Kinda's Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

[seabass]

Soon you'll have to rename this thread, or start a new journal thread with a new name.  IDK, maybe something like:
Kinda's 120 Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

[Kindanewtothis]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Soon you'll have to start a new journal thread, with a new name.  IDK, maybe something like:
Kinda's 120 Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

I was more thinking of renaming this thread that started with a 30g.

 

Your name is really good. My idea was:

 

Kinda's magnificent 120 and what not to do, but I guess I'm passed that. Still can't keep euphyllias...

 

@Melfy77 your hammer is dying sorry.

 

[Kindanewtothis]

[Kindanewtothis]

Is 6x18 enough for a refugium ? 

 

Edit: I went for 7x18 so that gives me 11x18 for the skimmer.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Kindanewtothis

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Is 7x18 enough for a refugium ? 

I think probably.

[Kindanewtothis]

Do I have enough sand? 45 pounds? About 4 gallons.

[seabass]

6 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Do I have enough sand? 45 pounds? About 4 gallons.

You could always buy another bag if you need to, or thoroughly wash out your existing sand and use that.

[Kindanewtothis]

2 minutes ago, seabass said:

or thoroughly wash out your existing sand and use that

One thing for sure, I'm not putting my hands in that sand!

 

I'll place the rocks, put the fish in a rubbermaid container and the add the new sand and see. I'd like the water to clear up before I transfer the fish and the LTA.

 

So should I start a new journal ? Or just rename this one? The way I see it, it's already about the new tank.

[seabass]

9 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

So should I start a new journal ? Or just rename this one? The way I see it, it's already about the new tank.

It's really your call.  But not many people have a 128 page journal thread (that's a lot of history).  You can certainly just rename this thread; but you might want to at least update your initial page with details from this tank.  You could use this as a guide/template:

https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/212216-monthly-reef-profile-totm-nominations/?do=findComment&comment=6081847

 

[Kindanewtothis]

57 minutes ago, seabass said:

but you might want to at least update your initial page with details from this tank. 

Will do. 

 

How do you insert pictures in the text? 

[seabass]

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

How do you insert pictures in the text? 

Edit your initial post; then just cut and paste the template into your post.  Then you can edit it like you usually do.  I often just drag pics from other posts to where I want them.

[Kindanewtothis]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Edit your initial post; then just cut and paste the template into your post.  Then you can edit it like you usually do.  I often just drag pics from other posts to where I want them.

On a phone or a pc?

[seabass]

I feel like I'm providing tech support for my dad.

 

Use whatever you want.  It's just a normal post just like any other.  I find it easiest with a PC, but you can also cut and paste using a phone or tablet.  The template is really just an example of things which you can include in your initial post (including a current picture).

[Kindanewtothis]

9 hours ago, seabass said:

I feel like I'm providing tech support for my dad.

 

Use whatever you want.  It's just a normal post just like any other.  I find it easiest with a PC, but you can also cut and paste using a phone or tablet.  The template is really just an example of things which you can include in your initial post (including a current picture).

Hahahaha young man, respect your helders and show me how to program the vcr (that's how old I am)

 

I just never tought of simply copy/paste pictures in the text, I was just adding files.

[Kindanewtothis]

I understand waiting 48 hours before filling a tank that was resealed but do you think 24 hours is safe just to hold the baffle? It doesn't seems like it's going to move already.

[seabass]

I believe that is the time it takes to fully cure.  It can release ammonia when not fully cured.  If possible let it cure the 48 hours.  While I'm not 100% sure, I believe 24 hours is enough time so as not to compromise the seal if it gets wet.  However, I wouldn't think that you'd want it to hold water pressure until it's fully cured.

[Kindanewtothis]

Oh.... you just clic on insert!!! Feel dumb now...

 

Tank transfert will be done on Saturday morning. Tomorrow is the golf tournament with work. Saturday is better, I will have more time to monitor everything.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

[Kindanewtothis]

@seabass what is the ratio for flow? Is it 30 times the volume every hour?

[seabass]

48 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

@seabass what is the ratio for flow? Is it 30 times the volume every hour?

Twenty-five to thirty times turnover is about right for a mixed reef of LPS and soft coral.  So for your 120 gallon display, about 3,000 to 3,600gph should be plenty (unless you were growing SPS).  The flow through the sump is another matter; some say a macroalgae refugium should have less flow going through it (maybe even like ten times turnoover through the sump, or something like 300gph through a sump like yours).  But I wouldn't worry too much about higher flow through your sump, the chaeto should be fine with more flow.

[Kindanewtothis]

1 minute ago, seabass said:

Twenty-five to thirty times turnover is about right for a mixed reef of LPS and soft coral.  So for your 120 gallon display, about 3,000 to 3,600gph should be plenty (unless you were growing SPS).  The flow through the sump is another matter; some say a macroalgae refugium should have less flow going through it (maybe even like ten times turnoover through the sump, or something like 300gph through a sump like yours).  But I wouldn't worry too much about higher flow through your sump, the chaeto should be fine with more flow.

