My new reef.

[Flatlander]

:cheers:

Here is a shot of my new tank. We put it together last night. Thanks to some friends and esp. Jayson from Saltwaterconnection for his expert assistance.

It 6ft.L-24W-30H. About 225 gals. Today I am installing the overflows & front Euro bracing.

[Flatlander]

Think I am getting to old. Forgot the pic.:help:

[Ocean Images]

She's a beauty :bigeek:

[Dman]

Very nice, going to be a treat to aquascape that beaut.
Dman
:spin:

[afss]

congrats.
how difficult was it to put togerther?

Scott

[Red-Sea]

Very Impressing.
Now that is a tank I would have wet dreams about:blown:

[IJO]

very nice... you have any tips or tricks to share?

IJO

[Trent]

Yes, nice start. Please post some construction perticulars as I have plans to build a new tank as well. I do have much to learn.

[Flatlander]

The tank was easy to put together, when watching an expert at work.:) Well, I did hold the glass. Also easier when some friends help.

Decided to build it here, as I was not looking forward to try move it in. Its 5/8th glass.

From watching Jayson, it looked pretty easy. But most experts make it look that way. Anyone wanting a large tank, without the trouble of moving it into the house in one piece, I can say this was a great idea.

Unfortunately, in our haste, we never noticed a small bevel in one end piece. Of course it was the one drilled for closed loop, so could not be turned around. It was discovered when the tank was half together. So, check your glass. Jayson was not present at this set-up, as I had some other friends helping.

He measured & taped all places where silicone would go, to give a nice neat straight edge. The clamps also seem like a great idea. I still have them on, a couple days later.

A good hint, is to make sure the overflow halves are already siliconed together, so they can be set in the wet silicone as construction is taking place. { I forgot}.

As I am running three 400 watt bulbs over it, we put two braces, each 4 inch wide, dividing the top into 3 sections. I also ran a 4 inch Euro brace along the complete front, as there is not front access in the wall its going into. { Likely fall in trying to reach the front, from the back}.

Dman, I am thinking about making 3 seperate boomie,s {correct name?}. I sold all my soft corals, keeping only my 10 yr. old bubble & cup corals. Could not part with them. Otherwise the tank will only contain sps, no sandbed,{small layer of Carib-sea GeoMarine crushed coral}, and be pretty high flow.

[afss]

Sounds interesting. I am thinking of building a tank in the next year or so. (maybe ssoner, but not too likely) We are in the process of house hunting and i want a larger tank one we are semi settled. I like the idea of taping the silicone.. thats something i never thought off. When do you remove the tape.. how long do you let the silcone cure?

I like the idea of 3 seperate areas too, but i am thinking one for lps and 2 for sps.

Why are you not using a sand bed? are you going to be using a refugium of any sort?

Scott

[Flatlander]

Scott,
I have most of the tape removed already. Just a bit left. Mine has been curing 48hrs. now. Will remove the clamps this weekend. I would think a couple days are fine, but the longer, the better. No water will go in, for several more days yet.

I have had several tanks with deep beds. They were fine, but dont really like them. My 170, is currently bare bottom. Also there will be a lot of current in this tank and I dont want it moving any sand. Going to have enough trouble finding a place for the large bubble coral, with low current.

I run a pretty large ATS unit. It will dump directly into one end of the new tank. The sump may contain some of the same course aragonite as the tank and lots of pieces of aqua-cultured rock for doing frags. I believe that was you that gave me the idea for the larger gravel in the sump, for worms, to consume the loose material in there. It will have no lights or anything.

I am also going to run a skimmer to assist my heavy feedings. Perhaps I will build a counter current.

[afss]

Yeah.. I think it was probably me about the coarse stuff in the sump.

You will have to keep us updated as to what you think of or notice in changes btw DSB and no DSB

Scott

[Andy]

Hi Doug

Great project. I've always heard that you don't save much money by building a tank yourself. Can you comment on that with regards to this project. What are your plans for overflows, plumbing etc. In hindsite, I wish my tank was strictly SPS. Those darned shrooms are everywhere and cause lots of havoc with the SPS. Any ideas on how to get rid of mushrooms.

Best of luck in your project. Looks like a lot of fun.

Andy

[IJO]

send them to IJO and he'll take care of them

[Flatlander]

I will update Scott. When I shut down & sold my 180, moving all into the 170, I gave all the sand away. It contains a lot of rock though. In the couple months its been running, no algae anywhere, esp not on the sand, as there is none. Perhaps a lot of that can be contributed to the scrubber.

