Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread

[melev]

Matthew, I know you read this thread, so I'm putting my reply here so it doesn't get lost.

Where the water enters the refugium, I recommend you install an elbow for the water to pour out. It should be half submerged and half above water. Water will trickle out quietly and air will breathe out. A powerhead in the refugium is fine if you so desire one. I've never had to put one in mine, and I think the macro algae would grow all over it.

The other line going into the sump only needs to be slightly submerged. A bubble tower in the corner would be ideal, as this traps the bubbles and noise. I suggest the pipe only be 1" submerged.

This is how I recommend plumbing a sump. Sorry the picture and text are a little small/dark, but I'll make a new one one day.



Marc

McGinnis wrote on 12/22/2005 01:28 PM:
Hey Marc,
I have a problem with my refugium being a bit loud,... snip ..., I decided to ask what your thoughts were. I have my overflow drain into the sump and the refugium via a T-connection, the brace of the T goes to the refugium. I am getting a lot of bubbling/gurgling noise from the sump that I cannot eliminate. Also, my refugium really does not have that strong of flow, so I am going to a small powerhead to stir it up. I was thinking of adding a small Aquaclear 20 or 30, which should move some good water around. Will this create good enough flow for the Chaeto?

Thanks for the help, and keep up the great work!

Matthew

When you clean out your PM box, be sure to clean out the Sent folder as well unless you have stuff you need to save.

[McGinnis]

Marc,
Thanks for the information...I wonder if I have too much water entering into my refugium? If the flow is too strong, would there be an issue with the air not being able to leave soon enough? What I am getting is a lot of bubbling and gurgling coming in that I cannot stop....I even tried the trick where you add another T-connection, but this still makes a lot of bubbling noise.

[melev]

With the outlet above the water level somewhat (50%), it shouldn't be noisy. You can always close the ballvalve more to divert more water to the skimmer section to slow it down more.

[McGinnis]

Marc,
That's what I think I am going to do....I think this will slow down how much is going into the fuge. Is there a minimum flow I should have in there, because by slowing it down I am going to lose how much water is actually moving through it. Is this going to be problematic for the macro?

[melev]

No, not that I've seen. And as you pointed out, you can always increase circulation with a submerged powerhead in that section if it gets too slow. Anthony Calfo encourages that the flow be enough to cause the cheatomorpha to tumble. I've run it both ways, and the macro algae grows either way.

[Micki]

FWIW my macro doesn't move much at all and I have great growth. I considered adding another PH to add more flow to the fuge, but honestly, unless someone can point out that there is some other reason to do that, I am more than happy with my macro growth.

[McGinnis]

Glad to hear that! Thanks for the help...sorry to get you off course again Marc. Micki, thank you also for that information. I will probably just slow it down to reduce the noise. Thanks.

[Micki]

McGinnis, No problem. By the way, when I say hpaay with the growth, the means I am pulling macro out about every 10 days because it's growing so fast.

[BrianPlankis]

Yeah, my cheato doesn't tumble and I harvest half of it every 10-14 days. Sometimes a little of the edges are stringy, but most is very curly.

B.

[rdmpe]

Marc and anyone else who wants to chime in... Can you take a look at these photos I posted and tell me if this looks like the beginning of a Cyano outbreak in my refugium? I wish it was coraline but I'm thinking it probably is not...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...93#post6342593
Micki, you said that you have a low flow refugium right? Have you had any Cyano occur there?
TIA!

[Micki]

rdmpe, It looks like it could be cyno. I did have a problem with that in the beginning. I think it was more new tank syndrome than anything though. My clean up crew took care of it. Every once in a while I notice some but it goes away on it's own. I also had a cyno outbreak in the main tank a long while after it was in the fuge. However, I also fight with PO4. I haven't had a problem with cyno after the initial outbreak. Personally, I don't think ti was caused by los flow in the fuge. JMHO

[melev]

That doesn't look like cyano bacteria to me, but it could be the pictures. As stated in your thread, if it comes off in a sheet and has bubbles coming out of it, it is cyano bacteria.

[Reefrunner262]

Marc, in your intrest you forgot Acrylic Working! Just noticed that. Anyways, Its great to see your 280 coming along! Lookin good.

