new system

Ron Reefman · 02/02/2010, 07:24 AM

Hi all,

I currently have a 75g reef with 6 95w VHOs and an 35g hexagon estuary tied together thru my 1/10hp chiller. Both tanks have overflow siphons to a small sump and skimmer as well as powerheads for circulation.

I'm getting ready to put together a new system, very similar only bigger. A 180g reef with 3 250m MH & 2 150w MH, an 85g hexagon estuary with 2' PC light, a 55g acrylic sump and a 50g acrylic refugium (half macro algae and half deep sand (like 8-10") with an AquaMedic 5000 shorty skimmer, a 1/3rd hp chiller an MR1 media reactor and a small UV sterilizer. I have a new Reeflo Blackfin pump for a closed loop circulation system and a 2000gph pump with high head ability for the sump/refugium return. BTW, the 2 tanks a both 2' tall and 2' deep and will siy close to eachother on a 10' long cumtom built stand. The stand will have drainage around the tanks and a shower pan drainage system under the sump. I'll be setting it up on a diningroom wall with a guest bath behind it. I plan on a water change drain thru the wall to the sink drainline and an RO/DI auto top off system going the other way.

A) Am I missing anthing important?
B) Anybody got any plumbing idea? I'm a good plumber, but I'm weak on design.

bertoni · 02/02/2010, 09:48 PM

3 250 W MH bulbs with good reflectors should be plenty for that tank. I'd get a good T5 setup for the refugium, as that'd save electrical costs over time, for the same amount of light. I'd ditch the UV unit, as I don't think they do much, especially a small unit on such a large system.

I don't know much about that skimmer, pump, etc, so I can't comment there.

Ron Reefman · 02/04/2010, 05:32 AM

Thanks Jonathan,

The MH is a new AquaMedic system that I got in a 'close out' sale for less than half of what it's selling for on the internet. Since my current system has 2 ballasts running 6 VHOs (3' long), I'm considering using 1 ballast and 2 VHOs over the refugium. The 85g estuary tank will have no corals. It's meant to be for mandarin, pipe fish and seahorses (eventually). I have been considering a 2' Coralife PC light that I already have, but I also have a 175w MH pendant I could use (I think that's more light than the estuary needs though). I've never used a UV sterilizer, but got this one very cheap with a bunch of other used equipment. I figured it couldn't hurt, but you may be right, it's just something else to go wrong.

Ron

bertoni · 02/04/2010, 03:22 PM

That MH likely is fine. The estuary tank sounds like a lot of fun. I don't know how I'd light it. The CoraLife sounds reasonable. One MH pendant might not work that well.

The UV sterilizer is unlikely to harm anything unless it springs a leak or shorts.

rob.mwpropane · 02/04/2010, 03:28 PM

Wow Ron that sounds like a lot of fun. Sorry can't help you with the plumbing, I've re done mine twice now. Good luck.

Ron Reefman · 02/05/2010, 04:46 PM

I think the sterilizer will be IN the sump... if it gets used at all.

The estuary should be fun. The 35g estuary I have now has a mandarin and a pipefish... and lots of macro algae. Oh, and 6 small hairy mushroom anemonies because the 6-8" one I had decided to split. It was big one day, kind of small the next and gone the 3rd... then I saw the 6 very small white blobs on the rock. That was about a month ago and now they range from a little smaller than a dime to a little bigger than a quarter and they are all starting to green up and look like small versions of the parent. It's been very cool.

Ron

wooden_reefer · 02/05/2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

3 250 W MH bulbs with good reflectors should be plenty for that tank. I'd get a good T5 setup for the refugium, as that'd save electrical costs over time, for the same amount of light. I'd ditch the UV unit, as I don't think they do much, especially a small unit on such a large system.

I don't know much about that skimmer, pump, etc, so I can't comment there.

Even a small UV can have an important role in preventing bacterial infection.

If the rate of generation of pathogen is low, a small UV can work in a rather large system, purely to prevent pathogen buildup before infection occurs.

Even an 8W unit in a 120 gal tank can effectively and drastically reduce waterborne bacteria, if the generation is slow enough--as a prevention.

02/02/2010, 07:24 AM	#1
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	new system Hi all, I currently have a 75g reef with 6 95w VHOs and an 35g hexagon estuary tied together thru my 1/10hp chiller. Both tanks have overflow siphons to a small sump and skimmer as well as powerheads for circulation. I'm getting ready to put together a new system, very similar only bigger. A 180g reef with 3 250m MH & 2 150w MH, an 85g hexagon estuary with 2' PC light, a 55g acrylic sump and a 50g acrylic refugium (half macro algae and half deep sand (like 8-10") with an AquaMedic 5000 shorty skimmer, a 1/3rd hp chiller an MR1 media reactor and a small UV sterilizer. I have a new Reeflo Blackfin pump for a closed loop circulation system and a 2000gph pump with high head ability for the sump/refugium return. BTW, the 2 tanks a both 2' tall and 2' deep and will siy close to eachother on a 10' long cumtom built stand. The stand will have drainage around the tanks and a shower pan drainage system under the sump. I'll be setting it up on a diningroom wall with a guest bath behind it. I plan on a water change drain thru the wall to the sink drainline and an RO/DI auto top off system going the other way. A) Am I missing anthing important? B) Anybody got any plumbing idea? I'm a good plumber, but I'm weak on design.

02/02/2010, 09:48 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	3 250 W MH bulbs with good reflectors should be plenty for that tank. I'd get a good T5 setup for the refugium, as that'd save electrical costs over time, for the same amount of light. I'd ditch the UV unit, as I don't think they do much, especially a small unit on such a large system. I don't know much about that skimmer, pump, etc, so I can't comment there. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/04/2010, 03:22 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That MH likely is fine. The estuary tank sounds like a lot of fun. I don't know how I'd light it. The CoraLife sounds reasonable. One MH pendant might not work that well. The UV sterilizer is unlikely to harm anything unless it springs a leak or shorts. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/04/2010, 05:32 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Thanks Jonathan, The MH is a new AquaMedic system that I got in a 'close out' sale for less than half of what it's selling for on the internet. Since my current system has 2 ballasts running 6 VHOs (3' long), I'm considering using 1 ballast and 2 VHOs over the refugium. The 85g estuary tank will have no corals. It's meant to be for mandarin, pipe fish and seahorses (eventually). I have been considering a 2' Coralife PC light that I already have, but I also have a 175w MH pendant I could use (I think that's more light than the estuary needs though). I've never used a UV sterilizer, but got this one very cheap with a bunch of other used equipment. I figured it couldn't hurt, but you may be right, it's just something else to go wrong. Ron

02/04/2010, 03:28 PM	#5
rob.mwpropane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 371	Wow Ron that sounds like a lot of fun. Sorry can't help you with the plumbing, I've re done mine twice now. Good luck.

02/05/2010, 04:46 PM	#6
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I think the sterilizer will be IN the sump... if it gets used at all. The estuary should be fun. The 35g estuary I have now has a mandarin and a pipefish... and lots of macro algae. Oh, and 6 small hairy mushroom anemonies because the 6-8" one I had decided to split. It was big one day, kind of small the next and gone the 3rd... then I saw the 6 very small white blobs on the rock. That was about a month ago and now they range from a little smaller than a dime to a little bigger than a quarter and they are all starting to green up and look like small versions of the parent. It's been very cool. Ron