125G Reef Tank Build!
- Thread starter chris17
- Start date
wattsupdoc
Active Member
So 50 gall., that'll be sweet.
Go with 15 inches.
I'm not sure how much planning you have done on the sump, but there are some things that need to be considered when designing, flow rate, direction of flow(flow to center, flow through) baffle height and spacing, ATO or no ATO, etc etc.
chris17
Member
Thanks for your input so far doc. I have thought about it alot, and I am going to have the overflow drain into the right side. This will also be the same chamber the skimmer will sit in along with the heaters. It will have 3 baffles, the last will be 2 pieces allowing the water to flow thru the fuge are. After the fuge will be 2 more baffles and live rock rubble before it is pumped back to the DT. I don't know a lot about the ATO, and they kind of make me nervous. I think that is mainly do to the posibility of the switch malfunctioning(sp) in any way. The sump will have a pretty high flow rate since the return pump is a Reeflo Snapper (2500gph)
wattsupdoc
Active Member
What kind of drain are you using? 2500 gph through that is going to be a lot of flow, I cant say that I myself would do that much flow through it. I know there are those who do, but I wouldn't myself. It's just there's not enough time for things to fall out, be taken up, blow by is increased (I am a proponent that to some extent blow by is irrelevant.) I'm not saying it wont work or be a good design, I just would shoot for something closer to 10x DT volume.
chris17
Member
I am going to use the same type of drain Veni used, with 3 pipes. Pretty much the same exact one he has on his tank. The flow from the pump with the head will probably be around 2100gph. The return line will have 4 3/4" outputs, maybe 6, but I am not sure how much they will restrict the flow. I am also going to put a ball valve on the return line to adjust the flow some.
chris17
Member
Ok, I just found out that to have my sump tank made 42" L x 18" W x 15" will cost me another $100.00! So, I have to get one that is 36" L x 18" W x 17" T.....or 13" T. Again I have 27" to work with under the stand. The tank that is 13" T is 40g and the one thats 17" T is 50g. Do you see any problems with the new dimensions?
veni vidi vici
Active Member
Originally Posted by chris17
http:///forum/post/2791863
Anybody? Suggestions?
Anyway- I got the skin on the front of the stand done this weekend, but I forgot the camera
I got everything figured out for the doors, I am going to have 2 big doors on the front that way I can get the sump and equipment in and out easily.
I have a checkvalve on my return, but to be on the safe side i also drilled a hole for a syphon break just below the surface.
BTW Build is coming along nicely.
http:///forum/post/2791863
Anybody? Suggestions?
Anyway- I got the skin on the front of the stand done this weekend, but I forgot the camera
I have a checkvalve on my return, but to be on the safe side i also drilled a hole for a syphon break just below the surface.
BTW Build is coming along nicely.
chris17
Member
Here are some more pictures from today. The first pic is the left side of the tank. The board on the left, runs from the top of the stand to the top of the canopy. This way you won't see all the plumbing and stuff behind the tank, and I can pull it right off to get behind the tank if I need to. The canopy is going to be 23" tall and the front 8" will lift straight up on a piano hinge. I only have the back half of it mostly done, I am going to finish the canopy tomorrow
Let me know what you all think! Here are the pics....
veni vidi vici
Active Member
Originally Posted by chris17
http:///forum/post/2840940
Veni, hows your tank been doin? I think I will still use it, but I am going to also drill a small hole in the return.
Its just about fully recovered
I think i made a mistake re using my old sand.I knew it was a gamble and i lost. I lost 1 fish and all my SPS.My LPS did fine and so did my softies.Its weird though because i didnt lose any of my snails or inverts.
http:///forum/post/2840940
Veni, hows your tank been doin? I think I will still use it, but I am going to also drill a small hole in the return.
Its just about fully recovered
chris17
Member
Veni, well at least you didn't loose everything. Hopefully everything continues to only improve for you.
This past week I almost got everything ready for the 75g QT tank. I cleaned up the FX5 and got it hooked up and got 2 sheets of acrylic to cover the top of the tank. We have 3 computers in the room that it's in, so the least amount of humidity would be best. I need to get a heater for it, sand, and spray paint the back of the tank. After that I am ready to cycle it!
Here are some pics....
This past week I almost got everything ready for the 75g QT tank. I cleaned up the FX5 and got it hooked up and got 2 sheets of acrylic to cover the top of the tank. We have 3 computers in the room that it's in, so the least amount of humidity would be best. I need to get a heater for it, sand, and spray paint the back of the tank. After that I am ready to cycle it!
chris17
Member
I almost forgot, I got my CL pump!
