Xtra Wide Staphire Peninsula Build Thread - 400g System - Help! ;-)

[tonyespinoza]

I've been using a Lighthouse controller which is good, but has one particular bug that makes me nuts. If you leave the menus active, it stops remembering to turn the lights on! I once left for a couple days with the menus up and the corals looked very sad when I got home. So no, I haven't decided yet. I do have a Tunze multi-controller. Ed, did you figure out the software problem you were having accessing the data from your computer? I seem to remember somewhere in your thread that you sent it back to Singapore for tech support.

 

[Ed Reef]

Yeah, I have...seem my computer was having a driver issue...now all resolved and good. If you already have the multi-controller then no need for another controller I guess....

Ed

 

[tonyespinoza]

So Ching got back to me and says he runs carbon continuously inside a reactor. He recommends changing it once a month. This is basically the same thing I do in my current tank and plan to do so for the upgrade.

You can read more about Ching's amazing tank, here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1053276

 

[GSMguy]

i had ching email me pictures of his tank in high res. a few months ago, his tank is amazing

he is also a tunze addict like Jarhead and Terry.

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12322898#post12322898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyespinoza
hey steve - so does Tunze make more than one master recirculation pump? i love the low power consumption! i only see this one on the site:

Master electronic 1073.090
(1073.090)

Pumping capacity: 8,300 l/h
(2,190 US gal./h)
Energy consumption: 120 W
Pumping head: 5 m (196.8 in.)
Voltage / frequency: 230V/50Hz (115V/60Hz)
http://tunze.com/149.html?&L=1&C=US&user_tunzeprod_pi1[predid]=-infoxunter051

is this what you'd recommend on my tank?
at 2200 gph that would be about 5.5x turn over (or am I oversimplifying?)

Tunze has 4 series of master circulation. The smallest one pushing between 700-800gph then 2200gph then 3600-3800gph and the strongest one is 4200gph using 230w. You don't have to use all 2200gph for return. You can always split to feed Carbon reactor, fluidize reactor, chiller etc... My return pump feed the chiller, RDSB and possibly my zeovit reactor.... I try to get between 3-4x turn over rate....

 

[GSMguy]

is it true that Tunze Master circulation pumps when run externally run cool to the touch?

 

[Jar*Head]

Nick, yes the tunze run very cool. You can touch it at anytime and it is not even warm....

 

[tonyespinoza]

Ching just got back to me... Interesting! He's running a BK Deluxe 300 External straight from the overflows and uses only a 528 GPH (2000LPH) return pump! That's 2x his display volume... He feeds his Fuge and Prop tank off a separate pump. Total system volume must be over 350g.

So the Tunze could be overkill on my system... and the advice that turned up on my other thread (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1369902) is that if you pass too much water to the skimmer you're not doing yourself any favors -- you're just surface skimming water faster than the skimmer can clean it and recirculating the gunk back into the water column...

So maybe all I need is an Aquabee Pump like Ching...

 

[Jar*Head]

Eheim 1260 or 1262 sound like a great option.

I don't know how well the AB will work as circulation pump but my AB 3000 that came with the Ca reactor sound like a lawn mower.

 

[Ed Reef]

There is also Eheim 1264 (their largest unit) if you want slightly more flow, especially if you are planning to fed the skimmer, etc??

 

[Jar*Head]

I have 2 eheim 1262 brand new i was going to use in the new tank but i change the plan. Let me know if you want one of them or both . I really like the eheim for quiet operation, low heat transfer, low energy consumption....

 

[tonyespinoza]

woah - thanks for the heads up on the AB noise level! this is in the living room so it's gotta be silent. is the ehiem quiet or should i buy a red dragon? let me know steve - i may be interested in both!

ed - i was going to feed the skimmer from the overflow, so this is the return pump. you guys correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't the return pump determine the rate of flow through the skimmer?

 

[GSMguy]

Tony the Eheim should be plenty quiet for you.

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12333713#post12333713 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyespinoza
woah - thanks for the heads up on the AB noise level! this is in the living room so it's gotta be silent. is the ehiem quiet or should i buy a red dragon? let me know steve - i may be interested in both!

ed - i was going to feed the skimmer from the overflow, so this is the return pump. you guys correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't the return pump determine the rate of flow through the skimmer?

