250 Gallon Starphire SPS tank

[surfy]

Little- My BF is actually for sale. I was going to do a SPS tank with it but I changed my mind with where I was going to put the tank, we are remodeling our house so now I am ordering a new "larger" tank to fit the new space better.

I love the BF but it is too tall for a full blown SPS tank. All the equipment for the BF is just getting moved to the new tank.

[LittleBlueGT]

My 90 Bowfront is for sale to. Nice looking tank, but not for the hardcore reefer.

[coondogg97]

I have only been in this hobby for about a year so a lot of this is VERY new to me. Anyway, I am currently upgrading my 55 non RR to a 120 RR plumbed into a 150 gallon sump that will be in my basement. My return will be pumped by a ReefFlo Hammerhead. I want to go with the oceans motions unit. It seems like the best wavemaker currently on the market and its kinda DIY which I like.. I think I may steal some/all of your ideas (since I see no trademark! ) I plan on keeping all kinds of corals everything from Xenia to Clams.. Im not big into SPS right now, but that can change in the future.. I will have the lighting for it if I wanted to go with SPS and I want flow also.. So my question is this.. In a 120 and an 8 way OM unit with 2 spray bars going across the front bottom of the tank facing at an angle towards the top back of my tank possibly with educators.. Also have 2 more 3/4 inch pipes come down on each side and attach to manifolds with some loc-line attached to it so I can adjust even more flow from the bottom to the top of the tank.. From the top of the tank will look like the same as the bottom. Except the spray bars will be in the back of the tank on the top.. I will have ball valves on each line coming off of the OM unit so I can restrect a specefic area of the tank if need be.. This all sounds great in my head, but do you think it is a reality?

Thanks in advance for reading this rambled PM.. I appreciate any input you have!!

Brian

[LittleBlueGT]

coondogg97 Sounds like a nice plan. If you want constructive criticism, here goes.

If I was buying over again, I would consider the 1000 Pro series Sequence pump, vs. the Hammmerhead. I think that they are a bit quieter and they actually have a better flow curve. The 6000SEQ23 is also a 1/3 horsepower unit, but, according to Sequences flow chart it flows better then the Hammerhead. Look at the flow comparison from about 10 to 15 feet of head carefully. Seems like a significant difference. I'm not saying the Hamerhead is not a good pump. But when places like customaquatics and Azponds have them on sale, it may be worth considering. Also, if you plan on using eductors, reconsider the pump. The above sequence pumps are flow pumps, medium pressure. They can handle eductors reasonably well in a closed loop application, but if you add the head of a basement sump, I don't think it will perform as expected. Maybe a Blueline or Iwaki 70 or 100 would work better. Look at flow charts carefully.

When you get your 120 RR, make sure it can handle the overflow volume. A tank from AllGlass or Oceanic most certainly won't. Even for a custom tank to handle that much overflow is rare. While it may be nice to have one pump run the whole system (simple and not too expensive) it would not be good if it failed. That is the reason why I have too return pumps coming from my sump. If one pump fails, all is well. I am using two Mak4 pumps from my basement sump. About 650 gph each after through 1/2 piping. Inexpensive, reliable, and they only use just over 100 watts.

An OM 8-way unit IMHO has some drawbacks compard to the 4-way. It costs more. Is harder to plumb. And can't flow as much as a HD 4-way. 1 inch piping is waaaaay smaller then 1/2. I feel that 4 separate water paths is just enough to create random currents. As long as you create flexibility with your plumbing in a 4-way, an 8-way is not required. Just my 2 cents.

[LittleBlueGT]

1 inch piping is waaaaay smaller then 1/2.

I meant 1 inch piping is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller then 1-1/2 inch piping.

[LittleBlueGT]

Spoke to Mitch today. He called me He was mad! Said he didn't like to deal with people like me. Interesting. I just loved dealing with him. He took offence to me accusing him of lying. I said it in a nice way, if that is possible. But, what am I suppose to think when one of his employees says he is lying.

Anyway, he said the tank is being shipped out today. Which is actually only one day late from his original estmate. I kind of think that he is telling the truth, because he called me.

I'll keep you updated.

