new 30G set up

[MX6import]

Please take a look at my set up that I would like to do with my tank. I need help deciding a few things. First is how high should the water be there the protein skimmer is. Also which area with the water evaporation show so I know where to add a auto top off. Next is what size and what kind of return pump should i get so that I have plenty of flow coming out of the returns. Also will i need more flow like maybe a spray bar behind the rocks with a power head or something? Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks
Andrew

http://imgfly.com/sizer.php?source=files/280306_045202/&file=tank%20set%20up.jpg&width=800&height=600

[mr pink floyd]

link no work

[Pillz]

link worked for me.


What size return pump do you plan to use? I would suggest a Mag 7 with a ball valve to throttle it down just incase. The squid will take the flow down a huge amount so the flow would end up being around 300 gph.

[MX6import]

300 GPH would be good because the over flow will be at a max 300 GPH probably a little less.

[Jim Z.]

Nice Diagram :). My 30 gallon setup is similar, but far less complicated. For a bubble trap, I use a plastic bird food container with 20 1/4 inch holes drilled in along the bottom edge of the container......Jim Z.

[MX6import]

when you say bubble trap are you talking about the water entering the sump? or are you talking about water that is going from where the protein skimmer is to where the return is? Also some one said use a mag 7 but don't those run hot? any pumps that would run cooler or are mags the best?

[MX6import]

?

[MX6import]

Also where will the water evaporate be visable

[Mykayel]

Make sure that you can actually get your skimmer in/out of your sump, it looks like you could have clearance issues.

[aural]

water evap will happen in your sump. I suggest that you get a float switch system with a 5g holding bucket so it will auto top off. I got a FANTASTIC float switch setup from www.top-off.com and i couldnt be happier.

Your Diagram looks really good. The only thing that is of concern that i see is that your only circulation is coming from a return pump, and with it T'd off and with multipule outputs you arent going to get much water flow unless you use one hell of a pump. I'd suggest a Mag 9.5, very good pump, but depending on what you are wanting to keep in the tank, you might need some additional water movment via a power head or 2.

on a side note, i noticed your username... you have an MX6? I had a '93 a while back. funny, i never have really talked to anyone else that had one. it was a fun car in my teenage years.

anyways - your plan looks pretty solid - i'll be interested in seeing it come to fruition. :)

[MX6import]

I know that the evaporation will happen in the sump but will it be where the skimmer is or where the return pump is. im going to run a mag7 so I will probably need some more flow in there. how much flow is to much, and how do you know.

Yes I also HAD a tricked out custom metallic green MX6. I LOVED THAT CAR and will get another one later on.

I will post pics as soon as this gets going and i get all the equipment. thanks for all the info so far guys.

[aural]

how much flow is too much? well that really depends on what you are going to keep in your tank. If you are looking to do an SPS tank, its difficult to have too much water movment. If you are doing a softie tank, you dont really need a terrible amount of movement.

So what's your poison? what are you interested in? what kind of lighting are you going to use?

[MX6import]

I will be using a 250W reef optix MH and I would probably have LPS and some sps. Also I would like fish and all the good stuff. Coming out of the returns it will be about 275GPH alternating on either side (because of the SCWD). then maybe get a wave timer with some power heads and I have a couple of hydor flo hook ups. I think the 2 power heads i have a 295GPH.

[Jim Z.]

In my sump, water entering from the tank churns and has quite a few micro-bubbles. The bucket allows most of these tiny bubbles to float to the top. Putting a sponge between the baffles will serve the same purpose. I use a Mag 5--plenty of flow. Turbine pumps lose efficiency when moving water up a great vertical distances. I do run a couple of powerheads for additional flow.....Jim Z

[kabal2]

imh you should take the sponge out, put another baffle, and the carbon put it in a bag under the return from your tank, and for flow get two maxijets 600 with the mod for them for flow, and careful with the clearence you have for your skimmer, after that it looks really nice, and nice diagram

[QAScooter]

Hey Gumby,

I was checking out the picture of your plan and wanted to share what I've done with my tank.

I've got a 30g tank, sump in the back (like a nano). I'm running a Rio 2100 (700 gph) through a SCWD, then two two heads per input to the tank. Great flow and really moves things around with current flowing back and forth across the tank. If I swap out the SCWD with a T, the flow is the same in the tank, but doesn't look near as strong because the flow is coming out of all 4 heads verses just two at a time. This means that the SCWD is now an integral part of the tank, and a T just won't cut it.

I'm getting away with just the one pump because it is only a 30g, and it's not pumping up from a sump

I just wanted to give you some feedback of what I've done, because your diagram is something I've contemplated putting together myself, and I kind of did something similar, just with an all-in-one tank.

Let us know how this goes!

[MX6import]

ok well I think I'm going to get rid of the sponge because of the large amount of build up it will cause and just put a filter sock on the in line from the main tank. next question I really which return pomp to use. I would like to have as little in the display tank as possible. I was wondering if maybe getting a mag 9.5 (950GPH) will be better then the 7 (700GPH) considering that im using a SCWD and will be going up about 4 feet or so. Also thanks for the tip about not making the cabinet to low so I can still get out the skimmer. So now there will be 3 baffles instead of just 2. And where do I want to put the float vales for the auto top off?

[QAScooter]

I'd go with the bigger pump. If worse comes to worse, you could always back off the flow. You will lose some head pressure with the SCWD, as well as the height your pumping the H2O.

I almost went with a RIO 1700 and am very glad I went with the 2100. I'm kinda bummed I didn't go with a 2500 - same footprint as the 2100.

[kabal2]

in the side where the return pump is, and go with a mag 5, or max a mag7,you want to run a low flow thru your sump, and the maxijets are not that big btw

[MX6import]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7082961#post7082961 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kabal2
in the side where the return pump is, and go with a mag 5, or max a mag7,you want to run a low flow thru your sump, and the maxijets are not that big btw

im not really sure what that means? the Mag will be for the return to the main tank, not for flow inside the sump.

[QAScooter]

Kabal's got a good point. You don't want a lot of water flow through the refugium, hence the smaller pump. Then beef up the movement in the tank with PH's.

My tank is only 24" wide by 16" deep so I don't want to add any extra PH's in my tank, as well as noise/humm considerations. Then there is the added heat....

[MX6import]

there is no refugium.
and I was just on marine depot and looking at the SCWD cart and the mg chart a mag 7 will be fine. a mag 7 at even 6 feet which it wont be that high will give me just about 320GPH into the tank. that is including all the elbows. a mag 9.5 a the same height will give me about about about 600GPH out into the tank. that's a big difference.