Tnt's 154 G SPS reef build

[tntneon]

I was thinking to use this reactor to put my GFO in , the pump i'm gonna remove , i think and just let it feed from the 12mm feedtubes.
This to reduce any sounds of pumps.

http://www.bubble-magus.com/en/productShow.asp?id=894

any thoughts ?

if it's possible to mount 2 of them in the return W/O compromising sump ergonomics , i perhaps will stay with the reactor idea .

greetingzz tntneon

 

[Jamie9169]

You are off to a great start on this new build and the stand and sump look great. Tagging a long for the next updates.

 

[tntneon]

Thx Jamie9169 ,

Just finised doing the pressure test on the return line and some flow measurements.

All went fine no leaks detected in the PVC work , but when i closed all the valves the pressure build up was to much for the silicone hose , that popped from the pvc header :headwally: , spraying water at a flow of 6500 l/h all over my sump.

Just finished cleaning up the workspot... , the site from the silicone hose vendor claimed that it was self - sealing----> not true.

before this water ballet , i measured the flow thru one return pipe to display
and it cam up to an 3600 l/h (@4 feet head).
This was with one returnpipe open ( higher pipe resistance) , so with two pipes open (lower pipe resitance) it would be able to pump out 4500l/h maybe even higher as i was experiencing vortex problems on the suction side of pump.
Also i have to note that my 12 mm filtersock drain also was opened (i geuss at 400 l/h)

This week i'm gonna install 25 mm clamps on the silicone hoses.
Also i'm gonna order a 40 mm 45° bend piece to fit on the suction side of the return pump , so that it sucks from a lower point in the sump then it does now (to solve the vortex problem) .

greetingzz tntneon

 

[noobtothereef]

I usually dont post much on peoples builds but your build looks excellent, you really have attention for detail, i really like how you fit the panels on your stand, keep us updated!

 

[noobtothereef]

I usually dont post much on peoples builds but your build looks excellent, you really have attention for detail, i really like how you fit the panels on your stand, keep us updated!

 

[tntneon]

Thx noobtothereef ,

Will keep you guys update no prob , there still alot to do , but now there will be more delivery time between ordering and getting it here on the doorstep...the display , granite tablet , skimmer decision , electra , oak or nut wooden panel decision ....

-It's thanks to my nano wich i completly buided myself , where i also made some mistakes that i now can improve on my newer / bigger tank , probabbly alot has to been learned too , because it's my first "medium big" -tank ...:beachbum:

And also i want the tank in that configurantion at least for 10 year in my living room , so i don't wanna make compromisses if it comes to quality and /or noises (more expensive pumps)

BTW i think there should also be an subforum for medium sized tanks ( 35 g - 180 g) , i know there are alot of tanks like that , but we don't fit in the large tank forum nor in the nano size forum .... :spin2: , some kind of identity crisis

greetingzz tntneon

 

[tntneon]

To staphire or not to staphire ?

To staphire or not to staphire ?

Hi guys ,

Today i made a couple of phonecalls with my tank builder
After he had looked at the plans , i asked him what it would cost more if the frontpanel where from staphire glass (1200 mm X 600 mm X 12 mm).

He answered me that it would cost 150 € (190 $) more if front where from staphire glass.
Leaving me with the question , is the 150 € more the expense worth ?
Staphire or not ? :hmm4:
i never seen an staphire glass aquarium live so i can not judge if it is worth the expense ?
Any suggestions ?

Today doing some rather little adjustment works on the sump , i modified mesh bag brakkect so that it takes a little bit less space in the sump ( pics folowing) , btw i'm gonna let an overflow drain in the mesh bag .
This is made possible to small adjustments and trimming the braket , i now have enough space to house and BK super marines or a vertex 200 and a diy biopellet reactor as well.
and also i made an suction-piece ( 90 ° bend) for return pump ( solving vortex problem)
And attached clamps on the silicone hose :beer: , of the return pump

plans for the glassman see attachements , do not mind the weird language

greetingzz tntneon

 

[nuclearheli]

Good question SnRFishies ,

At first a was planning a filter sock on one of my drains and having some sort of GAC reactor in the rerurn zone of my sump .
But due to space issues ( Big skimmer .... ) i would have then , i decided to put the GAC in a filter sock .
It could be that when i find a smaller Gac reactor , that i'm still gonna go with the reactor idea .

Any thoughts are welcome

How big should a GAC reactor be for an 154 G system ?

greetingzz tntneon

Your space issues may have helped you resolve another issue...There is an on-going debate on the possible relationship carbon fines may have with Hlle disease. I am not sure either way but some of the research is quite interesting. I suspect if that filter sock is in the order of 100 or so microns you probably have eliminated the concern of getting carbon fines in your DT and potentially reduced the likelihood of Hlle disease. I would probably consider keeping the sock for your Carbon.

By the way, nice job on the setup.

 

[tntneon]

Thx for the information nuclearheli , didn't knew that !
Hlle is some sort of fish desease ?
Can you give me a short description about this desease ?

I have to say , that i use my carbon in my nano also in an open type reactor w/o any fish deseases , but they aren't sensitif fish.