Although the sand argument is for another thread, I have come to the belief its not as great as cracked up to be. If I was not running a scrubber, I would have one heck of a lot of rock in my tank and a huge skimmer, instead of the deep sand. If I wanted the open look, then I would go with a plenum and gravel bed made from large crushed coral, not aragonite and almost no rock or have the rock elevated of the bed. These are just mo own beliefs after trying everything in the last 12 years of keeping reefs. Besides, Ron say we have to throw it all out every 4 years. ;)

Andy, How the heck ya doing? Hows the tank? Agreed about the muchrooms. I decided sps, so I could have a different type of tank than my previous ones.

As for saving money, its not much if any. Just did it this way to save my back.:) Jayson would have built it in his shop for not much more. After carring a variety of tanks up & down stairs, let me tell you this was a delight.

It now has two 7in. sq. overflows, drilled with 2in. holes. The back is also drilled for closed loop, but we never redilled the sides. I may use a pair of Mak4 pumps, one on closed loop & one for feed. Thinking about the Sequence also. A very quiet, power wise, direct drive pump on a closed loop and a smaller pump for the return. I dont like to much overflow or sump water flow.

[Flatlander]

Here is a pic of the 170, with no sandbed, that will be moved to the 225.

[afss]

Tank looks great...

Scott

[reefnut]

Congrats Doug, the set up will look great looking forward to the pics.

Any advice you can add to my upgrade would be very much appreciated

Reefnut

PS I am thinking of ditching the sand to, how does your scrubber work? besides very well :)

[Flatlander]

Reefnut, I will check out your thread. Here is a scrubber pic, when it was on my sump.

Scott, would you mind moving this to the correct forum. I see everyone elses there. Thanks

[afss]

I assume this is where you wanted it?

Scott

[afss]

BTW what is the flow rate through the scrubber?

[reefnut]

Hi Doug,

Interesting, I now nothing really about scrubbers but I do now that I don't want sand flying everywhere, my current delema.

The part that always gets me in reefkeeping is that you want alot of circulation at the bed but not so much that everything blows around a tricky combo I can't seem to master.

Any suggestions would be great, this tank change will amount to a complete overhaul of my current tank, if I do keep a sand bed in the fudge what size sand/ gravel are you and Scott talking about?

space is not a problem, I have a wall 20' long to assemble the main tanks support network.

Reefnut

[Flatlander]

This is right Scott. Thanks.

I use a Hagen 301 to feed the scrubber. I have used as much as an 800. Depends on how fast one wants the dump to work.

Reefnut, Its a good method of filtration. However these units are around $800 US. They are meant to sit on the top, in a showroom atmosphere. I purchased mine used from the US and it arrived smashed. We built a new glass body for it, but its not the same. Still works well. Grows a nice turf algae on the screen. Its lit at night, by a pair of 55w compacts. To make a long story short, the turf algae & surge, is supposed to be better at removing nutrients than refugium or sump type algaes.

If doing a deepsand bed, its best to use a fine aragonite. Almost like sugar consistancy, hence the reason for calling it sugar sand.

Part of the reason for my reason not to use a sandbed, is current. I will have lots of current in this tank, hence my use of the Geo-Marine crushed coral substrate. I also have a mature pair of Blue Striped Cinnamon tomato clowns, who at any time can arrange the substrate or tank, {or fish},to suite their own needs.

The remote sandbed/refugium is a good way to go, if one wants a deep bed, IMO. Scott & I were talking about some crushed coral & rubble, in ones sump. Not to deep though. I am adding about an inch or so. This is the prefered home of bristle worms, as compared with finer sand. The idea is, that they eat all the crap coming into the sump, thus eliminating the need for cleaning the sump. Also provides a sort of refugium, which helps the tank.

[Flatlander]

Hmmm, I started to add water yesterday. Now about a 1/3rd full. Sooooooooooo now I read this morning on two different boards, about leaving a new tank at least 10 days to cure.:hmm2:

Mine sat for just over a week. Whatcha think.

[afss]

not sure. It might be wise to wait. I have used silicone on smaller projects and used them within hours, but never anything that would use the silicone as a major source of structural strength.

Scott

[reefnut]

Ya leave it, it isn't worth the hassel,what's a few more days.

Consider it a first test.

just my 2

Reefnut

[Flatlander]

Spent all day moving rock & fish. Running on the scrubber. Water level is not overflow high yet. Just the pair of 400w Radiums are on.

[Flatlander]

another

[afss]

Looking good.

I assume this means the silicone held :D

[Flatlander]

Hi Scott,
Seems to have, so far. :eek2: :laugh:

Will have a pic later today, with a 400w - 55K in the center.

[Flatlander]

Seeing as how everyone is posting skimmer pics. My new modified version of Andy,s MR 3. My grandaughter is helping me. :)

[Red-Sea]

Looking awsome Doug:dance:

[IJO]

wow... I had no idea they were that big!!:bigeek:

[Andy]

Hey Doug

Skimmer looks great. What are you driving the skimmer with and at what head. I'm using a Mag 24 on mine at 24" head. I'll be driving the second injector with another Mag 24 when it comes in.

