"The Cavernous Reef" - A 180G Build

[rickcasa]

Dave I think I may be staying away from eels. Let's say I find a reef safe moray, a pipe dream yes, but it'll still be a pooping machine. I gotta manage the chemistry efficiently.

Having said that, I fell for a humungous tubestrea. A messy meat eater. Anyone know anything about this one. It looks common, but a huuge 7"x4" specimen!! I need advice.

It took more than 2 weeks to open up, still not fully open, but getting there. It got really puffy last night...must be getting really hungry.

 

[hobogato]

this looks like it is really coming together now. i love those shots in post 167 - really feels like i am looking at the ocean. great pickup on the sun coral as well

 

[dave.m]

Having said that, I fell for a humungous tubestrea. A messy meat eater. Anyone know anything about this one. It looks common, but a huuge 7"x4" specimen!! I need advice.

They have to be hand fed very small food items like Cyclop-eez. Do a Google on "feed sun coral". I'd post the links but the only time you see a moderator here is when you dare to post links to other reefing forums to RC.

Dave.M

 

[rickcasa]

Finally, the Sump.

Finally, the Sump.

So after months of mulling and head scratching, I got down to a design and went at it. Man, it was a grind. Ordering so many parts, 4 online orders (ugh, the waiting - even though my vendors were great at getting it shipped quickly) and still coming up short of the perfect fitting. Found some essentials from Lowes, Rona, HD, yup I hit them all.

A couple of weeks now of dry fitting, today everything fell into place. Happy with how the manifold looks - hopefully useful and functional.

 

[rickcasa]

DC Pumps

DC Pumps

My mandate of keeping an energy efficient setup called for these wicked pumps. I had a 1300gph hooked up to the closed loop but wanted another to man the return. A local reefer (thanks Red!) came through for me with a DC pump that I have been looking for (2600 gph) and has been back-ordered everywhere I sourced.

So my question, Dave I hope you're still here to chime in, which pump for which task?? Sad, eh, that I don't know this but all you experts help. I'm minutes away from hooking things up.

Do I need that much flow in the cl even if I already have 2 MP40s and adding an MP20? or Is that flow better utilized in the sump where I have reactors daisy chained in mind?

 

[dave.m]

Experts have better things to do of a Saturday night, I guess. What you need to do is figure out how much back-pressure there is in your set-up according to height and pipe length and number of elbows, etc. and then look to see how much back-pressure each pump is rated for. There are calculators on RC's main page, and lots more on other sites. A pump that isn't built to handle pressure quickly loses that reported gph rating when faced with all your plumbing.

Dave.M

 

[rickcasa]

Oh great, homework on a Saturday night.

Ok I'll look it up. But just like in school, I still want someone to just give me the answer. lol

Closed loop is 1.25" in and 4 x 1" out. Not too much friction loss I believe.
The return really is fairly direct to the tank. Along the way though, flow will be split with the manifolds and an ATS. And with 3 or 4 reactors up and running down the road, flow may be at a premium. Hey, I think I may have just answered my question. Bigger pump for the Sump it is. Thanks me. lol

Best thing is these 2 pumps are pretty much the same size so if I need to swap, voila....lickety split barba trick. Can you tell, I just wanna get this thing plumbed and over with.

 

[evo187]

I'm following this build. It is awesome!

 

[MiaCoral]

Being following this since you started, amazing build, this has to be one of the most unique tanks i have ever, ever seen! Keep up the good work, im hooked on this thread!

 

[rickcasa]

this looks like it is really coming together now. i love those shots in post 167 - really feels like i am looking at the ocean. great pickup on the sun coral as well

Thanks hobogato. With the sump just now fully deployed, I'm excited about the potential of this 'small' tank. Before it was running off a tiny 400gph pump hooked up to a hose that was hanging off the tank for 3 weeks. Even got the GFO/Rox reactor hooked up to the manifold and pushing some decent output.

So except for 2 tiny leaks in the overflow plumbing (wonder how long I can put that off with bowls), everything is going pretty smoothly. Well, except for the skimmer that I'm having some trouble dialing in. I've had to raise it 4" off the base and don't really want to go higher because then the sink/countertop above it will need to keep rising past my comfort height.

Here it is overflowing again. What's going on?

