REEF-DADDY
New member
lost my tank on that set up your planning. dosing pumps are well worth the money!
SPS Setup suggestions/comments
- Thread starter bpd964
- Start date
I seriously didn't think about it. I knew I would miss something that's why I decided to make this post. I'm just trying to figure out how to set that up with my system and think about manually filling my 20g top off tank and when it gets low, I can fill it up. I have it setup so my sump won't overflow if the 20 gallons dumps into my sump incase the pump sticks.. but didn't think about the float valve sticking causing the 20g to overflow.. Wow, now that i am writing this, I feel kinda crazy not thinking about it.. Thanks again..
sounds exactly like my system, only im using T5 for lighting and an octopuss skimmer, like what i hear already though! i dont think your going to have problems, other than what everyone else has said with the kalk. personally (and everyone thinks there own setup is the besst, lets not kid ourselves 
) im going to run a dart for the return and had 2 inch drains custom bulit into the bottom to handle the extra flow. im also going to have gate valves on both drains, so i can controll how much flow is in my fuge vs skimmer section. just a thought.
PS, where did you get the southdown????? ive been looking all over for some- if you have any extra id kill for some.
) im going to run a dart for the return and had 2 inch drains custom bulit into the bottom to handle the extra flow. im also going to have gate valves on both drains, so i can controll how much flow is in my fuge vs skimmer section. just a thought. PS, where did you get the southdown????? ive been looking all over for some- if you have any extra id kill for some.
Thanks for the comments..
I actually got the southdown from someone in our club. I cleaned him out tho.. He gave me the remaining sand he had.
I wanted to do an external return pump but wasn't sure if I could safetly drill the side of the 55g for it.. I keep thinking of it and possibly getting a 4 way OM. But, i ended up putting everything together in a hurry and ended up going the quick and easy way.. I sure wish I had done it. If I decide later on to go external, I will build and entirely new sump setup with the 4 way OM..
I actually got the southdown from someone in our club. I cleaned him out tho.. He gave me the remaining sand he had.
I wanted to do an external return pump but wasn't sure if I could safetly drill the side of the 55g for it.. I keep thinking of it and possibly getting a 4 way OM. But, i ended up putting everything together in a hurry and ended up going the quick and easy way.. I sure wish I had done it. If I decide later on to go external, I will build and entirely new sump setup with the 4 way OM..
Serioussnaps
New member
I am suggesting you dose...top off water with kalkwasser...extra alk/ca supplementation and also helps keep ph in range and more stable. Kalk also precipitates phosphates. You can always leave the kalk out and just slowly and RELIABLY drip RO/DI water.
IMO...you should dump the float valve...recipe for disaster...also not near as a steady dose as you are just "dumping" in the water to get your Salinity back to a certain point...likely spiking your ph with all that kallk at one time....with the proper doser you dose small amounts 24/7 not at set times throughout a day
LISTEN TO REEF DADDY...HE ONLY PROVES MY POINT AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT
i was gonna bump for BB(the whole comment about everyone likes their setup best) but i wont do it because he seems set on sand...but if i were to do sand i would do DSB not SSB
IMO...you should dump the float valve...recipe for disaster...also not near as a steady dose as you are just "dumping" in the water to get your Salinity back to a certain point...likely spiking your ph with all that kallk at one time....with the proper doser you dose small amounts 24/7 not at set times throughout a day
LISTEN TO REEF DADDY...HE ONLY PROVES MY POINT AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT
i was gonna bump for BB(the whole comment about everyone likes their setup best) but i wont do it because he seems set on sand...but if i were to do sand i would do DSB not SSB
I understand NOW about the whole kalk dose/drip issue. And I have gone from DSB to BB and now SSB. After this round, I will better be able to comment on different setups due to actual experience.
I am so sick of doing this tank over and over again because of the current hype.. Hopefully, this will be my last setup for a while and have something that I like. I have spent so much money and so much time you would probably call me crazy. I just paid a little over $700. for another tunze with a multi-controller and I am already thinking of just springing for a OM 4-way and sequence pump.
By the way.. the float valve is disabled. I changed out the 20g for a regular one.. Know anyone who wants a 20g with a hole in the side?
My eyes are nearly bleeding from reading and searching and searching and searching... and reading.. man.. does it ever stop. Do I need help?
I am so sick of doing this tank over and over again because of the current hype.. Hopefully, this will be my last setup for a while and have something that I like. I have spent so much money and so much time you would probably call me crazy. I just paid a little over $700. for another tunze with a multi-controller and I am already thinking of just springing for a OM 4-way and sequence pump.
By the way.. the float valve is disabled. I changed out the 20g for a regular one.. Know anyone who wants a 20g with a hole in the side?
