Build Log v2.0 - 90g

[WinnipegDragon]

Not sure if anyone read my old reef log with my RSM, but it's gone, gone, gone. I'm on to bigger and better things.

I've read more, asked more questions, received more opinions, and I'm ready to try this thing again. Part of my goal this time is more patience and better planning, so that's why I am starting my thread now.

First and foremost, I have ordered the following equipment:

Tek 6 x 48" 54w T5HO fixture with tank legs
EuroReef RS-135 skimmer
Eheim 1260 return pump
3 x Coralife .75w LED moonlights
AC Jr w/ Temp probe, pH probe and serial interface
2 x Two Little Fishies phosban reactor and MJ400 pump
2 x Ebo Jager 200w heaters
2 x Koralia 4 powerheads
Tunze Osmolator ATO

All of this will be hooked up to an AGA 90g Megaflow aquarium on a custom built-in stand/cabinet in my basement. I'll be running carbon in one reactor and Chemi-Pure or the like in the other.

The stand and basement are still a few weeks away, but the lights and skimmer were both on sale, so I ordered it now and bundled up to save on shipping.

I've done my plumbing diagram as well:



The next thing I need to straighten out is my 2 part dosing. I like the constant slow addition or the peristaltic pumps, but I don't want to spend a fortune on it. AquaMedic 3000s are available to me at a decent price, so that's where I am leaning now.

That's it for the moment, but as always I'll take advice if anyone wants to offer it

[Tremolo]

If you can i would really consider drilling the tank for the overflow and putting in a closed loop. i regret not drilling my tank... seems like there is so much more i could have done if i drilled it, plus the clean look of a closed loop is great.

[WinnipegDragon]

Did a ton of reading on closed loops, and frankly, I'm not sure what the attraction is. Powerheads may not look great in the tank, but they are movable, cheap, replaceable and upgradeable to a degree that a closed loop isn't.

If I regret it later, I'll eat those words, but for the time being, I don't see a huge downside to powerheads. I do like the idea of a Dart returning through a OM 4-Way but that wasn't in the budget. If I want more control wave action later though, I can swap for Tunzes and a multicontroller and I'm only down about $100CDN for the Koralias.

[WinnipegDragon]

Oops, just noticed a typo in the drawing. The tank is 48" long, not 42".

[SoldierFish3]

If you haven’t built the sump yet, it may be better to have the overflow split into 2 and have one end feed into the fuge (controlled via ball valve). That way the input into the fuge is pre skimming and large un-eaten food chunks etc. would have a better chance of making it to the fuge. Also, adding a branch from your pump directly back to the sump with a ball valve will allow you to control the flow of the pump without restricting its total output. Crude drawing follows:

[WinnipegDragon]

Two concerns I'd have with that...

First, particulate collecting in the refugium, and second, microbubbles from the return pump splashing water back into the sump. The original design negates both of those problems.

Having said that, I could very well be wrong

[SoldierFish3]

IMHO, particulate in the fuge = good…. Unless you are planning on using mechanical filtration or some other method to remove lager particles. The fuge (especially with a dsb) is a place for those biological particulates to be broken down. As for the micro bubbles… you could just plumb back over your bubble trap. Also, adding a hose barb to the end of that out put will allow you to attach flex tubing that will help during water changes (using your pump instead of siphoning). Just a suggestion though…. I hope what ever you decide works out great.

[MTB]

Good luck on this build! I read some of the other build thread but didn't get ot the reason why you took it back. I kinda skipped 12 pages. Guess I'll go read them. I feel myself starting with a new tank in the up coming months. Maybe a fall project. Be sure to post pics once you have the tank on the stand as I'm interested in a 90 or a 125.

[P.Kelly]

I am along for the ride again. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[WinnipegDragon]

IMHO, particulate in the fuge = good…. Unless you are planning on using mechanical filtration or some other method to remove lager particles. The fuge (especially with a dsb) is a place for those biological particulates to be broken down. As for the micro bubbles… you could just plumb back over your bubble trap. Also, adding a hose barb to the end of that out put will allow you to attach flex tubing that will help during water changes (using your pump instead of siphoning). Just a suggestion though…. I hope what ever you decide works out great.

Hmm... Interesting. I'll draw it up again and see what it looks like plumbing-wise.

I read some of the other build thread but didn't get ot the reason why you took it back. I kinda skipped 12 pages. Guess I'll go read them.

Long story short:

Defective pumps, defective heater, defective canopy fan, terrible skimmer, temp issues. Another thing is that I don't like the way they advertise the unit as having T5 lights. It has 50/50 PCs at T5 diameter, but no individual reflectors.

The final straw was when I was told by Pinky at Red Sea that they could not replace my pumps with the correct ones because we tank was an early model, and therefore I shouldn't expect it to work properly.

My LFS manager (Ewing at Fish Gallery in Winnipeg) was kind enough to give me a credit for it.

I am along for the ride again.

Glad to have you along petes97!

[MTB]

Good thing you got out while you still could! Still can't believe your LFS took it back. I have never used any red sea product and never will after hearing of that unfortunate experience. Not a good way to conduct business.

