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Koden's 98 Gallon Custom


kinetic

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82 Gallon Custom Cube

 

Status

Setting up tank.

 

Dimensions

Display Area: SoCalCreations.com Custom 30"x25"x25" 82 gallons

Sump: Ecosystem Refugium 30" x 12" x 16" 30 gallons

 

Display Area

Black back wall. The front corners will be seamlessly rounded. The aquascaping will go as follows: I will build a thin frame for the rockwork to lean against. while giving the back about 3" to 4" off the backwall. Four points will touch the back wall. This will provide for easy cleaning, better flow behind, and easier access to plumbing / intakes. All the rocks will lean up against this. The frame will be a square with two verticle and two horizontal pipes in th emiddle. Attached will be a maxijet 600 to the piping which will also have small holes drilled throughout. This will keep stagnant water from developing inside, as well as providing some flow.

 

Aquascaping will be in the shape of a "C", with the opening being in front. The tips of the "C" will be the lowest points, gradually reaching the middle which will be the highest. Along the top of the rocks will be acropora and other branching corals except the tips, which will be zoanthids. On the outside of the walls of the C, I'll have some montipora, xenia, and other SPS. On the inside wall of the C I will have candy canes higher up, a hammer coral down low in the middle, brain corals tucked away under overhangs, and a bed of frilly mushrooms, yuma's and florida ric's on the floor of the substrate and leaning against the rock. So basically SPS on the sides and tops, LPS on the inner walls, softies on the substrate. The outside substrate I'll keep empty.

 

The flow will come from two vertical spray bars running down the back corners of the tank for the sump return. 780gph - plumbing loss. These spray bars will direct flow behind the rocks and to the sides of the tank. Two rear closed loop returns shooting flow to the back and sides of rockwork, providing a little flow through the back of the rockwork into the middle of the C, and most other to the sides of the C. Two front closed loop returns coming from holes drilled in the front top two corners of the eurobracing, these will provide flow going to the sides and tops of the C, and a little into the middle of the C. This will provide high flow to the tops / outside of the C, with medium flow on the inside of the C.

 

There will be a 1" to 3" sand bed. 30lbs to 40lbs of LR. I will save the tips of the C for zoanthid rocks.

 

Two 2" pipes will be half buried, having two 45 degree elbows on the ends. One end will open up just inside the C, and the other just outside the C under the rock. They will be on opposite sides of the C. One pipe for my Randalli Goby and a Pistol Shrimp, and the other for my Blackray and Pistol Shrimp. They will be introduced to the outside openings first by use of a funnel and specimen container when introducing them to the tank.

 

External Overflow

12" row of notched teeth in the center of the back wall of the display to a 12" high overflow with one 1.5" drain.

 

Sump

30 gallon EcoSystem Refugium Sump. 30" x 12" x 16".

Intake Chamber:

First bulkhead will have the submerged Coralife pump feeding to the bulkhead connected to a Coralife Super Needle Wheel Skimmer rated up to 220 gallons. One 150watt heater will be submerged in here as well.

Refugium Chamber:

1.5" of live sand and chaeto. I'll cut the chaeto up into small pieces, instead of having one big ball. Chaeto will not sit on the sand, there are ridges so I'll be placing an eggcrate to keep it above the sand. 70watt HQI Metal Halide w/ 14K Astralux light. I will also have a xenia growing in here as well.

Return Chamber:

I will have the second eheim jager 150watt heater, and Coralife Temperature Probe in this last chamber. The 780 GPH return pump will be externally connected to the bulkhead existing already. Also there will be an intake and return from a Two Little Fishies phosphate reactor holding phosphate absorbing media and activated carbon.

 

Plumbing

1.5" drain from overflow. Standpipe drain into sump. 780GPH from the return pump. Returns will be T'd off to two vertical spray bars on both back corners of the tank. Closed loop with two inlets connected to a T, and then to a 1500GPH pump, out to a Oceans Motion Super Squirt. The super squirt will divert into 4 CL returns, two on the bottom back of the back wall, two from the top front drilled through the eurobracing.

 

Lighting

AquaMedic Ocean Light 250watt HQI, 20,000K XDE Lamp. 4 white led's, 5 blue led's for moonlights. 70 watt hqi for fuge.

