72 gallon bowfront build

[lank]

Ok so to start off i should probably say i have the best wife out there. I came home form work and in our living room was a 72 gallon bow front that she had purchased from our LFS

WIFE. So the build begins

. I hope you all can help me through this as a build it.
The tank came with a set up (previous owner gave up and sold it all)
72 gallon bow front stand and hood
4 ATI bulbs (cant read what kind due to salt creep)
2 heats
2 power heads
125 gal HOB filter
CU-75 protein skimmer
Now the recap
Would like to do a reef with maybe a couple of SPS and a clam but mostly softies and LPS.
I drilled tank with one overflow. The pvc pipping is 1 1/4 inches. I built a sump out of a 20 gal (only size tank that would fit in the stand) it is a 3 chamber Requiem with a bubble trap. The return is made out of 1 1/4 pvc then moves down to 3/4 inch into the tank. Also built in a over flow so if the pump is too strong it will empty back into the sump without causing more pressure on the pump. Have played with the crappy skimmer but got it in the package so want to make it work. I will be posting pictures tomorrow of what i have done so far.
Questions that im wondering about now:
What kind of return pump should i use?
Whats the best 4 combo ATI bulb set? Thinking 2 B+ 1P+ and a aqua blue or a C+ all 54 watts
How to make a HOB CU-75 skimmer work better

?
Once more

wife haha
Mike

 

[abeandlulu]

First of all congrats on the new tank. Us wives are pretty aweome!

I am looking forward to seeing some progress pics.Second, I run metal halides in my tanks so I cant really help with the t-5s. But I have quiet one return pumps on all my tanks and I love them. Never had a problem with them either.

 

[lank]

The tank:

1 1/4 inch pvc piping for the overflow. The hole is a 1/8 inch hole in the end cap to help make it quieter. Should this hole be larger?



Refugium

bubble trap



Return 3/4 inch

return 1 1/4 pvc with overflow incase pump is too strong

nitial; border-color: initial; max-width: 100%; cursor: default; " />

painted it black



1/4 inch egg crate covering

Sorry for all the pictures just want to show you where i am at in the build. Hope you guys can help be along with the rest of the build.
Letting everything cure at the moment and hope to put water in it soon and make sure everything is holding. Is there anything that im missing at the moment or concerns in the build?

 

[lank]

abeandlulu - haha that you guys are. I have never used the quiet one pumps but have heard good things about them so that would be a great one to keep in mind as the build continues. I would love to run halides but afraid of the heat and the electricity usage to run them

 

[lank]

bump can anyone help????

 

[snakeblitz33]

A mag 5 (by Danner) would work well for your size tank as a return pump.
I used ATI bulbs for a little while and never really liked the colors, personally... I used two B+, one P+ and one C+ and didn't really get a good color - though it did give off a good 12-14k color look to the tank - I didn't like the colors of my corals. I like the colors of the UVL 454's and aquasuns, however. BUT!!!! It's just a preference! I like the fact that you know that standard bulbs simply don't have the right amount of PAR for corals.
I am unfamiliar with your skimmer, however since you have such a small sump and want a refugium, you are most likely looking for a HOB skimmer - which kind of defeats the purpose of having a sump. Macroalgae is great for reducing nitrates and phosphates, however you may want to consider running a decent skimmer in your sump instead and consider a separate container beside your tank for your refugium. Doing it this way will give you more water volume - and a chance to take your refugium off-line for cleanings.
With that overflow, you will want to widen the hole and stick a small vinyl tube down the hole... make it kind of long, and insert it after you get the tank up and running. Adjusting the tube up and down will quiet down the overflow as needed, after that it is set and forget.
You may also want to put up a curtain or something over that window so that sunlight can't enter the tank and cause algae problems until the tank matures. Covering the window will also keep your tank cooler in the warmer months.
You will probably want to scoot your sump over one way or the other so that you have more room for equipment. Putting it in the center like that keeps you from being able to set a container next to your sump for an Auto Top Off unit. Either that, or you may have already planned to put that container next to your tank, I have no idea. Your return pump section is actually pretty small so it seems... and not having an auto top off unit on your sump will drive you bats. You will probably have to top off your tank every single day to keep the return pump from running dry. My 75g takes 1g per day of top off water - and your return section looks like it might be able to hold two to three gallons. Just consider this before you set up the rest of the tank.
I also wanted to mention the union that you have on your overflow... You know that the water going through that pipe will only drain as fast as the inside of that union. A 1 1/4" union I believe restricts your flow to 3/4" - so you should consider your entire overflow only able to drain like a 3/4" overflow. Now, what would be better is if you completely took that union out and let it flow as freely as it can. Ball valves and unions on overflow plumbing is completely unnecessary.
Other then those few points, it looks like you know what you are doing somewhat. I can't wait to see how this thing turns out! Let us know what you are going to be doing with it as the tank progresses.

