New 90Gal in wall project

[awg228]

I started my new 90gal in wall project today to replace my present 37gal oceanic cube tank. Behind the tank will be a small fish room to do all my tank stuff.

The tank is a 90gal AGA undrilled "for now".

I cant decide how many and what size drains to put in it? I am a little nervous about putting in 1 1/2" drains because I dont want tank to crack. There will most likely be 3/4" holes drilled for the closed loop so I dont want to press my luck with huge holes on drain.

I was thinking of doing 2 1" drains one in each rear corner of tank. need to handle about 1200 gal flow rate. presently on my 37gal i use my velocity p2 and it gives the drain a run for its money thats for sure. I would rather be able to handle more then pump can produce then have drain working overtime to try and keep up.

For the return pump I am tossed up between using my present velocity p4 or using 2 velocity p2's.

My thought behind using 2 return pumps is if one stops I still have flow from the other and it will give me a slight bit more flow rate then just using the P4.

My next issue is what size pump to use for the closed loop system? what size pump. I will be using my current oceansmotions squirt to alternate the flow patterns. My thought is to use a velocity p4.

Reason I am going with the velocity pumps is because I already own a P4 and a P2. Trying not to pump all new pumps. Still have to buy my Halides and rock so any cash I can save will make life easier.

Here are some pics of the beginings of the stand and wall.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821pic1.jpg
Rear veiw
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821pic2.jpg
Front view
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821pic3.jpg

Shes smiling in this pic wait till I tell her how much the Rock will Cost. LOL

[Matt Rise]

I am in the process of finishing my basement as well. Your progress looks great so far. Are you going to beef up the stand anymore? Might want to put some more bracing under the tank...Anyway, I am trying to decide if I want to put a 50 gallon in the wall of my new living room, so I'm tagging along!

Matt

[awg228]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6580989#post6580989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Matt Rise
Are you going to beef up the stand anymore? Might want to put some more bracing under the tank...Anyway, I am trying to decide if I want to put a 50 gallon in the wall of my new living room, so I'm tagging along!

Matt

I actually added a few more peices since I took the pic. The stand is very strong as it is now. From what I have read in others post on here they say a 2x4 should be plenty strong enough for 90gal.

Each corner of my stand has 2 2x4's. I will also being putting 1/2" plywood on top of stand and another pieces on bottom for the sump and stuff.

I built my last stand for my 37 gal using 1x3 and covered it with 1/2" pine boards and that sucker could hold alot of weight.

My biggest problem is deciding what pumps to use where. Hopefully someone will give some opinions from my original ppost.

[awg228]

Bump,

Does anyone have an opinion on what size drains and pumps. All these registered user but only 1 response. Please help me out Everyone

[BruiseAndy]

Stick with the velocitys but move up to two T4's. one for return and one for closed loop. 5' of head the velocity will still output 1100 GPM So you will need to size your drain to that. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/drain.php

[kakan]

First off your setup is great. It's got me thinking about a corner in my living room. As for the pumps IMHO I would use the PS2 for the return And the PS4 for the closed loop. You really don't need 1100GPH going through your sump. Also this will allow you to use a smaller drain size.

Just my .02$ HTH
Kakan

[kakan]

Also Poseidon pump's are known for adding heat to the water so running three or two larger ones along with halide's might be a little overwhelming.

HTH

[awg228]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6588477#post6588477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kakan
Also Poseidon pump's are known for adding heat to the water so running three or two larger ones along with halide's might be a little overwhelming.

HTH

I was concerned with heat. When i disconnected the P4 from my present tank the temp dropped about 5 degrees. I was gonna make a fan rack to put over the pumps to help with heat and maybe if I can find something or make something that I could mount on the pumps motor housing to act as a heatsink.

I never used halide lights before so unsure just how much heat they are gonna generate. I know they put off some decent heat. I was planning on using 2 175watt halides. I was hoping to be able to get a good ventilation system going to try and controll the heat some, but like I said I never used halides before so this will be a new step for me.

[kclewis]

i wouldnt worry about your stand you have enough support to hold a 200 gal

[awg228]

Bump

Hoping for maybe some more pump recomendations??

[h20cooled]

I would use the current p2 pump for your return and go with either a t4 or something similar for the closed loop. I have the t4 for my closed loop on my 50g and it works great. I use it with 2 1/2 sea swirls and its plenty of flow. But your tank is bigger so you might consider a bigger pump from your closed loop, something like a Sequence pump. They are supposed to by very quiet and very powerfull, that would give you amazing flow and a lot of options with plumping and flow.

As for heat your mh lights, pumps and other thing will add heat to your tank, without a chiller or atleast room AC you will probably have a hard time keeping a constant temp.

Rich

[awg228]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6603708#post6603708 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20cooled
I would use the current p2 pump for your return and go with either a t4 or something similar for the closed loop. I have the t4 for my closed loop on my 50g and it works great. I use it with 2 1/2 sea swirls and its plenty of flow. But your tank is bigger so you might consider a bigger pump from your closed loop, something like a Sequence pump. They are supposed to by very quiet and very powerfull, that would give you amazing flow and a lot of options with plumping and flow.

