450 Gallon Peninsula Display

[mcrist]

This is my first thread so hopefully I get some views and replies. I have been planning on creating this system for the last year during which I did a lot of research. Of course my research was mainly limited to Reef Central, Wetwebmedia, and books. I strongly recommend reading any of Bob Fenner’s and/or Anthony Calfo’s writings.

The first decision I needed to make was acrylic or glass. I don’t want this to become an acrylic verses glass thread but I wanted to list my thoughts. I’ve always owned glass tanks before but my last tank had a scratch in it that I hated and of course since it was glass I couldn’t remove the scratch. I also had an Oceanic tank leak on me 2 days before Christmas which was a real nice Christmas present.:mad: I was on both sides of the fence and finally decided on an acrylic tank.

Next order of business was the size of the tank and its location. The two designs I've always liked are the in the wall and the peninsula design. I wish I had some great words of wisdom here, but my final decision came down to what my wife wanted. :) She liked the idea of the tank being a room divider between the kitchen and the family room. Now that I knew where the tank was going I needed to decide on the size of the tank. I wanted an 8’ long tank by 4’ wide tank but I had a hard time fitting it in the space I had. I decided that an 8’ tank was a little to long so I went with a 7’ long by 4’ wide by 30” tall tank. I also went with an external overflow and a euro braced top. Since I knew what I wanted I needed someone to build my tank. I always knew if I went with an acrylic tank that I wanted to contact James from Envision Acrylics. I read so many posts on Reef Central on how people loved his work so I wanted to call him. After talking with him on the phone numerous times, to make sure I was comfortable with my design, I ordered my tank in May. I received the tank in August and my project finally started. I never realized how much my life would become involved with a project of this size. Enough writing here are some pictures…

[xinumaster]

Very nice. I'm thinking of getting a tank from James too. Are the corners on your tank rounded? I don't see room to add a sump sump underneath the stand? Is it going to be external (outside the house).

[mcrist]

Here are some photos when I received the tank. The truck driver didn’t think we could get the crate off his truck and it took a little convincing before he would even try.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-13_10-46-38.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-13_10-48-58.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-13_10-59-16.JPG

[stlouisguy]

How far along are you right now, just receiving the tank or further along. My tank is 6ft x 4ft x30" that I am currently setting up so I will watch your thread closely to see how you aquascape and handle flow and such. Tank looks beautiful!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8503804#post8503804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xinumaster
Very nice. I'm thinking of getting a tank from James too. Are the corners on your tank rounded? I don't see room to add a sump sump underneath the stand? Is it going to be external (outside the house).
Yes, two of the corners are rounded. I would highly recommend having James build you a tank if you want acrylic. The sump and all equipment are located in the basement directly under the tank.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8503924#post8503924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stlouisguy
How far along are you right now, just receiving the tank or further along. My tank is 6ft x 4ft x30" that I am currently setting up so I will watch your thread closely to see how you aquascape and handle flow and such. Tank looks beautiful!

My tank is up and running, I just need to post more photos. Still have a lot more work to do, but thats half the fun.

[lclzgarling]

thats going to be sweet

[mcrist]

One thing I would like to point out is the crate that was built to ship my tank. James takes no shortcuts when it comes to anything he does. The crate was built out of 3/4 plywood and I think he used an entire box of screws to hold it together. My first battery drill ran out of juice before I even had the top off. The truck driver even made a comment that he never sees crates built like this anymore. I think we could have just dropped the crate off the truck without harming the tank.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-09-09_19-21-04.JPG

[stlouisguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8503967#post8503967 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
My tank is up and running, I just need to post more photos. Still have a lot more work to do, but thats half the fun.

Stop Teasing!!!! :mad2: Show me the tank!!!

:D

Seriously though, getting ready to add rock in the next day to two, could you pm me a pic of your aquascaping?

[mcrist]

I liked the idea of a metal stand but the cost of it being built and the fact that I did not need much room under the tank persuaded me to build the stand out of wood. Here are some photos of my stand under construction.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-19_16-32-56.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-19_16-33-30.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-19_16-33-20.JPG

[mcrist]

My wife loves this photo. A lot of people commented on the size of the tank and joked that I built my coffin. Well I figured I might as well take a photo of it as my coffin.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-27_09-18-44.JPG

[mcrist]

Here are some photos of the tank on the stand.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-27_14-07-30.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-27_14-07-44.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-27_14-07-20.JPG

[mcrist]

I would like to post what not to do when moving an acrylic tank.

The tank weighed an estimated 600 pounds dry and I had a total of 6 men (including myself) to move the tank. I figured 100 pounds a person seemed doable. We needed to move the tank from my garage to the front door which is about 30 feet away. Then we need to go up two concrete steps then through my front door. We then needed to go about 15 feet down a hallway before making it to the family room. We were able to pick up the tank but we couldn’t walk with it very well. Well after much thought we decided to put the tank on its one side and that we would roll the tank on PVC pipe. Big mistake… :mad2: It seems that PVC pipe is a soft plastic and that it picked up small stones as we rolled the tank outside. I also learned that protective paper will not stop small stones from scratching the tank. Well it did a lot of damage to the tank but I guess I will need to sand the scratches out. They are not too noticeable by I know they are there. My wife made a comment “Well the first scratch is their now you can stop worrying about it.” Great words of wisdom…

Moral of the story, if you need to roll an acrylic tank in order to move it, put the bottom of the tank on the pipe. Never use a viewable side.

Please learn from my mistake…

[mcrist]

I was so excited to finally add water. Now we are getting somewhere.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-09-10_16-48-30.JPG

[stlouisguy]

Interesting, added water before you did the plumbing. Any particular reason for that?

Also for moving large tanks I suggest 4 wheel dollies. Sorry to hear about your damage, go get some novus and a random directional buffer

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504515#post8504515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stlouisguy
Interesting, added water before you did the plumbing. Any particular reason for that?

Also for moving large tanks I suggest 4 wheel dollies. Sorry to hear about your damage, go get some novus and a random directional buffer

No reason, just wanted to get it moving along. I closed all the ball valves so that I could start adding water. It took over a week to add the water and I wanted to work on the plumbing while I was filling the tank.

Where were you when I need that info? :D I already got a kit from http://www.micro-surface.com to sand out the scratches. I would love to use a buffer but I am scared as hell to damage my tank even further since I never used a buffer. I haven't attempted to sand out any scratches yet, maybe this weekend.

[mcrist]

I designed my tank to have a closed loop through the bottom of the tank. This is the first time I ever had a tank drilled on the bottom of the tank. After talking with James he convinced me that if I used Hayward brand bulkheads that I would not have leaks. I was so impressed with the quality of the bulkheads that I bought all Hayward brand unions and ball valves.

One thing I did that may be different from what most people do is that I did not use Teflon tape for any threaded connections. I used aquarium grade silicone for all fittings. I learned that one from Bob Fenner. I love the seal it makes and I get zero salt creep and yes you can remove it if needed. Best of all it is flexible for any fittings that has vibrations, specifically pumps.

I had 8 one inch holes drilled on the bottom of the tank and 2 two inch holes on the side of the tank to feed my pump. The pump I decided to go with is a Sequence Dart and I was originally planning to use the 8 way OceanMotions unit for random flow. I decided that the 8 way would make my plumbing way to complicated so I went with the 4 way. I am happy I did since the 4 way was tough enough to get the way I wanted. The Dart is sooo quiet, I love that pump. Bellow is a picture of the fittings where the two inch bulkhead goes to my pump. My daughter is playing peak-a-boo in this photo.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-09-10_16-49-08.JPG

[mcrist]

Here is another topic that can cause some debate…Bare bottom or sand…

In the past I had tanks that were both BB and with some sand. I always like the look of sand but hated the additional work required with sand. The final deciding factor was that I would like to add a pair of Flasher and Fairy wrasses. So I added a deep sand bed to my tank. It took 1100 pounds of sugar fine sand to make my DSB. Talk about a headache adding the sand and working with it afterwards. The jury is still out if I made the right decision but only time will tell. It does make it look more natural.

[stlouisguy]

Do not be afraid of the buffer!! My tank was used and covered in small scratches, I had never used a buffer, but with the novus, I used it slightly damp and just let it work. I am also very lazy and didnt want to wear out my arm buffing with grit after grit after grit

Go ahead and sand out a few scratches, then you will understand the buffer. It was only like $20 at Home Depot just gotta make sure its the random directional one.

How are you going to handle what appears your plumbing is against your bracing? Do you think cutting it will affect the integrity of the stand?

Great pics keep them coming

[stlouisguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504746#post8504746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
Here is another topic that can cause some debate…Bare bottom or sand…

In the past I had tanks that were both BB and with some sand. I always like the look of sand but hated the additional work required with sand. The final deciding factor was that I would like to add a pair of Flasher and Fairy wrasses. So I added a deep sand bed to my tank. It took 1100 pounds of sugar fine sand to make my DSB. Talk about a headache adding the sand and working with it afterwards. The jury is still out if I made the right decision but only time will tell. It does make it look more natural.

Picture would be nice :rolleyes:

[mcrist]

Finally some pictures of my tank with rock, sand, coral, and fish in it. These pictures were taken 2 weeks ago. Water is a little cloudy because I just added the rock. Everything came from my preexisting tank that was up for about 2 years.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-10-29_18-59-07.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-10-29_18-59-15.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-10-29_18-59-24.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-10-29_18-59-34.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-10-29_19-00-17.JPG

[Z-Man07]

Stunning!!! Keep the pics coming.

What are your intentions for finishing the stand? Will you leave the top open with the lighting as is?

Very nice!! (jealous)

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504780#post8504780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stlouisguy
Do not be afraid of the buffer!! My tank was used and covered in small scratches, I had never used a buffer, but with the novus, I used it slightly damp and just let it work. I am also very lazy and didnt want to wear out my arm buffing with grit after grit after grit

Go ahead and sand out a few scratches, then you will understand the buffer. It was only like $20 at Home Depot just gotta make sure its the random directional one.

How are you going to handle what appears your plumbing is against your bracing? Do you think cutting it will affect the integrity of the stand?

