AZAINTCOLD's tank diary
- Thread starter azaintcold
- Start date
azaintcold
Member
Just ordered the setup for a second float switch for a second holding container for top off water only. Should be here early next week. The new koralia powerheads are sitting at my house right now, can't wait to get them set up tonight. I'll let you all know what I think. I've only heard good things.
azaintcold
Member
Koralia's work great. I think I am going to pick up a #4 to pump some serious flow across the front open part of the tank. We'll see. ***)
azaintcold
Member
I've done the figuring and I have about 4000 GPH right now, which is 26X turnover. With this being said, I think I could still have some stronger flow across the front where the open water is. If I add the koralia #4 it will add 1200 gph and put my turnover rate to 34X. Is this a stupid idea?
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by azaintcold
I've done the figuring and I have about 4000 GPH right now, which is 26X turnover. With this being said, I think I could still have some stronger flow across the front where the open water is. If I add the koralia #4 it will add 1200 gph and put my turnover rate to 34X. Is this a stupid idea?
Ask you fish after they've done a few summersaults across the tank. :hilarious I was wondering if I had enough flow, with my return and two #3 Koralias, but now that I have fish I'm thinking it's good as I see them get pushed by the current all the time. I'm afraid if I stick more it will be to much. Right now I'm at about 24x turnover.
I've done the figuring and I have about 4000 GPH right now, which is 26X turnover. With this being said, I think I could still have some stronger flow across the front where the open water is. If I add the koralia #4 it will add 1200 gph and put my turnover rate to 34X. Is this a stupid idea?
Ask you fish after they've done a few summersaults across the tank. :hilarious I was wondering if I had enough flow, with my return and two #3 Koralias, but now that I have fish I'm thinking it's good as I see them get pushed by the current all the time. I'm afraid if I stick more it will be to much. Right now I'm at about 24x turnover.
azaintcold
Member
I guess I'll wait till I get some fish before I make the decision. The only thing is when my arm is in the tank, it seems like the front of the tank has minimal flow.
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by azaintcold
I guess I'll wait till I get some fish before I make the decision. The only thing is when my arm is in the tank, it seems like the front of the tank has minimal flow.
I thought the same thing, but after watching my clowns get pushed (without swimming) clear across the tank until they hit the next line of current I figured it was ok. It's actually a game to them I think. They will swim against the current and then stop, allowing it to blow them back.
I have my two return lines coming up over my overlow on each side, and then each one is split in a "Y", two blowing behind my rocks and the other two blowing down on the rocks. Then my PHs are on each side (toward the back) and I have them pointing to the center of the front glass. So far that seems to work pretty well.
I guess I'll wait till I get some fish before I make the decision. The only thing is when my arm is in the tank, it seems like the front of the tank has minimal flow.
I thought the same thing, but after watching my clowns get pushed (without swimming) clear across the tank until they hit the next line of current I figured it was ok. It's actually a game to them I think. They will swim against the current and then stop, allowing it to blow them back.
I have my two return lines coming up over my overlow on each side, and then each one is split in a "Y", two blowing behind my rocks and the other two blowing down on the rocks. Then my PHs are on each side (toward the back) and I have them pointing to the center of the front glass. So far that seems to work pretty well.
azaintcold
Member
Canopy is on, only thing left is the trim and wiring the ballasts for the halide.
QT tank cycling.
QT tank cycling.
azaintcold
Member
Halides up and working !
:joy:
Here are a few shots, 10 x better looking.
Hopefully I am off to the right start on my first sw tank. You guys have been a big help! Can't wait to get some live creatures in there soon with the clean up crew.
Here are a few shots, 10 x better looking.
Hopefully I am off to the right start on my first sw tank. You guys have been a big help! Can't wait to get some live creatures in there soon with the clean up crew.
azfishgal
Active Member
Looks great! Your lights are 250W, 14K, right? Does the picture show the true color, or does the camera make them look more blue? I keep going back and forth about what lights I want to upgrade to. I'm thinking the 10K are way to white, but maybe with actinics they are not. (I have 10K T5s but also an actinic light, so it doesn't look white, but not bright enough for anemones or clams.) I was also thinking the 14K was to blue. I think I remember someone saying there is a 12K, I would think that would be a good middle ground to go with. But then 150W and 250W probably has a play in it, right? Lighting is still the hardest part for me to get a handle on.
azaintcold
Member
Thanks for the compliment. The camera makes them a little more blue than the actual thing, but i think the actual color I get is perfect. The same as 10 K w/ an actinic IMO. I just figured I would try to save some money and cut the actinics out, hence the 14 k. There is a 12 k out there but I haven't seen much on them, not too popular. I think the 150 or 250 w would only effect the intensity, not so much the color. For our tanks I would stick with the 250 w because of the depth.
I had to get creative because my tank has a center brace. I mounted two on one side of the canopy with one at a 30º angle to cover the center. It worked well.