 

Equipment

Corallife Super Skimmer with Needle Wheel (220gallon rating)

Dual Eheim Jager 150watt Heaters

Pentair Quiet One 6000 closed Loop Pump (1500GPH)

Pentair Quiet One 3000 return pump (780GPH)

Two Little Fishies Phostphate Reactor

SeaChem SeaGel Media

Coralife Digital Thermometer

Oceans Motions SuperSquirt

Reef Fanatic Level Controller w/ 2 sensors

Current USA moonlights, 4 white LED's

R2 Moonlight (5 blue moonlights)

250watt AquaMedic Ocean Light 250 watt hqi with 20,000K XDE Lamp

2"-3" deep sand bed worth of LS

40lbs. Liverock (Extremely porous)

 

Livestock

1x Cleaner Shrimp

12x Scarlet Hermits

24x Trochus Snails

24x Cierth Snails

24x Nassarius

 

SPS

LPS

Mushrooms

Ricordia

Zoanthids

 

Ocellaris Clown Pair

Female Bellus Angel

Carribean Neon Blue Goby

1 Male Dispar/Sunburst Anthia

3 Female Dispar/Sunburst Anthias

 

 

Design Pictures

Top of Tank. Two holes drilled in eurobracing for CL return and Sump return

tank_top.jpg

 

Back of Tank. Two holes for CL intake and two for the other two CL returns. The bulkheads I.D. are all 1", but they're shown as 2" since the bulkheads O.D. are about 2".

tank_back.jpg

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wow, you're more prepared than i am for my upgrade! utilizing physics for flow, lol, why didn't i think of that?

yeah with a cube you can do some much more interesting things with the landscape, i'm planing on having 2 mini islands in the front, and making the back center a focal point for a big mountain that'll have rocks on the side creeping towards the front so that when you look at it from above it'll form a "C" shape.

you could consider a luminarc III reflector for you retrofit?

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Wow, sounds like you have already done quite a bit of research for your new tank. Good for you. It's always good to be prepared up front.

 

Here are some of my thoughts so far:

 

- the overflow is too narrow at 2". You won't have enough room to work with, i.e. putting in a durso or stockman pipe, not to mention just trying to put your hand down there trying to tighten the bulkhead. Make it at least 3 or 4". The rest of your descriptions for the overflow is kind of confusing. When you say 2x2" overflows, do you mean drains?

 

- question 1, make your sump as large as possible to fit in the stand, but do plan on leaving some room for other equipment that you may get in the future, i.e. Ca reactor.

 

- question 2, I am sure some acrylic shops can bend rounded corners for the tank, altho I don't which ones would specifically.

 

- question 3, the notched teeth on the overflows are typically 3/8", which is around 5-6 mm.

 

- question 5, your return pump should somewhat match the flow rate of your drains, which is not clear at this point.

 

- for the sump, the fuge portion shouldn't really follow the skimmer compartment. The fuge typically should have lower flow and should receive the tank water directly. The skimmer and fuge compartments should be on opposide ends of the sump and flow into a middle return section or some similar design.

 

- DON'T use a SCWD on the sump return. You want constant flow rate so your overflow eater level will stay even. Otherwise, it'll fluctuate and create noise.

 

- instead of the spray bar, consider a closed loop

 

- get a better skimmer, either ASM or EuroReef

 

- too many fans, maybe 2 max

 

- consider an external return pump since submersible pumps will put extra heat into the system.

 

I am sure you'll change things here and there as your design process moves along. Good luck and have fun.

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Awesome start!

 

A few things I would suggest though:

If you are going to have a fuge in the sump, I wouldn't have the return pump 1500 GPH. This is very powerful, and many people suggest having a slower return. I would use a Mag 9.5, like I am using.

For the closed loop, I would increase the pump size. I would suggest at least 1000 GPH. Have you considered having holes drilled for a CL instead of in the overflow?

Also, I would either get a bellus/watanabei or a dwarf angel, not both.

Good luck!