 

[lank]

Snake - thanks for you insight on the build much appreciated. I will be tanking out that union right away so i dont restricted that much flow. So the 20 gal is the only tank that fits in the stand so i can always re silicone the baffles to make a better refugium. What would be the best design to go with?
If im reading the skimmer section correct i should just get rid of the hub skimmer if i want to run a refugium. With only having a 20 gal i really dont have much room to put a actual skimmer in the tank if i want to have a refugium.
DIdnt even think about the auto top off and having room on either side. Great eye on catching that.
For the lights the UVL 454 over the ATI whats the big difference Color or Par.
Thanking you for comments i was getting worried that no one was willing to help my build out. As you know this is my first build and im trying to do everything correct the first time around so i dont have big problems down the road. So all the help is great and pointing out what im doing wrong is even better. Joined this site for the helpful criticism.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lank http:///t/393492/72-gallon-bowfront-build#post_3501398
Snake - thanks for you insight on the build much appreciated. I will be tanking out that union right away so i dont restricted that much flow. So the 20 gal is the only tank that fits in the stand so i can always re silicone the baffles to make a better refugium. What would be the best design to go with?
If im reading the skimmer section correct i should just get rid of the hub skimmer if i want to run a refugium. With only having a 20 gal i really dont have much room to put a actual skimmer in the tank if i want to have a refugium.
DIdnt even think about the auto top off and having room on either side. Great eye on catching that.
For the lights the UVL 454 over the ATI whats the big difference Color or Par.
Thanking you for comments i was getting worried that no one was willing to help my build out. As you know this is my first build and im trying to do everything correct the first time around so i dont have big problems down the road. So all the help is great and pointing out what im doing wrong is even better. Joined this site for the helpful criticism.
Glad your removing the union.
I don't know what your plan is - or your reasoning - only you know that. I'm just giving you options. I personally like putting my mechanical filtration chamber in the same chamber as my skimmer.... and then overflow into a refugium and then the return pump side.
I would definitely think about an ATO and better positioning for the reservoir.
I'm colorblind, so the 454's and the Aquasuns paired together really bring out the purples, yellows, reds, blues and greens to me in a way that no other color combination ever has. PAR is about the same.
I'm always around. If I don't comment on the thread, it's just because I am busy with school, family life or my full time job. lol. PM me if you have any other questions or need me to join your thread again.

 

[lank]

Ok very nice my reasoning behind my madness for the sump was that when i looked around on line i saw a lot of 3 chamber systems so i just went with one and did it.

 

[acrylic51]

Late to the dance, but looks pretty good.....If you want to keep a union in your drain line you can always upsize the union and use reducers on it to make it easier to pull the system apart....I actually prefer to keep unions on all my runs; makes life easier IMO.....The 1 thing I might have missed is I didn't see the drain line off the bulkhead supported....I do remember seeing a band clamp of some sort tied to the stand from some part of the plumbing, but I'd stress supporting that line off the tank bulkhead.....That will put undue stress on the tank in that area left that way......
What are you planning on keeping......There are better alternatives IMO than the egg crate top....

 

[lank]

Up grading the union sounds like a good idea. I do like the idea about being able to take apart the overflow.
New News: Working on the stand as of right now making the stand capable to hold a 40 gallon breeder. This will give be more space for the refugium and everything in the sump. The con to this build is that it will take up just about all of my room in my tank so a ATO will have to sit out side of the tank which is a bummer but i think i would much rather have the bigger sump than a ATO in my stand. Any thoughts on this?
What is the better ideas than the egg crates?
I would like to set it up as a reef system. The egg crates was for the diamond sleeper goby i plan on getting.

 

[lank]

Played round with the stand and made it capable to fit the 40 breeder by tanking the back center support out and supporting it by some 2x4's

 

[acrylic51]

Pond netting screen would be a better alternative IMHO.....What are you planning as far as lights or canopy......I honestly wouldn't even concern myself with trying to cover the top though......

 

[lank]

Thinking 4 ATI T5HO 2 B+, C+, P+.
Drilled the end cap for the overflow and put 2. 1/4 inch holes and put tubing down the end cap.
Bought a new union and adapter for the overflow so the overflow should be all done now hopefully.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lank http:///t/393492/72-gallon-bowfront-build#post_3501670
Thinking 4 ATI T5HO 2 B+, C+, P+.
Drilled the end cap for the overflow and put 2. 1/4 inch holes and put tubing down the end cap.
Bought a new union and adapter for the overflow so the overflow should be all done now hopefully.
I have that color combo on my 20g and I tell yah, it really washed out the colors of the corals to me. A pink birdsnest looked brown to me under those lights. It washed out all the colors to me except greens - everything else turned brown. I was never really a fan of that color combo, but I guess that is a personal dilemma.

 

[lank]

What other bulb combo would be better then? I would like to use ATI's due to the fact that i can get them at a pretty good price and are readily available.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Before we go further with this, I would like you to know that I am a little colorblind. What looks good to me may not look so good to you. I prefer a 10,000k look with bulbs that really make the purples, pinks, greens, blues, reds, yellows and oranges stand out really well to me. I found that color combo with UVL bulbs. Now, that doesn't mean that you will like the same color temp that I like.
Then again, my wife has pretty good eyes - and she even said that the ATI bulbs I used on my 20g nano really washed the corals colors out.

 

[lank]

ok wow may have to rethink the ATI lights then very interesting. I have just never heard of the UVL bulbs.

 

[acrylic51]

UVL bulbs have been around forever.....The original name escapes me at the moment, but not a new kid on the block.....Their VHO's have always been tops......

 

[lank]

Well its been a while and we finally moved into our new apartment. As of new up dates i have added around 70 - 80 lbs of sand so around a inch n half of sand. I added around 65 lbs of Key Largo rock from Marc. Very nice stuff btw. The sump was changed from a 20 gallon to a 40 and is baffled out into a 3 chamber setup with a bubble trap. I re-did my plumbing to make it fit all nicely and work better.
The overflow was cut and i added a flexible tube and a filter sock holder.
The return was redone with a added overflow back into the refugium chamber. I also added a 1/2 inch outlet to run a phosban reactor.
Lighting is 2 UV Super Actinic a Coral Plus and a Aqua Blue Special.
Im curious on with this 4 54wat lights what kind of corals could i keep?
Wondering how it looks?