My eyes are nearly bleeding from reading and searching and searching and searching... and reading.. man.. does it ever stop. Do I need help?
REEF-DADDY
New member
"Just curious.. If I get an OM 4-way and make a separate over the back closed loop, can I do without the tunzes?"
You can likely skip them in the hear term but as your tank grows and you start to see dead spots you'll start adding power heads.
When I set up my tank I said it looked like my hot tub, now I am adding powerheads.
Serioussnaps Can you tell my wife that too!
You can likely skip them in the hear term but as your tank grows and you start to see dead spots you'll start adding power heads.
When I set up my tank I said it looked like my hot tub, now I am adding powerheads.
Serioussnaps Can you tell my wife that too!
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
no it never stops :smokin: :smokin: :bum: :bum:
Lunchbucket
jay24k
Active member
I wouldn't recommend getting rid of the chaeto. It is a easy effective way to reduce any excess nutrients. In a DSB/SS tank I would highly recommend it.
Dosing pump is not needed but it does make it much easier IMO. I used to manually add calcium/alk and let me tell you it is a pain. I ended up buying a calcium reactor for ease and automation and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
If you like the look of SSB but want the benefits of DSB, then I would make the back half of you tank DSB and the front SSB. That's what I have done and it works VERY well.
Good pumps to get/use are the maximod one (never used it but from what others stated, if you get a good mod, they last awhile and are cheap), tunze (pricier and it is BIG), or a Vortech (Small, no heat, pricier, wide flow, but can't direct it).
I would make your own 2 part imo. You can buy dowflake calcium online and use baking soda for the alk portion. Since you are doing SPS, you will need to monitor magnesium. I would recommend making that too. There is a recipe on here which I can get if you are interested. It is part epsom salt and part magnesium hexahydrate. It is super cheap to make and costs pennies compared to the exensive counterparts out there.
Good luck and have fun with it.
FWIW, I like VHO actinics more then any, but go with what you like.
Dosing pump is not needed but it does make it much easier IMO. I used to manually add calcium/alk and let me tell you it is a pain. I ended up buying a calcium reactor for ease and automation and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
If you like the look of SSB but want the benefits of DSB, then I would make the back half of you tank DSB and the front SSB. That's what I have done and it works VERY well.
Good pumps to get/use are the maximod one (never used it but from what others stated, if you get a good mod, they last awhile and are cheap), tunze (pricier and it is BIG), or a Vortech (Small, no heat, pricier, wide flow, but can't direct it).
I would make your own 2 part imo. You can buy dowflake calcium online and use baking soda for the alk portion. Since you are doing SPS, you will need to monitor magnesium. I would recommend making that too. There is a recipe on here which I can get if you are interested. It is part epsom salt and part magnesium hexahydrate. It is super cheap to make and costs pennies compared to the exensive counterparts out there.
Good luck and have fun with it.
FWIW, I like VHO actinics more then any, but go with what you like.
SO let me ask, do I really need a kalk doser/reactor if I already have a dual calcium reactor?
I also already have a tunze 6100 and 2 maxi-jets both with the 2,000 mod. I also ordered another tunze 6100 with a multicontroller.
As far as the lighting goes, I have 260w power compacts and still trying to figure out what I will get the best growth out of.. either T5 or Vho. I already made it a point to change out the PC's.
I also already have a tunze 6100 and 2 maxi-jets both with the 2,000 mod. I also ordered another tunze 6100 with a multicontroller.
As far as the lighting goes, I have 260w power compacts and still trying to figure out what I will get the best growth out of.. either T5 or Vho. I already made it a point to change out the PC's.
REEF-DADDY
New member
You can do without the kalk its a nice to have, not a must. I use it to help keep display PH up. I dosed in th begining as I just did not have the demand for a reactor.
If your after par, T-5's may be the better way to go. More bulb options, and they are smaller....
RichConley
New member
T5s, without a question.
jay24k
Active member
If you have a reactor, I wouldn't mess with ph. You really just want a stable PH. 8.3 is a nice ph to have but if you are constantly 8.1 or even 8.0 then I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you don't have big changes, there is no worry. If you are pushing lower, then kalk would be recommended.
I still recommend VHO's. JMO but I think they look much better and give a better color. But to each their own.
Good luck.
I still recommend VHO's. JMO but I think they look much better and give a better color. But to each their own.
Good luck.
ycnibrc
STAG HORN DOMINATE REEF
reef daddy even with the dosing pump don't you need a float valve to activate your pump or you just dial in approximate the evaporate water per day? right now I'm using a float switch for my top off no Kalk but I like the idea of safety with the dosing pump if I want to add kalk with top off water. Do you have a formular to calculate how much fresh water to add per day?
Anthony
Anthony
