- Location
- Long Island, New York
Thanks Sal...I just got home from vacation so I will start updating....:splitspin. How is your miricle upgrade going..:shhh:
Here we go again...500gallon build
- Thread starter ClosetFishGeek
- Start date
Thanks Sal...I just got home from vacation so I will start updating....:splitspin. How is your miricle upgrade going..:shhh:
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Okay back from vacation....:splitspin...time to update.
The following are pictures of the Sump which is nothing fancy by any means but has the capacity and dimensions that I needed at a reasonable price. The sump which is a Rubermaid 125 gallon trough has three bulkheads drilled in it. Two 2" bulkheads(return & skimmer) and one 1 1/2" bulkead(drain, water change, additional sump conection). The sump is divided into 3 parts. The 1st chamber(right side) houses the main drain line(3"), water change feed, dialyseas return line, dialyseas ato, carbon return line, gfo return line and calcium reactor effluent line. In this first chamber is also the intake(2" bulkhead with a 2" strainer) for the skimmer. Before I go on with the other areas lets talk about how the sump was divided.
The interesting part of this sump is the baffles. I followed a typical baffle system but instead of solid acrylic peices I used 2 eggcrate peices cut to fit the sump and then filled the middle with crushed live rock. The second baffle is using the same eggcrate/live rock combination. This has proven to work very well over the past year. Look at how rough the water is on the right side as opposed to the left which is the return section of the tank......:splitspin
The next area of the sump is on the left side of the baffle. I divided this section into 2 areas. An upper(fuge area) and lower (main return). Dividing these areas is another eggcrate baffle. The skimmer return is adjacent to this area(fuge) and whatever nutrients are leftover will help feed it. The fuge holds chaeto which is lit by this 5100k bulb http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html. Along the dividing wall(black eggcrate) I made a 2ft spray bar that does an excellent job at tumbling the chaeto. This area is on a reverse photo peroid.
The lower area houses the following probes. Conductivity,Ph,Temp, and Orp. In addtiton, there is a dialyseas feed line(this line takes water and treats this water and returns it back to the sump)http://seavisions.com/dialyseas_aquarium_dialysis_equi.htm#DialySeas Next to this line are high and low float switchs. As a backup there is a high and low air pressure switch for added insurance. Last but not least is the return (2" bulkead with 2"strainer).
The following are pictures of the Sump which is nothing fancy by any means but has the capacity and dimensions that I needed at a reasonable price. The sump which is a Rubermaid 125 gallon trough has three bulkheads drilled in it. Two 2" bulkheads(return & skimmer) and one 1 1/2" bulkead(drain, water change, additional sump conection). The sump is divided into 3 parts. The 1st chamber(right side) houses the main drain line(3"), water change feed, dialyseas return line, dialyseas ato, carbon return line, gfo return line and calcium reactor effluent line. In this first chamber is also the intake(2" bulkhead with a 2" strainer) for the skimmer. Before I go on with the other areas lets talk about how the sump was divided.
The interesting part of this sump is the baffles. I followed a typical baffle system but instead of solid acrylic peices I used 2 eggcrate peices cut to fit the sump and then filled the middle with crushed live rock. The second baffle is using the same eggcrate/live rock combination. This has proven to work very well over the past year. Look at how rough the water is on the right side as opposed to the left which is the return section of the tank......:splitspin
The next area of the sump is on the left side of the baffle. I divided this section into 2 areas. An upper(fuge area) and lower (main return). Dividing these areas is another eggcrate baffle. The skimmer return is adjacent to this area(fuge) and whatever nutrients are leftover will help feed it. The fuge holds chaeto which is lit by this 5100k bulb http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html. Along the dividing wall(black eggcrate) I made a 2ft spray bar that does an excellent job at tumbling the chaeto. This area is on a reverse photo peroid.
The lower area houses the following probes. Conductivity,Ph,Temp, and Orp. In addtiton, there is a dialyseas feed line(this line takes water and treats this water and returns it back to the sump)http://seavisions.com/dialyseas_aquarium_dialysis_equi.htm#DialySeas Next to this line are high and low float switchs. As a backup there is a high and low air pressure switch for added insurance. Last but not least is the return (2" bulkead with 2"strainer).
- Location
- Long Island, New York
From the sump the water is gravity fed to a Hammerhead pump via 2" pvc to 4 1" seas swirls(main display), 1 3/4 loc-line return(frag tank), 1 2" single sided union(future line for Uv if needed or wanted) and a manifold system that consists of 4 single sided unions directly off the 2" supply(they supply the gfo,carbon, and calcium reactor). The last was left for possible future "toys"...:splitspin. The larger pvc pipe under the return pipe and manifold is the drain. I used 3" pvc and tied 4 2" drains(main display) and 1 1" drain(frag) to this pipe. It will easily accomodate more flow if I decide to expand....:splitspin This system took a lot of tweeking and the use of flowmeters to get the appropriate gph to the various equipment(carbon,gfo,calcium reactor,seas swirls). I would like to thank the guys at Aqautic Eco-Systems http://www.aquaticeco.com/ and my buddy Matt for helping me with all the head loss and flow calculations.
This shows the 2" return feeding a 1" true union to the 1" sea swirl.
One of the goals of this build was to eliminate the many small pumps that I have previously used on past builds. I have used everything from mini jets, maxi 400-1200's, mag drives..and I am sick of cleaning, replacing shafts and swapping out a half of dozen pumps. In this build I have 2 Hammerhead pumps running my whole system. I also purchased a backup Hamerhead for peace of mind and ease of maintanence....:splitspin
This shows the 2" return feeding a 1" true union to the 1" sea swirl.