Great pics keep them coming

I think I will try the buffer but I want to try it by hand first.

The brace just touches the plumbing going through that section. It is a lot tighter than I wanted so it made it harder to work on it but it all does fit. Sometimes I wish that I went with the in-the-wall design so I would have a lot more room for this.

[scarletknight06]

is it a sumpless system or do you have drains/returns in another room that I cant see?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504891#post8504891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Z-Man07
Stunning!!! Keep the pics coming.

What are your intentions for finishing the stand? Will you leave the top open with the lighting as is?

Very nice!! (jealous)

Thank you for the compliments. I was a little nervous to start a thread because I see so many beautiful tanks that other people built and I don’t want to compare mine to theirs.

The bottom of the stand I am planning to match the cabinets that I have in my kitchen. I know a professional cabinet maker that I am hoping to help work on this.

The lighting will change because I hate that old hood. I am currently looking at fixtures by Aqua Medic, Giesemann, and Sunlight Supply. I don’t think I will take the leap until after Christmas. I spent enough money as is. I am planning to leave the top mostly open maybe a 4 inch oak cap but otherwise open.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8505057#post8505057 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scarletknight06
is it a sumpless system or do you have drains/returns in another room that I cant see?

All the equipment is in the basement. I will take some pictures tonight so I can post them tomorrow.

[Fiziksgeek]

Looks awesome...Can't wait to see more!

[Alphabet]

Very nice, thanks for the pics!! :thumbsup:

[bpd964]

MAN, that's nice!

[46bfinGA]

where did you get the sand?im looking for about 1000lbs of it right now for my new tanks.

[alien9168]

Looks very nice :)

How much sand did u have? ...if you didnt already answere that. :)

[46bfinGA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8506339#post8506339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alien9168
Looks very nice :)

How much sand did u have? ...if you didnt already answere that. :)


he posted right at 1100 lbs.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8505866#post8505866 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 46bfinGA
where did you get the sand?im looking for about 1000lbs of it right now for my new tanks.

I purchased it from http://www.thatpetplace.com/ . I think it was about 35 bags of the CaribSea Aragamax sugar sized at $17.99 a bag.

[BumpinTJ24]

how thick is the acrylic? That is a sweet tank, also did you say the tank is 84x48x30? If it is that's 500 gallons

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8506583#post8506583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BumpinTJ24
how thick is the acrylic? That is a sweet tank, also did you say the tank is 84x48x30? If it is that's 500 gallons

Yes the tank is 84x48x30 and the acrylic is 1" thick except the back wall which is 3/4" thick. That wall is reinforced with the external overflow for added strength. I used the inside dimensions for the tank to take in account the true water volume. I estimate that to be about 82.25x46x27.25 which calculates to 446.3 gallons and then I rounded up. Of course that does not take into account the external overflow or the sump but who’s counting. :rollface:

[46bfinGA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8506537#post8506537 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I purchased it from http://www.thatpetplace.com/ . I think it was about 35 bags of the CaribSea Aragamax sugar sized at $17.99 a bag.



wow a little more then im looking to spend.but im sure its really nice clean sand.i may just go the home depot route if i could just find the stuff somewhere.

[dougie]

Beautiful tank!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8508979#post8508979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 46bfinGA
wow a little more then im looking to spend.but im sure its really nice clean sand.i may just go the home depot route if i could just find the stuff somewhere.

Yeah, it was more than what I wanted to spend too. I spent about 2-3 months looking around to find cheap aragonite sand but couldn't find it or when I did the cost of freighting 1100 pounds of sand matched or exceeded what I would spend at That Pet Place. I didn't want to delay my tank any further so I had to open my wallet again.

[Genin]

it looks great!

[REEFLITE]

oh, It's so bueautiful tank.

[mcrist]

I am now an official member of the Deltec club. The model of skimmer that I purchased is an AP902. I ordered it and set it up the same weekend I moved my live rock to the display. I am still trying to adjust it to make it the efficient skimming machine that I paid dearly for. Hopefully it was money well spent. Right now it seems to be running fine but I am not getting a dark skimmate but more of a very watered brown tea. I do not have a heavy fish load which I know is part of the problem. I only have 5 fish in the tank right now. Last night the skimmer went nuts when I fed my fish and pumped out about 2-3 gallons of lightly colored tan skimmate. I guess I will read/post some more on the Deltec forum.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-47-05.JPG

[46bfinGA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8509221#post8509221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
Yeah, it was more than what I wanted to spend too. I spent about 2-3 months looking around to find cheap aragonite sand but couldn't find it or when I did the cost of freighting 1100 pounds of sand matched or exceeded what I would spend at That Pet Place. I didn't want to delay my tank any further so I had to open my wallet again.



Understandable,I may end up doing the same thing if i cant find any.where did you find some where you needed to freight it in?

[mcrist]

With this tank I wanted to make sure I had the ability to have whatever flow I would need to go through the sump. So I had three 2 inch drains drilled to accommodate whatever flow I would need in the future. Right now I have all three drains hooked up but only two of them are actually taking any water. Two of the drains are fitted with a custom Durso overflows and the third just has a union and a strainer that sits higher than the other two. This way it can be used in an emergency but otherwise it stays bone dry. All three drains go to the sump except one has a ball valve and a T’s that allows all water to go to my skimmer. I wish the skimmer allowed a larger fitting than one inch but I guess it will do. The return line is out of 1” PVC which is feed with an Iwaki MD100RLT that I estimate is pumping at about 1500 gph. I went the easy/inexpensive route and used a 150 gallon Rubbermaid poly tank for my sump. I still have 2 more 100 gallon poly tanks that I used to house my fish during this entire move experience. They survived about 5 months in those 2 tanks.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-48-18.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-51-19.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-51-40.JPG

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8510283#post8510283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 46bfinGA
Understandable,I may end up doing the same thing if i cant find any.where did you find some where you needed to freight it in?

The only place I found was http://www.safesand.com/ but they were twice the cost.

[46bfinGA]

yeh those prices on the sand are way high.your sump setup looks good!what is that grey stuff around the poles in front of the sump?is that just a mat or sometype of flooring epoxy?

[Aliie]

When I get ready to build my dream tank can I call you?

[jbrown11352]

That is a display I can only dream of!
Any new pics?

[Briankook]

mcrist, wow, your setup is really nice. I noticed that you live in Allentown, I'm in Reading. I purchased my tank at TFP.

Even though I have not updated my thread in a long time, here it is: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=432971&perpage=25&highlight=image%20intense&pagenumber=1

I also just purchased the Deltec 902, you'll love it!

Did you have good experience with Envision Acrylics? Are they close to us?

I'm in the process of building a new facility for my company. I want a peninsula tank in my lobby. You are giving me some great ideas!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8512640#post8512640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 46bfinGA
yeh those prices on the sand are way high.your sump setup looks good!what is that grey stuff around the poles in front of the sump?is that just a mat or sometype of flooring epoxy?

That grey stuff is actually a 4’x4’ ½ thick steal plate panted gray. My idea was to help distribute the weight from the two posts on the concrete. I was afraid to just have that much weight/pressure on a small square that the concrete would crack. Moving the plate downstairs was really difficult since it weight over 300 pounds. I took four of us to safely move it to the basement. I never realized that ½ steal weighed that much. :eek:

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8513292#post8513292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aliie
When I get ready to build my dream tank can I call you?

Sure, I love talking fish...:D

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8513787#post8513787 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Briankook
mcrist, wow, your setup is really nice. I noticed that you live in Allentown, I'm in Reading. I purchased my tank at TFP.

Even though I have not updated my thread in a long time, here it is: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=432971&perpage=25&highlight=image%20intense&pagenumber=1

I also just purchased the Deltec 902, you'll love it!

Did you have good experience with Envision Acrylics? Are they close to us?

I'm in the process of building a new facility for my company. I want a peninsula tank in my lobby. You are giving me some great ideas!

I actually live in Breinigsville but nobody would ever know where that is but everyone heard of Allentown (thanks Billy Joel). I work in Reading/Wyomissing so I am in your area everyday. Man do I hate 222. :mad2:

I love That Pet Place; you can’t beat their prices anywhere. I buy all my salt there.

I am having a hard time with my new Deltec. It just seems to go crazy every once and a while and pump out barely colored water. Tonight I had a flood when it did it again and drained 20 gallons.

I had a great experience with Envision Acrylics, I would highly recommend James. Unfortunately he is not local, he is actually from Oregon. Yes, it did cost a lot to freight it but it was worth it.

You may gladly come see my tank if you are in the area.

[SunnyX]

This is exacty what I am looking to do with my next tank project in the future, although my tank will be bigger. Probebly 10'x5'x3'.

Keep the pics coming!!! :thumbsup:

[Briankook]

mcrist, thanks for the reply. Can you explain in more detail what is wrong with your Deltec? Maybe I can help.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8519060#post8519060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Briankook
mcrist, thanks for the reply. Can you explain in more detail what is wrong with your Deltec? Maybe I can help.
The problem I am having with my new Deltec 902 skimmer is that it produces some skimmate then all of a sudden it starts to produce a lot of white skimmate that floods the collection cup and fills my waste container. Nothing changes in the tank when this surge happens. The skimmer is gravity fed and I have the water level set to just below the bayonet. I am guessing I have between 500 to 750 gph going through the skimmer. In order for me to get the water level to the bayonet I needed to partially close the exit valve, maybe a quarter turn. I also have the air valves set to about the 2 oclock position. I don’t think I can close the air valves any more since it makes the Eheim pumps rattle. I believe I have it setup according to directions.

[Briankook]

I had that happen when I first set it up a few months back: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=924423&highlight=briankook

It has not acted up since then. I also have my return partially closed, although Doug does not recommend this. I have my air valves open all the way.

How long has it been running? Are you still having the same problem?

The only difference is that your setup is gravity fed & mine is pump fed. hmmm

[mcrist]

Two new photos taken on 11-08-2006.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-16-52.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-46-11.JPG

[tony13]

System looks great. I have a question about the pipes right before they enter the sump, you seem to have a T setup, what are they for?
I might also have a idea for your skimmer feed. I have four 1 1/2" drain going into a 3" pipe. The skimmer is then T'ed off with a ball valve. It's hard to tell how yours is setup. Here's a pics to see the piping by the skimmer.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/tonyhibert13/IMG_1549.jpg

[Treg]

Hey mcrist.

