220 Build - The Disease Progresses.

[narwal]

Hi all.

Just thought I would let you see my current 220 gallon build. I haven't been able to figure out how to place pics in a post, but they are all in my gallery (Narwal).

You will see a pic of my first infection - a little 10 gall reef tank. There is also a pic of my 60 gallon, as well as one of my Mermaid. You HAVE to have a beautiful Mermaid in this hobby. All the livestock, rock and sand will eventually find it's way into the 220 gallon.

The tank is a 220 gallon symmetrical which could be used as a room divider since the overflow is centrally located at one end and the stand has doors and is finished on all 4 sides.s

It has dual overflows and dual returns. I modified one return to make it into a manifold which distributes the return water at three points from along the back all the way to the other end.

Filtration:

Includes a killer skimmer, which would not fit into the Oceanic sump and due to a miscalculation when I added extra plywood to the stand bottom would not fit, so it sits up beside the tank.

The Oceanic is a wet./dry 40 gallon sump. I will not use it as a wet/dry, but instead the water will trickle through a large area of 100 micron filter medium. The entire sump is filled with live rock.

It is plumbed to a 40 gallon refugium with 3 sections. I sectioned it down the middle so the water flows across and back for double the lenght of the tank. One section has mud with mangroves. The other has a 10" deep sand bed. The third (which is double the size of the other 2, contains macro algae. Water is returned to the main sump via a Maxi Jet 1200. The water flow is very calm and slow through the refugium.

Ehiem 2028 Pro II is used to drive a UV sterilizer. An Eheim 2217 may be used for another sterilizer or something else. Not sure yet. Only particulate filtering is in these units - no nitrite/nitrate factories.

Before I put anything under the tank I added styrofoam for vibration and sound dampening. Then I put in a single sheet of 6mill poly and wrapped it 12 inches up the side. I can pull it down to do maintenence then secure it back up. In case of a leak or flooding this will hold over 50 gallons in what is basically a huge plastic bag.

The total volume of the system is 300 gallons, and the total volume cycles about 7 times per hour. Water from the main tank gets to the sump via dual skimming overflows and returns via dual returns.

Lighting

I got 4-450 watt industial MH fixtures but only used 3 so I have one for a spare. The picture show the remotely placed transformers in a temporary location while I test for heat buildup. Once I've figured that out I will mount them permanently in a hidden location. These fixtures and 6000K bulbs cost $40 each!!!! I have mounted the bulbs in the custom canopy addition I made. Total cost for 100 watts of 10K MH was under $400 (Canadian)!

I am supplementing this with 4 x 65 watts of 10K and 4 x 65 watts of actinic plus 8 lunar blue LED's.

The sump with the live rock and the refugium are lit with 2 x 5000K and 2 x 6700k 13 watt compact flourescents (60 watts of conventional light) each mounted using simple clip on lamps from Home Depot at $14 each.

Heaters are all in sump, and I hope I won't need a chiller.

It has been running and tested for flow and and overflow with power off with tap water and is all good with no flooding when the power fails.

I still have to make some kind of reflectors for the metal halides, and install some suitable temp resistant glass protection under them. Then after taking some temp measurements I will close up the top of the canopy and install suitable fans for ventilation.

Tank will be filled with RO/DI water.

While not a seasoned reef keeper, I have considerable knowledge in things electrical, lighting and electronics as well as fluid dynamics.

Your questions, comments and observations are most welcome!

[narwal]

Can't delete for some reason.