TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Well, I picked up a couple of ultra/A grade croceas (acutally, not just saying that lol... Some people call every ugly crocea out there an ultra grade) for my tank. They are currently chilling out in the office Solana for the time being. Probably going to dismantel the solana once this tank is up and running. The one with the striped pattern on the bottom is the A grade, the one up top with full color (no drab mantle color shown) is the Ultra grade. Hopefully they manage to stay alive longer than my last attempt at baby croceas. (not sure if you remember the two from the very beginning of my 40 breeder thread from Vietnam that got PM and died within a week) Anyways here is a peak at them. *Fingers crossed* Link to comment
owned162 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Lovin' this build! Definitely tagging along! Sweet basement setup ! Link to comment
glennr1978 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Wow, I was just looking at the old pics on page 1 of your 20g, and your 40g. Both were awesome tanks, I wonder if they could go into the archives to pick the totm?? Your tanks were both totm material. Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 nice couch oh, and AMAZING build. Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Wow, I was just looking at the old pics on page 1 of your 20g, and your 40g. Both were awesome tanks, I wonder if they could go into the archives to pick the totm?? Your tanks were both totm material. Thanks man, I really appreciate the kind words. To be completely honest, I don't feel my 40br was quite TOTM material, but I certianly was proud enough of my 20 to want it to have been chosen for TOTM. In my opinion, my 20 is still my best piece of work to date (when it comes to the actual display and corals). My 40br just wasn't grown in enough to warrant TOTM IMHO. I am hoping that with around 8 months of constant and steady growth/collection of showpiece corals, that this 30br will trump my last two tanks. This will be, without a doubt, my most advanced system. It is going to be as automated as I can possibly get it to insure constant stability (which is the key to SPS for the record lol). Seeing as it is actually the centerpiece of my room, It better look freak'n mint! nice couch oh, and AMAZING build. LoL - it works for now... Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Ok folks, I figured I would keep you updated with my current plans for the sump and some of the equipment I intend to use to automate the system. Now, the purpose behind the automation isn't because I am lazy and I don't want to do any work on the tank, it is simply to keep the tank as fluctuation free as possible. The less fluctuation you have, the happier your corals will be. I intend to have the following: -ATO -Auto Dosing -Dual Stage Temp Control (cools if too hot, heats if too cold) -Solaris (Lights on a timing schedule to maintain circadian rythem) I am planning to run all of these features (less the lighting) on a RKL. I am in the process of speaking with DA on the matter to make sure I get what I will need to have all those automations. I am using glennr's Aqualifter dosing pump setup for the dosing as it is cheap as hell compared to any other method and will work just fine once dialed in correctly. I am just hoping the RKL can act as the timers for each pump (which is what I am currently speaking to DA about). The sump is going to be fun - both the drain and return need to be at the same end; on top of that I also need to find a way to slow the flow in the fuge because I am running near 1200 gph through the sump. I will do a mock up of the sump design later today and post it up! (I think it will work well, just want to get some second opinions). Anyways, that is it for now. Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Here are the diagrams of the sump. First is just a frame diagram so you can see it "transparent" - second is colored with arrows to show flow. The left chamber is the fuge. I am hoping that because it isn't directly inline that the water going through the fuge will slow down. If it doesn't slow down enough, I can through a half baffle in right where the water comes in from the drain side. This will act as a barrier to aid the flow to the next set of baffles and essentially bypass the fuge for the most part. The ATO and dosing pumps will be on the outlet side of the sump after the fuge, and the skimmer will be on the inlet side. Any thoughts? EDIT*** I have already found and corrected one small issue in that diagram I won't post the new one just yet - want to see if anyone else finds it! Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Looks good, but I think you'll have to do something with the sump design if you are going to pump 1200 gph through it. The way you have it set up the water will be moving very fast through the refugium. I liked the thought of the dosing system. I've been thinking about trying something like that for a while now. Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Looks good, but I think you'll have to do something with the sump design if you are going to pump 1200 gph through it. The way you have it set up the water will be moving very fast through the refugium. I liked the thought of the dosing system. I've been thinking about trying something like that for a while now. I figured that may be the case; here is a diagram of the remedy I described for that in my last post. Link to comment
spanko Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 In the overhead (top) shot how does the water get from the lower left chamber to the upper left chamber? Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 In the overhead (top) shot how does the water get from the lower left chamber to the upper left chamber? If I am understanding your question correctly, you are asking how the water gets into/out of the sump, correct? Basically the drain from the aquarium enters on the top left (back chamber) and the pump draws it out and pushes it back to the display on the bottom left (front chamber) Diagram to assist Link to comment
spanko Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thank you, did not picture it that way...... Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thank you, did not picture it that way...... No worries, It is a bit of an odd way to run a sump, but since my tank is basically a peninsula, and I need both the drains and returns on the same end, it think it is going to work better for me to run it in this U shape rather than inline. Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 No worries, It is a bit of an odd way to run a sump, but since my tank is basically a peninsula, and I need both the drains and returns on the same end, it think it is going to work better for me to run it in this U shape rather than inline. So what size sump are you going to use? And what skimmer? I can't wait to see this up and running. Link to comment
glennr1978 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I like your design. I see no reason why it wouldn't work. FYI on the dosing pumps, make sure you check the nozzles on the valves periodically. Ca & alk like to build up on them. I would just pull it off with my fingers then stick a toothpick up into the hole on the nozzle to get any build up that may be in there out. Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 So what size sump are you going to use? And what skimmer? I can't wait to see this up and running. The sump is a 30g 36"x12"x16" Going to be using a Hydor Performer 400 as the skimmer. I like your design. I see no reason why it wouldn't work. FYI on the dosing pumps, make sure you check the nozzles on the valves periodically. Ca & alk like to build up on them. I would just pull it off with my fingers then stick a toothpick up into the hole on the nozzle to get any build up that may be in there out. Good call - I was also going to have the pumps run vinigar once every couple months or so to make sure there is no buildup forming internally as well. Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Got the Solaris hooked up to a Coralife Aqualight hanging kit. Worked out pretty well I think. I may or may not build that fascia around the lighting mounts on the ceiling (mostly because there isn't much room with a 7' ceiling). Looks pretty slick regardless Link to comment
fiction101 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I think you might be the only person left that's using a Solaris. Link to comment
theonyl3rd Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 :thumbup: nice build! Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Looks very slick TJ! Sweet! :thumbup: nice build! Thanks guys! I think you might be the only person left that's using a Solaris. This is quite possible lol... Or at least the only person to be incorporating one into a new build anyway. That's what happens when you find a wicked deal on something that is terribly overpriced and proven to mess up from time to time! At least I have spare parts! Link to comment
acropora1981 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Dude the mood in ther is f-bombing-electric! It looks like a porno studio mixed with a public aquarium on acid! Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Dude the mood in ther is f-bombing-electric! It looks like a porno studio mixed with a public aquarium on acid! That's quite the quote. Awesome job TJ! Loving it! Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Just a quick update - I should be receiving my overflow panel from Saline Solutions tomorrow; plumbing photos will be following shortly! Link to comment
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