Ok so the return pump is almost enough by itself?

 

https://aquariumdepot.ca/products/current-usa-loop-eflux-dc-flow-pump-3170?_pos=4&_sid=b117ab087&_ss=r

 

I have a Nero 3 I'm planning to use but it's small for this tank. Also have the sicce xtream. If I remember correctly these 2 are 2000 gph each. Would you use them?

 

What about the return nozzles, how do I direct them? I understand they can pump water from the tank in case of an outage? Got an anti-return valve on the pump.

[Kindanewtothis]

18 minutes ago, seabass said:

The flow through the sump is another matter; 

Isn't the flow the same as the pump? 

[seabass]

2 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Ok so the return pump is almost enough by itself?

The return pump will lose some flow due to head pressure.  However, your pump has a maximum head height of 20', so it will still be capable of pushing a lot of flow through your tank.  There are formulas to figure head pressure.  I usually just add the vertical height, plus a foot for 90 degree bends.  But there are other factors like linear length of the plumbing and diameter of the pipes.  You could look it up.

 

Anyway, I feel that you should still use powerheads in the display.  If for nothing else, you wouldn't want 3,000gph going through your sump.  Not to mention that your drains couldn't handle that much flow.

 

2 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I have a Nero 3 I'm planning to use but it's small for this tank. Also have the sicce xtream. If I remember correctly these 2 are 2000 gph each. Would you use them?

Yes.  I figure you don't want your return pump pushing much more than 600gph of actual water to your display.  That's about 300gph to each return nozzle.  I certainly wouldn't want the return to pump any more than 1,000gph.

 

2 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

What about the return nozzles, how do I direct them? I understand they can pump water from the tank in case of an outage? Got an anti-return valve on the pump.

IMO, check valves are a failure waiting to happen.  Relying on them to prevent back flow will cause a flood in the event of a failure.  Instead, you just want the return nozzles as high as possible so that a back siphon won't drain much water down your return lines.

 

2 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Isn't the flow the same as the pump? 

Yes, the flow through your sump equals the amount of actual water being pumped through your return pump.  So let's say that it's possible for your pump to push 2,000gph up into your tank.  Let's also say that your 32 gallon sump holds 20 gallons when running (I believe it will actually be less).  So the flow through the sump would be 2,000gph or 100 times the volume of the sump.  That's way too much flow for your skimmer and fuge to operate efficiently.

[Kindanewtothis]

8 hours ago, seabass said:

The return pump will lose some flow due to head pressure.  However, your pump has a maximum head height of 20', so it will still be capable of pushing a lot of flow through your tank.  There are formulas to figure head pressure.  I usually just add the vertical height, plus a foot for 90 degree bends.  But there are other factors like linear length of the plumbing and diameter of the pipes.  You could look it up.

 

Anyway, I feel that you should still use powerheads in the display.  If for nothing else, you wouldn't want 3,000gph going through your sump.  Not to mention that your drains couldn't handle that much flow.

 

Yes.  I figure you don't want your return pump pushing much more than 600gph of actual water to your display.  That's about 300gph to each return nozzle.  I certainly wouldn't want the return to pump any more than 1,000gph.

 

IMO, check valves are a failure waiting to happen.  Relying on them to prevent back flow will cause a flood in the event of a failure.  Instead, you just want the return nozzles as high as possible so that a back siphon won't drain much water down your return lines.

 

Yes, the flow through your sump equals the amount of actual water being pumped through your return pump.  So let's say that it's possible for your pump to push 2,000gph up into your tank.  Let's also say that your 32 gallon sump holds 20 gallons when running (I believe it will actually be less).  So the flow through the sump would be 2,000gph or 100 times the volume of the sump.  That's way too much flow for your skimmer and fuge to operate efficiently.

So if I understand  correctly, I have to find the sweet spot for the pump flow to match the drain flow?

 

Edit: ok no that's not what you said.

[seabass]

You just don't want to overwhelm the drains.  I'm not 100% sure of the drain specs, but I suspect the max flow is somewhere around 600gph each.  So I imagine that it's possible to supply too much water to your display.  If you hear one or both drains "flushing", then you are supplying too much flow for your drains to handle.

 

However, I still feel that maximum flow through your drains would be more than what's recommended for your sump.  So I might recommend running the return pump somewhere between 600-1000gph.  You might get some other opinions, but I think you'd be good in this range.

 

I don't believe that you have to actually compute the return's flow rate.  Once it's running, you'll have a better idea about what works.

[Kindanewtothis]

Tank transfer begins, wish me luck!