Love the tank, you did a fine job! :thumbsup:

Another AP902 via Gravity feed user here.
A couple things you might want to check on:

For starters, Unplug your eheim pumps and remove the collection cup, leave everything else running as normal. Watch the water level inside the skimmer body for several minutes and see if your getting any surge from your drain line (water level going up and down). If your drain is sucking air it can cause surging once and awile, that could cause random overflows of the cup.

How long is the run from your skimmer drain line and is it uphill at all?
Much back pressure could also cause overflows.

If all else fails you might want to try reducing the water input slightly?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8538418#post8538418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tony13
System looks great. I have a question about the pipes right before they enter the sump, you seem to have a T setup, what are they for?
I might also have a idea for your skimmer feed. I have four 1 1/2" drain going into a 3" pipe. The skimmer is then T'ed off with a ball valve. It's hard to tell how yours is setup. Here's a pics to see the piping by the skimmer.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/tonyhibert13/IMG_1549.jpg

The T idea I got from marino420td. It’s supposed to help micro bubble in the sump. It isn’t complete but it is doing an ok job right now and I wanted to stop changing things for awhile so I can finally enjoy my tank a little.

Below is a photo of my protein skimmer feed. I believe it is similar to your design except I used all hard plumbing. Their is a ball valve on the 1 inch feed but it is close to the skimmer and you can’t see it in the photo. Currently the one ball valve is completely shut and all the water from the one 2 inch drain is going into the protein skimmer.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-16_07-56-33.JPG

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8554688#post8554688 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Treg
Hey mcrist.

Love the tank, you did a fine job! :thumbsup:

Another AP902 via Gravity feed user here.
A couple things you might want to check on:

For starters, Unplug your eheim pumps and remove the collection cup, leave everything else running as normal. Watch the water level inside the skimmer body for several minutes and see if your getting any surge from your drain line (water level going up and down). If your drain is sucking air it can cause surging once and awile, that could cause random overflows of the cup.

How long is the run from your skimmer drain line and is it uphill at all?
Much back pressure could also cause overflows.

If all else fails you might want to try reducing the water input slightly?
Thanks for compliments. I am not happy with it yet but I will continue to improve on what I already have.

I did notice that I occasionally a get a small surge from my overflow or at least I think that is where I am getting it. I will try your idea tonight so I can determine where it is coming from.

The skimmer drain line is about 2 to 3 feet long and it does not go uphill at all.

I am hesitant to reduce the water input because I already feel that I have less than the recommend 800gph going through my skimmer.

[mcrist]

I noticed this on Deltec's website the other day.
Use of a Deltec Skimmer on a New Aquarium Setup.

Excessive Bubble Syndrome

We get many calls and emails from people new to the hobby or to Deltec skimmers about high levels of foaming or micro bubbles that are returning to their aquariums from their new Deltec skimmer.

This can be quite normal and is a result of the salt water that they have produced not as yet being mature enough for the high performance of the Deltec skimmers.

Many brands of salt used for aquarium water are made up from component parts to reproduce the elements found in natural sea water.

One of the additives introduced to many salts is a conditioning agent which is put in to react with heavy metals and toxins in the water and neutralise their negative effect.

The down side of these additives is that they can increase the surface tension of the water and enable bubbles to hold their form much longer than would be natural with mature salt water.

This effect obviously disappears as the water stabilises and reacts with waste in the system but until it does it causes many people concern which results in a call or an email to us.

To convince yourself of this fact just look at the bubbles in the skimmer cup. They effervesce like when you open a bottle of fizzy pop, which is not how mature water reacts in a skimmer. The bubbles also smell very clean and when you watch them in the tank you will see that they do not burst for an unusually long period of time.

Once the water has matured or the conditioners have been skimmed out then the problem will go away.

Problems reported are:

- My skimmer is producing excessive foam and filling the cup with a clear liquid

- Lots of small bubbles are returning to my aquarium.

These comments are most often reported on the MC500 and MCE600 models, probably as these are more often bought by people new to Deltec Skimmers or with new tank setups however both of these issues are indicative of the water maturation issue detailed above.

This problem is uncommon on many basic skimmers and is indicative of the incredible amount of air produced by the Deltec units.

What can you do?

The only solution to this issue is to until the water matures so that the surface tension drops and the bubbles disappear.This process can take from a few days to a number of weeks to clear completely but can be accelerated by observing the following tips.

- If the water is very new and there are excessive bubbles which continue to fill the cup with a clear liquid then the best initial course of action may be to switch the unit off for a week or so and then try it again. Most people having bought a nice new skimmer are reluctant to do this however during the initial stages there is little in the

water to skim and the waste helps greatly to react with the salt compounds and mature the water faster.

If the cup is overfilling with bubbles try smearing a little Vaseline around the top of the cup and air vent to burst the bubbles and to run the clear liquid back into the skimmer.

- If the problem is not as acute than this and it is only excessive small bubbles returning to the tank then either live with it for a while whilst the water matures or again switch the skimmer off or only run it on a night when you can not see the bubbles.

Please note that the pumps on the MC500 and MCE 600 either pump water, when the air tap is closed, or an air water mix when the tap is open. Many people when they start seeing bubbles appearing in their tank instinctively close down the air supply which reduces the air intake but also increases the water flow and washes the everlasting bubbles out of the skimmer and into the tank.

- In both cases feeding the tank reasonably heavily will add waste products for the sterile salt solution to react with - even if there are no fish or creatures in the tank.

- Do not carry out large, (if any), water changes at this point as you are just adding to the problem by introducing more of the conditioning agents.

And finally

Of all of the people that we have explained this to - none have come back to us after 2-3 weeks and said that it had not gone away.
This sounds like the problem I am having. I am at the end of my third week so I will see if it made any difference.

[tony13]

mcrist if the problem continues the only thing I would try different would be to change your "Y" to a "T" having the water flow go straight down towards the skimmer and the excess overflowing to the sump. There's a good schematic of the plumbing design on the Deltec forum under gravity feeding skimmers.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8554688#post8554688 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Treg
Hey mcrist.

Love the tank, you did a fine job! :thumbsup:

Another AP902 via Gravity feed user here.
A couple things you might want to check on:

For starters, Unplug your eheim pumps and remove the collection cup, leave everything else running as normal. Watch the water level inside the skimmer body for several minutes and see if your getting any surge from your drain line (water level going up and down). If your drain is sucking air it can cause surging once and awile, that could cause random overflows of the cup.

How long is the run from your skimmer drain line and is it uphill at all?
Much back pressure could also cause overflows.

If all else fails you might want to try reducing the water input slightly?
I unplugged the two Eheim pumps and I did get some surges from the drain line in the protein skimmer. I tried a couple of modifications to the overflow but nothing stopped the surges. Any suggestions?

[scarletknight06]

you need a ball valve or gate valve after the TEE on the return line and before the input into the skimmer. that way the input to the skimmer is always constant and the surges and other water flow get directed in the other direction of the TEE

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8593381#post8593381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scarletknight06
you need a ball valve or gate valve after the TEE on the return line and before the input into the skimmer. that way the input to the skimmer is always constant and the surges and other water flow get directed in the other direction of the TEE
That's exactly how I have it set up but I have the ball valve all the way open. I guess I will try adjusting it to see if I can get it the way I want. My concern was that I wouldn't get enough water through a 1 inch PVC to allow for 800 GPH for the protein skimmer. So I had the one ball valve going to the sump completely shut and the other one going to the protein skimmer completely open.

[scarletknight06]

you need to allow for more flow through the drain than the amount you want through the skimmer, so you can have the amount you want through the skimmer, and the excess and surging going to the sump.

I would replumb the drain line that I see you have feeding the skimmer. get rid of the 45 degree elbow at the top and put the Tee there with the ball/gate valve on the bottom, then have this part feed the skimmer. have the water going at 90 degrees from the drain line go into the sump. you dont need a valve on that line unless you really want one. This should allow for a constant water flow to the skimmer.
HTH

[mcrist]

I was thinking that I might need to do that. Bummer, I hate plumbing.

[scarletknight06]

I know what you mean. I had the same problem and had to replumb last time I set up my tank, however on a much smaller scale.

[hatfielj]

Very nice tank. I really like how you left the tank open on top. My wife wants me to do this with our new 120 I'm setting up in a few months. She really likes the look of no canopy with a light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The only draw back to it is the glare from the light when you're sitting down looking at the tank. But, I think I can live with that.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8593871#post8593871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hatfielj
Very nice tank. I really like how you left the tank open on top. My wife wants me to do this with our new 120 I'm setting up in a few months. She really likes the look of no canopy with a light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The only draw back to it is the glare from the light when you're sitting down looking at the tank. But, I think I can live with that.
I don't have any glare from my tank because of the 4' width. I also have less light than what most people want.

[Treg]

You can try slowing down your drain some. Then, if needed, close the ball valve on the skimmer exit to raise the water level inside the skimmer.

[thor32766]

thats a beautiful tank for sure.

[thor32766]

thats a beautiful tank for sure.

[tcmfish]

you said before that you have two of the three drain pipes open maybe in the overflow make the one operating the skimmer the lowest so it gets as much flow as possible and then have the other one your using pick up the extra and the third still be a backup that way you have more flow in the pipe leading to the skimmer with more pressure. also make the valve as close to the skimmer as possible to build up some pressure in the line to keep the flow consistent. i suggest this because i think one 2'' drain could handle your 1500 gph and that way you would have more flow going through the pipe so all the flow from that pipe wouldn't lead to the skimmer

[tcmfish]

i also must say i love the tank i really like the nice large corals

[rubysmomma1]

First off, great tank!!! I can only imagine having a tank that size.

Secondly, I have a question that will take you back to sand. We are getting ready to upgrade from our 75 to a 210. How long did you let the sand settle before moving over the live rock, fish, corals, etc? We were afraid of what effect the new sand would have on our livestock. We don't want to kill anyone in the move!!!

