yote
In Memoriam
This thread moves around more than a seed tick in a hot skillet:mrgreen:
125 reef build...NOT The New Yankee Workshop
- Thread starter ccCapt
- Start date
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
I think I might be all DIY'ed out on my build. I finally added the last thing I needed to do....an ATO. I bought the double switch sump model from www.autotopoff.com.
The bottom switch controls the water level in the sump. The upper 1 is a safety shutoff incase the lower switch fails.
This is my 28g RO/DI storage container. The powerhead is controlled by the ATO. The float valve is connected to my RO/DI to keep the container full.
Everything all setup and running.
And this is "my" section of the basement. From right to left: RO/DI container, sump, Ranco temp controller mounted on the wall, MH ballasts, DIY 2-part ingredients, test kits etc, on the far left is a 20g qt ready for my new fish and a 20g tank full of new saltwater ready for a water change.
The bottom switch controls the water level in the sump. The upper 1 is a safety shutoff incase the lower switch fails.
This is my 28g RO/DI storage container. The powerhead is controlled by the ATO. The float valve is connected to my RO/DI to keep the container full.
Everything all setup and running.
And this is "my" section of the basement. From right to left: RO/DI container, sump, Ranco temp controller mounted on the wall, MH ballasts, DIY 2-part ingredients, test kits etc, on the far left is a 20g qt ready for my new fish and a 20g tank full of new saltwater ready for a water change.
daugherty
part time reefer
you have a very nice setup
yote
In Memoriam
Thats a sweet set up Capt.I'd about kill to have that much room for my tank stuff.
So now that your done with the DIY on THIS tank,when you gonna start the next tank?:mrgreen:
So now that your done with the DIY on THIS tank,when you gonna start the next tank?:mrgreen:
Hello, I'm brand new to the hobby but thirsting for knowledge. I read through this thread with great interest because I want to do basically the same layout, basement sump using a 55G aquarium sump/fuge for a 90G display tank. What a nice job you did! Some questions came to mind In reading through and looking at the photos.I hope you will answer them for me and possibly others.
1) What is in near front right corner to right of skimmer.....1st pic posted 2-23-08.... looks like acrylic tube with?????
2) What did skimmer mod do for you.... what problem did it resolve... what is gate valve for
3) looks like two heaters inbetween baffles..... why two instead of one
4) What flow thru fuge......is total system flow going thru fuge
5) Looks like you added a 2nd baffle for two different algaes.... Why two
6) Looks like you removed filter pad material form last eggcrate baffle...Yes?....why
7) Where did the float for the makeup water come from
Thanks for your help!
1) What is in near front right corner to right of skimmer.....1st pic posted 2-23-08.... looks like acrylic tube with?????
2) What did skimmer mod do for you.... what problem did it resolve... what is gate valve for
3) looks like two heaters inbetween baffles..... why two instead of one
4) What flow thru fuge......is total system flow going thru fuge
5) Looks like you added a 2nd baffle for two different algaes.... Why two
6) Looks like you removed filter pad material form last eggcrate baffle...Yes?....why
7) Where did the float for the makeup water come from
Thanks for your help!
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Good luck with your build project. looking forward to seeing it. :)
1- It's a GFO (granular ferric oxide) reactor. Aquarium Chemical Filter Media Reactor: ViaAqua Poly-Reactor Multi-Media Reactor
2- I did a few mods to the skimmer. I put mesh on the impeller for more air intake. I dremeled out the volute and output line for a smoother water flow and the gate valve just makes it easier to adjust the water level inside the skimmer.
3- Redundancy. If 1 fails, there is a backup.
4- Aprox 800 gph is going thru the sump. The pump is 1200 gph, but after head loss I'm down to around 800 gph.
5- There is only 1 set of baffles seperating the skimmer section from the rest of the sump. The other dividers are egg crate and they are just to keep the macro algae in the 2nd section from getting to the pump. The 3rd section is for frags and the 4th is a "clean" area where the bulkhead is for the external pump.
