Help me set up my 90g SPS tank

[krazekajin]

So I finally got my 90g that I have been talking so much about. There is still a lot to do, but I am taking it slow, because I want a great tank.
This tank is going to be stoney tank with many SPS.
I have some questions:
1. I want my turnover to be around 40x which will be around 3600gph. How is this best done. I have found a place that can drill my sump (which is a 55g tank that I modded as a three compartment sump and refugium) so I can have a closed loop system. For example, I could get a Sequence dart pump like Murph has but I don't think I could afford the ocean motions 4 way. With my tank only having one overflow, can I have have a pump that pumps 3600gph or does my overflow limit my ability? how would I dissperse the water from a pump that size without an ocean motions?
2. if I don't use a closed loop system, then would I be better suited to get a couple of tunze and a wave maker. My current pump is a mag 9.5 which will move about 700gph. Thus with my 9.5 and a couple of 1200gph tunze, I would have my right turnover.

 

[lobstergrabber]

A closed loop is a water pump system that takes water directly out of tank and then directly back in without ever leaving the pipe work. So no overflow is involved. If you added this to the sump set up with the mag pump pushing your overflow and sump then you would be in good shape. The tunze pumps would also work for you without having to drill another hole in your tank though then you have to look at them in your display where as you can make a closed loop virtually invisible. HTH
Rich

 

[teen]

you want your return pump to match whatever your overflow drains ( and you have to account for head loss).
a pair of tunze would be nice if you can afford them. the 6080's or 6100's would be a good choice. even better if you can get the controller.
wave box is nice, but i personally think theres too much movement in the tank. its not even like current, its basically like your whole tank is swaying.
in my 110, i plan on having a pair of tunze along with a sequence hammerhead. i want a lot of folw, but no more than 2 powerheads in the tank.

 

[murph145]

well as far as flow goes it all depends on how much money u want to spend!
heres some options.....
#1 Closed Loop: IMO works well when setup properly hides most pumps from being in tank.... u could run a Sequence Dart like i have it runs around $240 if i recall correctly... i have the OCeans Motions 4 way i think that cost me around $320 then the plumming is guna cost u another $100 for all the unions the piping and the ball valves.... A closed loop is something run totally seperate of your sump... for example my closed loop has 2-1" drain holes that are drilled into the back of my glass tank these 2 holes which are hidden behind my rock work so u dont see them T up behind the tank into a 2" T that goes striaght down to my Dart then the Dart has a 1.5" return that goes straight up to my OM 4way at the top of my tank there its split into 4 ways and in 4 different returns.... like i said a closed loop is a seperate thing from a sump it has to be self contained and has no part of your filtration area. u will need to have your tank drilled at least once for a drain hole for the closed loop pump. my tanks drilled 6 times for my closed loop setup. 2-1" drain holes and 4-1" return holes....ur guna have to spend a few bucks on drillin a tank unless u can do it yourself.... so your lookin at around $700+ to setup a closed loop on your tank.... Draw back of a CL is not as efficient power usage on the Dart pump as compared to using Tunzees they use way less energy than a Pump does....
#2 Tunzees on a controller: very good option but can run you upwards of $900 for the complete setup new... u might be able to find some for sale used. Tunzees provide a ridiculous amount of flow and have a controller to allow for random settings for 2 or more pumps.... nice effect and works very well... Downside is expensive and kinda an eyesoar in the tank....
#3 Seios on a multicontroller: Seio now offers a controller for there pumps too... Be it no way as nice as the Tunzee setup it still gets the job done... You could throw in 2-1100's on a controller for about $300 if im guessing right and get some good flow... the Seio controller has only one option it powers on and off between pumps in certain time inricraments like every 10 seconds or whatever u set it for... the Tunzees will do a combo of like 100% one pump and 40% the other or whatever % u set them to... also the Tunzees have a feeding setting and a night calm setting but like i said the Seios can and do a nice job just not as customizeable... Downside is they are really noticeable like the Tunzees and are not as efficient or customizeable as the Tunzee's
#4 Use some other Power Heads that u can mod or what not but IMO not the best option in an SPS tank since a CL or Tunzee's/Seios offer a nice wide flow range where as a normal powerhead has a small output hole which causes very localized flow....
As you can see lots of options on the choices here and it all depends on what your looking for do u want something to be hidden like a CL do u want something with awesome customizable features like the Tunzee's or do u want something that works and gets the job done like the Seios's.... either way u cant go wrong its a matter of personal choice....
BTW 40x's turnover is a decent rate to achieve but some people run upwards of 100x's and others as low as 25x's its all depends on flow placement and other conditions that make SPS happy the combination of all things is what makes a happy SPS tank.... also keep in mind anything over 35-40x's turnover you will have some sand storms in the tank if u use a fine grade sand in your tank
hope that helps some hit me up if u got any questions

 

[krazekajin]

I have too many questions and not enough money is what it boils down too. I really like the idea of a closed loop system as it is the cheapest way for me to go. My 90 has a corner overflow so I think that I am still going to use the sump with the mag 9.5 so I can have my refugium. Then I might see about drilling the tank so that I can have a closed loop system.
Question:
I understand now exactly what a closed loop system is. But, on the intake hole that I would drill in the tank, where does that intake come from. Meaning, I assume that the intake hole of a CL that is pushing 3600gph would have incredible suction, what do you do to not have a place that the fish just get sucked into. Do you drill the hole, say half way down the side, and then inside the tank run the return upwards with a pipe?
Murph, do you have a picture of your tank that would show the position of the intake and returns?

