My car just lost it's home

smallaussiereef · #1 05/06/2005, 12:53 AM

Hey guys just thought i'd share with you the fist stages of my new coral prop system I have now built the stand and positioned the tanks and started pluming the drainage

As for specs... i am using 2 of the yelow tubs one for a clean sump and the other for a refugium.....holding plenty of live rock and maybe some macro....... will be using a sequence dart for flow which will be divided into all of the tubs (13500lph).... one tub will be lit by a 400w mh the other by floro's ...... i have a large skimmer on order to clean up some........

Any coments are welcome...

Brandino007 · #2 05/06/2005, 03:23 PM

Sounds like it will do just fine.

connecticut cichlids · #3 05/06/2005, 07:21 PM

I will be watching this thread for sure!

hamburglar · #4 05/06/2005, 08:36 PM

Yes, looks good to me! have a blast! I love the plumbing stage!

smallaussiereef · #5 05/06/2005, 09:12 PM

I am a little concerned that 13500lph will be to much flow in the 2 pools??? there will be 4, 1 inch outlets per pool....i will be using some ball valves to meter flow to the pool with fluro's over it as it will most likley become a settling tank for mushroom propogation section.......what do you guys think i should post some pics of the pressure side of the plumbing this arvo.. I will be ordering the pump and 400w within the next week or so.....i am plning to have this system up and running by the end of the month....... how much live rock do you think i will need in my refugium ?? I am guessing that the total water capacity will be about 400litres or 100 gallons, Which with minimal head loss which i expect will be about 33times water turnove per hour,........... is this too much ????

smallaussiereef · #6 05/07/2005, 12:00 AM

Hey guys just finished some more plumbing......
The pressure side...... decided to have the tubs at the other end of the rack for convienience......... used 1.5 inch ofr main pipe then split to 1 inch this should be plenty for the flow i will be using. I also decided to go with 3 outputs per tub rather than 4...... 4 just looked to be too many.....

Again guys any input is good input to me as i am relatively new at this.....
Thanks

smallaussiereef · #7 05/07/2005, 05:18 PM

Also will 400w be too much over one of these tubs?? i mean the water will only be about 8 inces deep?? the light will probably be about 3ft from the water level as it will have to be to get full coverage of the tub.... I thinks most of my zoo's would color up reall nice under this amount of light though.... i am also interested in keeping some sps

NwG · #8 05/07/2005, 06:59 PM

On such a shallow tub you could use just about any light, VHO, T5, and Pc would work just fine.. The light is so close and and dosen't have to penatrate into the water..

Treeman · #9 05/07/2005, 08:51 PM

Make sure you put an anti siphon hole on at least 2 of the pressure lines right at water level.

smallaussiereef · #10 05/08/2005, 12:02 AM

hey treeman good idea

never thought of that how big should the hole be ??

Hey NWG so does that mean that yes 400w halides will be to much???

Dizzyswimmer · #11 05/08/2005, 07:26 AM

Tagging along

Treeman · #12 05/08/2005, 08:22 AM

Just start with a smaller hole...say 5-7 mm and turn the pumps off and see if it breaks the siphon. If it doesn't just go a little bigger until it does. Just remember that it will get slowly blocked over time with algae etc. So don't make it to small.

Andrew · #13 05/08/2005, 09:36 AM

Looks like a good set-up. Im trying to get some ideas.

robwsup · #14 05/08/2005, 02:10 PM

I've used 3x400w over my prop systems. Water depth was 8" and lights were 14" above the water.

smallaussiereef · #15 05/08/2005, 05:19 PM

Yeah what were you proping robwsup?? how did it all look/grow what bulbs were you using?? what other specs can you share from this system... did you have any heat dramas??

robwsup · #16 05/09/2005, 10:34 AM

Heat, no, but humidity sucked.

We were propogating SPS, LPS, Zoanthids, Xenids, etc. All could be adjusted to the bright light.

smallaussiereef · #17 05/09/2005, 05:20 PM

yeah cool thanks for you input rob i think i will go the 400w...... power costs arent to much of a worry,..... i think it works out about 18 dollars a month for the light in Aussie dollars.... for 10 hours a day..... so yeah should get better coloration and growth i hope

smallaussiereef · #18 05/14/2005, 01:46 AM

ys update i got my new lights today..... will post pics when i get home.... am outa town atm,.......

smallaussiereef · #19 05/25/2005, 02:57 AM

Hey guys things have been a bit quiet waiting on some equiptment to rock up. but finally my new 400w light roced up so i went out and mounted it..........

I have decided to move things around a bit and am now using half of a 1000lt sorage container for my sump so i can bump my water volume up to combat temp and perameter fluctuations.......

Any more input is quite welcome

robwsup · #20 05/25/2005, 10:32 AM

I've got one of those containers. I was wondering if it would be okay to cut in half.

alpha0r · #21 05/25/2005, 12:53 PM

I love how you did the overflows. Are you planning to lay the frags on the bottom of the tank or will you put them on eggcrate? If you put them on eggcrate it will be easyer to clean any junk that falls to the bottom of the tank, simply stick a piece of hose down there and start sucking.

maxvan1 · #22 05/25/2005, 04:07 PM

you should make somthing so the lights can rise, it looks like some parts might be hard to get to, and if you can just raise the light when you want to work, that would be nice...?

smallaussiereef · #23 05/25/2005, 07:50 PM

robwsup, Yeah i just used an angle grinder went right around.... i have had it filled to the brim curing live rock out in the sun for a couple of months and it's fine...... might look a bit daggy but eh who cares it was free........ P.S I will be adding some inch air hose around the top to make it look neater.

alpha0r, I will probably use some eggcrete although i am not planing on having much detruis on the bottom as the way i have the pressure piping ran and the amount of flow i should have.

Maxvan1, I can manually rise the light at any time....... i will post some pics today how..... but basically...... the chain is on some cup hooks all i have to do is lift the 2 chains at once and hook it up on the cup hooks....verry easy........ i work on the KISS theory. (Keep It Simple Stupid) hahaha

My planned start up date of the end of the month is really close and i doubt i will have it done by then, i think my pump will be here next week, as for now i am just keeping some stock in my inside prop tank which is so crowded (See Gallery)

smallaussiereef · #24 06/02/2005, 02:35 AM

Hey guys have a quick update for ya.......... ,y new sequence reeffol dart rocked up yesterday and i have just about got it plumbed up........... little mor work tomorow and it's time for a fresh water test

then live rock in the next week or 2...........

How much live rock would people suggest using???

I was thinking about 40kgs about 90pounds

smallaussiereef · #25 06/03/2005, 01:42 AM

Here you go guys the most exciting time the frsh water test.......... Went awesome....... few minor easy to fix leaks but otherwise fine........ should be able to order my live rock soon, and wait to cycle...........

then turn out some frags........ the flow from this pumps unreall and so quiet i am going to reduce the size of the outlets on the pnods as there is heaps of water coming outa them but it's not with much force....... so i will reduce them till i get a nice balance..

Heres a pic of the system almost complete

The pump

A better pic of the light showing how i can lift and hook

And a pic of the water return, where alot of water comes back.

Tomorow i will be posting some pics of the electrical work and im gonna make a heap of frag plugs to cure while my system cycles..

It holds about 100gallons i have already 2 300w heaters i am unsure weather this will be enough... but it will experiment for a few days with fresh water before i get the rock and salty water into it...

So happy