6- Yes. I originally only had that there to stop microbubbles from making their way to the pump. After everything got broken in and a layer of bacteria coated it all, the microbubbles pretty much disappeared and I didn't need the pad.
7- I think I bought it at That Fish Place, but can't remember for sure. Plastic Sump Valve | PVC Miscellaneous | Plumbing Parts | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com
1- It's a GFO (granular ferric oxide) reactor. Aquarium Chemical Filter Media Reactor: ViaAqua Poly-Reactor Multi-Media Reactor
2- I did a few mods to the skimmer. I put mesh on the impeller for more air intake. I dremeled out the volute and output line for a smoother water flow and the gate valve just makes it easier to adjust the water level inside the skimmer.
3- Redundancy. If 1 fails, there is a backup.
4- Aprox 800 gph is going thru the sump. The pump is 1200 gph, but after head loss I'm down to around 800 gph.
5- There is only 1 set of baffles seperating the skimmer section from the rest of the sump. The other dividers are egg crate and they are just to keep the macro algae in the 2nd section from getting to the pump. The 3rd section is for frags and the 4th is a "clean" area where the bulkhead is for the external pump.
6- Yes. I originally only had that there to stop microbubbles from making their way to the pump. After everything got broken in and a layer of bacteria coated it all, the microbubbles pretty much disappeared and I didn't need the pad.
7- I think I bought it at That Fish Place, but can't remember for sure. Plastic Sump Valve | PVC Miscellaneous | Plumbing Parts | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com
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ccCapt
Reef Hacker
That might be sort of hard to do, assuming you are going to use 1 return pump. To figure out what kind of flow you will get with whatever pump you use and the distance it needs to be pumped, you can use this Head Loss Calculator. Pick your pump, enter the info and it gives a pretty good idea of what you can expect to see. If you make your sump with the return section in the middle and the macro/fuge on 1 side and live rock on the other, you can adjust how much water drains to each section, but the pump will always push the same amount.
Hope that makes sense. :)
Hope that makes sense. :)
andysgirl8800
Blenny Badlands
:shock::shock: Wow Capt, nice setup! I'd LOVE to have that much space! You've done a great job! Thanks for the pics.
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
How about some updated pics, capt??
Would love to see what's new.
Would love to see what's new.
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
I haven't really done anything new, or added much. I'm out of room. ;)
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
Wow, everything is so huge! How much calcium are you putting in a day for all those SPS??
Looks amazing...
Looks amazing...
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Thanks. 2 yrs ago, most of these corals were small frags. I dose aprox 250ml (1 cup) each of the 2 part DIY calcium and alk. I also dose 1/2 cup of mag for every 1/2 gal of ca and alk used (I make the ca and alk in 1 gal milk jugs). I add nothing else to the tank.
Blast from the not so far past...2 yrs ago.
Blast from the not so far past...2 yrs ago.
dcantucson
Reef pro
Wow Larry your corals have grown like crazy. You have obviously mastered this hobby. :bowdown: Thought about a bigger tank?
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
What kind of mag supplement do you use? Everything I see for magnesium is so expensive...
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
Wow, that's a price I can live with!
Now the other problem...HATE HATE HATE the mag test kit.
It's like this big science experiment that takes forever..
Now the other problem...HATE HATE HATE the mag test kit.
It's like this big science experiment that takes forever..
daugherty
part time reefer
get salifert kits they are very easy to use
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
The other mag kit I had, I was putting a dab of liquid on a cotton swab, letting it drip through, etc...I'll check those out!
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Thanks. I like the size of the 125. If I ever did upgrade, it would be an 8' tank, but I don't see that anytime soon.
I mix 3 cups of epsom salts and 5 cups of magnesium chloride (I was able to buy a 50lb bag of MagFlake locally for $15) in 1 gal of RO/DI water. I follow Randy 2 Part DIY recipe.
Salifert mag test kits are easy to use and easy to read.