Andy

[Flatlander]

IJO, its a bit smaller than my other beckett, I sold. :eek2:

Andy, I am going to use a Mak4. I used the Mag 24 on my other. Worked very well, but many say the Mak is as good and a lot less power consumption.

Mine will push 3ft. Pressure rated though. I think the Mak is less than 100 watts, where as the Mags are 265 watts ????? Plus the pump cost is close to the same.

[Andy]

Doug

I am currently running 2 Mak4 on my returns and a Mag 24 on the MR-2. I was thinking of driving each Beckett on the MR-2 with the Mak4s and using the Mag 24 for my returns. Do you think the Mag24 split to 2 3/4" lines would provide as much flow as 2 Mak4s at 5' head.

[afss]

Nice looking unit. hows that cc in the sump working out for you so far?

Scott

[Flatlander]

Scott, Doing fine. I have a couple in. of GeoMarine in there. Plus a whole box of Carib-Sea rock. I have bristle worms coming out my nose. :laugh: Put the big honker in there also. About pencil size and a ft. long. I also have added a dozen blue leg hermits so far. I will get a pic later.

Andy, Although many of us have used the Mag 18 & 24 to drive the becketts well, the view amoung the beckett experts, seems to be the best performance will be obtained from a pressure rated pump like the Iwaki 55 or Mak4. We had a long thread on RC about it.

I think the 24,s will make fine return pumps. Thats what they are designed to do and not drive skimmers. However the four will still be in use, so no wattage savings. So I guess it would be how much more performance the becketts achieve from a Mak. I dont have mine running yet.

[Andy]

Doug

I was wondering whether one Mag24 would have the same output as 2 Mak4s. I looked at the specs for both pumps and 2 Mak4 pumps are quoted to pump 1742 gph at 5' and the Mag24 pumps 1800 gph at 5'. I was just wondering whether anyone out there has compared the outputs. If I can get away with one Mag24 for my returns and 2 Mak4s for my skimmer, I would go that route. I could also replace the Mag24 with a Mag36 for my dual returns. Comments!

Thanks,

Andy

[Flatlander]

That was my point also Andy. The beckett guys say its not that way when driving a beckett nozzle and the pressure pump will out do them. They also said the Mag should run returns, with 1in. lines and little restriction.

Remember this is from the long thread we had. I have yet to run the Mak. Many other Mak 4 users have told me the same though. Some I know have switched from Mags and say its better @ more than half the wattage. I would give the one Mag 24 as a return a try. Guess it depends on how much flow through the sump you want. I like less sump flow and closed loops or powerheads.

I am only feeding my sump with an Iwaki 20RLT. Pumps barely 500 @ head. Going to bump it up to a Mak4. I also have a Mak4 on a closed loop, another Iwaki on a closed loop, and a couple of Hagen 800 ph,s.

[Flatlander]

Here is one of the closed loops.

[afss]

Glad the cc is working for you.. looking forward to seeing more pics.

Scott

[Flatlander]

Well adjusted to the new tank. Hard part was building the reef to keep the current from bubbles and yet allow it freedom to move & grow. Of course Margret the ham, has to be front and center.

[lost1]

Hey Andy, i have 3 puffers and a large clown trigger that would love to help you rid yourself of any mushrooms. Would you also like to leave a few small morsels so my lion fish could also share in the fun? I wish i had the money to get another tank, I would really like a reef with lots of mushrooms and corals lol

[Flatlander]

Just an update. I have removed the crushed coral in the sump. My reactor sits on a small tub, in the sump. To many pumps in there now, besides the return. One feeds the scrubber, one the reactor, one for the skimmer and one to churn over the sump water.

I have removed my closed loops. Not impressed with them. Using just the Mak4 return pump and powerheads. Waiting for my Tunze 6080 stream pump to arrive. :)

Pic shows the tank with just the Radiums on. Waiting for my center 400w Iwasaki to arrive from AJ. Most sps frags are starting to grow. My table top acro has some nice neon green tips. Despite caution, I did have a couple frags bleach from the Radiums.

The only large fish I have is the Red Sea sailfin. Sold the yellow, so it would have no competion. All the other fish are smaller variety. {dont tell momma tomato that,:) }.

[Flatlander]

Red Sea sailfin.

[Flatlander]

Sold my becketts and built myself an ugly counter current. Driven with a Hagen 800 and a TetraTec DW 96-2 airpump.

These pics are only 20hrs. after start-up. :) And the air pump is still being bled partially.

[Flatlander]

:)

[ajx22]

Nice job Doug...

Seems to be working very well thus far!

Keep up the great work!

(BTW - your items have all shipped, you should have them in a few days).