Tony, i don't think you will need 2 eheim 1262 because each produce 900gph. The Eheim pump run very quiet with low heat transfer...

I don't know how quiet the AB is when it is new or how durable it is as an circulation pump but it does not last long with the Ca reactor. Many people complain about the AB break down on them all the time. They said AB in germany just like Mag pump in U.S

 

[tonyespinoza]

No - I was going to run one 1262 for the skimmer return and the other for my dual stage fuge...

Please PM me with a price.

Do you have any idea what the max flow rate is through a 1.5" drain?

Also, If I want to try the wavebox + extension, where should they be positioned? Okay to put one on each side of the overflow box? Do they need to be adjacent to the glass, or can they be 5 inches in? Reason I ask is that I was planning on having my Streams there beside the overflow (kinda like that TOTM by phocuz last year).

 

[tonyespinoza]

What kind of flow rate do most of you run through your Fuge?

 

[tonyespinoza]

ok... so it sounds like 300 - 400 GPH should be plenty for the fuge.

so, quick updates:

- i'm running across some folks who find the Deltec media a hassle to work with and are recommending the Geo or Schuran.

- steve has brought up the notion of the Geotronic chillers... which I'm intrigued by but concerned about the startup cost ($4000 for my tank vs. $800 for the outdoor Trade Wind (and I could just cut a hole to the exterior right where the tank is). not sure what to do here. would love to hear other's thoughts.

- getting some push back on dimensions from my wife... i may end up shortening it a little, but i'd like to keep the width. now thinking 60x36x26.

- decided to go with 400W SE bulbs in mini lumenarcs. i'm thinking 3 of them staggered across the width so the aquascaping doesn't have to be all down the middle (tank is 36" wide). then i'd just run a couple of VHO Actinics and be done with it.

- leaning towards a canopy now, so euro-bracing probably makes sense. maybe i should go with miracles, since they would probably make the canopy for me if i asked...

 

[tonyespinoza]

Question for the fish experts:

If I were going to stock primarily anthias, how many do you suppose would be happy if I went with the larger size tank I'm considering: 74 x 36 x 26?

 

[tonyespinoza]

posted to the reef fish forum and got a response on the anthias school question
(http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12370873#post12370873)
-- turns out the TOTM 260g by Tom Obrecht housed 40 - 45 anthias! only difference is that it was a softie tank. here's the TOTM thread: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/totm/index.php

 

[tonyespinoza]

Update

Update

Here's the latest plan:

* Tank is a little shorter, but taller (still nice and wide ;-)
- 60" x 36" x 30" tall
- Starphire Peninsula (front, back and one end)
- Internal overflow on other end
- 260g total water volume (28" waterline)
- High flow, bare-bottom

* Got an awesome deal on a pair of sfiligoi fixtures with extra wide spread (dual 400W lamps per 22" reflector!) -- 4 new electronic Ice Cap ballasts included. Thinking I may either run all Radiums or else each reflector running Radium + XM 10K.

* For cooling I'm thinking I will go with one Geotronic 900 plus a 1/2 HP Trade Wind outdoor chiller. My thinking is that the single Geotronic will be great at maintaining the temperature and the Trade Wind will be more of a back-up in case the temp swings out more than a couple degrees. Otherwise I'd be looking at a pair of Geotronics (like Steve) which is pricey (they're $2K each and the Trade Wind is only $800).

* Plumbing will be two 1.5" drains and two 1" returns. One drain will have a T and a ball valve and feed the skimmer directly (with the T feeding the sump). The other drain will go directly to a filter sock in the sump. The output of the Skimmer will go to the sump WITHOUT a filter sock (as per several recommendations to avoid back pressure on the skimmer). General sump flow will include RDSB, Fuge and High Flow Cryptic Zone. The return pump will be a Eheim 1262 and will feed a simple 4-way manifold for directing flow to Chiller, Ca Rx, GFO Rx, Carbon Rx, plus a utility output for acclimating fish and hosing down the sump. The rest will go back to the tank returns. Does this manifold make sense to folks? Will the 1262 handle it okay?

* Not planning on a Kalk Stirrer at the moment... will I regret this?