70g Tech Tank Office Build

[VultureCP]

Moving up from a 30g, here is the start!



Equipment:

70g Tech Oceanic Tank
Octopus Extreme Model 160 Skimmer (Pre-Ordered, should be in the end of the month)
Octopus Single Chamber CA Reactor
Emperor Aquatics 18W SmartUV
2x Phosban Reactors (Chemi-Pure Elite & Purigen)
CurrentUSA Outer Orbit 2x250W w/4x T5 36"
30g Sump
CurrentUSA Prime 1/10hp chiller
Eheim 1262 Return
Eheim 1048 (UV/Phosban)
Eheim 1250 (Chiller)
Jager Heater 150w (Plan on getting another as backup)
SCWD to run the return
Vortech for flow

I have some questions about this sump, maybe someone can answer them, here are the pics.






It looks like the middle area is for a refugium and to the left I should put my skimmer, and return to the far right. Does this make sense?

It seems very well build but on the left side it has two filter socks and what appears to be a chamber for a return.. I am kind of confused.

[VultureCP]

Any ideas on the water level indicator either? It seems like their max/min is awfully low, usually it is between 8-10" correct?

[Capt_Cully]

I'm with you, that looks a little suspect. You could try running some water thru it (fresh water test) and see what happens.

I don't think you'll have room for a skimmer on the left with those filter bags in there. What type of skimmer are you going to run? I'm building an Oceanic 70gal Tech as well. Not alot of room under neath unless you use a submersible return pump. Personally I prefer external pumps.

Like you said, I'd put the fuge in the middle.

Here's mine: (it's a work in progress)

[VultureCP]

Looking good, is that a MH in the middle with T5s? Or did you put some macro in the back overflow with a grow light?

I went with the Octopus Extreme Model 160, apparently it is very similar to the Bubble King/Bubble Master is the way the work, but much cheaper.

I found their website: http://www.sealife-systems.com/reefmasterpro.html it looks like the return and clean water go into that right chamber and the water level is correct in the last if you want to punt in sponge, but I think I might just stick some more LR in there.

[Capt_Cully]

Thanks, sorry for the mess. It's come a little way since then.

I think avoiding the sponge is a wise choice on your part. They can quickly become a nitrate factory instead of a filter.

I'm running 4x39w T5's. It's gonna be an LPS and softie tank. Only inhabitants will be a few pipefish. They are pod hunters so I have a refugium under the tank and a HOB refugium as well. The light you're seeing is a small PC for the HOB refugium. That way pods will dump directly into the display with out getting ground up by the external pump.

Nice choice on the skimmer as well. If I had it to do over I would have saved a few bucks and gone with an Octo on my big tank. I picked up a used Tunze DOC for this one. It was a price I couldn't refuse.