Prop System Update.

[minfinger]

Thought everyone might like a veiw.

My 3D program screwed up, so I just re did the whole thing today. The White pipes are the overflows and stand pipes. There will be a slight gradient at the bottom. I ended up having to put the sump outside of the stand because I didn't want to make the stand any deeper, already at 2'. Total height is just over 6' and this still makes the top tank accessable. I may end up with my mother colonies on top as a show tank. It's about 6' wide too, an imperfect square ;):D

The Yellow looking pipes is the return plumbing from the sump. I'll probably end up building another sump, because now I need to have the side drilled so I can plumb in the pump. The darker Yellow pipes are where the "T"s to the SCWDs will be.

I actually found a web page that had exact measurements on the Iwaki Pump I have, so I built a little 3D model of it, cool huh?

If you do some quick math, you'll see that I have about 1' of extra space behind each tank. Perfect place for lost frags to fall (J/K) Perfect for Ballasts and whatever else I decide to mount back there.

This isn't an exact representation of the plumbing, but I now have some idea how it's going to go.

Tanks
Dark Red = 33 Long
Pinkish = 10 Gallon for Auto top off from RO
2 Light Blue = 20 Longs
Dark Blue = 55G

Lights
So far, a 175MH 10K and a 250 20K MH (I need a 250 Ballast) I found one on Ebay that's for Hydroponics and Reefs, Guys said that's what he used it for.
Other than that, probably 40W Lights from Lowes.

Corals and Fish
Almost every frag I have will be in there. I'm tired of my 55G being junky looking. Eventually I'll move into SPS, but not right now.
Fish, well I want a small Fox Face in every tank. I'll probably put a school of Green Chromis in the 55G. I've being dying to get some of those 1" Blue Tangs. I'd like to get a dozen and spread them around. I also want a few small Naso Tangs too. !!!TANG POLICE!!! I'm breaking all the rules but who cares. Once I start selling these frags, everyone will want a piece of me :D

http://host36.ipowerweb.com/~myyamaha/CR/Images/29G/Expansion%20V3-1.jpg

Without the Wood
http://host36.ipowerweb.com/~myyamaha/CR/Images/29G/Expansion%20V3-2.jpg

[t1guyton1]

You mentioned 6 feet tall and 2 feet deep.....

with 138 gallons of water on a small footprint, do you think you will have a problem with it being stable?

[minfinger]

Are you talking about weight or moving around on me?

[robwsup]

You'll need to have some valves on your two lower return lines to throttle the water, or it will never make it to the top; "path of least resistance" etc.

[minfinger]

Yeah I was planning on that and Some of those Threaded union joints all over the place to make it easy to work on.

I may end up getting some Gate valves if I can find them cheap.

[Troy182]

are those return pipes gonna work I would think that it would suck air from somewhere. maybe I'm just too tierd but that thing scares me

[minfinger]

Suck air? Just cause I didn't run the dark yellow part all the way into the tank, you get confused? LOL

It's going to pull water from the sump and push it through the yellow pipes to 4 different SCWDs. Does tht help?

[Troy182]

I was more scared of the white ones all piped in together

[minfinger]

The way my standpipes are designed, the water actually pushes out of the overflow box and into the standpipe.

My standpipe Image
http://host36.ipowerweb.com/~myyamaha/CR/Images/Bowfronts/Standpipe.jpg

[robwsup]

The foxfaces would be okay. Remember to keep your fishload light, so you can keep your water clean. Clean water=less water changes.

[minfinger]

What about soe Algea Blennies? think they would help clean up? I don't want to get any sand sifting idiots. But I'll probably get a bunch a Emeralds to keep the Valonia away.

You know who I'll be ordering all these from, RIGHT :D

[robwsup]

Emeralds would be okay, but in a prop type system, you are better off just hand picking the stuff to get it all out. Emeralds will spread the spores as they eat it.

Lawnmower blennies would be okay, but I like red lipped blennies better.

[minfinger]

Red lip? Picture??

[robwsup]

Here is a bicolor, very similar:

<img src="http://store6.yimg.com/I/marinedepotlive_1756_10304965">

[minfinger]

I found it.

Atlantic Red-lip Blenny
Ophioblennius atlanticus
Prefer a temperature range of 72 - 79°F (22 - 26°C). Can be quite aggressive, especially towards smaller fishes. Will consume cyanobacteria/slime algae and other types of microalgae. Needs a diet high in vegetable matter. One per aquarium.

Where I got the ifno from
http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/zoo/fish/blennies/Ophioblennius/Oatlanticus.htm

Nice Blenny Web page http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trublennies.htm

http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/zoo/fish/blennies/Ophioblennius/Oatlanticus.jpg