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wow, you're more prepared than i am for my upgrade! utilizing physics for flow, lol, why didn't i think of that?

yeah with a cube you can do some much more interesting things with the landscape, i'm planing on having 2 mini islands in the front, and making the back center a focal point for a big mountain that'll have rocks on the side creeping towards the front so that when you look at it from above it'll form a "C" shape.

you could consider a luminarc III reflector for you retrofit?

 

babycakes, your landscaping sounds really interesting. I was definately going to do a "C" shaped setup, curving around an atoll or lagoon looking space in the middle.

 

Luminarc III? I will research that. I've heard about it. Thanks for letting me know =)

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I second the lumenarc III...I've heard GREAT things.

 

I'd change to a 10K (even though the 14K bulb rocks) and up the actinics...keep it blue but better growth.

 

Also I'd suggest the closed loop and bigger skimmer Remora Pro or Euro-Reef, or ASM. Also, if you are gonna do SPS think about a calcium reactor...

 

oh, and ditch the SCWD...

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quote from pookstreet

Wow, sounds like you have already done quite a bit of research for your new tank. Good for you. It's always good to be prepared up front.

 

Here are some of my thoughts so far:

 

- the overflow is too narrow at 2". You won't have enough room to work with, i.e. putting in a durso or stockman pipe, not to mention just trying to put your hand down there trying to tighten the bulkhead. Make it at least 3 or 4". The rest of your descriptions for the overflow is kind of confusing. When you say 2x2" overflows, do you mean drains?

 

You're right, 2" is a bit too narrow. I think I'll increase it to 4", making the total tank size 28" in width. My M-Tank has a 4" "sump" area, which is just perfect for me to work in. And the 2x2" is two drains with 2" diameters. I'll fix that up =X

 

- question 1, make your sump as large as possible to fit in the stand, but do plan on leaving some room for other equipment that you may get in the future, i.e. Ca reactor.

I could probably fit a 24"x14"x14" underneath (I already have the stand, though I may use something different =) But for a Ca reactor etc. and just a bit of extra room I'll go with something smaller. I'll also have the sump sitting on a platform with wheels, so I can undo the unions and slide it out towards me to work on. I'll take some measurements tonight of the stand I'm planning on using.

 

- question 2, I am sure some acrylic shops can bend rounded corners for the tank, altho I don't which ones would specifically.

That's promising, I'm definately all for the rounded corners.

 

- question 3, the notched teeth on the overflows are typically 3/8", which is around 5-6 mm.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll make changes =)

 

- question 5, your return pump should somewhat match the flow rate of your drains, which is not clear at this point.

I'll work on calculations of flow vs. flow area etc. this week/weekend to see. I think if I overdo it on the drains I'll be safe.

 

- for the sump, the fuge portion shouldn't really follow the skimmer compartment. The fuge typically should have lower flow and should receive the tank water directly. The skimmer and fuge compartments should be on opposide ends of the sump and flow into a middle return section or some similar design.

If I have two drains from the overflow, do you think having one go into the skimmer chamber on the leftmost chamber, and the other going into the rightmost chamber where a fuge is, then both overflowing into the return chamber would be good?

 

I wasn't planning on depending on the skimmer to push water over into the center chamber, but instead to just have the skimmer pulling in water and outputting water into the same chamber, and having water overflow into the center chamber. But I'll look into the return chamber in the middle idea. Any other suggestions here?

 

- DON'T use a SCWD on the sump return. You want constant flow rate so your overflow eater level will stay even. Otherwise, it'll fluctuate and create noise.

I really want the SCWD wave motion, so I guess I could just have the return pump attach to my spray bar that's mounted on the back wall bottom corner, and then do a closed loop with the SCWD on the verticle corner spray bars...

 

- instead of the spray bar, consider a closed loop

Right, as I said above maybe I'll do a closed loop for the dual verticle spray bars on the sides with a SCWD, and the return will only be one spray bar. Are spray bars generally a good or bad practice? I like how they spread out the flow coming from the return.

 

- get a better skimmer, either ASM or EuroReef I'll research these guys. I always thought Aqua-C made a good remora skimmer, but I'll look into these. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

- too many fans, maybe 2 max I'll probably have to do some trial and error here, but maybe 4 is too many.