Thanks!! And thirdly, beautiful tank!! :D

[drummereef]

Tank is amazing. Love the two outcropping rock structures. Great! :thumbsup:

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8597432#post8597432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rubysmomma1
First off, great tank!!! I can only imagine having a tank that size.

Secondly, I have a question that will take you back to sand. We are getting ready to upgrade from our 75 to a 210. How long did you let the sand settle before moving over the live rock, fish, corals, etc? We were afraid of what effect the new sand would have on our livestock. We don't want to kill anyone in the move!!!

Thanks!! And thirdly, beautiful tank!! :D
Thank you for the compliments. The most important part of having a tank of this size is an understanding spouse. :love2: If it wasn’t for my wife I would never have built this tank. She actually got me in this hobby (obsession). She told me that I needed to get a hobby and brought home a freshwater beta. I told her that this was a mistake to get me a fish since I always wanted to have an aquarium. She never realized what she started until it was too late.

Oh the sand…I still have nightmares about the sand. :mad2: It wasn’t really bad getting it to settle and I even just dumped the sand in the tank without rinsing it. What helped me a lot was the perforated tubing I have for my drain on the closed loop. I used a large filter pad and wrapped the perforated tubing and turned on my closed loop. I also need to point the returns of the closed loop straight up so that I didn’t disturb the sand bed but it worked. I took about a week before it was completely clear. I still use this idea when I blast the junk off of my rock and it works very well.

By the way, the perforated tubing was James’s idea from Envision Acrylics. Thanks again for a great tank. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-17-22.JPG

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8597801#post8597801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Tank is amazing. Love the two outcropping rock structures. Great! :thumbsup:
Thanks…My last tank was the standard wall theme and I never did like it. I really wanted to break it up a little.

[rubysmomma1]

Oh the sand…I still have nightmares about the sand. :mad2: It wasn’t really bad getting it to settle and I even just dumped the sand in the tank without rinsing it. What helped me a lot was the perforated tubing I have for my drain on the closed loop. I used a large filter pad and wrapped the perforated tubing and turned on my closed loop. I also need to point the returns of the closed loop straight up so that I didn’t disturb the sand bed but it worked. I took about a week before it was completely clear. I still use this idea when I blast the junk off of my rock and it works very well.


Thanks for the tip. It will be very helpful once we begin undertaking this project. Did you use the sand from your 1st tank for the sump sand or did you purchase more sand for the sump too?

:fish1:

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8600399#post8600399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rubysmomma1
Thanks for the tip. It will be very helpful once we begin undertaking this project. Did you use the sand from your 1st tank for the sump sand or did you purchase more sand for the sump too?
No, I did not reuse any of my old sand. I only have sand in my display for now. I am contemplating adding a refugium but haven’t decided on that yet.

[sivert55]

where did you get the perforated pipe for the closed loop sytem?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8608752#post8608752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sivert55
where did you get the perforated pipe for the closed loop sytem?
Sorry for the delay. I thought I posted a reply already but I guess I didn’t :(. I actually received the perforated pipe from James at Envision Acrylics. I did find more of it at http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8559.

[mcrist]

Here is a list of current residents under my care.

LPS
Green Frogspawn Coral
Orange Plate Coral
Plate Coral
Doughnut Coral
Tongue Coral
Moon Brain Coral

Soft
Green Devil's Hand
Toadstool Mushroom
Colt Coral
Lavender Mushroom
Red Mushrooms

Inverts
Purple Tube Anemone
3 Emerald Mithrax Crab
3 Sally Lightfoot Crab
>15 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Coral Banded Shrimp (Mated Pair)
3 Brittle Sea Star
>25 Nassarius Snail
>25 Astraea Snail
5 Tongan Fighting Conch
Crocea Clam

Fish
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
Naso Tang
Sailfin Tang
Black Cap Basslet
Flame Hawkfish
Flame Angelfish
Lemonpeel Angelfish
Potter's Angelfish
Half Black Angel

[mrpet]

killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott

[mrpet]

killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott

[Reet15]

Your tank is beautilful!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8790465#post8790465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrpet
killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott
The tank was about $4,500 give or take.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8795477#post8795477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reet15
Your tank is beautilful!!
Thank you. It doesn't look like what I had envisioned but I am still working on it.

[mrpet]

thanks mcrist....scott

[mcrist]

Over the last two months I added the following:

Inverts
2 Cleaner Shrimp
>10 Fiji Turbo Snail
Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber (I wonder if it survived, never saw it again)

Fish
2 Black Cap Jawfish (I lost one. That was the first fish loss with this tank.)
6 Convict Goby
Mystery Wrasse
Red Margin Fairy Wrasse
Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse (Unsure of the ID)
2 Sleeper Striped Goby

Is it normal to never see a cucumber after adding it to the tank? I know they mainly come out when the lights are out but I do check the tank at night. If it didn’t survive at least it didn’t pollute the tank.

[mcrist]

Ever since setting up this tank I have been battling slime and hair algae. First it started on the rock and then it moved to the sand. I expected some algae since it was a new tank but not the quantity I was experiencing. I was very discouraged with this and I have been trying a lot of different ideas to eliminate it. I wanted to make any changes slowly and without the use of any chemicals. I figured this is what I did wrong that helped the algae to get started in my tank.

1. When filling the tank I only used RO water without adding the DI canister. I also did not test the water enough resulting in me changing the filters later than I should. I ended up with nitrates in the tank before I added anything. I was just too happy to see water in my tank that I ignored the testing.
2. I should have cooked the rock before adding it to my tank. Patience was never one of my virtues.
3. Adding my existing fish too early. I was worried that they were in a 100 gallon Rubbermaid container too long and I needed to have something in the tank since Thanksgiving was almost here and I had family coming over to see ‘The Tank’.

It’s also hard to get enough water movement in a peninsula tank when all the pumps/returns are on the one end of the tank. I guess that’s why I have algae on the one side of the tank and not the other.

[mcrist]

Two days after adding 2 Sleeper Striped Goby my sand is clean. I can’t believe the difference they made. I first tried 2 Black Cap Jawfish, but they don’t sift through the sand, just move it around.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-50-56.jpg

[Julio]

sweet setup!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9531912#post9531912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Julio
sweet setup!!
Thank You

[mcrist]

One thing I was never happy with was the return line coming from the sump in the basement. I originally had it going to a Wavysea unit on the wall closest to the overflow chamber. I never liked this setup since it seemed to interfere with the efficiency of the protein skimmer. It seemed to block some of the water flow and in turn interfere with the top layer of water from going down the overflow. I later changed the location of the Wavysea return line to about half-way down the right long wall. I was not happy with this location either since I now had a large Wavysea device right in the middle of one of my main viewing walls.

This past weekend I changed the setup again and now have the one return line split into two that travel down the full length of the tank and drop into the tank on the opposite wall of the overflow chamber. I am using loc-line with flare nozzles for the return and removed the Wavysea unit completely. This change completely eliminated any micro bubbles that I was experiencing in the tank. This was an added bonus. I never liked the Wavysea unit since it required me to use tubing when I always prefer to use hard plumbing (PVC). I plan to try the Wavysea unit with the Tunze adapter this weekend to see how my Tunze pump likes to rotated.

[TandN]

I had a HUGE HA battle when I set up my 120g I added 25 mexican turbos and with in 1 DAY!!!!! it was all gone simply amazing

Beautiful Set up "Good Luck" with it

[samson78945]

wow!! i think im looking at my next tank!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9536154#post9536154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanya72806
I had a HUGE HA battle when I set up my 120g I added 25 mexican turbos and with in 1 DAY!!!!! it was all gone simply amazing

Beautiful Set up "Good Luck" with it
I read in 'Marine Invertebrates - A Pocket Expert Guide (TFH)' that Mexican turbos will not survive long in a standard reef tank. They prefer cooler temperatures than what most reef tanks are going to be. Since then I have only purchased Fiji turbos. They are about half the size but they can handle the warmer temperature. I did not have any luck with them eating my hair algae so I needed to try something else.

[mcrist]

Some pictures of the plumbing changes I made this past weekend.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_21-47-16.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-21_18-23-52.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-21_18-24-18.jpg

[mcrist]

These pictures were taken on March 20th.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-41-36.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-43-36.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-46-26.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-51-38.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-03-20_16-51-50.jpg

[mcrist]

I just added this beautiful pair this past weekend. I always wanted to have a mated pair of Crosshatch Triggers but I always figured that they were price prohibitive. My favorite LFS had a pair of them at a good price and I just couldn’t say no. I am not planning to add any additional fish to my setup.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-55-42.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-56-14.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-56-36.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-57-24.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-59-28.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_19-59-40.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-04-01_20-00-12.jpg

[kwl1763]

Those crosshatches are outstanding! Great job. the tank is looking relly good!

I settled on a pair of blue throats for my 450. I'm picking them up tomorrow. I cant wait!

Did you get your skimmer issues worked out? I have heard several people having gravity feed issues.

[radone]

Coming along nice, yes nice fish!

What are the white pipes across the top (return)
What were the dimensions LOVE the width ;)

[LNell]

That crosshatch pair is absolutely amazing!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9629116#post9629116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kwl1763
Those crosshatches are outstanding! Great job. the tank is looking relly good!

I settled on a pair of blue throats for my 450. I'm picking them up tomorrow. I cant wait!

Did you get your skimmer issues worked out? I have heard several people having gravity feed issues.
I was originally planning on the blue throat triggers for my tank too, but when I saw this pair I fell in love with them immediately.:inlove: I just couldn’t think of life in my tank without them.

Good luck with your pair when you get them. Triggers have an awesome personality.

I still feel that my skimmer isn’t working as well as it should but I am still pleased with it. I shorten the feed line to it and also restrict the amount of water entering the skimmer. Both changes seem to help but I don’t get a lot of thick skimate from the collection cup. I seem to be able to only skim wet.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9632177#post9632177 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by radone
Coming along nice, yes nice fish!