[coondogg97]

I should have mentioned this in my last post.. I plan on getting an All-Glass tank.. I was originally planning on using all 4 holes as drains, but after reading and asking around the new All-Glass aquariums with the megaflow overflow and the durso drains are able to handle 1200 gph no problem. So I figured I would just plumb the Hammerhead to the stock returns and drain from the stock drains.

I plan on using a second pump for the Oceans Motions unit. Its easier and safer to use a separate closed loop system. It will most likely be located in the stand.. Not sure what pump I am going to use to power that though. I thought the 8 way might be overkill, but I figured for $100 more I might as well go for it.. I rather go a little overboard now then have to upgrade in the future..

So now im back to the 4 way unit.. Thank you.. I have NO PROBLEM with criticism!! I rather do it right the first time.. I never thought of running 2 pumps parallel.. Maybe I will run the Oceans Motions unit with the Hammerhead (I already purchased it) and pick up a 6000SEQ23 for my main returns.. Do you think im making a mistake with a factory drilled All-Glass tank?

[LittleBlueGT]

A 6000SEQ23 will put out way more then 1200 gph, unless your sump as 20 feet below your tank. Therefore your tank will overflow. I don't think you need that much system turn-over anyway, too much chance of noise and microbubbles. Look for a smaller return pump IMO. Maybe go with a smaller sequence.

[LittleBlueGT]

I thought I would post some mediocre pictures from a friends camera of my set-up to date. Here is a picture of our house with the old tank. As you can see I am not using the alcove very efficiently with the 90 bow.

Here is one more picture. Sorry the quality is not very good but I am still learning.



When I have time in the next couple of days I will post some pics of my set-up downstairs.

[surfy]

That's one sweet crib you have there

I like the Van Gogh- STARRY NIGHT pic in the background of the first pic too.

I hope my pad looks like that someday.

[LittleBlueGT]

Thanks Surfy. I think with a tank almost three times the size of the 90 it will be just a little sweeter. Maybe the halides will illuminate the whole room.

[LittleBlueGT]

Called IA today, tank has been shipped, no tracking number yet. So I called Canadian Freightways and I'm told it will be coming in tomorrow or Monday.

Got work to do now!

[surfy]

Cool, did you ever get any pics of the finished tank?
Also is your 90g still setup?

I almost ordered a 240g tank but that is a little to huge for me right now. Maybe someday

[coondogg97]

Thanks again for all the help.. And congrats on your tank being shipped..

Brian

[LittleBlueGT]

For the benefit of Surfy and whomever else is interested here is some more info regarding what I eventually plan for my lighting system. I think most would agree that 3-250W DE halides over an 86 inch tank is stretching it a bit. But a linear light mover will change all that! According to Tod at Custom Aquatics, as well as my LFS owner many people don't go with a light mover because of the space they take up. I anticipate needing the whole 24 inches above my tank to accomodate everything well. My LFS has a 7 foot tank with only 2 halides (and about 1400 watts of VHO) on a light mover, and he has great results. His system is over 7 years old. I personally don't feel that one high wattage lamp over a large tank is the way to go, because it doesn't really mimic nature very well. On the reefs the sun does start at one horizon and go to the other (relatively speaking) but it is essentially shining on everything the whole time, just at different angles. One light moving over a large distance does not do this. I intend on having all three 250 watt halides spaced evenly on a rack. The light mover will then move this rack back and forth about a foot, maybe a little more. Of course the sun does not go back and forth a 100 times a day, but at least with a set-up like this the corals will receive light all day, they will get more even light, and the undersides of the corals will also get better light. The light rail and all parts needed should still cost slightly less then a 4th 250 W set-up. But it will save huge in the long run. $40/yr in electricity. $80/yr in bulb replacement. (US funds) And, I think I will have a better set-up. If I'm right (And I'm rarely wrong) I think the corals will be healthier, have better growth, including nicer and more naturally shaped growth. All this with less heat and less money.

I believe that more people should investigate this idea, especially the people that are running 2-halides for every 18 inches of tank space. Anthony Calfo recommends it. People that grow weed, uhmm ornamental plants do it. Why shouldn't we.

I would love to see some pics if someone has done this successfully.

[LittleBlueGT]

Now, for some pictures of my existing set-up in the basement.