Cheers,

[Ocean Images]

Doug the tank looks great! I see you have been busy during this cold freeze :D
:cheers:

[Flatlander]

Thanks guys. Coming along. Yes, keeps me in the fishroom during the cold. :laugh: Dog gets cold feet when I walk her anyways.:)

One main reason for the skimmer project was not a dislike for becketts or anything, so much as a very strong dislike for overflows and sumps.

Although the skimmer is working in the sump, is designed to work from an overflow chamber. The scrubber is already dumping direct into the tank. Just have to move its powerhead to the overflow also.

The problem has been with my leaky reactor. It was a repaired one, when purchased. Developed another small leak around the repair, so I have been playing with fixing it. Running the reactor on a sumpless tank is very important, but harder to achieve. I dont have enough evaporation, without the sump, to allow for enough kalk additions.

The biggest problem is a top-off system. Besides very expensive dosing pumps. I use two float systems in my sump, but wont work in the main tank. Currently looking at the Tunze top-off system.

I also experience a more than .2 drop in ph without the oxygen/co2 exchange created by the overflows. No matter how many powerheads I use. Perhaps the skimmer will now overcome that.

So my end goal is to have the skimmer & scrubber running direct from the tank. My reactor sitting on a shelf beside the tank. Current supplied from one end by the Tunze 6080, {2100 gph}. From the other end, scrubber dump & my sump return Mak4 used on a closed loop. {1100 gph}.

[Andy]

Hi Doug

Things are lookin great. Glad to hear that your sps bleaching didn't get too serious. I've been lookin at the Tunze 6080. Have you seen one in action. I was thinking of adding a couple to my system. Would you have the Tunze on a wave maker or with constant flow.

Andy

[Flatlander]

Hi Andy,
Thanks. The bleached pink monti digita never did recover. I also lost a nice branching acro frag, that bleached almost overnight, despite all caution.:(

The green monti and even the pink birdsnest are recovering nice. I was going to remove the corals & fish to treat with Flatworm exit, {if it ever arrives}, but now hesitate to do so because the corals are coming along so nice. Looking for another natural solution. As I dont rely on my gravel bed for filtration, I am thinking of adding an orange spotted diamond sleeper goby to sift the gravel,{destroying their prime habitat} and perhaps eat the worms.

No I have never seen the stream pumps in action, just pics on the net. I have been looking at the 6110 controlled unit also. But its twice the price of the 6080. I may even add a 6080 on each end and get rid of the Mak pump all together. Or perhaps wondering if the pulsing current generated by the 6110 alone, would be enough for the tank, along with the scrubber dump.

My biggest concern is the amount and width of current these pumps put out. Not sure how I will hide my large bubble coral from it. I should have my pump soon. I will post my views and pics, if you dont have a unit yet.

[Andy]

Hi Doug

I ended up receiving the Flatworn Exit from a mailorder place in the states but I'm really hesitant to use it. I'm worried about the toxins released by the flatworms. I just don't know how many I have in my tank. Its hard to judge. I'd rather live with the FW than have my tank crash. I'm gonna watch the boards and see how people make out. I'm even starting to think that my population may be starting to reduce naturally with the heavy skimming and constant turkey basting.

Andy

[Flatlander]

I am thinking the same Andy. I just keep reading Susans posts, where she thinks her biggest mistake was not treating them earlier, when the population was lower. However I did that, twice. Whoop-dee-doo, I still have flatworms.

[Flatlander]

This be my house, so stay away. :archer:

[Flatlander]

One fat mandarin.

[Andy]

Hi Doug

Nice shots. What kind of fish is in the first image. Let's see some full tank shots.

Andy

[Mckitrick]

Andy - Are you referring to Doug's Red Sea Sailfin Tang? AKA Zebrasoma desjardini

Doug - That be a Fat Mandarin!! Do you feed him anything in particular or is he constantly munching on pods?

[Flatlander]

Andy, if you mean the guy in the mushrooms, its a sleeper goby, valenciennea species. I need my book to find its last name. Also know as prawn gobies. Usually live under rock, in caverns they build. Good sand sifters, if one is wanted. :)
I will shoot some full tank, but most corals are still pretty small.

Paul, he eats everything in site. There is lots of live food, like pods and mysid shrimp, but he also loves frozen brine and mysis. I have even seen him eating spirolina flakes.

[Asmodeus]

I can a test tothe fatty manderin its a fatty indeed it doesnt swim. It flats around seeing it in person its funny it just floats around. Funny to see with Doug puts in the shrimp .. :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
Mike

[Flatlander]

Full shot

[Asmodeus]

Doug you need some more blue actinic in there LOL
you better get a IC 660 in there

MIKE :roflmao:

[Flatlander]

Center pic.

At least my coralline is growing well. :laugh:

[Flatlander]

3rd. try :D