What are the white pipes across the top (return)
What were the dimensions LOVE the width ;)
The two white pipes running the length of the tank are my return lines. I wanted to have my sump water returning to the opposite end of the aquarium. I never liked where I had the return line when I first setup my tank. I am very happy with this change.

The dimensions of the tank are 84” long x 48” deep x 30” tall. I wanted to have an 8’ tank but I couldn’t fit it in my house comfortably. Now I am glad because I wouldn’t have wanted the extra weight. I couldn’t be happier with the dimensions of my tank.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9632523#post9632523 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LNell
That crosshatch pair is absolutely amazing!
Thank you, I feel the crosshatch pair completed my fish stock quite nicely.

[radone]

Thanks for the info
Those are nice dimensions

Good Luck and keep the pics flying:lol:

[fishymann]

amazing tank love it

[invincible569]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9629069#post9629069 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I I am not planning to add any additional fish to my setup.


LOL!! Until next month right? ;)

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9640222#post9640222 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invincible569
LOL!! Until next month right? ;)
I hope not, I don't want any problems with my nitrates. Not to mention the triggers definitely intimidate some of the smaller fish. I saw their eyes the first time the triggers swam by. :eek1:

[invincible569]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9640481#post9640481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I hope not, I don't want any problems with my nitrates. Not to mention the triggers definitely intimidate some of the smaller fish. I saw their eyes the first time the triggers swam by. :eek1:

Those are some sweet fish. Wouldnt mind having some myself.

[Grunt]

Stunning tank. I was curious how much sand you put in there, as far as lbs and how many inches. Also how many lbs of live rock is in that puppy. Sorry if you ahve already answered my question previously, I must have missed it.

Nice coral colonies btw. Great size to some of those, is that the green frogspawn on the top of that one formation?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9641095#post9641095 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grunt
Stunning tank. I was curious how much sand you put in there, as far as lbs and how many inches. Also how many lbs of live rock is in that puppy. Sorry if you ahve already answered my question previously, I must have missed it.

Nice coral colonies btw. Great size to some of those, is that the green frogspawn on the top of that one formation?
I put approximately 1000 pounds of sand in the tank. About 950 pounds of that was sugar-size aragonite and I believe it was from CaribSea. The rest was a mixture of larger grains of aragonite that made up the rest of my deep sand bed. It is at least 6 inches deep in the majority of the tank with some areas a little lower.

The rock was purchased over the years for my previous tanks. My best guess is about 350 pounds of Fiji rock. I was happy with my aquascaping until I added the triggers. Now all the nooks and crannies seem too small for these beasts. They did seem to find a favorite spot so let’s see how that works out. Anyway, I doubt my wife wants to see the kiddy pools upstairs again so I can rearrange the rock.

I always try to look for corals that are on the larger size. Most of the time I only find them as a small frag which would fit perfectly in a nano tank but not mine. The frogspawn was in one piece until this past weekend. I went to move it since it was now touching the colt coral and the skeleton broke into two pieces. I am debating on gluing them back together or to leave them apart.

[Grunt]

In my experience they can grow quite fast under the right conditions. So you can have two colonies. Or you can glue em back together. In any case it looks great.

My wife loves frogspawns and hammers, I dont mind either. She is interested in the tank and not so much the money :-P
Your tank is somewhat inspirational since thats similar to what I had in mind. Although I think we will skip the triggers. Hope you enjoy yours.

Cheers

[mcrist]

I am currently looking into replacing my current Kent RO/DI unit. I seem to have outgrown it since it is only a 50gpd unit and with my cold tap water is more like a 25gpd. I really like the SpectraPure MAXCAP RO/DI 150gpd unit but I read that SpectraPure is going to be releasing a new microprocessor controlled RO in about a month. It’s supposed to revolutionize the RO market, but should I wait. Of course the company wants to make a big stink about how great it will be, but will it be worth it. Not to mention when they wrote revolutionize, that just translates into expensive.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9649824#post9649824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grunt
In my experience they can grow quite fast under the right conditions. So you can have two colonies. Or you can glue em back together. In any case it looks great.

My wife loves frogspawns and hammers, I dont mind either. She is interested in the tank and not so much the money :-P
Your tank is somewhat inspirational since thats similar to what I had in mind. Although I think we will skip the triggers. Hope you enjoy yours.

Cheers
I haven’t decided yet on gluing the frogspawn back together or leaving them apart, maybe this weekend when I work on the tank. It always looked awesome because of the sheer size of it but I did lose one head since it was too far on the bottom and not getting enough light.

Frogspawns and hammers have always been on the top of the list form me. Any coral that moves in current get two thumbs up in my book.

I wish my wife was more interested in the tank than the money. At least she doesn’t complain too much when she gets the call from the LFS and I ask her if she loves me.

What’s with this somewhat inspirational comment… :)

We shall see if the triggers were worth it. I do wish they were a little bit more active.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

WOW! I am planning on getting a 240-300g reef tank. I currently have a 75 FO with a Niger Trigger, Dogface Puffer, and Snowflake Eel. are snowflakes reef safe?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9668687#post9668687 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheSaltwaterGuy
WOW! I am planning on getting a 240-300g reef tank. I currently have a 75 FO with a Niger Trigger, Dogface Puffer, and Snowflake Eel. are snowflakes reef safe?
Not sure I never had one due to an eel’s abilities to get out of a tank. Everything that I have seen points to that they would be safe with corals but would probably attack shrimp and any small fish.

[Sanjay]

Nice pair of cross hatch triggers ? How big are they. i am tempted to try something like that, but I am not a fan of big fish.

Did you get them at something fishy ?

sanjay.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9668918#post9668918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Nice pair of cross hatch triggers ? How big are they. i am tempted to try something like that, but I am not a fan of big fish.

Did you get them at something fishy ?

sanjay.
Thanks. They are about 6-7 inches long. The female gave me a heart attack when introducing her to the tank; she jumped out of the bucket and landed on my kitchen floor. :eek:

Yes they were purchased at Something Fishy. Have you been there before? Todd is a good guy and I have never had any problems with his livestock. Good prices too.

[bigtyguyy]

very sweet tank... keep up the hard work!

[mcrist]

Last week I purchased a MaxCap RO/DI unit from SpectraPure. I went with the 180 GPD model since they dropped the 300 GPD units due to poor membrane performance. I wanted the higher GPD but I guess a better membrane is more important. I needed to upgrade my older Kent RO and Coralife DI unit for awhile since it couldn’t keep up with my water requirements and it always seemed to let some nitrates and phosphates get by.

[mcrist]

I also purchased a LiterMeter III from SpectraPure last week to help dose Kalk. My system’s alkalinity was always low and I was tired of manually dosing my system with B-Ionic Buffer liquid supplement.

I’m seriously looking at the Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#11) that I found of Reef Central. I always tread softly when it comes to cheap solutions because you usually pay for it in the end but it does seem to work for a lot of people.

[goetzc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9908511#post9908511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I’m seriously looking at the Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#11) that I found of Reef Central. I always tread softly when it comes to cheap solutions because you usually pay for it in the end but it does seem to work for a lot of people. [/B]

It does work and it is a much cheaper option.

Check out http://www.twopartsolution.com/
to get all the stuff in one place. They sell kits so you don't have to buy in bulk if you don't want to.

Chris

[mcrist]

goetzc,

Thanks for the website. I was thinking on buying from them. I guess I will try the baking soda first then move on to the calcium part.

[BILLYO382]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504641#post8504641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I designed my tank to have a closed loop through the bottom of the tank. This is the first time I ever had a tank drilled on the bottom of the tank. After talking with James he convinced me that if I used Hayward brand bulkheads that I would not have leaks. I was so impressed with the quality of the bulkheads that I bought all Hayward brand unions and ball valves.

One thing I did that may be different from what most people do is that I did not use Teflon tape for any threaded connections. I used aquarium grade silicone for all fittings. I learned that one from Bob Fenner. I love the seal it makes and I get zero salt creep and yes you can remove it if needed. Best of all it is flexible for any fittings that has vibrations, specifically pumps.

I had 8 one inch holes drilled on the bottom of the tank and 2 two inch holes on the side of the tank to feed my pump. The pump I decided to go with is a Sequence Dart and I was originally planning to use the 8 way OceanMotions unit for random flow. I decided that the 8 way would make my plumbing way to complicated so I went with the 4 way. I am happy I did since the 4 way was tough enough to get the way I wanted. The Dart is sooo quiet, I love that pump. Bellow is a picture of the fittings where the two inch bulkhead goes to my pump. My daughter is playing peak-a-boo in this photo.



I know im a little late with this question, but how is it your able to safe guard the water from back syphoning if the power goes out? I am just starting a 270Gal tank and have 2 1 7/8" holes drilled in the center bottom of the tank about 2 ft apart from each other, and want to use them for retuns to add flow to my tank but am unsure how to plumb the tank. The tank is a acylic 270 and it has two built in overflows one on each side of the tank both of which have two holes drilled in them for drain & retun. Sorry for the hijacking of the tread just curious as to how your setup works. Thanks so much. Heres a link to my post asking this very question.

my 270 gallon post (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1111339)

[Toolguy942]

I haven’t decided yet on gluing the frogspawn back together or leaving them apart, maybe this weekend when I work on the tank. It always looked awesome because of the sheer size of it but I did lose one head since it was too far on the bottom and not getting enough light.

Size really does matter. Before I moved across town I had a green branching hammer that was at least the size of a volleyball. :D It barely fit in the 5 gallon bucket I had to use to move it. Unfortunately, there were too many bumps in the road so I ended up with about 10 different pieces. :mad2: I'm finally back to a couple pieces that are bigger than a softball now. At least the frags allowed me to buy equipment for when I upgrade my tank!

[Von_Rahvin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9538979#post9538979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I read in 'Marine Invertebrates - A Pocket Expert Guide (TFH)' that Mexican turbos will not survive long in a standard reef tank. They prefer cooler temperatures than what most reef tanks are going to be. Since then I have only purchased Fiji turbos. They are about half the size but they can handle the warmer temperature. I did not have any luck with them eating my hair algae so I needed to try something else.