Yes, now about the lighting as demonstrated in post 167. Hopefully I can advance it past the ghetto rigging I had left it last time, at least with some success. Some LEDs got delivered these past few days which I'll be toying with. Geez, I hope half of it is actually useful and not end up in the reject pile. They're all LEDs...some blue and UV strips, ceiling spotlights to highlight the front cavern, flood lighting to wash the background blue and even a rotating bulb that may make my dancing light shafts come to life. More on that later!

But first, find a manual online and figure out how to make this controller work. It looks promising and hey it came with the system so I'm putting it to good use.

 

[dave.m]

Here it is overflowing again. What's going on?

Does the water level in the section that contains the skimmer vary at all? Some skimmers can't tolerate the least amount of variance in the water level. Check the owner's manual, the manufacturer's web site and any other on-line review on your skimmer make and model to find out if others had this problem and what was done to fix it.

Dave.M

 

[rickcasa]

I'm following this build. It is awesome!

Being following this since you started, amazing build, this has to be one of the most unique tanks i have ever, ever seen! Keep up the good work, im hooked on this thread!

Hope I'm not disappointing with the slow pace, evo and MiaCoral, but I too hope it picks up. Thanks for following!

Here's something that may make the waiting worthwhile. It's a chili coral that I bought 2 weeks ago. it didn't do much until I read to hang it upside down and low and behold, it's now twice its size. Don't mind my photo bombing Trigger.

 

[Aquatron]

It just keeps getting better.........

 

[rickcasa]

Does the water level in the section that contains the skimmer vary at all? Some skimmers can't tolerate the least amount of variance in the water level. Check the owner's manual, the manufacturer's web site and any other on-line review on your skimmer make and model to find out if others had this problem and what was done to fix it.

Dave.M

No not in the sense that it's ebb and flow but it's where the DT drains so if the splashing (yes close by the skimmer pump) varies water level as such, sounds like you may have nailed it Dave. I could build a box to contain the splashing. I've been using the rectangular eShoppes sock but it may be better boxed in.

 

[dave.m]

I could build a box to contain the splashing.

That's exactly what I had to do with a Deltec SC-2060 in-sump skimmer. Mr.Wilson made me aware of the issue with this model and an acrylic box approx 1" higher than the water in the surrounding sump section was made and that solved my problems. By rights, the skimmer really should have it's own dedicated sump section close to where the water comes in from the display tank, and with water height maintained with a correctly sized baffle.

Dave.M

 

[phantomg23]

how am i just now seeing this

 

[rickcasa]

That's exactly what I had to do with a Deltec SC-2060 in-sump skimmer. Mr.Wilson made me aware of the issue with this model and an acrylic box approx 1" higher than the water in the surrounding sump section was made and that solved my problems. By rights, the skimmer really should have it's own dedicated sump section close to where the water comes in from the display tank, and with water height maintained with a correctly sized baffle.

Dave.M

And that would be in the middle section of my sump. Because I like it where it is I will build a box as was suggested to you by Shaun. Thx

 

[Allmost]

Nice

with Azoox/NPS corals, you might need to add a second skimmer or another way of exporting nutrients later on. what are the plans for feeding ?

 

[rickcasa]

It just keeps getting better.........

how am i just now seeing this

Thanks Spinner. It's a process and a busy family life has certainly forced me to pause a lot and plan for the next steps.

So phanTomG, now that you're here, any advice on what you'd recommend I add to my sump? I'm thinking Chaeto?? I have bushels of it in my 90's sump, actually more like a brick as it has densely filled an entire chamber. But I kinda don't want to mess up my sump...Is it possible to maintain a spotless sump with macros?? I'm using socks but what a chore it is to wash.:fun5:

 

[rickcasa]

Nice

with Azoox/NPS corals, you might need to add a second skimmer or another way of exporting nutrients later on. what are the plans for feeding ?

Well I've got a spare EuroReef that's in terrific shape if it comes down to needing to double up.

I saw more gorgs at BigAls today...ooo so tempting, but I'm still learning to feed with what I have. I'm enjoying the spot feeding...so I dont see this as a problem, at least not with Reef Roids, Cyclopeeze and Coral Frenzy. These powders are a cinch to mix and distribute with a Squirt and I always leave enough to pour in the tank to broadcast. Well that's it for my plans...need more suggestions please, Allmost.