir things up a bit.

My mag is a beautiful specamin, I'm just paranoid about anything happening to it.

Do you think a SCWD could be made to work in reverse so it switched between intakes?

 

[OrionN]

BTW here is my Mag thread
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1528132&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[WDLV]

I thought I had found my answer to anemone safe circulation....

The Tunze wave box! So, I started looking over different videos that people had and found that while they seem to work wonders on large, long tanks, that there was next to no motion at all when used in smaller cube tanks. Not to mention that in every instance I saw they were used in conjunction with additional powerheads or closed loops.

Disappointing to say the least. I would hate to have spent $335 on something that would not work for my application. I do however see potential for future applications....

So, I guess I'm back at powerheads and closed loops for primary circulation with CSDs on the returns.

I've been doing tests with powerheads to determine the best placement of CL outputs or powerheads. What I discovered there is that my linear flow pattern will not work with this application either. You need a long tank to do that too. I'm looking at doing something of a figure eight pattern with the water flow. Visualize a flow pattern starting at the rear center and moving toward the front corners of the tank then around the sides and re-merging with the output. That looks like the best I can do with these dimentions.

Intakes will have to burried beneath the rock work so the anemones won't get sucked in.

 

[OrionN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15562504#post15562504 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WDLV

....

Intakes will have to burried beneath the rock work so the anemones won't get sucked in.

Tunze wave box needs long tank to work. Short tank, like cube, it is useless.

BTA keep their foot deep under rock or crevices and can get injure with intake of close loop unless you diffuse the intake to a large surface area.

 

[WDLV]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15562961#post15562961 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OrionN
...unless you diffuse the intake to a large surface area.

That's the plan.