I've had 1 mexican turbo in my 24 nano for 8 months, the tank stays around 79 deg and that snail is an eating machine. Now if i could just get my trigger to stop eating the ones i put in my aggressive tank i would be great.


The tank looks fantastic, showed it to my girlfriend and her words "ok you can have one like that when we buy a house" :D

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9908809#post9908809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BILLYO382
I know im a little late with this question, but how is it your able to safe guard the water from back syphoning if the power goes out? I am just starting a 270Gal tank and have 2 1 7/8" holes drilled in the center bottom of the tank about 2 ft apart from each other, and want to use them for retuns to add flow to my tank but am unsure how to plumb the tank. The tank is a acylic 270 and it has two built in overflows one on each side of the tank both of which have two holes drilled in them for drain & retun. Sorry for the hijacking of the tread just curious as to how your setup works. Thanks so much. Heres a link to my post asking this very question.

my 270 gallon post (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1111339)
You only need to worry about it if they go to the sump. Since mine goes to a closed loop the only place the water can go is back into the tank. I've shut down my closed loop pump many times without any fear of the tank draining.

I would never use holes in the bottom of the tank for return lines from a sump. It would be a lot better to take them over the top or drill some additional holes in the side of the tank. I went with over the top in my tank.

I believe strongly in Murphy’s Law so I would never use a check valve. It will fail eventually.

I took a look at your thread and congratulations on joining the large reef tank group.

[mcrist]

Toolguy942,

Of course size matters…why else would we have such a large volume of water in our homes. :rollface:

[mcrist]

Von_Rahvin,

I was never sure on that information about the Mexican Turbo snails but I figured I would post it to see what other people thought. Thanks for your input.

Make sure you get that in writing before you buy your house. :p

[Von_Rahvin]

i'm not worried, her hobbies are as bad as mine. She spends more time looking at my 2 tanks now than i do.

[mcrist]

Damn, if my wife's hobbies was as expensive as mine we wouldn't be able to eat.

[BILLYO382]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9916510#post9916510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
You only need to worry about it if they go to the sump. Since mine goes to a closed loop the only place the water can go is back into the tank. I've shut down my closed loop pump many times without any fear of the tank draining.

I would never use holes in the bottom of the tank for return lines from a sump. It would be a lot better to take them over the top or drill some additional holes in the side of the tank. I went with over the top in my tank.

I believe strongly in Murphy’s Law so I would never use a check valve. It will fail eventually.

I took a look at your thread and congratulations on joining the large reef tank group.

Thanks for the info. So I huess your saying I need to drill two more holes in the tank. One in each side and use those holes to run a water feed line and return line to my pump, so when the pump is cut off the water will stay in the line and not have the opportunity to feed back to the sump. Makes sense., basically the pump pulls the water out of the tank and feeds it back to the tank, so when its powered down, no water movement is occuring in the lines until the pump starts back. i think I understand now. thanks

[mcrist]

Yes that's it. I prefer over the top for a return line but a lot of people go through the side.

[BILLYO382]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9921498#post9921498 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
Yes that's it. I prefer over the top for a return line but a lot of people go through the side.

But i want to use the two holes at the bottom of the tank as returns to add flow down low in the tank inbetween the rocks ill have. I dont plan on drilling any more holes in my tank so I will use a over the top drain, idunno I guess i will have to drill two more holes in my tank, one in each side towards the top i guess. I dont know. I may just plug up the holes. B/c i dont want to have to complicate the tank setup. ill think on this though. thanks

[mcrist]

BILLYO382,

If you are using the holes in the bottom for a closed loop then there is no problem with using them as return lines. I did that same thing you’re thinking about and I have eight holes in the bottom of the tank for return lines. I also have two feed lines in the side of the tank that feed the closed loop. This setup works perfectly for me. I thought you were referring to return lines for the sump. Sorry for the confusion.

[mcrist]

BILLYO382,

I almost forgot make sure you use the best quality bulkheads you can find for any holes in the bottom of the tank. The bottom of the tank is to critical for the cheap models that you find at all fish stores. I personally like Hayward brand.

[Pete]

Awesome tank, how many and what wattage and color temp are your MH?

[mcrist]

Pete,

Thanks…Currently I am only running three 250 watt metal halides with XM 15,000 mogul bulbs. I am looking into upgrading to either a Giesemann or a Sfiligo fixture but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

[Pete]

Your lighting looks great, you aren't happy with its output?

[mcrist]

Updated photos from this weekend.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-05-28_13-09-54.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-05-28_13-10-22.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-05-28_13-10-39.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-05-28_13-11-12.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-05-28_13-12-26.JPG

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9925937#post9925937 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pete
Your lighting looks great, you aren't happy with its output?
Sorry, I never saw your reply. I hate it when I don’t get notified when I get a new post.

I am not pleased with my current fixture for several reasons:
1. My tank is 4 feet wide and this fixture doesn’t handle the width too well.
2. Prefer T5 over compact fluorescent.
3. Overall physical appearance is not very pleasing. I would like one that is much more compact and stylish since this will be a hanging fixture.

[cbui2]

few LA3 reflectors will give you all the spread you need. my tank is 96"Lx48"Wx30"H have 3 LA3 with MH 400w and the spread is unbelievable. i have also added 3 reef optix v for the front and 8 36" uri super atinic. hope this helps

[mhhauser321]

cool tank, its huge

[Von_Rahvin]

i still love the deep sand bed man. the returns coming out of it are crazy.

as for our combine hobbies, who really needs to eat anyway?

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10036996#post10036996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
few LA3 reflectors will give you all the spread you need. my tank is 96"Lx48"Wx30"H have 3 LA3 with MH 400w and the spread is unbelievable. i have also added 3 reef optix v for the front and 8 36" uri super atinic. hope this helps
I have read good things about them but I do not like their physical appearance. If I would go with them I would either need to enclose my top or create a hood. I doubt I will find a fixture that can match their spread but I am still researching.

What wattage are you using in the 3 reef optix v?

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10037391#post10037391 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I have read good things about them but I do not like their physical appearance. If I would go with them I would either need to enclose my top or create a hood. I doubt I will find a fixture that can match their spread but I am still researching.

What wattage are you using in the 3 reef optix v?

400w PFO HQI ballast, i have the pendents version enclosed in black powered coat. 3 14k hamilton reef optix v for the front and 3 20k HQI radium LA3 for the rear and 8 3' URI super atinic 4 each between reflectors. hope this helps
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s259/cbui2/5-15.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s259/cbui2/5-15b.jpg

[mcrist]

Von_Rahvin, I love a deep sand bed too but I do hate the way sand gets everywhere. I always thought that the sand would settle a little more then it actually does. I constantly have small sand storms.

[mcrist]

cbui2, I love your lighting. Those reflectors are huge; no wonder you get great coverage. How big is your system? Do you have a thread going on your tank?

[mcrist]

Two weeks ago I had a major sand storm. To bad the meteorologist couldn’t predict this one because it would have solved some headaches. I had a Tunze 6100 connected to a WavySea unit for additional water movement. I never liked the piece of junk WavySea + Tunze Connector but I didn’t have any other options to connect it to the Tunze so I just tried to keep an eye on it. Well my worst fear came to pass when my Tunze was able to overpower the weak screw and it pointed straight down into my sand bed. Over 3,000 gph was directed at my sand bed. Needless to say it was a mess. I couldn’t even see my rock past all the sand. I also noticed a spike in my nitrate after this sand storm.

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10043153#post10043153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
cbui2, I love your lighting. Those reflectors are huge; no wonder you get great coverage. How big is your system? Do you have a thread going on your tank?

thanks, and sorry but i am not trying to hijack. also how is your eurobrace installed?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1067858&perpage=&pagenumber=1

[mcrist]

cbui2, I would never consider it a hijack. The whole purpose of any thread is to communicate ideas. I am not sure what you are asking about my eurobrace. If you are asking for dimensions I will get that information when I get home tonight?

Thanks for the link on your thread. I looked at your thread a while back and I guess I lost track of it since the page count is much higher than I remember. I will need to catch up on your progress.

[Sparkss]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10036996#post10036996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
few LA3 reflectors will give you all the spread you need. my tank is 96"Lx48"Wx30"H have 3 LA3 with MH 400w and the spread is unbelievable. i have also added 3 reef optix v for the front and 8 36" uri super atinic. hope this helps

We use just 2 LAIIIs running 400W Ushios on IC ballasts over our 78" X 48" X 24" tank. Gives us plenty of spread and lighting :). Sanjay uses 3 LAIIIs running 400w Geisman Coral SEs on IC ballasts over his 84" X 48" X 30" and he reports more than enough PAR to grow corals just about anywhere in his tank.

We went with 2 so that we woud have more light fall off on the sides to give our lower light corals a place to grow :). It also adds nicely to the overall look of our tank.. but I am not sure how it would look or work out for your peninsula tank.

BTW, you tank looks great :D

HTH :)

[ramullinax]

MCrist, great looking tank! One question for you. How come you didn't put the returns for your closed loop closer to the center of your tank and have them hidden in the rockwork?

[cbui2]

i have similar CL, 4 at the bottom back and 4 front bottom on 2 OM 4-way. you can always add more loc segments to get them closer to the center.

[mcrist]

Sparkss, My main concern with LAIIIs is not their spread but their appearance since my tank has an open top. I do not want to create a hood or enclose the top. I like the openness my tank has want to keep that style.

It seems like a lot of you are using 400w SE bulbs in your setup. Do you feel that much light is needed? I was only planning on staying with 250w DE bulbs.

[mcrist]

ramullinax, I originally had my returns under the rock but I didn’t like how much the rockwork blocked the flow. I couldn’t adjust the returns without moving the rock. I had a lot of flow issues and was battling slime algae on the sand. The sand looked like hell so I decided that seeing the returns was better than having all the issues with the sand. As soon as I made the change my sand turned white and no more slime algae.

[mcrist]

cbui2, I have an OM 4-way installed in my system but I can't use it. It always gets sand caught in the drum and makes a horrible clicking sound. Within 1 hour of cleaning the unit it catches more sand. How do you get away using two in your system? I have been thinking of redoing my closed loop and adding another pump and when I do I was going to remove the OM 4-way.

