500 gal reef converted to 850gal reef

steveweast

steveweast

Member
The use of a controller is a personal choice. The controller's value will vary from person to person. For me, it is invaluable....especially with as much light that I run. Without the feature that turns off all my halides (my main source of heat) in case of a chiller failure, I'd be a nervous wreck.
 
steveweast

steveweast

Member
I'll probably update my website pics this January....because I have made quite a few changes since those were taken. It looks like this now....
 
trompet3

trompet3

Member
Steve,
I'm wondering, since you have redundant pumps from the sump, with one being able to handle the work....how is it that you do not have too much water pumped back into the display thus overflowing when using both?
 
trompet3

trompet3

Member
Or is it that you normally turn over twice the needed amount thus in a failure of one pump, you would be cut back to a normal turnover?
 
steveweast

steveweast

Member
I'm not sure what you're asking....but, when I created the specifications for the tank, I made sure that the overflows (and drain lines) could easily handle a ton of water to my sump. With both sump pumps running, I'm pushing about 5000 GPH to the tank from the sump....the tank only needs about 2000 to properly run the chillers/skimmer/etc. I've run up to 8000 gph to the tank with still no back-ups....but, at that level, I start to get micro bubble problems in the sump.
 
areijin

areijin

Member
Wouldn't more water being pumped back mean that it falls through the overflow faster and hence return back to the pumps in the same rate that it is sent?
 
steveweast

steveweast

Member
AREIJIN....you are correct....except that to get more water flowing over the overflows, the tank's level needs to be higher....and to get the level higher, you are in effect, taking water from the sump and putting it in the tank. You'll see this by....increasing the pump flow from the sump will raise the tank's level and lower the sump's level where it will reach a new equilibrium. So, if I turn off one of my two sump pumps....water is still flowing through the system...but, the sump's level rises while the tank's level lowers.
 
trompet3

trompet3

Member
yep, that answered it!
One follow up though...when you say "to properly run the skimmer, chiller, etc" are you just referring to running them at optimal efficiency?
AREIJIN - I was originally just curious if he was normally turning over double rate he really needs and if he planned his tubing and overflows to normally handle at least twice the necessary flow, which from his answer, I am assuming yes.
 
steveweast

steveweast

Member
I have a redundancy set up to guard against a catastrophy. If I were running one pump....and if it were to fail....my chiller wouldn't be cooling the tank....and my lights would cook the tank in about two or three hours (one pump pushing around 2000gph will keep the tank cool). Having two pumps fail at the same time is unlikely...I also run two chillers on seperate circuits to guard against a chiller failure. Since heat is my nemesis, I must add redundancy to the entire cooling system in order to sleep at night.....plus I have my controller turn all lights off if the magic temp number is exceeded.
 
areijin

areijin

Member
Ok so maybe you answered this before...but two pumps dount matter if the power goes out. What is your backup plan???
On the subject of power (and I'm sure you are board of these "simple" questions) how much does it cost you a month??? Maybe you have stock in the local electic company, LFS, and water utilities. Maybe.
 
areijin

areijin

Member
OK. Still have teh power out question but found the answer to the electic bill thing. For some reason that seems like a deal.
 
steveweast

steveweast

Member
It's the lights that present the problem with over-heating the tank....no power....no lights...no over-heating. I have several back-up generators at the ready to run critical components until power is restored if needed. Outages are rare at my place, though....haven't had one in over two years.....and even then, the outage lasted only minutes. We don't have severe weather in the northwest.
 
shawnts106

shawnts106

Member
This tank I would say is the most beautiful tank I have ever seen in all of my years of Learning about saltwater aquariums and having them... From the livestock to the equipment to the refuge to the fish and corals and lighting this is BY FAR the most impressive aquarium I have yet to discover... But I DO have one single thought... HOW THE FREAKEN CRAP DO YOU AFFORD THIS MONSTEROUS SIZED OCEAN IN YOUR HOUSE!!!!
LOL... I mean really, this thing must cost something like 500$ a week to run!... or MORE!
DO you have some kind of secret passage that goes under your house to a gold mind? LOL!
 
sw65galma

sw65galma

Active Member

Originally posted by shawnts106
This tank I would say is the most beautiful tank I have ever seen in all of my years of Learning about saltwater aquariums and having them... From the livestock to the equipment to the refuge to the fish and corals and lighting this is BY FAR the most impressive aquarium I have yet to discover... But I DO have one single thought... HOW THE FREAKEN CRAP DO YOU AFFORD THIS MONSTEROUS SIZED OCEAN IN YOUR HOUSE!!!!
LOL... I mean really, this thing must cost something like 500$ a week to run!... or MORE!
DO you have some kind of secret passage that goes under your house to a gold mind? LOL!

You could always look under his name where is says "OCCUPATION" :rolleyes:
 
brooklyn johnny

brooklyn johnny

Active Member
Excellent to say the least Steve...
I see you've added a regal angel, which also graces my display and is shown in my avatar. What's been your experience with it? I'm happy to see more success with this species in experienced hands. Did you test him to see his prefernces before adding him to the display, or did you go for it?
Also... is that a latezonatus clown I see?
Keep up the good work... I've always had the same ideologies as you when it comes to the hobby...
John Coppolino
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top