280g FOWLR Tank Diary

[kjr_trig]

I'm not much of a light person, as long as you do T5 over PC, and stick with a "name brand", I think your fine. I worry more about how many watts and what spectrum of bulbs.
As far as your lunar light question, you can have a set of lights on a different timer that are just "blue", and run them for a few hours before and after your full spectrum turns off, that is my plan for when I change bulbs next.
So sounds like you are doing an external pump? At least I don't think Dophin are usually in sump are they? Are you planning on having powerheads in there? A Mag 36 can run internal and moves a lot of water. I've always been nervous about external pumps.

 

[kylev]

Kjrr-the pump (dolphin 12000) is allready on the way but, what are your concerns with external? I was hoping on not needing powerheads but will add if needed. As far as lights go they will defientely be T5 and are between the Tek and ATI.
thanks for the input

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by Kylev
http:///forum/post/3253662
Kjrr-the pump (dolphin 12000) is allready on the way but, what are your concerns with external?
Leaks
How much water does that Dolphin move per hour? I didn't see that model listed on M.D.

 

[kylev]

The dolphin moves 12,000 GPH and can be adjusted. I shouldnt have more than 20 feet of return so the pump should still have about 8700GPH to the tank which gives a turnover of about 23. Fishtanksdirect sells them.
As long as the leak is small im ok with it since the pump will be sitting on the garage slab and I plan on making a drain system under the extended closet wall in order to make damage minimal incase of a disaster. But I am also not against sending the pump back and going a different route if its much superior

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by Kylev
http:///forum/post/3253888
The dolphin moves 12,000 GPH and can be adjusted. I shouldnt have more than 20 feet of return so the pump should still have about 8700GPH to the tank which gives a turnover of about 23. Fishtanksdirect sells them.
Wow, that's a monster! How wide will your returns have to be?

 

[kjr_trig]

Just looked it up, doesn't really say how big the exit is, looks like 2 inch PVC perhaps?
I see it uses on average 12 amps, I know the circuit (or whatever it's called) that my tank is on is only able to handle up to 15 total amps....Do you know what yours is? I.E. would it be on a separate circuit from the lights?

 

[kylev]

The exit is 2"
I'm running it straight to a 20 amp circuit in the garage panel, and electrical is definitely my weakness I'm getting that help from my father so what you brought up was never really taken into consideration. I could always wire additional breakers but would not like to kill the power bill if this pump size is not needed. So you recommend the mag 36, would I need to run two, one for each return? and would additional powerheads be needed? Plus I'm having a hard time find the mag 36 the only site i found with it said it was discontinued.
Guess I never really took into account reducing the PVC down to the return inlets as well. Looks like the pump will be going back
Thanks for the help

 

[kjr_trig]

Don't do that yet....How big are the returns going into the tank? If they are just 3/4 inch, I don't think they will be able to handle that kind of flow, if they are 1 inch you should be ok. You're going to have to tee it off anyway. A 2 inch to two 1 inch lines should be easy to do....no?
I wanted to do my tank without powerheads, but it was unavoidable in the end.

 

[rcreations]

They don't make the Mag 24 and 36 anymore. 18 is the biggest one now. If you want something more than 1800GPH, you need to go with an external pump.

 

[kylev]

I think im going to stick with the dolphin and see how it works out. If the returms arnt 1" then i should just be able to drill them out but I'm asking about that now. Plus couldnt I in order to stay away from powerheads make long returns with a lot of openings with the high GPH of the pump?

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by Kylev
http:///forum/post/3254503
I think im going to stick with the dolphin and see how it works out. If the returms arnt 1" then i should just be able to drill them out but I'm asking about that now. Plus couldnt I in order to stay away from powerheads make long returns with a lot of openings with the high GPH of the pump?
Whom is building your tank? Guessing Tenecor?

 

[kylev]

Theres a local guy that builds for most of the LFS stores around me that is building the tank, he gives a full 5 year warranty and was highly recommended, but I will be giving the tank a full inspection before final payment is handed over. And the returns are 1" so I am thinking that I will use the dolphin and T the 2" down to (2) 1" lines and just adjust the pump GPH if needed to hopefully use less power.

 

[kylev]

Anyone have experience on if any invertebrates would be safe from the butterfly fish? such as large snails and shrimp etc. What are the chances of them leaving some mushrooms or zoas alone if I happen to toss in a few small frags?

 

[kylev]

Heres my new sump plan and am curious on suggestions
I'd like to bring the overflow lines into one end and have the protein skimmer there to filter the water as it enters which will probably be elevated off the bottom, then have the water filter through the live rock with the return lines at the far end of the sump. I plan on having a refugium elevated across the majoirty of the top of the sump by using egg crate and rock rubble. I am having a hard time finding a clean way to seperate the sump with dividers so hope that the live rock with the elevated refugium at the top will solve this problem for me. Would a sand bed also be beneficial throughout the sump? I figuring on placing a heater at each end as well. Would this work?

 

[kylev]

Yet another question
I was looking into ordering all the medications I might need for the QT process and am just curious as to what everyone recommends to have on hand for treatments and what has worked best in their experience, Prazi? copper?
thanks

 

[kylev]

So I am still waiting on the tank and am getting very impatient. The guy making it says he had to switch shops and blah blah blah so half way losing my mind there.
I talked to a guy from dolphin and he said they highly recommend going with the large pump because the new ones are designed to put a ball valve right at the exit and to adjust it to the desired flow which will lower the amps it uses. Plus I will have the lights on a separate breaker.
Does anyone have any experience with the red coris wrasse? I really like these fish and from researching on them they seem to be a decent fish to keep as long as inverts are out of the picture.
BTW Kjr_Trig go dawgs i'm husky alumni myself

 

[gtdarock]

Kylev,about the meds, after all the help I got from the good people here on the forums, I can highly recommend having a few bottles of Prazi. As for copper, I would say no to that, and go with hypo instead. Copper can lead to too many problems

 

[kylev]

Thanks GTDA
Would you only not use copper with the angels or are you thinking to avoid it with all the fish? Thanks

 

[kjr_trig]

Originally Posted by Kylev
http:///forum/post/3265140
Thanks GTDA
Would you only not use copper with the angels or are you thinking to avoid it with all the fish? Thanks
A lot of people use copper in QT, a lot don't. I wouldn't unless you see symptoms. Copper can really mess with the water chemestry. There are a lot of fish that don't do well with copper.
And yes, go Dawgs, looking forward to the upcoming football season, "The season of Jake" if you will

....Excited that the hoops team grabbed Terrence Ross and Terrence Jones this weekend which gives them a top 5 recruiting class most likely for next year.

 

[kylev]

Thanks for the input
So i talked to the guy who was supposed to be making my tank and basically told him I want to come look at his progress since I am getting concerned and he told me it was scratched while he was moving his shop and if its not done by saturday that he will refund my deposit. So that leads me to believe that he hasnt really done anything with it, and makes me pretty upset because i am getting damn anxious to get it going. Does anyone have a contact with tenecor that is good to work with or should i just call them off their website?
Kjr thats funny that you mention Jake cause I'm 24 myself and have known him a lot of my life and our grandparents are basically best friends. I am from Ferndale and he basically put us on the map and is the only reason anyone knows that Ferndale is even a town. I havnt followed basketball that much but am excited to see what happens next season.