[MSHUR]

I spoke with Paul regarding this issue,he recomended to make Intake for OM as high as possable.
maybe you need to call him,he is very nice guy.

[mcrist]

MSHUR, I did talk to him a few times and nothing he suggested worked. The intake is already 8-10 inches away from the sand and I can't move the intakes for the closed loop so that option is out.

This is when having sand is a pain in the as*.

[swannking]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10055816#post10055816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
MSHUR, I did talk to him a few times and nothing he suggested worked. The intake is already 8-10 inches away from the sand and I can't move the intakes for the closed loop so that option is out.

This is when having sand is a pain in the as*.

Paul told me recently that they made a smaller drum now for the 4-way for that reason.

[mcrist]

swannking, Thanks... I will call him again.

[mcrist]

I talked to Paul from Ocean Motions and he is sending me a new drum. I haven’t been happy with the 4-way yet but I sure can’t complain about his level of customer service. Top notch in my book.

[cbui2]

i had that problem in the beginning of testing stages, but what i did is placed some foam over the strainer w/wire ties. this stop all sand from entering the drum and of course cleaning the strainer a little more the usual.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10139506#post10139506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
i had that problem in the beginning of testing stages, but what i did is placed some foam over the strainer w/wire ties. this stop all sand from entering the drum and of course cleaning the strainer a little more the usual.
I had that idea too but I am not sure how I could do it with 2 inch perforated tubing. I would think it would work best if I wrapped the outside with something but the only thing I came up with was a filter pad. It works great for short term but is very unsightly and I only use it when cleaning my tank. I also looked into a strainer basket but I doubt that would help much with sand. I came across a Reticulated Fish Foam Filter Intake Assembly (http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=DP2931) on Marine Depot site today but I am not too crazy about the green foam.

[cbui2]

thats kinda expensive for piece of foam, try to locate large pc's so when they wear out you can change them wthout having to spend another $60 thats what i did. OM still working fine.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10146489#post10146489 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
thats kinda expensive for piece of foam, try to locate large pc's so when they wear out you can change them wthout having to spend another $60 thats what i did. OM still working fine.
Do you have any pics on what you did?

[mcrist]

I redid my sump and refugium over the last couple weekends and wanted to post so photos of the new setup. I never liked my refugium on a table because it wasn’t overly sturdy plus I wanted to eliminate the pump and make it gravity feed. I also double the size of the refugium to 100 gallons.

[mcrist]

Here are the photos...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-07-29_21-26-26.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-07-29_21-27-18.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-07-29_21-27-37.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-07-29_21-30-35.jpg

[mcrist]

I am still debating changing the way my skimmer is feed. It is currently gravity feed and I just can’t get the recommended 800gph through the skimmer. The best I can get is under 700 gph and that is a rough estimate. I can feed the skimmer with a pump but I don’t like that idea since its more power consumption.

[Dudester]

It's awesome how much space you have to work in your sump/refugium room - gives you tons of flexibility, I'm truly jealous. I think you'll find your skimmer performs better if you do feed it with a pump. If you're concerned about power consumption then feed it with a Red Dragon. It's pricey, but it's wise economically in the long run.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10445963#post10445963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dudester
It's awesome how much space you have to work in your sump/refugium room - gives you tons of flexibility, I'm truly jealous. I think you'll find your skimmer performs better if you do feed it with a pump. If you're concerned about power consumption then feed it with a Red Dragon. It's pricey, but it's wise economically in the long run.
I was always under the understanding that gravity feed was better than pump feed, that’s why I originally setup the skimmer this way. Oh well something else to change.

[nattydread]

I love your tank!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10445963#post10445963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dudester
It's awesome how much space you have to work in your sump/refugium room - gives you tons of flexibility, I'm truly jealous. I think you'll find your skimmer performs better if you do feed it with a pump. If you're concerned about power consumption then feed it with a Red Dragon. It's pricey, but it's wise economically in the long run.
I just looked into the Red Dragon pump and no place seems to have them in stock and boy are they expensive. They are about 2 or 3 times the cost of Iwaki Japanese model pumps which are already high. Thanks for the information though..

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10452285#post10452285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nattydread
I love your tank!!
Thanks

[Dudester]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10452396#post10452396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
I just looked into the Red Dragon pump and no place seems to have them in stock and boy are they expensive. Yeah, they ain't cheap that's for sure, almost prohibitively expensive, but their energy consumption is INCREDIBLY low and they create almost no heat at all. Additionally, they have some calcium precipitate bypass doohickey (that's the technical term) that prevents the impeller from seizing, so they're almost maintenance-free.

[mcrist]

Dudester, Are you planning to use any Red Dragon pumps in your setup? I read your entire thread and didn't notice if you were.

[Dudester]

Yes, I'm going with the 6.5 for my sump return pump. I wanted something that was nearly bullet proof, as I'm sick and tired of cleaning out my Mag pumps in my current 30g setup. They seize regularly because I don't do scheduled maintenance on them. I've read about people running Red Dragons for over a year without cleaning, and when they are taken apart they're still clean inside. Now that's a pump. But since I haven't mentioned it yet in my thread, it'll just be our secret ;)

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10463601#post10463601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dudester
Yes, I'm going with the 6.5 for my sump return pump. I wanted something that was nearly bullet proof, as I'm sick and tired of cleaning out my Mag pumps in my current 30g setup. They seize regularly because I don't do scheduled maintenance on them. I've read about people running Red Dragons for over a year without cleaning, and when they are taken apart they're still clean inside. Now that's a pump. But since I haven't mentioned it yet in my thread, it'll just be our secret ;)
Don't worry I'll keep your secret quiet.

[mcrist]

I am currently running an Iwaki MD100RLT for my return pump and have not had any problems with it. I had the same pump installed in my last tank for over 2 years and I never cleaned it once. When I setup my current tank I decided to clean it since I already had it disconnected. To my surprise when I disassembled it there was no sign of wear or any buildup. All the parts looked completely new. I am very pleased with this pump compared to some of the other pumps I have used in the past. I personally think that a Japanese made Iwaki pump should outlast any home aquarium.

[Dudester]

That's quite a nice testament to their performance. I may look into that pump in the future.

[erics3000]

I love you tank. 3 viewable sides are sweet. I seen this tank in the past and loved it. DO you have any updated pics?

[Von_Rahvin]

I keep coming back to this thread and loving the placement of the tank. soon i'm going to have to decide if i want to do an inwall picture one or something like yours.

you are not helping in my decision. ;)

[erics3000]

Yeah I hear you Von. The Island looks are very nice.

[Von_Rahvin]

I'm going up your way this weekend eric I'll wave as i drive by. (my parents live in Palm Bay)

[erics3000]

HHAHA.. I grew up in Miami. I graduated from Norland in 92..

[jgs107]

tanks lookin good...wish i had the money for a pair of crosshatches.probly going to settle for some blue throats

[mcrist]

erics3000 – Thanks, the 3 sided viewing is the main reason I setup the tank the way I did. Sorry no updated pics yet but maybe this weekend.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10475100#post10475100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Von_Rahvin
I keep coming back to this thread and loving the placement of the tank. soon i'm going to have to decide if i want to do an inwall picture one or something like yours.

you are not helping in my decision. ;)
I will tell you one thing having 3 sides to look at is great but it also means 3 panels that I have to keep clean.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10475269#post10475269 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgs107
tanks lookin good...wish i had the money for a pair of crosshatches.probly going to settle for some blue throats
Thanks...

I was originally going to buy a pair of blue throat trigger too but then one day my LFS had a pair of crosshatch that I couldn’t pass up. They were a good price so I figured what the hell. On the way home I called my wife and asked her “Do you love me?” She knows that means I spent way too much at the fish store.

[cbui2]

the crosshatch are so pretty, i know my female is fine looking. spend it once and not again.

[jeffreylam1132]

I love the dimension of your tank. Great start!!!!!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10477697#post10477697 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffreylam1132
I love the dimension of your tank. Great start!!!!!
Thanks...I have so much more to do to make my tank into what I had envisioned it to be.

[mcrist]

A close friend’s father is a cabinet maker and I hired him to build a custom cabinet for my fish tank. We went over the details on what I am looking for so he just ordered the wood and the doors. I can’t wait to see my tank with solid oak cabinetry. He didn’t give me a time table but the doors should take about 4 weeks so I am hoping that it should be done in 2 months.

[erics3000]

Wow cant wait ot see hte finished results.

[cparedes]

all i have to say is this tank is bad ***....

[KurtsReef]

Very nice build. Glad too see I am not the only person too close the valves and fill the tank prior too finishing the plumbing...and have the tank full of livestock before finishing the stand (well, I am not too that point yet but will be in the next day or two)

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10482769#post10482769 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erics3000
Wow cant wait ot see hte finished results.
me too...

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10476217#post10476217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
the crosshatch are so pretty, i know my female is fine looking. spend it once and not again.
When did you get a crosshatch trigger? I didn't see it on your thread.

[mcrist]

thanks cparedes...

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10484304#post10484304 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KurtsReef
Very nice build. Glad too see I am not the only person too close the valves and fill the tank prior too finishing the plumbing...and have the tank full of livestock before finishing the stand (well, I am not too that point yet but will be in the next day or two)
Thanks...I needed to move somewhat fast since I had all my livestock in two Rubbermaid containers downstairs while I was setting up my new tank. I lost 2 fish and 2 corals while I was working upstairs. I needed to get my butt in gear. I ran out of money to finish the stand so I figured it can wait.

Do you have a thread going on your tank?

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10497731#post10497731 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
When did you get a crosshatch trigger? I didn't see it on your thread.

about 3 weeks now from wholesalers, female is 5 1/2" nice and soild colors are just amazing. i had purchased from justrarefish on the male but came all damaged not from shipping but from seller. right fin was broken all the way which only left one on the left hand side, rear fins and tails was all cut up and scales were damaged from getting caught from ocean.

[mcrist]

Did the male not survive?

[cbui2]

no he was too beat up and didn't eat for days. i knew when i received him that he wasn't going to make it. also i had open him up just to make sure that he was eating before i had purchased him which they claim. when autopsy was performed his stomach was completely empty which appears to me that he didn't eat for weeks. i will be waiting for my wholesaler to get more and make sure he eats for a month before purchasing.

