Ok fellows

That right!!!!! I just got a new 150 gallon reef ready tank and soon we start the build!!!!

I wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing :eek: your progress

Yippee! I hope you are planning on plenty of pix!

After my 120 was up and running successfully and the fish were growing and the corals were encrusting, my oldest son decided to help his Daddy clean the glass.....He's only seven, so,,,I could only get so mad,,,,,He picked up sand with the magnetic scrapper and scratched up the whole front and sides of the tank Now, I didn't get mad at him because he was showing an interest in the same thing that has brought some much happiness to me. So after explaining to him how to properly clean the glass, I started to think,,,how nice it would be to have scratch free glass!!! Than the idea arose of expanding the tank by 110 gallons. The tank would have been a 5' by 3' by 2'. Really nice size!!! Well,,,the wife said,,,,,and,,,,,,and##$$%^,,,,@##@%$.
So, now the new tank size is going to be 150 gallons and it's 5' by 2' by 2'. I know, you guys are thinking this guy just gave into his wife. No way!! This was a war that wasn't worth fighting. She has let me get away with so much already that it wasn't worth the fight

So here's the plan as of right now

Ok so here are my thoughts so far..... The tank is 5'long by 2' tall by 2' deep. I have used powerheads in the past but I think I may use a CL on this one. My problem is that I want to have a feeding type mode and a sleeping mode. That is when the current dies down enough to give the livestock(mainly fish) a just to rest. Corlas don't need rest. So how would one do this with a CL???? And I really don't want a ton of pipes under the tank. I also am scared of using a 4 way. Too much piping!!! I haven't seen one done yet that looks planned out. Pipes going everywhere!!!! Not clean looking. So what do you guys think???? I wonder if I could put the pump on a timer and have it timed to come on when the actinic's come on. Kinda like daybreak or like when the tide comes in(out)??? I might be overthinking this Here's a good question,,,,,Would the flow just from the returns be enough during lights out to keep the corals happy??? My return pump is moving 750 gph. And would that be enough flow to feed the corals with food in the column????
OM's are iffy at best. I have heard way too many people telling me of stories about sand getting into it, so how about this
So in the true spirit of DIY, I have come up with this idea!!! What if I used a reeflow pump pushing out around 4000 gph. And I used two irrigation valves wired to a irrigation controller. I own a landscape installation company and I have hundreds of 1" valves laying around. I also have controllers sitting around as well. These controllers have up to 16 start times aviable and can run up to 32 valves. I of course would only need 2 or 3 valves at the most. I would use two outlets (1") to feed the pump with each valve having three returns. So actually, I would have 6 returns feeding flow to the tank. This can also be programed and timed to start down when the lights go off. So what happens is when the lights come on, the pump comes on and the program on the controller starts.
So what do you think????????????

So after looking at all my options and talking to my good buddy, I have decided to go with two reeflow Dart pumps connect to a heavy duty timer and have them come on oppisite of each other. Kinda like a wave timer. But much bigger and much more flow. The Dart flows 2820 gph at 4' head. I figure it will have about 1' or 2' at the most head. So it should flow more like 3000 gph. I figure that 3 or 4 returns for each pump. The timer would be programmed to go on and off randomly until the lights go off and than the pumps would shut down until the lights come back on.

I like the idea of using the irrigation timer personally. I have heard that starting and stopping magnetic pumps can be iffy as to if they will come back on (that could be totaly crap I dont know for sure).

I dont know any reason to turn the pumps down when the lights go off. The fish will be fine at night even with high flow. They will probably just find somewhere in the LR to camp.

Most corals eat at night and I would think flow would be most important at night.

Mike, you already know that I am clueless when it comes to plumbing. But like John, I question if decreasing flow at lights out is really in the best interest of your corals. I have read in many placed that they feed at night. If anything you might want to go the other way, more flow at night and less during the day. This could have a side benefit that the heat from pumps would not be added to the heat from your lights.

