Sun Powered Reef

[vitor pestana]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10506975#post10506975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MLalex
Olá. belo aquário. parabens
O meu inglês é um pouco bera mas vou tentar para todos ...

I have a +/- small ( 350 litros)set up for over 5 years and i´m going for another a litle bigger...
i need your help on the natural light, because i was thinking of instaling this:
International
http://solatube.com
Portugal
http://www.polirigido.com
what do you think ?
obrigado amigo !!

Hi MLalex!

That's a good idea, but the price of a solatube is very expensive, maybe if you check the carloskoi setup you can find really good way to solve the problem.

By the way, congratulations carloskoi for your innovating spirit, your tank is looking really cool!

Best Regards

Vitor Pestana

 

[Reefski's]

thank you. the material initial cost was not cheap but it will pay for itself the first year the tank is running.

i will post some more pix next week when we start plumbing. it will be exciting to see how the light is in the tank. i measure it frequently with my light meter with no water in the tank and get PAR values up to 1600 even later in the afternoon if it is sunny, with no direct light, just reflected off the panels.

 

[erics3000]

Wu=ow Vitor some how I lost track of your thread. Nice updates..Looks incredible

 

[MarkusII]

Hello,

a colleaugue of mine has installed a Solatube over his tank - but as a lot of light is also coming from the outside (he has the tank in a conservatory) you can practically see no difference. So direct sun from above would be better.

regards

Markus

 

[MLalex]

a colleaugue of mine has installed a Solatube over his tank - but as a lot of light is also coming from the outside...

BUT instaled on a living room ? will it be beast than a HQI?
i never saw a solatube instaled.
what you think??

 

[mile sq. reefer]

Victor, the set up looks great. A natural innovative system you really dont see here in the states. Great coral coloration and growth. My one comment, not to be taken the wrong way is with the aqua-scaping. I really liked the look of the coral bommies posted in the first post, as opposed to the ring of rock. Any consideration of going back to the original layout.

 

[toonces]

easily one of the coolest setups I've seen on reefcentral!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Serioussnaps]

Chiming in..your tank is still lovely of course.

Every consider a garden type system above ground that flows into the marine pool...kind of like one of those japanese gardens. Maybe like a mangrove swamp that runs off?
Or am i having delusions?

 

[Jorgens]

I don't have anything too current. I need to do some cleaning...tonights project. I have too many small rocks and shells cluttering the sand bed. I'm also switching out my actinics and working on a hanging system for the light.

It's built in-wall so space underneath is limited. and I'm revamping the front to make an access panel for cleaning. I can't reach 1/2 way down on the "good" side to clean... but heres a few

 

[Jorgens]

replied to wrong thread. mod help please delete......

 

[daniloronchi]

What amazing tank!!!

Thanks to share with us!

It's possibile that in the near future I'll come to Portugal... maybe I call you... it definitely worth a trip!

Thanks again!

 

[vitor pestana]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10529200#post10529200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by daniloronchi
What amazing tank!!!

Thanks to share with us!

It's possibile that in the near future I'll come to Portugal... maybe I call you... it definitely worth a trip!

Thanks again!

Hi.

You can call me anytime.

Regards

 

[vitor pestana]

Hi guys.

Today i've had made some changes in the pump system, connect one pump to another, this way i can feed the skimmer and the main tank, one less pump.

Instead buying a more powerfull pump, i both another iqual, if one pump fails, i still have another connected to the main system.

Thank you Migas for your suporte:

All the best

Vitor Pestana

 

[olemos]

Victor you should not have the return of the fist pump, hooked up to the intake of the other pump, very inefficient.

 

[ReefingBuddha]

According to the MDM sequence website this is a good way to increase the flow of a small pump. Here is a picture from sequence that demonstrates the concept. There is a description of the idea on the website.

 

[vitor pestana]

Hi olemos

I've made tests before i install this setup, the water flow is the same as if the pump was one 5.000 lt/h (2 x 2500 lt/h).

When pump #2 is disconected, the water flow drops to 2500 lt/h.

Try out this setup, i garantee that it will work fine.

Regards

Vitor Pestana

 

[H20ENG]

You know I've never set up a pump this way, but I've Always read (and can logically see it) that the flow will not double, but the pressure will. This is a way to gain head pressure with 2 small pumps. Kind of like multistage well, or booster pumps. Many impellers on one shaft.

Vitor,
Not sure if you've mentioned it, but what kind of water changes are you doing? NSW, correct? I cant believe you are not fighting algae! :thumbsup:

 

[vitor pestana]

Hi H20ENG.

That is true, the pressure and water flow increase for each pump you put in this kind of system.

I'm doing a 20% of NSW change each month, no algae, i think the O3 generator is helping me in this fight.

Regards

Vitor Pestana.

 

[Reefski's]

Vitor

what size pipe are you using?

each pipe has a maximum flaw that it can accommodate. if you are combining two pumps that fall below that limit ok, but above that limit you are wasting energy and increasing the pressure without an increase in flow.

Carl

 

[vitor pestana]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10535626#post10535626 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carloskoi
Vitor

what size pipe are you using?

each pipe has a maximum flaw that it can accommodate. if you are combining two pumps that fall below that limit ok, but above that limit you are wasting energy and increasing the pressure without an increase in flow.

Carl

Hi!

I'm using 1 inch pipe for 1320 gallons/h elevation 20 foot.

Remember, the system have 3 nozzles

Regards

Vitor Pestana