Finally 240gal tank

[mcbdz]

Hello, I haven't been on in awhile. Lots of other thinks happening at the moment, but finally after a year getting my 240 gal tank up.

This will be it's diary I guess. This is what we have.
240gal all glass 8' x 2' x 2' tank. 2 corner over flows with both drain and return drilled.
The cabinet I got with the tank.

This was dark stained pine that did not go with my house so we altered it.

N

Now it matches the rest of my builtins.

Last night we got the tank in.

YEAH! I painted the back black of course.

How does this look so far?
Next ? about plumbing and filters.
Pattie

 

[nwdyr]

wow!!! look's very nice!! One question.....is that doorway going to be used anymore?? looks like the tank covers it huh?

 

[mcbdz]

No, it really was never used. There is a larger opening already there.

 

[mcbdz]

Ok, for filtration.
Asking advice on what would be best for the value. A CRP wet/dry with sump came with the tank. We are going to replace all the plumbing and the pump has died so we are asking what pump to use. Not sure of the gallons but the measurements are:
27"L x 18" H x 13"w for the wet dry and
19"L x 18" H x 14"w for the sump Here are the picks:
Not sure how well you can see it?

There are a few more pieces like tops, and stuff not in pick. I do plan on using live rock and adding a refuge in part of it. Still working on this, but first need to know about the pump.HELP!

 

[wattsupdoc]

What kind of tank is it going to be? I don't think I saw any built in overflows. Is this correct? IMO you want a minimum of 10X turnover. So with a 240, your looking at 2400 gph flow, minimum. Now part of that can be through the sump or other filtration, but myself I wouldn't' look to see it all through there. I would myself do a 75 gall sump fuge, with something like a mag 18, or 24 even return pump. However the Sequence Reeflo snapper is a 2400gph pump and only uses 100 watts. I have heard good things about the Sequence pumps.

 

[mcbdz]

wattsupdoc, For at least the first year it will be fish only, but I will have tangs and they need good flow. There is an overflo in each back corner.
Their is the wet/dry and sump the I'm not sure of gallons but put measurements above for.
Pattie

 

[wattsupdoc]

Those two add up to around 47 gal. Not bad for filtration, however, your likely to have 20 gal. of backwash so that doesn't leave much room for water in the compartments. Now, they'll work just fine if plumbed properly. But you would be doing well to convert the wet/dry to a fuge and then do maybe a remote DSB in a bucket. 1 or 2 even 5 gallon buckets will help add to your backwash capacity. As well as giving you the benefit of NNR sand bed. Converting the wet'dry to a LRR compartment, a macro algae compartment and a return pump compartment would be a piece of cake. But IMO, you need the added room for backwash. If this sounds like a good plan, then I'll be glad to help you set it all up. What skimmer do you have for this? I would recommend the Octopus Extreme or it's twin, the MSX Extreme lines of skimmers, but your sump is too small to fit the extreme 250. And the 200 will likely be undersized for your display. You may be able to get away with it, if your fuge is effective enough. But I cant say that it will. Really, those two pieces of equipment are just not quite big enough. Where as a 75 will be perfect. I understand the economics of it, but if you can sell the sump and wet/dry which look like good equipment, then use the cash from that to go towards a 75 and some baffles. Either way you want to go, I'll help though.

 

[salt210]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2784196
However the Sequence Reeflo snapper is a 2400gph pump and only uses 100 watts. I have heard good things about the Sequence pumps.
my mag 12 is 114watts with only half the flow. not to mention the snapper is probably more reliable

 

[mcbdz]

wattsupdoc,

Thanks again for info. My dh just went out of town and will be back tomarrow sometime. I am having him do most of this plumbing so, will see what he wants to do. The people that had the tank before us used this and, I was hoping this was the right size. We'll will do what we have to to set it up right to begin with. And we will need all the help we can get, so thanks again.

Pattie

 

[wattsupdoc]

No problem. The thing is, lots of people set up tanks and run them successfully for a period of time. But they have issues to deal with all along the way. Never knowing that some of their problems would go away, or life would just be so much easier if set up just a little bit differently. There is a better way. A more complete and natural method. I myself cant see setting something up that is so beautiful without going the extra step to make sure the filtration is as good as possible. You can cheap out on the lighting right now if you want to,

but I wouldn't on the filtration. The thing is, you can achieve this with a simple 5 gal bucket or 2 and a return pump along with the equipment you have. You will be able to save some on sand as you wouldn't need to go so deep in the display in order to get nitrate reduction from it.
BTW, great job redoing the stand, very nice.