 

- consider an external return pump since submersible pumps will put extra heat into the system. The quiet one pump, maxijet, and some other pump I have all don't put in very much heat, I don't think it'd be that big of a problem, though an external pump would be easier to work with. I'll keep that in mind =)

 

I am sure you'll change things here and there as your design process moves along. Good luck and have fun.

It will definately change dramatically, especially with all the great help! Thank you!

 

Awesome start!

 

A few things I would suggest though:

If you are going to have a fuge in the sump, I wouldn't have the return pump 1500 GPH. This is very powerful, and many people suggest having a slower return. I would use a Mag 9.5, like I am using.

For the closed loop, I would increase the pump size. I would suggest at least 1000 GPH. Have you considered having holes drilled for a CL instead of in the overflow?

Also, I would either get a bellus/watanabei or a dwarf angel, not both.

Good luck!

 

After I do some calculations I'll probably have to change GPH rates. I want at least 25x water displacement an hour for the return.

 

I may revise my spray bar closed loop idea, instead of doing the SCWD on the return, like I mentioned in the post above this, I'll do a SCWD on a closed loop system.

 

Would the two different angels be aggressive towards each other? Or do you think the bioload would be too much?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

I second the lumenarc III...I've heard GREAT things.

 

I'd change to a 10K (even though the 14K bulb rocks) and up the actinics...keep it blue but better growth.

 

Also I'd suggest the closed loop and bigger skimmer Remora Pro or Euro-Reef, or ASM. Also, if you are gonna do SPS think about a calcium reactor...

 

oh, and ditch the SCWD...

 

Ok I'll definately look into a lumenarc III.

 

I really like the 14k look, and really wasn't a fan of the 10k. I already have the equipment for the actinics, so I think I may just stay with 14k + actinics. I don't think my highest priority is to maximize the coral growth... especially since a 70gallon isn't the largest of tanks to hold that much coral... but still I'll look into this, thanks!

 

I actually ment the Remora Pro when I said Aqua-C Remora. I'll look into euro-reef and ASM.

 

SCWD: I really like this! The wave motion is really neat. I heard it is beneficial? I'm thinking of throwing it on the closed loop rather than return pump. Why should I not use it?

 

thanks!!

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SCWD really reduce the amount of flow by about 20%+ and tend not to last that long under higher flow. Having random flow is very good but they mean that you should consider getting a different type of flow device like the OM Squirt. They are much higher quality and dont reduce the flow nearly as much.

 

forgot to mention that an asm or euro-reef would be much better than the remora. You jump into a totally new ballpark with those skimmers and they out perform almost any other skimmer out there.

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SCWD really reduce the amount of flow by about 20%+ and tend not to last that long under higher flow. Having random flow is very good but they mean that you should consider getting a different type of flow device like the OM Squirt. They are much higher quality and dont reduce the flow nearly as much.

 

forgot to mention that an asm or euro-reef would be much better than the remora. You jump into a totally new ballpark with those skimmers and they out perform almost any other skimmer out there.

 

OM Squirt? Does that do a similar thing? I'll look into that. =)

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Yes, the squirt rotates the flow like the SCWD but through 4 outputs and is much more efficient in the way it does it. A bit more expensive than the SCWD but is well worth it. You might want to consider the super squirt as well as it can handle more flow and you will need lots of flow with the SPS.

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Yes, the squirt rotates the flow like the SCWD but through 4 outputs and is much more efficient in the way it does it. A bit more expensive than the SCWD but is well worth it. You might want to consider the super squirt as well as it can handle more flow and you will need lots of flow with the SPS.

 

awesome, I'll do research on this =)

 

I think I'll save about $3000 for the setup, so I'll have to check prices when I have a good setup plan.

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Yes, the squirt is a better option than the SCWD.

For the angels, I would be worried about bio-load as well as aggresion. I just think that putting two angels together in a small area would be bad news.

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Yes, the squirt is a better option than the SCWD.

For the angels, I would be worried about bio-load as well as aggresion. I just think that putting two angels together in a small area would be bad news.

 

ok, sounds good =) I'll probably get either or.

 

Do you think a Bellus / Watanabe would be too big for the tank?

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Do you think a Bellus / Watanabe would be too big for the tank?