[mcrist]

Both the male and female at like pigs from the day they entered my tank. My LFS has always been good for me.

[cbui2]

that great, i always hand feed my female fresh shrimp every other day

[mcrist]

Fresh shrimp, damn your fish eat better than I do...

[cbui2]

:D thats the entire dispaly. all of my fish goes crazy for fresh shrimp and squid..my brother in laws goes shrimping in the gulf of mexico and bring tons of fresh seafood home for me.

[mcrist]

Sure rub it in… :)

[bristle]

I like it.

One thing I don't really like...the length of your returns. They look like large tentacles sticking out of the sand. I think you can get a similar result with a few less pieces of locline/return.

One thing I do like...the sand. You can get some really interesting sand dwellers and sand sifters with such a nice bed. Not too many people do the DSB anymore, but this is very nice.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10502157#post10502157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bristle
I like it.

One thing I don't really like...the length of your returns. They look like large tentacles sticking out of the sand. I think you can get a similar result with a few less pieces of locline/return.

One thing I do like...the sand. You can get some really interesting sand dwellers and sand sifters with such a nice bed. Not too many people do the DSB anymore, but this is very nice.
Talk about brutal honesty but thanks I agree with you. Have you ever tried shortening a section of locline in water and with your arms fully extended? Not easy but would love any suggestions. I originally had most of them hidden in the rockwork but they were not doing what I needed them to do. I had a lot of slime algae on the sand until I moved them to what you see today.

I love the sand most of the time…

[mcrist]

Thanks for the idea invincible59; I wanted to post my electric usage for my aquarium.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/90203Aquarium_Electric_Usage.jpg

[new_world_disor]

nice setup there. looks really good.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10513724#post10513724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by new_world_disor
nice setup there. looks really good.
Thanks

[invincible569]

No problem mcrist!! I jsut noticed another mistake on mine after reviewing yours... I have the Dart too.. not the Barracuda. WHEW. Money saved once again.

Looks like that Iwaki takes up the most cost out of your aquarium. Thats a lot of flow!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10526812#post10526812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invincible569
No problem mcrist!! I jsut noticed another mistake on mine after reviewing yours... I have the Dart too.. not the Barracuda. WHEW. Money saved once again.

Looks like that Iwaki takes up the most cost out of your aquarium. Thats a lot of flow!
Maybe that’s why I can’t keep my sand down.

[Alphabet]

Very nice setup!

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10527033#post10527033 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Alphabet
Very nice setup!
Thanks Alphabet...Do you have a thread?

[Water Box]

Great looking tank. I love the size and height. Must make cleaning the inside sides a little easier with all that room to move around. Anyway, nice job.

[Theomi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8504196#post8504196 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcrist
My wife loves this photo. A lot of people commented on the size of the tank and joked that I built my coffin. Well I figured I might as well take a photo of it as my coffin.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-08-27_09-18-44.JPG

Thats sick perverted humor.... I love it!!!!!

Also i love the tank :D

[mcrist]

Thanks Water Box and Theomi...

Actually with a 3-sided tank it’s a pain because more panels to clean.

[samson78945]

great lookin tank..cant wait to see more pics!

[jwccwj]

Mcrist I love your tank its really coming along nicely.Im just wondering how much support you put in to support the weight of the tank seeing its on a upper level and all.Also how are the cabinets coming along?

thanks.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10638645#post10638645 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by samson78945
great lookin tank..cant wait to see more pics!
Maybe this week, my cabinet is going to be attached this week to see if everything fits. I plan to take some pictures then.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10678562#post10678562 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jwccwj
Mcrist I love your tank its really coming along nicely.Im just wondering how much support you put in to support the weight of the tank seeing its on a upper level and all.Also how are the cabinets coming along?

thanks.
I needed to do a lot of reinforcing of the floor since I estimated the tank to weigh about 5,000 pounds. First a tripled all floor joists and then placed a metal beam under the far end of the tank away from the foundation wall. I have the beam supported by two pillars that are rated for 15,000 pounds each. I knew I couldn’t just place the pillars right on the concrete floor so I needed to first put down a 4x4 foot 1/2 think solid metal plate. I figure the plate would help to distribute the weight over a larger section of the floor to help the floor from cracking. The plate itself weighed over 300 pounds and was a real pain in the a** to get into the basement. I also built a 2x6 wall about 2 feet away from the foundation since the tank is about a foot away from the outer wall and I was concerned about the shearing affect on the floor joists.

Here are some pictures of the beam and the plate that support my tank.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-48-46.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032006-11-08_17-49-01.JPG

[jwccwj]

The supports you put in look like you could hold another tank of the same size no problem,im considering a penninsula in my new home as well and i was wondering how to do it so those pics gave me some ideas.

I like the idea of running the returns across the top of the tank to the far end,at least that way all the grud gets pushed towards the overflow.

[mcrist]

Some photos of my cabinets under construction.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-09-06_17-51-18.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-09-06_17-51-27.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-09-06_17-51-36.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-09-06_17-51-53.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-09-06_17-58-02.JPG

[mcrist]

The cabinets are almost done, just two more doors. Here are some photos.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-27-41.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-28-01.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-28-57.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-29-07.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-29-19.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/902032007-11-05_22-30-38.jpg

[FibberMcGee]

Wow, now thats a nice finish to a great tank. Great job!

[spazz]

well after seeing this i smell something..... could it be tank of the month????? it just maybe. let that tank mature a few months and it may end up on the front page in the honors spot. it sure looks nice.

[mcrist]

Thanks FibberMcGee and spazz. Tank of the month not yet, it’s definitely not worthy of it. I need to fix a lot before I could ever dream of that honor. I still have a nitrates issue that won’t go away and I need to shorten my closed loop return lines. Most people seem to dislike them and I will admit they are a little long. I also need to replace my light fixture with a sexy European model. I have my eye on the Infiniti by Giesemann but I am having a hard time forking over the cash for it.

[Jar*Head]

That is a beautiful tank, i love the dimension. I show your tank pic to the wife lastnight try to convince her with dimension, thanks god you have a pair of crosshatch (her favorite fish). I think she is going to approve for the 96x48x24. But we are not moving to Colorado till next year Jun or Jul... I am looking forward to see your tank in the front page soon. Good luck

[mcrist]

Thanks Jar*Head. I wanted to go with an 8 foot tank too but it wouldn’t have given enough clearance to walk past the tank. The crosshatch triggers are my favorite too. You won’t be disappointed in a 4 foot wide tank.

[Jar*Head]

Mcrist, i just sold my 4x4x2. I know exactly what you mean.... My new tank will house a bunch of fish. I will add as much as my BK400ext can handle :)

[nattydread]

I love this tank.

Question about the lighting?

[mcrist]

Thanks nattydread. What's you question on the lighting?

[Jar*Head]

Talking about lighting, have you ever thought about using LAIII or Lumen bright with t-5 or Atinic suppliment on a light rack? I want to have all my lighting on the rack. Now i got all excited about my future tank. too bad, it is a year from now...

[mcrist]

I love the LAIII but they are butt ugly and big for an open top. They work great for in the wall systems or if you are willing to build a light rack. I want the top to be as open as possible so I need to go with some slim fixture. I was originally planning on using the LAIII and having my cabinets built to the ceiling but I quickly changed my mind when I considered the cost, humidity in the hood, and how much it would separate my two rooms.

[tcmfish]

Mount some frags on those closed loop lines that would look cool in a couple months

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11130317#post11130317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tcmfish
Mount some frags on those closed loop lines that would look cool in a couple months
I never thought of that, I may try your idea. Any thoughts on what type of corals Maybe an encrusting species. Thanks...

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

How big are those Crosshatch's? I know you've probably posted it already, I'm just too lazy right now to go back and read through all of it.:rolleyes: They look huge!

Very nice tank, btw!

Keep us updated.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11131503#post11131503 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheSaltwaterGuy
How big are those Crosshatch's? I know you've probably posted it already, I'm just too lazy right now to go back and read through all of it.:rolleyes: They look huge!

Very nice tank, btw!

Keep us updated.

They are both 7 inches long and they are my pride and joy. They had to be since I never spent that much money on fish.

Thanks for the compliments.

[MGB]

Nice tank mcrist,
That sand bed looks like a detritus nightmare though, I wonder if thats contributing to your nitrate problem by being a sink hole for all that trigger fish waste. I decided to go BB and if you could see the amount of detritus I pull out on a regular basis, you would be shocked. The live rock alone constantly produces detritus, plus I've got a small mountain of snail poop always present. Good luck, keep plugging away.

[mcrist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11131889#post11131889 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MGB
Nice tank mcrist,
That sand bed looks like a detritus nightmare though, I wonder if thats contributing to your nitrate problem by being a sink hole for all that trigger fish waste. I decided to go BB and if you could see the amount of detritus I pull out on a regular basis, you would be shocked. The live rock alone constantly produces detritus, plus I've got a small mountain of snail poop always present. Good luck, keep plugging away.
That is exactly what I am thinking but my convict blennies wouldn’t make it without the sand. I originally went with sand for my wrasses and jawfish. The jawfish didn’t make it and the wrasses don’t care that the sand is even there. Oh well the blennies do and for the most part I like the look. If I can’t fix it over the next few months I will have to remove the sand and go bare bottom. That will really suck though.

[MGB]

I don't think it will suck too much, you'll be able to crank the flow and get more of that fish waste into the sump and skimmer, fish are a lot more adaptable than you think, I'm sure your blennies will survive. On your lighting thoughts, I went with the Giesemann Infinity which was expensive, but is a great performing as well as looking fixture. I wasn't dissapointed.

[tcmfish]

Idk if I would use encrusting species on the returns because they will still look like returns after they encrust. I would use a branching coral like acropora or poccilopora that will have an encrusting base but will branch upward. A soft coral would look cool too. Idk experiment with it.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

I'd love to keep some Crosshatch Triggers, thing is, they don't do well with sharks...:(

Maybe my next tank will have some.