Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank
- Thread starter jason2459
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jason2459
Well-known member
Decided to get a couple retro T5s for my tank. I miss the colors of them. These new fixtures try to add color with red, green, orange, etc LEDs but they are spread around and only colors a small spot. Something like the kessils or maybe even radions would be better as they group the leds in tighter. When one of these reef breeder fixtures eventually dies I'll probably replace all of them. If it happened right now I'd get 2 kessil ap700s.
jason2459
Well-known member
I got the last coat of paint done on the sump stand last night. I'll set the sump on top tonight and skimmer to see how it all fits. See how well my measurements were and any adjustments if needed.
I also got the T5s mounted in the canopy last night too. I got two ati coral+ bulbs and they look great.
I also got the T5s mounted in the canopy last night too. I got two ati coral+ bulbs and they look great.
leviburns89
New member
You're only using two t5s? How big of a tank is this?
I run 6 ati t5s on my 55g. 3 blue+, 1 coral+, and 2 actinic.
I still feel like I don't get the color pop I desire. I may remove the 2 actinics and replace with 2 tuna blue leds
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I run 6 ati t5s on my 55g. 3 blue+, 1 coral+, and 2 actinic.
I still feel like I don't get the color pop I desire. I may remove the 2 actinics and replace with 2 tuna blue leds
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jason2459
Well-known member
It's in combination with 3 reef breeder led fixtures. I was missing the t5 coloration. This is a great combination.
leviburns89
New member
Ohh gotchya.
Yeah t5s by themselves only seem to bring out certain colors really well, and leds bring out others just as well.
So a combo imo is the best way to go. I wish I had to funds to add a couple leds to my system right now, but students loans are $1200/month, and a new baby, and a mortgage.
You get the picture.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Yeah t5s by themselves only seem to bring out certain colors really well, and leds bring out others just as well.
So a combo imo is the best way to go. I wish I had to funds to add a couple leds to my system right now, but students loans are $1200/month, and a new baby, and a mortgage.
You get the picture.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
jason2459
Well-known member
I wholeheartedly understand.
I loved the t5 combinations and colors from different bulbs but it was kind of a flat or pastel coloration to me I guess. Hard to describe. I loved the reefbrite strips I transitioned to with the 180 with a couple all blues and a couple 50/50 strips. But then the blues started to burn out. I think those were pretty darn close to the T5s minus some hues I guess but very nice.
Then after an entire strip went out I switched to these reefbreeders. 1 because they were cheap and 2 because they had some array of colors I was hoping would help that missing color. Unfortunately, those few colors as individual LEDs in a canopy around 7-8" off the water become pinpoints of color and 99% of the rest of the tank is missing the coloration I feel is missing and the other 1% is to much one color (red and green in this case).
Adding just those two bulbs has been just what I was missing. I was going to get a blue plus or a fiji purple and an aqua blue special as I really liked those before but saw these coral plus bulbs that weren't around the last time I had T5's. They seemed to be kind of between the ABS and the B+ with a bit of red like the fiji purple plus a bit of green.
jason2459
Well-known member
While planning out the height needed for the brute can I stacked some buckets and put the can on top.
I started looking at it and feeling like I'm not liking it. Almost feel like skipping it now and KISS with just the sump. Not that setting up the brute would be hard but I liked it not being there. I like the idea of the more volume and deeper cryptic zone but started thinking if I really need it. I want it but don't want it now and don't really need it. My tanks done just fine with out it.
So, for now I've talked myself out of it. If I want to later on its easy to hook up.
I moved on to setting up my return pump. I decided to try out the jebao dct 15000. It will have at least 10' to 12' of head. According to the curve charts it will push up around 1050 to 1450gph of flow. It will be split between both sides of the tank. Right now there's about 750gph on one side so either way this will be a nice increase in flow.
The dct15000. 2" female to slip adapter, a few inches of 2" pvc, 2" to 1.5" reducer, a couple more inches of 1.5" pvc, and then a full flow union ball valve. Then from there will be 1.5" ultra flex pvc. I need to drill the hole now and run it.
I started looking at it and feeling like I'm not liking it. Almost feel like skipping it now and KISS with just the sump. Not that setting up the brute would be hard but I liked it not being there. I like the idea of the more volume and deeper cryptic zone but started thinking if I really need it. I want it but don't want it now and don't really need it. My tanks done just fine with out it.
So, for now I've talked myself out of it. If I want to later on its easy to hook up.