 

 

Too big? Too small? It's all relative. Depends on who you ask :P I have a Watanabei in a 30 and he is quite happy. Almost trained him to feed from my hand.

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Too big? Too small? It's all relative. Depends on who you ask :P I have a Watanabei in a 30 and he is quite happy. Almost trained him to feed from my hand.

 

neat! i'll look into a watanbe.

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what kind of plumbing should I use? I'm thinking of using black PVC all around, with ball valves and unions to be able to close and disconnect everything. Any suggestions?

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Doing some calculations, I've realized that my total water volume not including sump will be near 80 gallons, and then with the sump I will be nearing 110 gallons total. WOAH. Neat =)

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I ordered my OM Squirt about a week plus time ago. Kogden just thought you should now the regualr OM Squirt can only handle about 1300PGH, around that rate it needs to have a bypass. The drum can't overcome the pressure. They recommend a bypass with a pump around 1000GPH.

 

Looking at your M-tank thread you probably are going to want to look at the Super Squirt which is rated to about 2200 GPH. Just since you seem to size the pump much higher then most like I do.

 

Look into the revolutions, which I ordered, and you could probably skip on any type of spray bar and still get some nice movement. Nice thing about the revolutions is you can get the size of the orifices and angles custom spec'ed.

 

Check out their forms if you have any questions.

 

Oceans Motions link

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I ordered my OM Squirt about a week plus time ago. Kogden just thought you should now the regualr OM Squirt can only handle about 1300PGH, around that rate it needs to have a bypass. The drum can't overcome the pressure. They recommend a bypass with a pump around 1000GPH.

 

Looking at your M-tank thread you probably are going to want to look at the Super Squirt which is rated to about 2200 GPH. Just since you seem to size the pump much higher then most like I do.

 

Look into the revolutions, which I ordered, and you could probably skip on any type of spray bar and still get some nice movement. Nice thing about the revolutions is you can get the size of the orifices and angles custom spec'ed.

 

Check out their forms if you have any questions.

 

Oceans Motions link

 

thanks for the info! i'm definately going with more than 1000gph =) I'll look into revolutions too. thanks for the link.

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I might change it to a 250watt hqi...

 

I had a 250watt hqi before, and it was way too strong for my tank. I thought everything in there would get skin cancer even with the UV tempered glass on the pendant.

 

For this cube I think I'll stick with a 250watt, should be more than enough with 110watts of actinic supplement.

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Big update! I've made some huge changes to my design. Here is where it stands:

 

Tank Dimensions: 30" x 24" x 24" (~75 gallons) (rounded front corners, euro-braced, black back wall)

 

Tank maker: SoCalCreations

 

Overflow: Black and Centered 12" x 18" x 4" (~3.7 gallons)

 

Overflow teeth: 4mm wide, 2" tall, with removable acrylic piece covering top. This will reduce a little evaporation from the falling water =P

 

Drains: two 1.5" drains. One on the bottom, one above it for redundancy reasons of one getting clogged.

 

Return Pump: 780GPH return pump from sump connected to 12" spray bar running through the middle of the backwall of the tank, right under the bottom of the overflow.

 

Sump: EuroReef Skimmer, fuge with chaeto and LS, trickle filter with activated carbon and phosban media (phosban really works!), two 150watt jager heaters.

 

Closed Loop: 1500GPH Quiet One 6000 with OceansMotions SuperSquirt, 4 outlets, one in each corner of the backwall. Nozzles will be flat nozzles to divert flow a bit more.

 

Lighting: 250watt 14,000K Phoenix H.Q.I. DE Metal Halide w/ Luminarc III reflector. Two 55watt Actinic PC's. Four white moonlights, 5 blue moonlights.

 

LS/LR: 1.5" sandbed, 50lbs. LR setup in a "C" shape, opening in front of the tank, with the tips of the C being the shortest and the middle being the highest point.

 

Livestock: Watanabei Angel, Ocellaris Pair, Purple Dartfish Pair, Randalli or Blackray goby. 20 trochus snails, 20 cerith snails, 20 scarlet reef hermits, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp, randalli pistol shrimp for the goby, black spine urchin. All SPS with a hammer (far away from other corals), candy canes, and open brains... maybe a favia, a fungia, and some frilly mushrooms.

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