Maybe we should start a poll on everyones opinion on flow at lights out. The reason why I am considering this approach is because of the Tunze controllers....They have a light sensor that when the lights go off,,,they idle down. Why would they have that option if it wasn't desirable???????

I don't know why. We can never duplicate nature but, is the ocean calmer at night? I know that I have laid in bed and listened to the waves crashing but I can't really say if I think it is calmer.

The purpose of "slowing" things down during the nighttime is to give the plankton-feeding species, as well as the corals, a chance to actually capture what's in the water column. I have the Tunze streams with the controller and have used this option with success. Corals an invertebrates need alternating flows and currents for their health.

Reefbaby whats up!! I knew that was the purpose of slowing things down. Its not like the flow would be completely cut off. Can you testify whether you have seen an improvement or healthier crop of corals??? And how much exactly is your flow being cut????

I think the flow gets reduced by 30%, if I remember correctly. I'll have to check once I'm home again (two weeks). It's dependent on how you set the little knobs...

You know...I've changed so many things with my new system. Everything is thriving and doing much better, including better coral growth and polyp extension, so it's difficult for me to pinpoint which change is responsible for the improvements. But, i have noticed in the new set-up, when the lights are off and the flow is reduced, all of my SPS corals have fantastic polyp extension, which would indicate to me that they're actively feeding during this time.

I guess it just give the small planktonic life a little bit better of a chance to rise up in the water column and it gives the coral polyps and other creatures a better chance at snagging things.

Reefbaby
very good point indeed!!!!! Thanks for sharing your experience!!!

OK so this is what I have come up with now. What about a barrcuda pump with a 4 way from OM. This tank build from RC uses this setup in a similar sized tank as mine and he states that he has had to turn down the pump because of too much flow!! Sounds good to me

Reef Central Online Community - Austin goes Rimless - Dudester's 203g mixed reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1148228)

But I think I would do the placement of the returns a little different. I want to hide them better than that. He does have a wavebox in his tank but I think thats more for the show of the wave than for flow. Could be wrong though.

I don't know why. We can never duplicate nature but, is the ocean calmer at night? I know that I have laid in bed and listened to the waves crashing but I can't really say if I think it is calmer.


Its dependant on the moons rotation on a daily & monthy basis. Not based on sleepy time due to lack of light my girl!
geographic topography & the gravitational lensing in your location will dictate what you see or in your case , what you hear whilst laying in bed.

Oh well, there is an awful lot to be said for lying in bed and listening to the waves.

Ok,,,back to reefing!!!!

Here is a drawing I made of the tank and the exsiting holes that have been drilled.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan.jpg

I need to decide what holes to use and where the new ones should go!!

Ok so I got my first( of two) shipments of rock from Marco Rock. I am very happy with the rock!! I ordered 60 lbs. and got 63lbs. The pieces are all large and the smallest one is still bigger than a softball. excluding the frag rumble....

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan002.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan001.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan003.jpg

Glad to see that your happy with your rock. So the holes on the drawing are already there? I'm having a hard time seeing the measurements, what size holes and overflow? and where will your return pump be ( how much head pressure)?

P.S. I used acrylic rod to build my rock structure. I drilled 3/8" and 1/2" holes and it helped keep everything from tipping over, rods were quite cheap too. just something to think about.

I used the rods on my 120 and they do work good. The overflow is 9 1/2" by 9 1/2" The big hole is 1.5" and all the other holes are 1". My return pump is actually in my sump room. ITs thirty five feet away. The head pressure is like 7'.

sounds good to me, I'll be tagging along for your build.

Congrats Mr Tang! Looking good, nice rock, no useful input so.... carry on! :up::heart:

Thanks nay,kid and skurvey dog!! Please do continue to check in here as we plan on moving faster on this build as summer comes closer.

I like the MarcoRock that I got. Sounds like you are pleased with yours too!

Thanks Carmie and I do like the rock. Its kinda weird though because as soon as I took the pics, I put the rocks back in the box and out to the garage. I want to take my time and avoid all the mistakes I made on the 120!!

