pandabehr Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 This is the time of the year that I enjoy most..... Tax refund time!!!! Which means extra csh to spend on fish goodies!!!! I am looking to upgrade my current 10 gallon to either a 20g long or a 20g high. My first nano was a 20 long fowlr, and I loved the way it looked. I like the shallow appearance and the large amount of surface area. Is there any negitive feedback on this size tank. I plan to light it with a 175 watt 10000k hqi pendant. I have plans drawn up for a cormer overflow to a 10 gallon refugium that will house mangroves and macros. So far here is my idea.... AGA 20 gallon long with corner overflow (DIY) (3/4 overflow drain, 1/2 return from refugium...Bulkheads of course) 75 watt ebojager heater two maxi jet 600's for circulation 10 gallon sump (DIY) with mangroves and macro mag drive 3 return pump from refugium I have a 32 watt csl retro and a few 13 watt ahsupply retros laying around that I can use somehow for wither the refugium or atentic supplementation. I would like to keep the follwing corals, Green star polyps Assorted Zoo's mushrooms xenia maybe a clam... although I have never kept one before.... brain Feedback is appreciated... Thanks Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Ok, here is my feed back. I have a 20H, and perfer it because it is easier to light with pc. I was going to run metal halide but due to heat I decided againt it. I had a 10g with a 250W but the heat was unbelievable! A single halide bulb is recommended for 2' of surface area and a 20l is a little longer than 2' but will give you room for some lower light corals at each corner. Be careful with a single 3/4" overflow with those two returns. I currently have 2-3/4" returns on my 20H with a mag7 for return and the overflows can barely keep up and the overflows are kinda loud. Go with a 1" you can't go wrong. Finally I noticed that most of your corals are medium light corals so you could go with pc and not worry about heat. I said most...the clam is going to be a different story. Depending on the clam is going to depend on the lighting. A maxima will require halides and deresa or crocea will require less. Hopefully I have helped! MacnReef Link to comment
pandabehr Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 ok... Thanks for the feed back so one 3/4 overflow drain w/ a durso standpipe and one 1/2 return powered by a mag 5 pump is not sufficent? I plan to use ball valves to control water flow. What kind of problems will I have? Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Well, I don't know, never tried it. All I can say is that it is going to be very loud. When I used my ball valve and closed off one drain to see if it could handle it, the drain got VERY loud and the tank started filling up quick. Again, I would go with a 1" drain. A mag5 is only a little smaller than a mag7, if you are stuck with a 3/4" drain, try a mag3. You won't have as much flow but atleast the ball valve can handle it. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 I mean bulk head can handle it!X) Link to comment
pandabehr Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 HUMMMMMM.... My small feeble brain begins to think...... Done some research on the durso standpipes, they are supposed to cut down on noise (The gurgle that people complain about). Anyone tried one of these. Here is my problem... I have already ordered a 3/4 bulkhead and a 1/2 inch bulkhead from marine depot. I planned to just "soup" up a ten gallon and in a previous post someone recommended a 3/4 inch drain and a 1/2 inch return. The I got the idea to go bigger,badder and bolder! I guess I should stick with a 10g or maybe a 15g. Would my bulkhead choices be good on a ten? I really want to make sure that I am doing the right thing. I have a fourth floor condo and I dont want any spilling disasters that might cost me thousands.... As for lighting I spied a 110 watt power compact fixture that is very affordable. It is 24 inches and it would fit perfectly on a 20L. Would it be more practical that a 175 mh HQI..... Link to comment
glazer Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Mac, Gotta ask, have seen you mention it a couple of times now. You say you have TWO 3/4" bulkheads/drains and they are barely keeping up with your pump... and you think about 400gph going through them combined? How do you have them set up as far as the plumbing arrangement? I have a 3/4" drain on my tank and by doing the "5 gallon bucket with a Timex second-hand equipped watch" I was getting about 300 gph through mine with no problem whatsoever. With your two you should be able to handle quite a bit more... do you have them set up with any kind of vent, ala Durso or Stockman? EDIT: Just wanted to add a last minute thought... I figured out my Mag5 with my plumbing arrangement and head height was pushing about 360 gallons... the 3/4" could keep up with it but I had to remove the cap on my Durso/Glazer standpipe setup so the thing could get more air... but it was making some really NASTY sucking sounds!...lol Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 No, my bulkheads do not have a durso, they just go straight out the back and into my sump. Do you think if I added a tee and put a cap on it with a hole drilled in it, it would help. Do you have any pics of what I could do? I never thought of a external durso?: Also, would that cut down on noise? These things are loud as shat, when my pump is running wide open! Link to comment
glazer Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Quicker for me to put this pic up than take a pic of my setup... besides what I did is pretty much identical to this... well except I'm not dealing with and external overflow box. This will definitely let you "take down" more water and be much quieter at the same time..... Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Glazer, Thanx! I can do that and will only take a few mins. I will go get a tee, coupler, and cap. how large is the whole on the top supposed to be? Also, what is that in the hole on the top? Thanx again! Link to comment
pandabehr Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 so.... 1 inch standpipe reduced to 3/4 inch drain/bulkhead drilled on the bottom of the tank with a straight shot to a sump then pumped back to the tank with a mag three doesnt sound like a good idea on a 20g long..... Back to the drawingboard Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Sounds fine to me but you may want more water flow thru the tank. Let me try this stand pipe thing tonight and I will get back to you. I will run my mag7 wide open and try it with one drain and we will see how it works! Link to comment
glazer Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 panda... I think what you got planned is fine! and Mac... uh, the "thing" in the top of the cap is a adjustable air valve. Might consider it optional but it is a way to fine tune the overflow if you will.... I drilled an 1/8" hole in the cap on mine and that seems to work just fine so I didn't bother with the valve. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Hey Glazer....I really do appreciate you taking the time and answering my questions. I will do the same and drill a 1/8" hole in the caps of mine. Heck if it works like you say, I just might use one as an overflow and the other as a closed loop. Ofcourse, that is if the one overflow can handle the water! I have an extra mag7 that I would love to put on my tank for added circulation so that I do not have to use powerheads. Know what I mean! Thanx again! Link to comment
pandabehr Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 Thanks again glazer..... This project is looking to be on the up and up.... I have $250.00 budget to spend on lights....... Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 $250 for a 20H should be plenty for lights...Enjoy! Once you get your tank up and running, how about some pics! Later Link to comment
d0lz Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 If you've got 250 for lights what you might consider doing is hitting the classified ads here or on reefcentral, normally you can find a good deal on lights, you just have to be quick on RC cause people buy them quickly. Link to comment
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