Oldie/Newby Nano Equip Questions

DPidwerbecki · 07/11/2008, 12:07 AM

I used to be into reef aquariums about 5 years ago. I had a 100 gallon aquarium with all of the goodies and I decided to go into Nano aquariums. Well, kids, work, etc. enticed me to give my aquarium away to the local high school and get out of the hobby. I'm interested in finishing my nano tank. Here's what it is:

Tank: custom acrylic tank - 22"Lx16"Wx16"deep. I have a false wall in the tank so that the viewable area is a 16" cube.

Skimmer: I purchased a PM HOT1 skimmer.

Main pump: I was going to use an Eheim 1060 being pumped through a PVC structure and some other fittings in the false wall.

Chiller: I have two of the Iceprobe chillers on a Medusa 2 stage controller.

Lights: I built a quite nice custom light set up with a 150W DE 10K bulb, two 28W compact actinics, and two moon lights.

I have plans on building a calcium reactor, but I havent' started that yet.

OK - I'm 5 years out of date. Could you please comment on my choice of equipment. Is the HOT1 skimmer too large for my tank? Is the Eheim 1060 pump too large? What do you think of the Iceprobe chillers - would you invest in one of their proportional controllers?

I'd like to keep a mixed tank, but mostly SPS and a clam with some zoe's and maybe a few softies and the smaller LPS.

Please let me know what you think of my equipment thus far.

Thanks.

DPidwerbecki · 07/12/2008, 05:27 PM

OK- I almost got ~30 hits on this thread with no replies. Let me ask more pointed questions:

My tank volume is around 20 gallons including the sump on the back. I purchases an Eheim 1060 for a recirculation pump (600 gph). Do you think that this is overkill? I see that people are using MJ1200's for recirculaiton pumps for these types of aquariums now. Would you recommend 2-MJ1200's inlieu of the Eheim 1060? I was thinking of 4 points of flow return to the tank - one return near the surface by, say, locline fan nozzles, two returns on the lower 1/2 of the tank dividing, and a return through the PVC piping holding the live rock. Of course, the pipes will be coming out of the dividing wall and will be fed by the return pump.

Also, do you think that the HOT1 is too large of a skimmer?

Thirdly, what do people do for calcium make-up. I was thinking of Kalkwasser, but I have also designed a real cool two chamber nano size calcium reactor (now I have to build it).

Forthly, I built a real nice MH/PC/moon light pendantwith an external ballast. I was thinking of hanging this above the open tank - about 12" from the water line so that I can see easily into the top of the tank. Why don't people do this very often? Non of the manufacturers do this - rather the have the MH very close to the water in a hood directly sitting on the tank. I would think that the MH's so close to the tank would cause significant overheating. What are your feelings about a hanging pendant?

Please reply and thanks.

Dave

Bri Guy · 07/12/2008, 08:35 PM

I have a 30g with a pendant hanging over the tank, I like the open view of the top.

I also use a eheim 1250 for a return, it has 4' of head, so it slows it a lot, I think the 1060 is the old version of the new 1260, it is quite a bit of power for such a small tank, but if you split the return I think you can make it work, like a closed loop, you wouldn't need all those power heads in the tank that way. As long as it doesn't start a toilet bowl in the tank, or stir up the sand too much.

I don't think the skimmer is overkill.

Id dose kalk with your evap until your demand gets too high, then get the calcium reactor.

seems like your on the right track, Welcome back!

DPidwerbecki · 07/13/2008, 06:24 PM

Hi Bri Guy,

Thanks for the reply. I think that I will keep my original plan of attack. I believe that the Eheim 1060 is the identicle pump to the 1260. I wil not have an external sump on the tank, rather the sump/refugium will be behind the false wall, hence it will be like a closed loop. I really don't want any powerheads in the tank, rather I want just the small locline nozzles and possibly some flexible line.

I have to figure out this X10 thing. I'd like to use their programmable module to drive my lights, but I'm not too sure if it has enough memory to dim the moon bulbs on a weekly basis (week 1 - 0 moon light, week 2 - 50% moon light, week 3 - 100% moon light, week 4 - 50% moonlight, going back to week 0). I will call X10 on Monday. The MH and CF are easy to program, it's just the moon light that is difficult. What do other people use now days to control their lighting and incandescent moon bulbs?

Now, it's just fitting sizing, drilling, and fitting in the false wall and getting to work on the pump, etc. I'll also have to find an appropriate strong stand to hold the aquarium.

Once again, thanks for the reply.

