new 75, thinking out loud

dbacksrat · 05/30/2006, 02:24 PM

Okay I have a couple of questions I hope someone here can answer or give me a bit of insight into:
1) An RO unit. I've narrowed it down to a Typhoon III from airwaterice.com (don't know whether to get the 75 or 100gpd unit). The only possible location for it is under my bathroom sink. I would only be able to fit a five gallon bucket underneath the counter for water collection. Do I need to find a better place or what? The only other option is making A LOT of trips to the LFS to get 75 gallons of RO/DI water plus another 29 for the sump, and that's just for the initial setup. Water changes would be a major PITA this way too. Where else can I put an RO unit? The kitchen sink is the closest, but there is no room underneath (houses garbage can and cleaning chemicals). What do I do?
2) I have an AGA 75 gallon tank with the single Megaflow overflow. According to the 2004 product catalog, this overflow "can handle an actual maximum flow rate of 600gph per overflow...using a rated 2400gph pump at a five foot head)." I just measured, and the return line would be about 44". If I'm looking at MagDrive pumps, which one should I get?
Thanks for reading throught this...I have almost everything else figured out except for these two little problems.

pwachs · 05/30/2006, 02:59 PM

dont know how to answer #1 as i dont know the design of your place

#2 a Mag 7 should be sufficent

AustinVines · 05/30/2006, 03:03 PM

Are you in an apartment? Does it have a washer/dryer? The unit that came with my tank has a coupling to attach it to the washer's supply line. I have a garage and just use 5g water jugs, a trash can, trips to the local grovery store that has an RO dispenser to handle all my water changes. I have a garage though and a laundry room so if you have neither of those, I can see why you may need an RO system.

Stupid question: if you put a unit under the sink, do you have to run the reject line back up into your sink to dispose of it?

dbacksrat · 05/30/2006, 03:04 PM

Yeah #1 is a toughie. A Mag7 at 0ft pumps at 700gph. What will it be doing at just under four feet? I don't know the configuration of my return lines yet (elbows and such).

dbacksrat · 05/30/2006, 03:07 PM

Interesting approach to the RO question Mr. Vines. I could house a 55 gallon trash can in my laundry room to collect RO water. This seems like the best idea yet. Thanks both for your replies!

Wryknow · 05/30/2006, 03:12 PM

The answer is to put it in your closet!

I just bring mine out and hook it up to the sink when I need to make fresh water. If you can store enough water you probably just need to run it for one evening a week. For water changes I have a 44 gallon BRUTE trashcan with the dolly wheels. I fill the trashcan up to the desired level, add salt, mix over-night, and then roll the whole thing over to the tank for the water change. A mag 3 pumps the water in and out for added convenience.

For a return pump I would look at an E-heim 1250: cheep, efficient, and reliable. A general guidline is to turn over your tank water volume 3-5 times per hour through the sump. (So 225-375 gph for the return pump @ 4' of head.)

AustinVines · 05/31/2006, 06:44 AM

dbRat,

Here is a good headloss calculator for when you know your set-up a bit better. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php

I am running a Mag7 through an oceanic overflow with all soft piping (tubing actually) and all is well underneath. The return with my set-up runs around 421gph according to the calculator so that is a little on the high side of 3-5x on a 75g but just barely. The bigger concern for me was flow in the tank with only the return and 2 mj1200's. I had a serious cyano outbreak due to the tank's break-in period and overfeeding. I added two more mj1200's and it is starting to go away. Just FYI when you get up and running.

dbacksrat · 05/31/2006, 06:53 AM

I plan on using the Mag7 as my return and two Seio 820s for circulation. I also have a Maxijet 1200 that I rescued from my old Seaclone and a two Hagen Aquaclears (174gph apiece) that I can use if necessary. How does that sound for overall circulation?

AustinVines · 05/31/2006, 11:06 AM

I don't have enough experience to say for certain, Matt, but if the SEIOs are 820gph, that would be the same flow I am getting with 4 mj1200s and my return. I still have a deadspot in one area that I am trying to deal with but think it is enough for softies and some stony corals. From what I have read, it is nowhere near enough for acropora, but that is for another thread.

strictlySPS · 05/31/2006, 11:12 AM

Stupid question: if you put a unit under the sink, do you have to run the reject line back up into your sink to dispose of it?

