The Reef Central Corner Club Thread

[Hookup]

yep, one MP40 worked for a wave... But there are two things to know... First, you will not likely get enough flow, unless you keep it on high-power (80% or more) and they are loud.. IMO anyhow... and also WAVES ARE DANGEROUS TO BABIES AND THE OZONE LAYER!

Ok, well maybe not, but if your stand is not re-enforced for lateral movement that a wave will impart your system will crash.. literally onto the floor and crash... you need a very strong, re-enforced tank-stand for waves... most are only built to handle compression (downward force) of the water, not the side-to-side sloshing... Which in a 90gal tank is 900lbs of slowly sloshing water... i.e. IT WILL CAUSE CANCER... ok, not cancer, but it will break your stand.

Just FYI.... You can search on RC and see/hear about some awesome disasters with respect to waves in tanks.

 

[boret]

I was messing around with SketchUp, the free program from Google to create 3D Models. I came up with a few sketches for a 92g AGA Tank, both with and w/out trim.
You can download them here (Basic no trim) and here (with black trim).

Here is a 2D representation of the 92g AGA with Black Trim

There is a good Aquarium related tutorial HERE (120g RR Tank) and HERE (kalkwasser reactor) if anyone wants to learn some basic concepts.

 

[Bernie21]

Salty92
I think that would work as long as you add the extra PCs, but If I were you, I'd try to make those t-5s as well, they run alot cooler!! I have a similar set up, the difference is that my 4 t-5s are actinic & instead of having the PC's there I have a 14k 250W Pheonix... But like I said you dont need the MH, you'll be fine w what you posted, but look into those T-5s.

 

[boret]

Bernie21,

I was just looking at your current tank specs and I just realized you are using a Mag18. I have a couple of question about that choice.
* Do you have to deal with a lot of head thus reducing the total utput of the Mag 18 from the rated 1800gph at 0'?
* Do you run it 100% or do you have the return dialed down with a valve?
* Does your return go directly into the tank or do you have it split with something like a SCWD, seaswirl?
* Do you feed something else form the return, like a chiller, UV, reactor, etc... through a manifold?

I am using a Mag 9.5, which could be a little bit underpowered. I don't have much head as my sump sits beside the tank at about the same height as the bottom of the main tank. But with the 3 feet of 3/4 pipe and 2 elbows I guess I am at around 800 gph. That is quite a bit less than your 1500-1800 gph.

 

[rawdawg05]

Ok i am new here. I have been in the hobby for 2 years but am just really getting going after a move and more time to monitor my tank.

I currently just have some softies but am ramping up for better and bigger coral. I have the 400 mh and two acitinic running now.

I have a question on flow. I currently have a piece together of power heads. I have one 4 and three 2 koralias.

I was looking at maybe upgrading to controllable koralia or something else. I really dont want or think i need to spend money on a vortech because 2 is way too expensive for my taste.

 

[reefscape15]

If you get 2 more K-4's and mess around with them enough, you can achieve random flow without spending money on a wave maker. If you aim 2 of them at each other, and have the 3rd blowing the water that they push around, it will be pretty chaotic. All for only $90 or so, and you'll have 3600gph!

 

[rawdawg05]

Thanks where would you place them?

Maybe one on the front corner and the other on the adjacent back plastic. Then another on the opposite front glass?


You think I would a nano on the bottom?

 

[reefscape15]

I have one on the right edge of the front glass and another one in the middle of the left back side. they are both near the top of the tank and aimed somewhat at each other. The one on the front glass is a K-3 and the other is a K-1, but i'm adding a K-4 and modding that and the K-3. I do think that a small powerhead on the bottom of the tank would be good for you. I added a Mini-Jet which is only 160gph, that I was trying to stuff behind my rocks. It wouldn't fit behind the rocks without removing everything so I have it just above the sand on the left glass, pointing across the front glass. It isn't much but has really helped clean up my sand bed. I'm not sure if a Korallia would be practical, only because they really spray the flow out in all directions, which may cause you quite a sand storm! I'd get something like a Maxi-Jet 400 or 600. Something that you only get one jet of water from and you can point it exactly where you want it. I think a 400 or 600 would be strong enough to make it most of the way across the front glass, but you may want to add another one on the other side as well.

On a side note everyone, my brother in law is in town from Colorado where he runs a reef shop. He said he has an overflow box and sump that he is going to send to me when he gets home (at no charge! ), and I am in the search for an awesome in sump skimmer. I've already made a thread in the New To the Hobby section, but i'll go for it here as well. I have a few skimmers in mind, and would love any experiance or suggestions that you all have with these.

ASM G-1x - 5.5" Diameter, 22.5" tall. I'm not sure what pump or what size is used on this skimmer.