Here is a picture of my auto-top-off, huge skimmer pump, doser and storage bins. The auto-top-off just uses float valves (may change this in the future) but is designed to aerate the water first before adding to the tank. You can see the small rubbermaid bin on top of the white storage bins. RO/DI water flows in to the container via float valve, is circulated by one of those free powerheads you get in a salt bucket, and from there is used for auto-top-off or other uses. You should be able to see that from the bin it goes to a T-valve that runs to the right (sump) and straight down (for other uses). The pump for the skimmer is temporary. It is the Reefflo hammerhead that I will be using for the closed loop on the new tank.

[LittleBlueGT]

Here is a pic of my 36 inch tall skimmer. C/w dual beckets. The skimmer is sitting in its own skimmer sump for better performance. The return line from the calcium reactor exits at the two intakes for the skimmer. This seems to help with using up excess CO2. Notice the clock with the relative humidity, temp, and barometric pressure all built in. This is a valuable tool. Just above and slightly to the left of the left beckett at the very top of the picture is a 4 inch duct that leads to the input of my newly installed air-to-air heat exchanger. If it wasn't for this thing I would not be able to keep the humidity at acceptable levels in our cold winter months. It also helps in the summer by circulating about 120 cfm of air when the house is closed up tight. This helps keep the air fresh in the house and ph up.

[LittleBlueGT]

Here is a picture of my custom made calcium reactor. A mag2 pump is driving it. It is fed off one of the return pumps with a tee. The only flaw in this set-up is that when the return pump is turned off it slowly drains the reactor, and can cause an air lock. Other than that it works fine. I will have to change this configuration somehow when I replumb things.

Quick question for somebody that has used a reactor for longer than I have. I am currently running 100ml of effluent at a ph of 6.55 with an alk of 37dkh. Doesn't this seem like a lot for a tank with no corals and 160 some lbs of LR? The only thing I can think of is the thousands of feather dusters that cover every inch of my sump, overflows and undersides of LR.

[LittleBlueGT]

Here's a pic of my Fuge, compete with 65 watt pc. You can also see the top of my skimmate container. I got the idea from someone here on RC. It is a IO salt container, has a hole on the top for carbon to eliminate smells, and seems to work well. Also notice an aquaclear 200 running on the side. It is alwys running and ready to be used for the quarantine tank if needed.

[LittleBlueGT]

The last pic for today is of the sump section. Here you can see all the baffles I have installed to get rid of bubbles. Both heaters are 250w Ebos. Both return pumps are GenX Mak4. The float valve for auto-top-off is also visible. Some of my electrical is visible along with the tee off of the return line that feed the calcium reactor.



Well, that is it for me today. I'm too tired to think anymore.

[surfy]

I wish we had basements here in So CA. Thats a pretty cool set up man.
I'm gona have to use that skimmate/carbon idea. I hate coming home to a smelly house when the skimmer goes crazy.

[LittleBlueGT]

Got the tank yesterday, all looked well. It was crated up very securely. I haven't opened the crate yet, but from what I can see all the silicone work and glass cutting looks first class. Hopefully I will post some pictures tomorrow.

I am starting to learn something with regard to what happens when you document and take pics of your set-up. You start to really care what it looks like. Now that I look back at the pics of my fish room I feel that I have to redo everything better. Make it more photogenic. Oh, well. I will have projects to last for the next couple of years at least.

[LittleBlueGT]

I order some cutting board for the bottom of the tank. The cuttingboardcompany was my first choice for the board. After some searches I talked with Joe at cuttingboardfactory and he was very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. His prices were about half that of the other company. For example, I ordered three different sized sheets. One piece was 24 x 30. His price was only $28.79 . Hopefully I will receive delivery of these in the next week.

I also ordered 8 more eductors from kth sales . Again I was impressed with his service and especially his price of only $25 each which includes free shipping. I got the PE1MB eductor. Actually called a Penductor, with 1 inch male threaded fittings. The Penductor is smaller and more aesthetically pleasing then the large black eductors. It is also a nice blue color, like the color of this guy.

[LittleBlueGT]

Now I just need to get some 1/8 inch blue acrylic to line my overflow with. I might get it from mcmaster . I just have to figure out what kind of blue this is.

Hopefully I will post some pictures of the tank shortly.

[LittleBlueGT]

Here are a few pics of the tank and the stand while under construction.









These two pictures show the clarity fifference between regular and starphire glass.