Perhaps i will buy me an secundary filter sock just to hold the carbon in the return zone.
An the other to filter my emergency drain (that always overflows a bit like 1000 l/h).

greetingzz tntneon

 

[nuclearheli]

Thx for the information nuclearheli , didn't knew that !
Hlle is some sort of fish desease ?
Can you give me a short description about this desease ?

I have to say , that i use my carbon in my nano also in an open type reactor w/o any fish deseases , but they aren't sensitif fish.

Perhaps i will buy me an secundary filter sock just to hold the carbon in the return zone.
An the other to filter my emergency drain (that always overflows a bit like 1000 l/h).

greetingzz tntneon

I am only pointing out that this issue has been raised and the reefing community is split on a consensus regarding the findings published regarding the use of carbon and HLLE disease in fish.

Rather than start this debate all over again check out this thread. It has a link to the original article that appeared in Coral Magazine and a discussion of the article in the posts. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2015903&highlight=hlles+carbon

I have no opinion either way. I run carbon, in a reactor actually, but frequently question that decision. I have several Tangs which are prone to HLLE that are very healthy HOWEVER, I have had one tang in the past six months die of HLLE.

You read and decide for yourself.

 

[tntneon]

All info or tips on how to make it safer or more efficient are always welcome
Also because now my tank only habitats a pair of clowns and a salarias.
In the future i was also planing to have tangs so tonight gonna read the intire thread .

Today i did a second pressure test on the return , no leaks or poping silicone hoses , vortex problems also where gonne .
But the resonating noise was still there.
First i thought it was the pump but when i holded the silicone hose thightly with my hands the noise was gonne ???
I thought the silicone hose would elliminate noises ??

Perhaps i made the silicone hose to long ?
This week i gonna do adjustments on this part.
-Was thinking of slidding a small piece of 40 mm (1 1/4") tube pvc over the silicone hose (this fits very thightly) only leaving 1/4 " of silicone tube uncovered .
Hopefully this has the same result , then clamping my hand over the hose :hmm6: , any suggestions are very welcome !

greetingzz tntneon

 

[miwoodar]

stands looks now like this :

Those are the largest shims I've ever seen!

Nice work tnt.

 

[tntneon]

:lolspin: , actualy w/o realy trying it's level as can be , so your correct that these are very large shims

greetingzz tntneon

 

[tntneon]

relieved from resonating sounds

relieved from resonating sounds

Hi reefers ;
it's time for an update , didn't had the changes to go online this week because my wife and baby had the flu :sad2: , so all household jobs where for me ......

Today i found a time window of two houres ,in tying to illimenate those resonating sounds i experienced previous on the silicon hose in the return line.
-I removed the PVC from there supports , and placed rubbers behind every support + adding a new 12 mm support (also with rubber feet).
-Also i bended the 12 mm supports a littlebit so they could support the 16 mm hose i wrapped arround the 12 mm tube.
In other words there is now between every 12 mm pipe support and the 12 mm pipe a siliconhose , that acts as a sound insulation.

After doing this improvemenbts i did a live test (with water in sump) , and YES the resonating sounds where drasticly decreased :lolspin:

very happy with the result , i can recomend every one in doing this when using a wooden cabinet accomodating a sump !

The tank will be front staphire ( the rest normal glass) , it will be here before christmass they prommised me .
Also the hardstone tablet (140 kg or 280 pounds :uhoh3: ) will then be here hopefully

greetingzz tntneon

 

[SnRFishies]

Any more updates?

 

[tntneon]

Hi SnRFishies ,

I too had the flu this week :hmm3:

And i'm waiting for the stone tablet and tank to arrive :celeb1: , once i have them i can connect the return to the display and start working on the drain lines.
Also the light canopy is something i have to wait for the tank ....
I'm checking my mail everyday in the hope of some news about the tank or the tablet .....

Today i'm gonna order some electrical stuff to make an electrical switch board , onces i start DIY-ing i post some new pics

greetingzz tntneon

 

[tntneon]

After i typed the previous post , it came to my mind that i still had to order some glass suckers to handle the tank , onces it would be here.
I ordered me two of these suckers :

 

[tntneon]

Hi reefers ,

I still have no news about the tank or tablet :worried: , i really hope to hear about it soon .

-Yesterday i went to one of the most respected coralshops in Belgium / Netherlands "Reefcorner" , i had to drive 100 miles (200 in total) to get there because it's located near the German border.
But once there i though i went to heaven !!!!!!
What i saw there , i haven't seen yet (live) .
I luckly had my camera with me to share heaven with you guys

-While i was there i couldn't resist buying a BK 200 supermarines , now i'm completly in heaven
fitted him into the sump , it looks like this :

I still have an area where i can place a biopellets reactor near the intake of skimmer.


greetingzz tntneon

 

[WhoDey64]

Any thoughts on the reverse baffles, considered going that route myself on the current project but decided to go traditional. My concern was surface organics building up in the return section of the sump.

 

[tntneon]

hi ,

Hopefully the flow there will be strong enough to break that film , if not i'm gonna install a additional streamer there.
I had to do that in the sumlp of my nano too , with good results .
If you reverse the baffle the water only passes the trap one time , now three times , removing more micro bubbles .

greetingzz tntneon