[P.Kelly]

Originally posted by SoldierFish3
Also, adding a branch from your pump directly back to the sump with a ball valve will allow you to control the flow of the pump without restricting its total output. Crude drawing follows:

Cool, I've been trying to get a straight answer on this very topic.

I'm running a Mag 7 on my 92 gallon corner, as it was the closest mag in flow to what I needed, but it flows just a little too much, so I was planning on just putting a ball-valve in line to restrict the flow enough to stop the intermittent siphon I'm getting on my drain line. Everyone I ask has said there are no negatives of doing this.

Now, I know this will cause some more back pressure, but is it any different than running a smaller pipe, or a higher return? I noticed you branched off the return for the excess. I like the idea, especially if you put a ball valve on the return (to tank) and the overflow return, that way you could turn off the tank return and use the return pump to evacuate water from your sump for water changes.

Any thoughts?

[hyperfocal]

I wouldn't split my return like that, instead I'd just put a high-quality true-union ball valve in line. The split could add micro-bubbles and splashing/salt creep, and the Eheims handle backpressure just fine.

Also, you might want to consider an Eheim 1262 as your return. I was running a 1262 as the return on my 60gal, but decided to move back to a 1260. Bad decision. The flow rate from the 1260 isn't sufficient to really provide a good skim to the surface of the water -- I have a slight organics slick. Back to the 1262 for me...

[WinnipegDragon]

Hyperfocal: When I was spec'ing out a 125g, a guy with a 1262 told me to move back to the 1260 on that tank

Different strokes I guess...

[hyperfocal]

Never fails :-)

[c. dawg]

I would suggest this:


If you are worried about particulate matter accumulating in your refugium just use a filter sock and adjust flow to fuge with ball valve. I would also suggest adding a couple filter socks to the other side or some other form of mechanical filtration to prevent the same from happening over there.

Also by slowing water flow on each side you will have less of a microbubble problem. Just make sure you leave plenty of room on the left side of sump for your equipment or things could turn messy. Salt creep may be a problem if flow through sump is too fast (CL or powerheads could achieve whatever turnover rate you want).

[hyperfocal]

Oh yeah, go for the 120gal too :-) Those extra few inches front-to-back will be gold when aquascaping.

Also, consider the DSB-in-a-bucket. Much easier to maintain or break-down that way.

[WinnipegDragon]

I priced the 120 versus the 90 and it's actually quite a bit of a jump. Mostly because I need to move up to an 8 lamp fixture, a bigger skimmer and more live rock.

The 125 was actually more tempting to me than the 120 because of the 6' length but again, rock, lights and skimmer added about $750 to the price.

Besides this is my first reef. My second one will be 'the big one'.

[WinnipegDragon]

Here is the sump design I was considering...

Top view:



Side view:



This is basically Melev's 'type G' but slightly taller and not as long. The cabinet I am having installed is 34" tall, so I have a few more inches of height than you would get in an average stand.

I think the bubble tower will help with particulate and micro bubbles quite a bit, and with this design I can plumb with either the split intake or the split overflow.

C. Dawg, I'm not sure I understand the set of baffles on the refugium side that you have in your drawing... What are they for?

[c. dawg]

First one on right is just to keep your dsb in place, the one in the middle would keep the water from flowing over the top. All together they would make the water flow down into the refugium and try to keep microbubbles from being returned to main tank. Some problems with that design would be if you wanted to put critters in your refugium they could get killed by the pump and clog the return pump and that the extra baffles take extra space. Also, the baffles I drew would make the water level lower than you wanted, so your probably better off with the one you drew. I don't really remember why I drew them like that

Your one baffle should be fine as long as the water flow through the refugium isn't too fast. If it flows too fast, microbubbles will be created by the water flowing over the edge of the refugium baffle.

[WinnipegDragon]

Refugium flow will be restricted, and I'll be wrapping the teeth with Gutter Guard just in case.

I just need to decide on the plumbing now

[WinnipegDragon]

Gah!

Just heard back from the guys doing my basement. They want $1,500 to build my stand/cabinet!

Suddenly, I have a nice new issue to deal with.

[P.Kelly]

That has to put a damper on the whole thing.

[WinnipegDragon]

Yeah a bit. I have a friend who is handy with tools though, and he's made some nice stuff in the past, including a toychest for my daughter and a stand for his own 55g Discus tank.

I'm going to draw up some plans for him and send it off to him. I'm sure I can bribe him with some ice cold beverages and get him to help me build one over the weekend.

I was also considering just getting the AGA or equivalent 6' stand and just using that. It would give me some of the extra space I want, but I worry that it's not designed to take all that weight in the middle, as opposed to the edges.

[MTB]

What kind of wood were they going to use for the stand/cabinet? The material for such a project using oak is going to run about $120 for the materials. Really cheaper to DIY cause Finish carpenters charge a healthy price for cabinets. My uncle would charge the same. But I'd do it for a case and some help from the customer if he is a friend. It shouldn't take any longer than a weekend. Then stain and poly it over the next week as time permits.