I moved on to setting up my return pump. I decided to try out the jebao dct 15000. It will have at least 10' to 12' of head. According to the curve charts it will push up around 1050 to 1450gph of flow. It will be split between both sides of the tank. Right now there's about 750gph on one side so either way this will be a nice increase in flow.
The dct15000. 2" female to slip adapter, a few inches of 2" pvc, 2" to 1.5" reducer, a couple more inches of 1.5" pvc, and then a full flow union ball valve. Then from there will be 1.5" ultra flex pvc. I need to drill the hole now and run it.
jason2459
Well-known member
Ran some tubing to prepare for the sump go live.
Water line to pull out water for my AWC to go into the floor drain. Black much stiffer then clear vinyl tubing to drain from the skimmer's collection cup to the davy jones locker. And the same tubing to drain the locker into the floor drain.
And another water line from the rodi filter to the 55g brute I'm now going to use to store fresh water. Which will then refill my ATO slim jim, Limewater dosing tote, and new salt mix 50g brute.
I should be able to fit the tote for the lime water and the 50g brute for new saltwater under the sump stand. Then the slim jim right next to the stand and the freshwater res. right next to it.
Now when one of those three are empty I can quickly refill them. Then I can take the time to refill the freshwater resivour. Then I'll look at the next time I have to replace my membranes to replace them with 99% rejection rate ones from spectrapure. Only reason I haven't done so is I've went with much faster membranes to try and fill what I have now as needed.
Water line to pull out water for my AWC to go into the floor drain. Black much stiffer then clear vinyl tubing to drain from the skimmer's collection cup to the davy jones locker. And the same tubing to drain the locker into the floor drain.
And another water line from the rodi filter to the 55g brute I'm now going to use to store fresh water. Which will then refill my ATO slim jim, Limewater dosing tote, and new salt mix 50g brute.
I should be able to fit the tote for the lime water and the 50g brute for new saltwater under the sump stand. Then the slim jim right next to the stand and the freshwater res. right next to it.
Now when one of those three are empty I can quickly refill them. Then I can take the time to refill the freshwater resivour. Then I'll look at the next time I have to replace my membranes to replace them with 99% rejection rate ones from spectrapure. Only reason I haven't done so is I've went with much faster membranes to try and fill what I have now as needed.
jason2459
Well-known member
Late night but did the switch over. I still need to bring over the 50g new saltmix brute and LOTS of clean up and cable management which was slightly under managed before...
First I swapped out the 1" drain lines for all 1.5" just to make sure the higher flow is handled with ease. Luckily when I first setup the tank I pulled the tank out from the wall so I could work on those drains if needed. I was just able to get a hacksaw back there. Also, glad I had already used 1.5" bulk heads and pipe that converted to 1" previously.
Going to let the skimmer break in a bit and then start playing around with it. Its very quite. Having the mag18 on the silicone hot pad helps a lot.
I'm quite impressed by the jecod dct15000. I have it scaled back to 80%. 100% was overwhelming my internal overflow box. I have to measure the flow rate still but it is most definitely over 1000gph. I had it split to both sides of the tank but didn't like it. Went back to one side but angled differently to work with my right side gyre which I've been testing out horizontal on the right side. I'm really liking the setup and flow now.
The jecod is very quiet. I won't say dead silent but very very quiet. I like the slow ramp up feature and allows the return to gently get started into the display tank instead of a huge instant rush of water splashing everywhere. Now hopefully it lasts more then 6 months. I'll have to order another to have as a spare. At only $130- $140 one can only expect so much from it.
First I swapped out the 1" drain lines for all 1.5" just to make sure the higher flow is handled with ease. Luckily when I first setup the tank I pulled the tank out from the wall so I could work on those drains if needed. I was just able to get a hacksaw back there. Also, glad I had already used 1.5" bulk heads and pipe that converted to 1" previously.
Going to let the skimmer break in a bit and then start playing around with it. Its very quite. Having the mag18 on the silicone hot pad helps a lot.
I'm quite impressed by the jecod dct15000. I have it scaled back to 80%. 100% was overwhelming my internal overflow box. I have to measure the flow rate still but it is most definitely over 1000gph. I had it split to both sides of the tank but didn't like it. Went back to one side but angled differently to work with my right side gyre which I've been testing out horizontal on the right side. I'm really liking the setup and flow now.
The jecod is very quiet. I won't say dead silent but very very quiet. I like the slow ramp up feature and allows the return to gently get started into the display tank instead of a huge instant rush of water splashing everywhere. Now hopefully it lasts more then 6 months. I'll have to order another to have as a spare. At only $130- $140 one can only expect so much from it.