It's a reeflo Barracuda rated for 4300 gph. It will be under the tank so I am estimateing 4100 before it hits the 8 3/4" loc line returns. I will have a ball valve on it also, if I feel it needs to be backed down some. Here is the pump, next to the calcium reactor, it's a beast! Let me know what you all think!
wattsupdoc
Active Member
Be careful opening and closing that canopy.
Looks good so far.
Your going to be moving a bunch of water. Personally I would not rely on a check valve...period.
Looks good so far.
mboswell1982
Active Member
if ur gonna go with the clowns, go with a pair, you'll enjoy em a lot more 
veni vidi vici
Active Member
Originally Posted by chris17
http:///forum/post/2841298
I almost forgot, I got my CL pump!
It's a reeflo Barracuda rated for 4300 gph. It will be under the tank so I am estimateing 4100 before it hits the 8 3/4" loc line returns. I will have a ball valve on it also, if I feel it needs to be backed down some. Here is the pump, next to the calcium reactor, it's a beast! Let me know what you all think!
The Barracuda with 4' head pressure is 3,843 gph
8'/3,333 gph
http://www.reeflopumps.com/flowbiasedpumps.html
http:///forum/post/2841298
I almost forgot, I got my CL pump!
The Barracuda with 4' head pressure is 3,843 gph
8'/3,333 gph
http://www.reeflopumps.com/flowbiasedpumps.html
chris17
Member
Doc, yeah it's going to be a pain I am sure. The front 8" will lift up and lay on the back part. I am going to need a dang stool just to reach the bottom of the tank! lol I will need it just to open the canopy too... With the size of the stand/canopy and my equipment, I will be able to upgrade to a 180g in the future without makeing any real changes. I think I am going to try and build my own sump out of acrylic, it will be after the holidays though. I am going to use a big rubber maid storage bin for now, I just have to find one that will fit. For christmas I am just asking for sears gift cards lol
,that way I can buy all the tools needed to build it.
mboswell, I decided I will get a pair of clowns. I am not sure which kind yet ( I like alot of them ) but I think I will get a breeding pair...
Veni, Thanks for that! I forgot all about that flow chart... I don't know why I didn't think to look at it again....Do you guys think 8 3/4" returns will be enough? I think that would be around 430 gph each... give or take 100 or 200gph. I'm not sure how much flow I will loose with it being droped from 1 1/2" to 3/4" either....
mboswell, I decided I will get a pair of clowns. I am not sure which kind yet ( I like alot of them ) but I think I will get a breeding pair...
Veni, Thanks for that! I forgot all about that flow chart... I don't know why I didn't think to look at it again....Do you guys think 8 3/4" returns will be enough? I think that would be around 430 gph each... give or take 100 or 200gph. I'm not sure how much flow I will loose with it being droped from 1 1/2" to 3/4" either....
wattsupdoc
Active Member
Just concerned with those types of canopys slamming down and shattering the tank.
veni vidi vici
Active Member
Originally Posted by chris17
http:///forum/post/2842146
Veni, Thanks for that! I forgot all about that flow chart... I don't know why I didn't think to look at it again....Do you guys think 8 3/4" returns will be enough? I think that would be around 430 gph each... give or take 100 or 200gph. I'm not sure how much flow I will loose with it being droped from 1 1/2" to 3/4" either....
I can tell you that i am very satisfied with the flow i get with eight .I did a lot of research before i did mine and was told numerous time eight was the number i needed with my set up.
http:///forum/post/2842146
Veni, Thanks for that! I forgot all about that flow chart... I don't know why I didn't think to look at it again....Do you guys think 8 3/4" returns will be enough? I think that would be around 430 gph each... give or take 100 or 200gph. I'm not sure how much flow I will loose with it being droped from 1 1/2" to 3/4" either....
I can tell you that i am very satisfied with the flow i get with eight .I did a lot of research before i did mine and was told numerous time eight was the number i needed with my set up.
chris17
Member
Doc, I never really thought of that....
I wonder if there is a way to maybe slow it down when it is shuting..
like a spring thinga ma jigy or something lol
Veni, I wonder if the small dif in flow between your dart and my barracuda would make much of a dif? Can you see any dead spots in your tank at all or wish there was a little more flow in some areas? I have 2 returns on each end of the tank and the other 4 on the back for the CL. I don't have any faceing the back of the tank like the 2 you have in yours. Although, for the return pump I am going to run it's returns down into the tank to take care of any dead spots behind my LR.
Veni, I wonder if the small dif in flow between your dart and my barracuda would make much of a dif? Can you see any dead spots in your tank at all or wish there was a little more flow in some areas? I have 2 returns on each end of the tank and the other 4 on the back for the CL. I don't have any faceing the back of the tank like the 2 you have in yours. Although, for the return pump I am going to run it's returns down into the tank to take care of any dead spots behind my LR.