 

[teen]

for my intake on my closed loop, i just put a cap on the pvs piping that was inside that tank, and used a dremmel to put cuts in the side. i put enough of them so it wasnt restricting the flow, but nothing could get sucked up.
if your using a bulkhead for the intake, they sell covers for them.

 

[saltn00b]

i have a dart pushing my CLS that i just finished. take a look at my upgrade thread in the DiY section for lots of pics.

 

[murph145]

the drain wholes do creat a lot of suction there are strainers that are sold to fit in the bulkheads to kinda keep things from getting sucked in but i have weak/smaller fish get stuck to it and die....
heres some pics of the CL
heres the back of my tank.... i have the 2-1" drain holes in the middle back sides of the back glass.... they come out and 90 striaght across the the 2" T then straight down to the pump and return in a 1.5" pipe to the OM

this is an older top pic showing the OM center of top tank then the 4-1" returns going there seperate directions

hope it helps some

 

[mpls man]

Originally Posted by murph145
the drain wholes do creat a lot of suction there are strainers that are sold to fit in the bulkheads to kinda keep things from getting sucked in but i have weak/smaller fish get stuck to it and die....
heres some pics of the CL
heres the back of my tank.... i have the 2-1" drain holes in the middle back sides of the back glass.... they come out and 90 striaght across the the 2" T then straight down to the pump and return in a 1.5" pipe to the OM

this is an older top pic showing the OM center of top tank then the 4-1" returns going there seperate directions

hope it helps some
murph...question for you ?

i seen you have 2 holes from the back of your tank, i want to do the same for my 110, where should i have the holes drilled in the back ?
also saw you have holes drilled for the returns on the back corners? would it make a difference to just run pvc to the corners the have 90s into the tank.
i have a coralife 1100hp pump that i was going to use under the stand which would be about 3' from the top, this would be running into a OM squirt also.
your help would be great.

 

[05xrunner]

Originally Posted by MPLS MAN
i have a coralife 1100hp pump that i was going to use under the stand which would be about 3' from the top,
1100hp pump

good lord. your going to have water shoot across the state

 

[mpls man]

well this is figuring the the water is going through some 90s to get to the end of the outlits in the tank. i would rather have too much.

 

[murph145]

Originally Posted by MPLS MAN
murph...question for you ?

i seen you have 2 holes from the back of your tank, i want to do the same for my 110, where should i have the holes drilled in the back ?
also saw you have holes drilled for the returns on the back corners? would it make a difference to just run pvc to the corners the have 90s into the tank.
i have a coralife 1100hp pump that i was going to use under the stand which would be about 3' from the top, this would be running into a OM squirt also.
your help would be great.

if u have a center overflow like mine i had them drilled centered off each side of the overflow box.... i wanted equal water pull from both sides of the tank thats y i had 2 holes drilled vs one larger diameter hole i wanted good water flow throughout the rock work....
u dont need to drill the returns u could return them over the tanks top if u wanted to.... i did it this way just cuz i have a larger eurobracing around the top of my tank it would make it unsightly to have all the pluming go up and around the bracing.... but its all up to u

 

[mpls man]

ok thanks,re the 2 question.

on the 1st question, i have 2 overflow boxes on the tank it is reef ready,
what i was planning was to put the in between the overflow boxes, how far from the top would you have them drilled to prevent too much suction, as in the pic of the tank, the 2 circles was where i was planning to have the holes drilled, just not sure as far from the top.
thanks

 

[murph145]

i think id go down a little further with the holes easier to hide with the rock work plus it will pull water through the rock better

 

[mpls man]

ok Great! thanks for the help.
forgot to ask 1.
as far as the return pump, i was going to run a coralife 1100hp pump at approx 3' from the OM squirt, do you think that will be enough or not enough ?
thanks again

 

[murph145]

if i were u id actually go with a bigger pump ull be happy u did if u wanna keep sps.... on my 180 im running that Sequence Dart pump does 3600gph max and i think it works just nicely maybe a lil more flow but its actually very nice on the OM unit
Sequence makes a smaller pump thats made for closed loops .... all there Reeflo pumps are "flow" pumps made for just that creating alot of flow in the tank..... the smaller new pump they just came out with is the "Sequence Snapper" it does 2500gph max and i think would be a great fit to your tank if u wanna do a nice CL setup.... do a search they run close to $200

 

[mpls man]

great i'll check into it ! thanks again.

 

[murph145]

no problemo!