Dave

07/11/2008, 12:07 AM	#1
DPidwerbecki Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 97	Oldie/Newby Nano Equip Questions I used to be into reef aquariums about 5 years ago. I had a 100 gallon aquarium with all of the goodies and I decided to go into Nano aquariums. Well, kids, work, etc. enticed me to give my aquarium away to the local high school and get out of the hobby. I'm interested in finishing my nano tank. Here's what it is: Tank: custom acrylic tank - 22"Lx16"Wx16"deep. I have a false wall in the tank so that the viewable area is a 16" cube. Skimmer: I purchased a PM HOT1 skimmer. Main pump: I was going to use an Eheim 1060 being pumped through a PVC structure and some other fittings in the false wall. Chiller: I have two of the Iceprobe chillers on a Medusa 2 stage controller. Lights: I built a quite nice custom light set up with a 150W DE 10K bulb, two 28W compact actinics, and two moon lights. I have plans on building a calcium reactor, but I havent' started that yet. OK - I'm 5 years out of date. Could you please comment on my choice of equipment. Is the HOT1 skimmer too large for my tank? Is the Eheim 1060 pump too large? What do you think of the Iceprobe chillers - would you invest in one of their proportional controllers? I'd like to keep a mixed tank, but mostly SPS and a clam with some zoe's and maybe a few softies and the smaller LPS. Please let me know what you think of my equipment thus far. Thanks.

07/12/2008, 08:35 PM	#3
Bri Guy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Appleton, Wisconsin Posts: 2,996	I have a 30g with a pendant hanging over the tank, I like the open view of the top. I also use a eheim 1250 for a return, it has 4' of head, so it slows it a lot, I think the 1060 is the old version of the new 1260, it is quite a bit of power for such a small tank, but if you split the return I think you can make it work, like a closed loop, you wouldn't need all those power heads in the tank that way. As long as it doesn't start a toilet bowl in the tank, or stir up the sand too much. I don't think the skimmer is overkill. Id dose kalk with your evap until your demand gets too high, then get the calcium reactor. seems like your on the right track, Welcome back! __________________ For my birthday i got a humidifier and a de-humidifier... I put them in the same room and let them fight it out. (Steven Wright) Current Tank Info: 40BR w/ 250w 14K Phoenix + 192w PC, 10g fuge w/ 55w PC, 10g sump, Eheim 1250 return w/ SCWD, ASM Mini G skimmer, Gravity fed ATO, Kalk doser, 1/10 HP chiller, 1 Vortec + 3MJs, all on an AC Jr. - Born on date 8-06 Pics in gallery! + 55g FOWLR w/ macro

07/12/2008, 05:27 PM	#2
DPidwerbecki Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 97	OK- I almost got ~30 hits on this thread with no replies. Let me ask more pointed questions: My tank volume is around 20 gallons including the sump on the back. I purchases an Eheim 1060 for a recirculation pump (600 gph). Do you think that this is overkill? I see that people are using MJ1200's for recirculaiton pumps for these types of aquariums now. Would you recommend 2-MJ1200's inlieu of the Eheim 1060? I was thinking of 4 points of flow return to the tank - one return near the surface by, say, locline fan nozzles, two returns on the lower 1/2 of the tank dividing, and a return through the PVC piping holding the live rock. Of course, the pipes will be coming out of the dividing wall and will be fed by the return pump. Also, do you think that the HOT1 is too large of a skimmer? Thirdly, what do people do for calcium make-up. I was thinking of Kalkwasser, but I have also designed a real cool two chamber nano size calcium reactor (now I have to build it). Forthly, I built a real nice MH/PC/moon light pendantwith an external ballast. I was thinking of hanging this above the open tank - about 12" from the water line so that I can see easily into the top of the tank. Why don't people do this very often? Non of the manufacturers do this - rather the have the MH very close to the water in a hood directly sitting on the tank. I would think that the MH's so close to the tank would cause significant overheating. What are your feelings about a hanging pendant? Please reply and thanks. Dave

07/13/2008, 06:24 PM	#4
DPidwerbecki Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 97	Hi Bri Guy, Thanks for the reply. I think that I will keep my original plan of attack. I believe that the Eheim 1060 is the identicle pump to the 1260. I wil not have an external sump on the tank, rather the sump/refugium will be behind the false wall, hence it will be like a closed loop. I really don't want any powerheads in the tank, rather I want just the small locline nozzles and possibly some flexible line. I have to figure out this X10 thing. I'd like to use their programmable module to drive my lights, but I'm not too sure if it has enough memory to dim the moon bulbs on a weekly basis (week 1 - 0 moon light, week 2 - 50% moon light, week 3 - 100% moon light, week 4 - 50% moonlight, going back to week 0). I will call X10 on Monday. The MH and CF are easy to program, it's just the moon light that is difficult. What do other people use now days to control their lighting and incandescent moon bulbs? Now, it's just fitting sizing, drilling, and fitting in the false wall and getting to work on the pump, etc. I'll also have to find an appropriate strong stand to hold the aquarium. Once again, thanks for the reply. Dave