 

[mcbdz]

wattsupdoc

, Ok we just got the 75 gal you suggested for a sump/fuge. Measurements 48"x21"x18". Ok, pretent I'm your student

and draw me a picture/diagram where to put the baffles and how many, size/length of them. We are planning on getting a dart pump for return. Do we need to drill? It says it is tempered glass and not to drill, So whats up.

Pattie

 

[mcbdz]

OK, this is what we have been playin' around with for the sump/fuge:

Need help with the sizes of each area and if the baffles are ok?
Pattie

 

[wattsupdoc]

I'll get something drawn up this evening.

I've been out of town the last few days.

 

[wattsupdoc]

What return pump are you looking at? Submersible or not? I've got an idea that will maximize your compartments. Any in sump skimmer I find for that size of tank will take up a pretty good space. Not leaving much room for a fuge, which we want as stinkin big as possible.

Myself I wouldn't recommend anything but an in sump. I know, I know, many people run them out of sump, but I've had a flood or two to many with my old skimmer out of sump. But I think with this design we can maximize space in each compartment. I just need to know how much room to leave for the return pump. Also, will you be having an ATO? If so, what kind?

 

[mcbdz]

We were trying to decided between the Reeflo Dart at 3600gph and the Snapper at 2400gph. We prefer to have the pump external to reduce heat and give more space in sump. As far as skimmer I know u recommend the MSX Extreme do we need the 200 or 250? We haven't looked at ATO yet more than likely we'll diy later. We still have the old wet/dry with sump shown above, if we need to make it a fuge.
Thanks for all your help,
Tony

 

[wattsupdoc]

Will the OF's you have built in handle 2400 GPH? What type of drain are you going to use? Standpipe and gravity? The 250 will do you very well. I think we'll end up with a very nice sized fuge with the 75.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Can you build this? Does it make sense? There's only one issue and that is that 2400 gph is going to be a BUNCH of flow over essentially 8in of baffle. It shouldn't be a problem though, and the LRR will help to silence it. I looks confusing a little but it really is pretty simple, ask any questions you might have.

 

[mcbdz]

These are the OF that came with the tank. Their 1in. I/D.

Will these work or do we need to replace plumbing?
I undersand your diagram. Have a couple questions?
1. Width of sump is 18in. minus 6in drain baffles leaves 12in. I think the footprint for the 250 skimmer is 16x16. Is this enough room?
2. Is that sand in the left side on the side veiw?

3. The second baffle on the drain 8x6 is even with the top of the 16x4 baffle correct?
Thanks again,
Tony

 

[wattsupdoc]

Your only going to get about 600 gph out of each of those drains using standpipes. Not really a problem, many would go with that and you can. However if you want more flow there is a way to get it there. By using a ball valve on the drains to restrict the flow then using the 3/4 line that would have been the return as a "safety". This is referred to as a "Herbie style".
It works like this. Install a ball valve on your drain line. With a short piece of pipe sticking up into the OF box.Close the BV until the water level rises enough to submerge the pipe completely. As the water level rises less air is allowed into the pipe, likewise more pressure is pushing the water down into pipe as the level rises. At some point when no air can be allowed in the pipe, and the pressure is great enough, then the water will begin flowing faster through the pipe increasing the flow. Partly because no air is occupying space in the pipe. Partly because of increased pressure by the weight of the water. Now the second pipe is important because it provides for some back up support if the drain should be become clogged or some other means of slowing the flow. It would extend up to around 1 in from the bottom of the teeth of the overflow. This pipe should go to the same section of the sump as the primary drain, but terminate ABOVE the water line there. This will alert you if the line is ever flowing, indicating a problem. I myself have not used this type of drain, but I understand it fully as well have spoke to many who have used it successfully. It should be noted that the basic "primary" line in this set up is much older than the "back up" line. Which has been recently added. There are many who have run this setup with just the primary line successfully. However I wouldn't recommend it. You could use this set up and get the flow you want. It is reportedly very quite if done properly. Your return line would just go up over the top, and could be split up into multiple return lines. Using an Oceans motions 4 way or even 8 way(crazy plumbing there

) would be a good addition for random flow.
Or you could just go with like an 1800gph return pump throttled back, and some stockman/durso standpipes.

Either way will work just fine.

 

[mcbdz]

Is there a formula to figure gph on the return? What if I take the standpipe out of the bulkhead? The bulkhead is 1 1/4in. ID and I just put filter floss where it goes in the sump? If that don't work you were saying something about run a second pipe 1in. for the bottom of the teeth of the overflow to the sump as a backup in case the main gets clogged. My question is I have two holes in the ovreflow one for the drain and one for the return do i have to drill a new hole? There's no room for a new hole.

thanks again,
Tony