I would also like to know the answer to this....

flashlink · 05/31/2006, 11:56 AM

i have that exact tank, with the Mag 7 and it seems to work fine for return, but i would add more flow like your planning

05/30/2006, 03:04 PM	#4
dbacksrat Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 387	Yeah #1 is a toughie. A Mag7 at 0ft pumps at 700gph. What will it be doing at just under four feet? I don't know the configuration of my return lines yet (elbows and such). __________________ -Cody Current Tank Info: 200 reef, 29 bio

05/30/2006, 03:07 PM	#5
dbacksrat Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 387	Interesting approach to the RO question Mr. Vines. I could house a 55 gallon trash can in my laundry room to collect RO water. This seems like the best idea yet. Thanks both for your replies! __________________ -Cody Current Tank Info: 200 reef, 29 bio

05/30/2006, 03:12 PM	#6
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	The answer is to put it in your closet! I just bring mine out and hook it up to the sink when I need to make fresh water. If you can store enough water you probably just need to run it for one evening a week. For water changes I have a 44 gallon BRUTE trashcan with the dolly wheels. I fill the trashcan up to the desired level, add salt, mix over-night, and then roll the whole thing over to the tank for the water change. A mag 3 pumps the water in and out for added convenience. For a return pump I would look at an E-heim 1250: cheep, efficient, and reliable. A general guidline is to turn over your tank water volume 3-5 times per hour through the sump. (So 225-375 gph for the return pump @ 4' of head.) __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

05/31/2006, 06:53 AM	#8
dbacksrat Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 387	I plan on using the Mag7 as my return and two Seio 820s for circulation. I also have a Maxijet 1200 that I rescued from my old Seaclone and a two Hagen Aquaclears (174gph apiece) that I can use if necessary. How does that sound for overall circulation? __________________ -Cody Current Tank Info: 200 reef, 29 bio

05/30/2006, 02:24 PM	#1
dbacksrat Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 387	new 75, thinking out loud Okay I have a couple of questions I hope someone here can answer or give me a bit of insight into: 1) An RO unit. I've narrowed it down to a Typhoon III from airwaterice.com (don't know whether to get the 75 or 100gpd unit). The only possible location for it is under my bathroom sink. I would only be able to fit a five gallon bucket underneath the counter for water collection. Do I need to find a better place or what? The only other option is making A LOT of trips to the LFS to get 75 gallons of RO/DI water plus another 29 for the sump, and that's just for the initial setup. Water changes would be a major PITA this way too. Where else can I put an RO unit? The kitchen sink is the closest, but there is no room underneath (houses garbage can and cleaning chemicals). What do I do? 2) I have an AGA 75 gallon tank with the single Megaflow overflow. According to the 2004 product catalog, this overflow "can handle an actual maximum flow rate of 600gph per overflow...using a rated 2400gph pump at a five foot head)." I just measured, and the return line would be about 44". If I'm looking at MagDrive pumps, which one should I get? Thanks for reading throught this...I have almost everything else figured out except for these two little problems. __________________ -Cody Current Tank Info: 200 reef, 29 bio

05/30/2006, 02:59 PM	#2
pwachs Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: River Falls, WI Posts: 67	dont know how to answer #1 as i dont know the design of your place #2 a Mag 7 should be sufficent

05/30/2006, 03:03 PM	#3
AustinVines Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: One guess Posts: 219	Are you in an apartment? Does it have a washer/dryer? The unit that came with my tank has a coupling to attach it to the washer's supply line. I have a garage and just use 5g water jugs, a trash can, trips to the local grovery store that has an RO dispenser to handle all my water changes. I have a garage though and a laundry room so if you have neither of those, I can see why you may need an RO system. Stupid question: if you put a unit under the sink, do you have to run the reject line back up into your sink to dispose of it?

05/31/2006, 06:44 AM	#7
AustinVines Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: One guess Posts: 219	dbRat, Here is a good headloss calculator for when you know your set-up a bit better. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php I am running a Mag7 through an oceanic overflow with all soft piping (tubing actually) and all is well underneath. The return with my set-up runs around 421gph according to the calculator so that is a little on the high side of 3-5x on a 75g but just barely. The bigger concern for me was flow in the tank with only the return and 2 mj1200's. I had a serious cyano outbreak due to the tank's break-in period and overfeeding. I added two more mj1200's and it is starting to go away. Just FYI when you get up and running.

05/31/2006, 11:06 AM	#9
AustinVines Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: One guess Posts: 219	I don't have enough experience to say for certain, Matt, but if the SEIOs are 820gph, that would be the same flow I am getting with 4 mj1200s and my return. I still have a deadspot in one area that I am trying to deal with but think it is enough for softies and some stony corals. From what I have read, it is nowhere near enough for acropora, but that is for another thread.

05/31/2006, 11:12 AM	#10
strictlySPS Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Morgan Hill / Diamond Bar Posts: 402	Stupid question: if you put a unit under the sink, do you have to run the reject line back up into your sink to dispose of it? I would also like to know the answer to this....

05/31/2006, 11:56 AM	#11
flashlink Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 56	i have that exact tank, with the Mag 7 and it seems to work fine for return, but i would add more flow like your planning