Originally Posted by
natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2911826
Randy, how were you planning on return the water back to the system? I assume you would plumb it to drain back into a sump, if so it might be possible to do it without an extra pump. You could utilize the overflow and drain it into the remote sandbed and then let the RSB drain into the sump. All this depends on the RSB placement and the available space though.
If this isn't an option I think I would run a seperate pump to the RSB, I would think 100gph would be more than enough to satisfy the needs of the DSB but may not be enough keep waste and algae from accumulating in the RSB. Drawing more than 100gph from your main return will reduce the turnover rate in the tank pretty significantly which is my reasoning for using seperate pump that can provide more flow through the RSB without effecting the DT.
Hey John, my you're up late. The system is at this point completely hypothetical. I'm envisioning two 29 gallon extra longs (same foot print as a 55 gallon tank, only 12 1/2 inches tall) stacked over each other on the top of a cabinet (stacking two tanks of the same size of course raises additional issues - please reference my post(s) on a multitiered tank stand). Both tanks could be bare bottom, but since I really don't care for bare bottom tanks (I know, I know, easier maintanence, but I just don't like the look), I would probably go with either a shallow or deep SB in the tanks as well. Lighting would consist of a 4' foot, four bulb PC light on the lower tank (for low light corals such as mushrooms, some zoas, and some softies), and a four foot two or four bulb T5 fixture on the top tank (for higher light demanding corals such as montis, some zoas, perhaps ricordia (although they may do better in the lower tank), candy canes, etc. The cabinet would be considerable larger than the tanks; I'm envisioning room for one of the 25 gallon containers (with a remote DSB) on a shelf that sits higher than the sump (possibly a 29 long (3 foot tank), but perhaps a 20 - sump would contain the skimmer and return pumps), additionally perhaps a octogonal tank tied at the bottom into the sump to provide a place for blue filter pad over LR rubble, and a seperate 10 or larger fuge (again on a shelf higher than the sump). Both the 25 gallon container and the fuge would gravity feed back into the sump (preferably through the blue filter and LR rubble). Also would probably need a chiller in there somewhere (maybe outside the cabinet) since the system would be in close proximity to the coal stove which heats my home. SnakeBlitz suggested a second container, Which I like the idea of and could see sitting on top of the cabinet (probably enclosed within a upper cabinet) that gravity feeds into the lower container. Above that, perhaps a 5 gallon dosing jug for dripping Kalk into the system.
My wife of course would kill me if she knew I was even thinking about a second system, so this is really simply dreaming . . . of course I do already have one of the extra long 29 gallon tanks, a four foot PC light, both a 20 gallon long and two 30 gallon long aquariums all of which are brand new and have never been taken out of the boxes
. I'm a collector
sue me
. Biggest issues are time, $, a T5 light, a good skimmer, and especially a chiller. Generally speaking I try to avoid used - I've gone that route before and I generally find that investing the money in new upfront saves investing additional money later. What can I say, I like to dream, and when I dream, I generally dream big
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