ASM G-2 - 6.5" Diameter, 21.5" tall. Sedra 3500 pump

Reef Octo NWB 200 Needle Wheel - 8" Diameter, 22.5" tall. Octo OPT 3000 Pump

Aqua Euro PS-250 Needle Wheel - 8.25" Diameter, 22.5" tall. 2 NW E590 pumps

Vertex IN-180 Needle Wheel - 8" Diameter, 24.5" tall. Not sure what pump they run

Thanks for any and all input everyone! If you have another suggestion, please let me know

 

[Husky_1]

Or, you could get 3 maxijet mods, for about $100 and have 6600 GPH of flow

 

[Bernie21]

reefscape15, I like the Reef Octo... I have a reef octo, but mines is Recirculating.

boret, the mag 18, is not dialed down, it goes straight in to my tank, it does not go though any UV's, Chillers, etc. I used Flex PVC, so that it doesnt have so many 90degree elbows from the return to the tank. I do want to raise it higher, thats going wait alil! I do have 3 exits for it which reduces its GPH per exit but I like the roughly 500 GPH that come from each exit. I really need to buy batteries to take pics of my tank so that I can better explain. I also have 2 K4's in the tank to suppliment flow!!

 

[boret]

I have a Little giant 4 running the Close Loop. The pump feeds an Ocean Motions 4 with the 1-2-3-4 drum. With the elbows and the flex PVC I am using plus the 2' of head I am guessing I get about 600-800 gph. The OM moves that flow from each one of the 1 to 4 outputs.
I then have the return from the sump at around 800gph. It is a direct flex pvc line from Mag 9.5 to 3/4 Sea Swirl. I am guessing another 700 to 800 gph. I have also 2 modded Tunzes 6025s that with the mod move about 1200 gph each. So roughly I am moving 4800gph inside of the tank.

However, the water that actually moves from tank to sump to tank only reaches about 800gph. Which one is the number I should worry about?
I truly think I have plenty of flow inside the tank, but I am afraid I am a bit short of flow tank-sump-tank.

 

[boret]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15182487#post15182487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bernie21
[...] I really need to buy batteries to take pics of my tank so that I can better explain. [...]

Yes you do!!! I would like to see the pics.

 

[Bernie21]

I think your flow to your sump & back to the tank is fine!! Remember you dont want water flying through your sump, you want your sump to do what it has to go through your skimmer, carbon, ruge, UV, Phosban & whatever else you might have down there...
And I'll get to working on those, batts, lol!!

 

[reefscape15]

Well there hasn't been much going on with this thread lately, so I've just been wondering what everyone has been up to. I'd like to know how Jesse's tank is coming along. He's had the corals in there for a few months under MH lighting, so i'm sure there has been some good growth. Also, Michael did you ever get more pics of your tank since the re-do? I know you posted some earlier, but I thought you said you were going to get some more. I'm still waiting to hear about the availability on the sump that was offered to me, and if I do get it, I'll be sure to get some pics of the setup posted. Also, i'll definately be needing some more thoughts on an in sump skimmer. I'd really like to know what everyone on here uses, and maybe some good or bad experiances with them. Hope to hear from all of you soon!

 

[joeychitwood]

I have three new SPS corals in my tank, but I haven't decided yet where to place them permanently. Once I do decide, I'll post photos of them. I also bought a Lawnmower (Sailfin or Algae) blenny which has been plowing through some algae on the rocks.

 

[ryansweet]

I have a 44gal corner that I am looking to re-do the rock work. There are some great pics on this thread so if I steal any ideas I hope they aren't patented! I will get some pics of mine up probably this weekend.

 

[boret]

Picture update

 

[bzuber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15207422#post15207422 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefscape15
Also, i'll definately be needing some more thoughts on an in sump skimmer. I'd really like to know what everyone on here uses, and maybe some good or bad experiances with them. Hope to hear from all of you soon!

My in-sump skimmer is a Euro-reef RS80 and is doing the trick. I researched for a long time and my second choice was the MSX 160. I would go with either of these two.

Nice tank Boret!!

Oh yeah - I ended up buying a vortech wavemaker. Will probably set it up in the next week or two. I am setting up a quarantine tank now since I introduced a hippo tang with ick (which I took back to the store). I will put my yellow tang and perc clownfish into quarantine for 28 days with copper and also treat my display tank with something, you guys have any ideas? No-ick? Kick-ick?

 

[boret]

Thanks! Slowly getting there.

As far as the ick... I wouldn't put any medicine in the display tank unless there is no other option, and if you can take them out into Qt treat them there.

A few months back I added some anthias that brought some type of sickness (I dont think it was Ick, it looked like a white mocus when it got in the tangs). I was not diligent and only did a couple of days of Qt on the fish. End result all the anthias died and they infected my Hippo and Yellow Tang. I never saw any signs of sickness in the anthias but they were sick nonetheless.

I cleaned and setup a bigger Qt tank to treat the tangs and then tried to get the fish out of the DT.

Not such luck. Pretty much impossible without damaging the corals in the tank.

So what I did is started feeding a very rich diet lazed with Garlic extract. Mysis, Sinularia, Cyclopeez, Rods Food, Coral Food and my own frozen combo as well as Nori cut into small pieces. Not a lot of food, just a lot of variety and with several drops of the garlic.

The Tangs were eating like crazy and in 2 weeks they recovered nicely.

I probably got very lucky and I learned my lesson. Qt everything!!!
I think that many times, the actual survival of the fish is due more to them having a strong immune system than the medicine we might use.

I also did small daily water changes for a week and skimmed very wet.

 

[Pulp Fishin]

Love the pics Boret!
Really enjoy the Ric-garden you set up.
I started adding all my Rics to a med sized rock so I have started my own Ric-Rock!