I will need another 60lbs. but with the cost,,,I can handle it!! I was thinking today that I got 60 lbs. of rock for 143 bucks and if I got it from the LFS, It would have cost like 420 bucks. Thats a huge difference. I can handle not having coraline algae on the rock when it hits the water!!!

The next thing to look at is this greatstuff foam spray. I show this tank build thread the other day and the owner used this foam spray against the left side glass to hide the intakes for the CL.. In than painted it to much the LR he was using. The idea of painting the foam was to make it look ok until the coraline algae started growing over it. Anybody here have any experience using this stuff??? I thought I could use it to hide the overflow and the intake for the cl. All though I have not decided where the intake is going but if I put it on the back wall,,I fell like I can hide it better using this and LR.

Take a look at page 3 of this thread http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/5626-hi-375g-mix-reef.html and his creation using great stuff foam.

hey be careful , thats a magic carpet! your rocks might end up at my house. lol

Nice bud, look forward to your progress

Thanks Veriann!!

Glad to see you back in action!!! Now maybe since you got everything worked out,,you can drop the baby tank and move into deeper waters!!!

Far from worked out bud, 10years- its alot to untwine!

Big tanks mean more costs, & Im already taxed for the war in france, no wait.... i watched braveheart last night so i'll retract that statement! :rotfl:
How bout i bring my whopping great big fish to work, & assimulate everything i have running into a new 600lt for home - will that be enough to quench your appettite ?

Im selling all but 1 of my cars soon so maybe, just maybe i can re-dirrect some funds into the aquatic field!

No big changes as of late but have been playing with the marcorocks. Layed it out and am very surprised by how little 60 lbs. went. I need at least 60lbs. more and I still want two BIG pieces to go in front of these rocks

here a shot from the top
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan013.jpg

heres a shot level from the side
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan011.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan006.jpg

and a bad FTS

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan004.jpg

and a shot of my QT tank
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan004.jpg

and some of the sump room
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan015.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan016.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan017.jpg

You've done a lot of work there so far Mr. T. Starting to take shape, looking good. :up: I know about the LR, it never ever goes as far as one thinks it will. I think the weight always gets you fooled into thinking there's more there onstead of actual volume, surface area. :(

Hey Mike, looking good. Lots of real estate in that big tank!

no big changes still but have gotten my barracuda pump for the closed loop. This thing is a beast!!! Hoping for tons of flow!!!! Couple pics of the BEAST

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan018.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan022.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan020.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/mikebharris/150plan021.jpg

Gee Mike, if you decide to get out of keeping aquariums I think you could use that thing to run a swimming pool!

Mr. T

Hubby and I will be watching your thread, as it progresses. We're building a reef system here; tank on order, but have been doing lots of prep in the area of frag,fuge, sump, etc.

Are you retro-fitting your sump, etc to accomodate your new tank?

Keep the pics coming.

Dora

ps first post hereon TR

welcome aboard Nancy, glad to have you here.

Dora

Thanks for the comments!! and thanks for letting my thread be your first here too!!!
I don't think I would call it retro-fitting the sump because really all I'm doing is increasing the display tank size. The sump doesn't really need any changing to fit the 30 extra gallons. Now, I would like to change a couple small things in the sump but if that doesn't happen no big deal really. The thing I would change would be maybe some mangroves in the fuge and a deeper sandbed in the fuge. I have thought of adding a RSB, but will just wait and see.

Next big ticket item will be the ocean motions 4-way and than on to plumbing!!!!

Mr. T

Yeah, wrong terminology-retro....must have been a brain cookie left from a 'lighting' aquisition for our frag tank.

Nice that you can use some of your current equipment....saves some expense for start up.

When you show pics of your Marco rocks, they appear to be dry. Are they LR BR, .....'splain please.

Dora

Marco rocks are dry rocks, a lot of peopel use them to save money on the start up and seed them with a few nice pieces of live rock.
Marco is also a TR sponsor, so check out his sponsor forum if you have questions or are loking for a deal.

Hi Dora and :welcome: to TR.