As for heat your mh lights, pumps and other thing will add heat to your tank, without a chiller or atleast room AC you will probably have a hard time keeping a constant temp.

Rich

Do you think the p2 will be enough turnover for a 90gal?

According to the head loss calculator it will only put out 616 GPH with a 5 foot vertical and a few elbows and 2 outputs. I thought I would need more like at least 900 GPH.
Not all of my rock will be in main tank. So i thought I would need more turnover to help with rock filtration. Or does that not matter?

[h20cooled]

I would think that 616gph would be fine for your sump, your don't really need a huge turnover for the sump. But you will definantly want to have a closed loop or a tunze for water circulation.

What skimmer are you using with that tank?

Rich

[awg228]

I will be using a ASM G3 skimmer.

Also half of my rock will be in my sump does that mean low flow in the sump will still be ok.

I know circulation in tank is for a more natural enviorment but isnt it partially for circulation of water around the live rock for filtration.

If half my rock is in sump shouldnt I then have a nice flow through sump?

I could be totally off base still somewhat new at this.

[h20cooled]

The circulation in the display is for a couple of things, first the corals need the flow, second it helps to get the poop and other detritus into the water stream so that it can get removed by your skimmer, third it will stop any cyano algae from growing on the rocks or sand.

As for the flow through your sump and the rocks it will really depend on where your rock is located and how your sump is designed. I have a bunch of rock in my sump/fuge and my flow is about 600gph through it. I have no problems with algea or high nitrates so I don't think that the extra flow in the sump would make any difference. To me a sump is a place for equipment (i.e. skimmer, heaters, UV, probes, etc...) and also a place for macro algea if you wish. It is not a way to add flow to my tank or cirulation, that is what my closed loop is for.

Rich

[Demeter]

Very nice. Looking forward to the build-out of the wall and plumbing for the tank.

[ReefMeister2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6603292#post6603292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by awg228
Bump

Hoping for maybe some more pump recomendations??
My room-divider reef is also a 90 gallon glass (bent-corner) with the sump plumbed through an adjacent wall into the garage.
I chose to go with dual QuietOne 6000 pumps and found it to be an awesome choice. I run nearly 2,000 gph through a modified LifeReef overflow (HOB).

The first picture is an older version...the others are more recent:


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/502/63874DSC00071.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/502/63874DSC02832_web_.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/586/638742__DSC01818-_web_-.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/585/63874sumpcloseup_web_.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/585/63874DSC02857a_web_.jpg

These three threads I created may be of some interest, or maybe not:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=575416

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=579223

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=619925

:)

[awg228]

Wow Very Nice!

That makes me wanna work even harder on mine. Thanks for the inspiration.

[ReefMeister2]

Thanks for the compliment!

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to design EVERYTHING as if it is intended to get wet.

Home Depot sells 4x8 sheets of plyable white plastic panels (cheap shower wall covering - but not the hard type) that I use extensively throughout my system. For instance, the sump area is actually designed like a bathtub so that any overflow is directed into the sink below. I always recommend people to design their tank stands with some sort of water retention capacity in the bottom that will at least hold a few dozen gallons in the event of a small flood. Very easy to do and may save you thousands of dollars in water cleanup costs due to a very minor overflow issue.

My "stand" is actually covered in Formica to make it waterproof and the tank itself is VERY SLIGHTLY tilted to the back corner so that any potential overflow is directed onto the kitchen tile rather than the carpeted dining room; much easier cleanup. All electrical outlets around the tank are covered with waterproof covers.

Design your construction the same as you would a shower in your bathroom. In other words, install vapor barrier over the wood studs/walls/cripples/etc. so that mold will not develop. Even with no flood or spills, it is still going to be in a very highly humid area due to evaporation as well as complications from salt creep.

good luck!

[awg228]

Here is my progress

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821IMG_0806.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821IMG_0804.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821IMG_0803.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55821IMG_0805.jpg

So far so good just need to get rest done now

[ReefMeister2]

Very nice!

There's only two minor things that I would change:

1) the blue flex conduit is pretty thin and not very durable. there is grey non-metalic flex conduit available that is designed for those plastic boxes and fittings that is much stronger and completely water tight. it is the same material as spa flex, same color of the boxes and comes in 1/2" or 3/4" (uses PVC glue)

2) I would ditch the filter block for your bubble trap and stuff that compartment with Cheato macro algae instead. It acts just like filter floss, creating sort of a bio-bubble trap so to speak.

I came up with that idea myself. I had just harvested a bunch of Cheato from my refugium awhile back and didn't want to just throw it all away....
that's when I looked at my empty baffles and thought, why not stuff them full just to see what happens. Perfect filter!
It gets just enough ambient light leftover from the refugium light to thrive

[Mr Bojangles]

awg228 I think that is a great idea of walling in a corner of a room to make a nice looking fish room where as having to make a new addition to ones house! Keep it up!