Upgrading...Any opinions??

[PhilipOSU]

Hey I am considering some upgrades to the 220 with some of my tax return money:

- New custom sump

- New Reeflo Blackfin 6000 return pump: (3600 GPH @14ft head & 200 Watts) This will increase my turnover in the tank by 280% from my Dart pump with only a 50% increase in electricity.

- Upgrade skimmer: Not sure on this I am currently running a Octopus 200 Needlewheel with a mesh modded impeller, modded with a gate valve, and I also modded the collection cup with a 1/4" JG bulkhead and ball valve. So I have a solid skimmer but with my current bioload that includes 3 Tangs (incl. 9" Vlamingi poop factory), 1 large Angel, and 2 large Clarkii Clowns...I feel I need to be upgrading to a more powerful skimmer with the system volume at around 300 Gallons. I am thinking something rated to about 300-500 Gallons. I have talked to some people about the MSX 250 or 300, Octo Extreme 250 or 300, SWC Cone Skimmer S2 or 1A. Any other suggestions or input from anyone is always appreciated.

- 2 Drew's Dosers to automate my 2 part:

 

[Kreeger1]

Do you really want that much flow going through your sump, Just screams micro bubbles. YOu really don't need massive turn over through your sump, if your plumbing from a basement that might be alright for your return pump but just really seems to much. Looks like a great beckett skimmer pump to me or a massive closed loop pump.
I have the octo pro 300 on my 700ish gal system and its doing great.

 

[vivek]

Skimmer would be my vote. as to the ones that you mentioned i have not used any one of those. but i would overpower the skimmer by atleast twice the recommended gallon for a heavy bioload.

By the way who did your tax return. i need to find a way to get something back from Uncle Sam.

 

[PhilipOSU]

Eric - I am plumbing up from the basement I have roughly 10-12 ft. of head which leaves me with only about 1200-1400 GPH with my Dart. This would get me to 3600 GPH. I also will probably run a line off of this return to a tank to be named later maybe a 45 tall that I will use as a remote DSB or a QT tank. What pump/pumps does your Octo pro 300 Skimmer run?

Vivek - I am actually planning all of these upgrades, but it is possible that I would put one of them on hold if my decision on a skimmer pushes the upgrades over my budget. Oh and I actually am still doing my own taxes by hand, I can tell I am a year or so from having them too complicated to be completing them myself though. I am not sure I can help you, typically his and her Drs. have it rough with Uncle Sam when it comes to tax time...LOL.

 

[Kreeger1]

I upgraded the pump to the askol 1500 thats the pump most of the cone skimmers are using right now, I like it a lot.

 

[PhilipOSU]

I have seen the Askol pumps on several of the new high end skimmers. I have come to find that the pumps have a lot to do with skimmer performance. Of course then there is the air draw and reaction time...the engineering is a little beyond me. Where did you buy the Askol pump from? I have found the high end skimmer pumps hard time find.

 

[PhilipOSU]

Well I have a preliminary sump design that I am posting for opinions. Let me know what you think.

 

[serpentman]

Looks good Phil. Only comment is I would make sure that the plate that holds the filter sock is low enough that it can hold enough overflow in the event that all three socks get plugged up. Probably unlikely but you never know.

 

[PhilipOSU]

Thanks Jeff. I think that the top of the filter socks will be 2 1/2" above the skimmer section water line.

My current thought is the skimmer section will have a 7" DSB and then the skimmer will be raised about 3" above that on a stand. This section will also be filled with LR. I think there will be opinions on this, my only personal concern is any damage the sand could possably cause my skimmer??

 

[serpentman]

Once the finer particles settle out during set up, I would think you should be ok. Fine sand in the skimmer pump would be my largest concern as it can jam up the magnet.

Personally, I would say leave that section clean, switch the livestock section with the fuge and put the DSB in your fuge. This gives 5 inches or so to grow macro. Heck you go throw some cheato in the livestock section and it will grow off of the light bleeding over.

 

[OwNeD162]

I would be inclined to combine the DSB and the Fuge too... What's the main reasoning behind the livestock sections? Why do you need to have livestock down in the sump like that?
But yer, I'd say, combine the DSB + Fuge, and make the fuge take up its current area + the livestock area's, that way nice big DSB + Fuge with big breeding potential for pods and the like

 

[PhilipOSU]

Well I already had second thoughts towards the DSB in the skimmer section of the sump, and obviously you guys agree with my original thoughts on the DSB.

Mitchell, one of the reasons I have the livestock section in the sump is for acclimation, the second is the ability to isolate tank bullies or victims, and finally I have a pair of clowns the have been producing eggs and this area would also give me the ability to take my hand at breeding.

Jeff I have thought about switching the livestock section with the fuge, but I wanted better access to this area. The other option I have is raising the water levels a bit in these two areas to allow a little more room for a DSB in the fuge.

 

[OwNeD162]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14582743#post14582743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PhilipOSU
Mitchell, one of the reasons I have the livestock section in the sump is for acclimation, the second is the ability to isolate tank bullies or victims, and finally I have a pair of clowns the have been producing eggs and this area would also give me the ability to take my hand at breeding.

Ahh, kk, cool !
That's a good idea
Sorry, just couldn't picture exactly what you would use it for...
But that makes sense

 

[PhilipOSU]

In this revision I added a 3 baffle bubble trap between the refugium and the return section. I also added in the prop tank and the return pump on the platform. The area in front of the sump is designed as a space for my equipment to sit for easy access. Any further suggestions/opinions are always welcome. Oh also to make the changes in this revision I added 5" to the width of the sump making it now 3'5"W by 4'L

 

[DEERE G]

Phil, I like the second one better. You have all of the water going through all of the compartments now. Just my $.02

 

[PhilipOSU]

Thanks Keith, I am really liking the 2nd design too. I am also thinking of adding holes in the 3 chambers to allow me to drain them during water changes sixed for 1/2" bulkheads. as of right now I am thinking 2 holes sized for 2" bulkheads in the bottom of the return chamber that will each feed a 3" pipe that will run under the platform them back up to the new Blackfin pump. That should provide the pump more than enough available water. I am going to set the pump up with a manifold like TJ did on his new build.

 

[PhilipOSU]

Well I received the first and major part of my upgrade process. My new skimmer...the MSX 2S. I was so anxious to get it up and running Friday evening that I didn't take any pictures of it prior to putting in the sump and starting it up. Here are 3 pics of it in action.

Skimmate since Friday evening. I was letting it skim a little wet as I get it dialed in.

 

[OwNeD162]

Looking good !
Skimmer looks like its working great!

 

[PhilipOSU]

Well I don't have a build thread for my 220 so I am updating this thread.

My spring upgrades have been completed as per plan with a couple of small additions. Revisiting the original plan; I upgraded to a new much larger sump, new skimmer (MSX Cone 2S), added 2 drews dosers to automate my 2-part doser, upgraded my return pump from a Dart to a Blackfin 6000 to increase the turnover in my tank to the sump.

Additions to this list: I swapped out my aqualifter ato pump to a peristalic pump I got from the swap (i was having performance issues with the aqualifter).

I also, just finally finished my aquascaping after 8 months. Here are photos of the tank aquascaping (Sagi has promised to help me with using my Nikon D1...obviously I need lots of help).

Left Side

Right Side

FTS

 

[OwNeD162]

Looking very good !