One of the goals of this build was to eliminate the many small pumps that I have previously used on past builds. I have used everything from mini jets, maxi 400-1200's, mag drives..and I am sick of cleaning, replacing shafts and swapping out a half of dozen pumps. In this build I have 2 Hammerhead pumps running my whole system. I also purchased a backup Hamerhead for peace of mind and ease of maintanence....:splitspin
WOW, and you were able to do that with only 600 ft. of PVC and 53 ballvalves!!!!!:tongue1:...I just took the slideshow tour of your tank, VERY NICE, although I can't figure out how you're going to incorporate the Brocks 4 cyl. headers into your system? And, as if I didn't have enough to think about, already, NOW, I have to consider 'stealing' some of your sump improvements! If you keep up the good work, I believe that your 'next' build can be IN the house! GREAT JOB, Thane, that crosshatch is gonna love his new home.
:Yikes::Yikes::Yikes: Sick! Sick! Sick! :Yikes::Yikes::Yikes:
LOL. As if I didn't have enough issues now I have to suffer from tank envy!
Do you think the kids would mind if I spent part of their college fund on my next tank?:joke:
Good luck with the tank. I look forward to following this thread. How long do you think it will tank to get this tank to what you envision? 1, 2 or maybe 3 years?
LOL. As if I didn't have enough issues now I have to suffer from tank envy!
Do you think the kids would mind if I spent part of their college fund on my next tank?:joke:
Good luck with the tank. I look forward to following this thread. How long do you think it will tank to get this tank to what you envision? 1, 2 or maybe 3 years?
- Location
- poughquag, ny
makes my little tank build seem easy, nice going so far, i did the same thing got rid of all the little pump and run all but skimmer off 1 pump
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Thanks Alfie.....That brock pipe is being used for a new drain silencer idea I had.....:shhh: lol...One day I'll make it inside the house...I can't wait to release the crosshatch in there....he is going to be so happy....:splitspin....well at least I hope he will....How is your monster coming along..
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Alan,
Thanks buddy. They wont be jealous when they see my electric bill....:tongue1:. How is that beautiful tank of yours doing. See you soon.
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Ty dnreef....You can always say that "Daddy is setting up a giant tank to grow corals so he can sell frags. This way your college fund will earn way more than that 529 plan" :tongueani. And then pray that they will get a scholorship to Yale. lol...J/K.
With regards to my overall vision. In this tank I wanted to make three areas(bommie like) with one being designated for anemones, the next being various Sps, and the final area hosting Clams. In addition, I am going to heavily stock this tank with fish. Hence the verry large skimmer & dialyseas. This tank will without a dought take 2 years maybee 3 to mature. Hey I might get lucky and have no hicups or minor "crashes"...but hell this is reefkeeping Murphys law at its best....:splitspin
- Location
- Long Island, New York
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Ty NYreefNoob... It is fun work...or so I keep telling myself that...:splitspin I love the single pump..
- Location
- Long Island, New York
While I wait for my lighting to come I thought it would be time to start Aquascaping my tank. At first I thought it would be easy.....wow it took 3 days and that was with a plan......lol. The Idea behind the Aquascaping was to make three unique areas in the tank with plenty of open space for fish to swim about. I also did not place rock against the back wall for two reasons. The first was so that fish could move freely from front to back, and secondly to have better flow/less detritus build up.
The first area is the right side of the tank. This area is roughly 24" high 3' wide and about 16" wide. This will be where I will have my Sps collection.
The right(front) side of the tank.
Here is a shot from the right(side) of the tank.
Here is the middle of the tank. This area consists of single peices of interesting shapes and sizes. The picture is a little underwhelming but comes together when you see the whole picture.
The left side(front) of the tank was predetermined a long time ago. I knew that it was going to be an anemone island. This was very dificult to construct becouse a few of my anemones refused to move so needless to say it was quite a challenge to set this up. The area is roughly 3' wide 20" high and foot deep and will host all of my rbta which 2 years ago I started with one 12inch and now I have 9 seperate rbta's of different sizes. Eventually I would like to get a super green & a quadcolored anemone to add to the island. I am not worried about them walking around much becouse they can move anywhere on the rock they want without harming anything else and in addition there is a foot of sand seperating the middle rock area.
Here is the Left(side) view of the tank
And finally it comes together in a full tank shot. Couldnt get directly infront of it....to much garbage in the way...:splitspin
More pics to come....
The first area is the right side of the tank. This area is roughly 24" high 3' wide and about 16" wide. This will be where I will have my Sps collection.
The right(front) side of the tank.
Here is a shot from the right(side) of the tank.
Here is the middle of the tank. This area consists of single peices of interesting shapes and sizes. The picture is a little underwhelming but comes together when you see the whole picture.
The left side(front) of the tank was predetermined a long time ago. I knew that it was going to be an anemone island. This was very dificult to construct becouse a few of my anemones refused to move so needless to say it was quite a challenge to set this up. The area is roughly 3' wide 20" high and foot deep and will host all of my rbta which 2 years ago I started with one 12inch and now I have 9 seperate rbta's of different sizes. Eventually I would like to get a super green & a quadcolored anemone to add to the island. I am not worried about them walking around much becouse they can move anywhere on the rock they want without harming anything else and in addition there is a foot of sand seperating the middle rock area.
Here is the Left(side) view of the tank
And finally it comes together in a full tank shot. Couldnt get directly infront of it....to much garbage in the way...:splitspin
More pics to come....
- Location
- Rockaway Park
nice islands!! i like that anemone island.
- Location
- Long Island, New York
- Location
- Westchester, NY
Great tank build, can't wait to see more pictures and read more on the inhabitants.
- Location
- Long Island, New York
Thanks Chief...will do...:splitspin
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