I had to get creative because my tank has a center brace. I mounted two on one side of the canopy with one at a 30º angle to cover the center. It worked well.
azaintcold
Member
Just recieved all the equipment for my autotop off system, which I am in dyer need of. Tank is evaporating like crazy and I'm sick of topping off twice a day. I think I'm going to get a tall 20 gallon-ish sized container and build a cabinet next to the tank to house it. I'll set all this up tonight with the exception of the cabinet.
azaintcold
Member
Tell me about it. Fill it up once a week and I'll be good to go. No more of this 14 times a week. Or waking up to the pump choking on micro bubbles. :scared:
maelv
Active Member
Originally Posted by azaintcold
Tell me about it. Fill it up once a week and I'll be good to go. No more of this 14 times a week. Or waking up to the pump choking on micro bubbles. :scared:
Like you I have my RODI water going into a large storage container. I then have a MJ 1200 pushing it from my storage to my sump whenever it starts getting low. So I don't even have to fill up the top off container, it is where my water is at anyhow....
Tell me about it. Fill it up once a week and I'll be good to go. No more of this 14 times a week. Or waking up to the pump choking on micro bubbles. :scared:
Like you I have my RODI water going into a large storage container. I then have a MJ 1200 pushing it from my storage to my sump whenever it starts getting low. So I don't even have to fill up the top off container, it is where my water is at anyhow....
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by azaintcold
I had to get creative because my tank has a center brace. I mounted two on one side of the canopy with one at a 30º angle to cover the center. It worked well.
I actually have two braces. The overflow is in the middle and I have a brace on each side. You can see them in this picture. Right now my T5 lamps just sit directly on them. Can you post a picture of how you have your lights mounted?
I had to get creative because my tank has a center brace. I mounted two on one side of the canopy with one at a 30º angle to cover the center. It worked well.
I actually have two braces. The overflow is in the middle and I have a brace on each side. You can see them in this picture. Right now my T5 lamps just sit directly on them. Can you post a picture of how you have your lights mounted?
azaintcold
Member
Originally Posted by maelv
Like you I have my RODI water going into a large storage container. I then have a MJ 1200 pushing it from my storage to my sump whenever it starts getting low. So I don't even have to fill up the top off container, it is where my water is at anyhow....
sweet set up. My storage is in my laundry room . I just use a aquaclear powerhead and i can pump it directly into the auto top off container next to the tank. It'll work better than it does now i'm sure.
Like you I have my RODI water going into a large storage container. I then have a MJ 1200 pushing it from my storage to my sump whenever it starts getting low. So I don't even have to fill up the top off container, it is where my water is at anyhow....
sweet set up. My storage is in my laundry room . I just use a aquaclear powerhead and i can pump it directly into the auto top off container next to the tank. It'll work better than it does now i'm sure.
azaintcold
Member
Originally Posted by azfishgal
I actually have two braces. The overflow is in the middle and I have a brace on each side. You can see them in this picture. Right now my T5 lamps just sit directly on them. Can you post a picture of how you have your lights mounted?
I'll post one later when I get home. Are you asking whats best for your set up? OR if you go with metal halides?
I actually have two braces. The overflow is in the middle and I have a brace on each side. You can see them in this picture. Right now my T5 lamps just sit directly on them. Can you post a picture of how you have your lights mounted?
I'll post one later when I get home. Are you asking whats best for your set up? OR if you go with metal halides?
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by azaintcold
I'll post one later when I get home. Are you asking whats best for your set up? OR if you go with metal halides?
Both. Someone else showed me there MH and they had two mounted long ways and the light covered his entire tank. I was thinking I'd need three, but the other guys tank looked good with just the two. Not sure if he had two braces like me though, so not sure how that would effect it. I also have 3 1/2" of glass on each side of the braces. I don't see a shadow with my T5s, so I'm thinking I shouldn't see one with the MH. Do you see one with your tank? The other thing to, is if we do decide to go with MH we will most certainly need a chiller.
Edit: I was also thinking about the 175w. Do you know if it's cooler than the 250w, or does it not matter.
I'll post one later when I get home. Are you asking whats best for your set up? OR if you go with metal halides?
Both. Someone else showed me there MH and they had two mounted long ways and the light covered his entire tank. I was thinking I'd need three, but the other guys tank looked good with just the two. Not sure if he had two braces like me though, so not sure how that would effect it. I also have 3 1/2" of glass on each side of the braces. I don't see a shadow with my T5s, so I'm thinking I shouldn't see one with the MH. Do you see one with your tank? The other thing to, is if we do decide to go with MH we will most certainly need a chiller.
Edit: I was also thinking about the 175w. Do you know if it's cooler than the 250w, or does it not matter.
azaintcold
Member
You would want 3 250 w halides with your set up, same as mine. Your tank bracing is perfect for it. One in each "cubby." I had to set mine up with two on one side, one on a 30º wedge, and then one on the other side. I thought I would need a chiller too, but with my efficiently designed canopy , when I turned the halides on for several hours and the fans to test if I would need one , the temp actually went down 2 degrees! Crazy. I'm excited I don't have to fork out 600 bucks for a chiller.