Travis

[melev]

You're right. And thanks!

[melev]

This is a nice page I bookmarked about a year ago.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/calcs2.php?type=electric

You fill out the form, and it will give you an idea of what it costs to run all this equipment.

"White lights" - I entered 900w for my Metal Halides - 11 hrs (11am to 10 pm)
"Blue Lights" - I entered 320w for VHOs - 9 hrs (1pm to 10pm)
"Heater" - I entered 450w - 6 hrs a day (the site recommends 6 hours)
"Main Circulation Pump" - mine states 1.3amps, so I entered 143w - 24 hrs
"Skimmer Pump" - 2 Sedra 5000 (50w each) - 100w - 24 hrs
"Supplemental pumps" - 2 Tunze 6100 Streams (45w each) - 90w - 24 hrs
Calcium Reactor pump - Mag 7 - 70w - 24 hrs
Refugium lighting - 38w - 24 hrs
Misc pumps for Phosban Reactors* - 40w - 24 hrs

*That includes 4w for the Aqua Controller and 3w for the top off.

My average cost per kilowatt hour on the current bill was $0.103

So total wattage used was 2151.
Cost to run the tank was $83.50 for the month, $1002 for the year.

[Micki]

rdmpe, Marc could very well be right. I only thought it "could" be because that's how mine started out. But if it is, you will know soon enough.

[rjwilson37]

Hmm.... I am not doing to bad then I think, but my tank is only a 90g compared to your 280g setup.

Your tank is using a total of 1013 watts

Your total monthly electrical cost for your tank is $35.496.

Your total yearly electrical cost for your tank is $425.952

[rdmpe]

Originally posted by melev
That doesn't look like cyano bacteria to me, but it could be the pictures. As stated in your thread, if it comes off in a sheet and has bubbles coming out of it, it is cyano bacteria.

I hope it isn't cyano, cuz then maybe it's coraline. Doesn't coraline love PVC? Seems like I've read that in the past.

[melev]

Yes, coralline can start on PVC. Usually cyano starts off light in color earlier in the day, and darkens up quite a bit as the photo period ends. Once the lights go out, it seemingly vanishes except for the red hair-like tendrils that blow back and forth due to the current. The next day it gradually reappears over a few hours.

Coralline tends to stay the same look night or day.

[rdmpe]

Well, I rubbed it with my finger and it felt a little rough and not slimey, and it didn't come off even when I rubbed fairly hard. So maybe it is coraline then!

[melev]

Sounds like it is coralline to me. Congrats!

[Micki]

Yes very good!

[Knyght]

Marc,
Kind of off topic here although I hope you will excuse me, I thought about sending this pm then thought others may want to know as well.
Where can I find info on Next Wave?
I would like to attend this year so I need to start making plans if it is gonna happen for me.
Thanks,
G.

[melev]

Because I've been feeling rotten all week, I've not had the time or energy to update our club's website. So let me give you the summation:

We are having four speakers on January 28th, 06 - the last Saturday of January. It will last from 9am to 5pm. The entry fee includes lunch. $35 if you pay in advance, $45 at the door.

Our speakers are:
Julian Sprung - author and owner of Two Little Fishies (Phosban Reactor, for example)
Anthony Calfo - author and has a forum here (All Things Salty)
Robert Fenner - owner of Wet Web Media
Jorge Gomezjurdo - ower of Draco.com (aquacultured sea horses)

Anthony will be doing a presentation on the fragging of corals using a variety of tools, so this will be interesting to new hobbyists as well as the more experienced ones.

Jorge will be teaching the fundamentals of keeping seahorses.

http://www.dfwmas.org/nextwave_2006/register.html

The event will be held in the Irving Bible Church just like last year. It is a fantastic room with a stage and huge screens to follow the presentations easily. The building is truly more like a mall, and we get one room.

The day ends with our famous raffle, and we'll have SPS and clams for prizes.

Here are images from last year if you are curious.
http://www.dfwmas.org/next_wave/2005/

[TippyToeX]

You know Marc, it is looking like I am going to be able to make that conference!