gabe145
03/14/2017, 06:06 AM
So a little history first. I grew up in the Florida Keys, born and raised. I went off to school to be an engineer and did so as planned, but after a few years I chose a change in scenery. SO here I am now back in the kleys as a teacher at 28. Now I find myself building things all of the time and currently it's a reef tank. I once saw a huge tank with a center overflow, very center so you could walk around the tank and see things from all sides. So I chose to scale that down and make that. I want it to be SPS with Acros along the bottom, bare bottom.
I am now building a 24x24x12 inch acrylic box made out of 1/2 in cast acrylic.my Over flow is found in the very center of the tank the main being 1.5 inch, with the extra going over a 3/4 inch, there is another 1.5 as a safety. the return is also 1 3/4 inch. I chose to start making this the other day since it's spring break. so all I have is the acrylic sheets and the holes and bulk heads. I will be making a stand soon and then I am not sure if I should buy or make my sump. I know I can copy trigger systems using 1/4 acrylic, My sump will house 2 filter socks running in series so that I can put a 200 then 100 micron bag. a large skimmer section to house other things like a media reactor heater and possibly other reactors, a medium refugium and a return with an ATO. Of course there will be many bubble traps so there are no micro bubble escaping. and the return pump will be manifolded so to run my reactors. I am not sure what pumps to put on the tank yet, tunze, hydor, echotech, or current. Also lighting will be provided hopefully by a retro T5/LED. I need to make the box for that and think of a way to hang it over my tank.
Here are some pictures and please comment or make suggestions, I can always use help and ideas from those more seasoned in reef keeping. Should I put a closed loop under the tank? What T5 bulbs get color vs growth in peoples opinions? DO i need more/less?
I am now building a 24x24x12 inch acrylic box made out of 1/2 in cast acrylic.my Over flow is found in the very center of the tank the main being 1.5 inch, with the extra going over a 3/4 inch, there is another 1.5 as a safety. the return is also 1 3/4 inch. I chose to start making this the other day since it's spring break. so all I have is the acrylic sheets and the holes and bulk heads. I will be making a stand soon and then I am not sure if I should buy or make my sump. I know I can copy trigger systems using 1/4 acrylic, My sump will house 2 filter socks running in series so that I can put a 200 then 100 micron bag. a large skimmer section to house other things like a media reactor heater and possibly other reactors, a medium refugium and a return with an ATO. Of course there will be many bubble traps so there are no micro bubble escaping. and the return pump will be manifolded so to run my reactors. I am not sure what pumps to put on the tank yet, tunze, hydor, echotech, or current. Also lighting will be provided hopefully by a retro T5/LED. I need to make the box for that and think of a way to hang it over my tank.
Here are some pictures and please comment or make suggestions, I can always use help and ideas from those more seasoned in reef keeping. Should I put a closed loop under the tank? What T5 bulbs get color vs growth in peoples opinions? DO i need more/less?