jetskisteve Posted July 5, 2004 Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 how those puppys gonna bob the calc reactor prob weighs about 7kg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 nitratereductor is just a little puppy though, i think my blue tang weighs more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 Here's a birds-eye view of the sump room. main tank sits 1 storey up roughly over the 3 foot sump and door. Any suggestions for improvement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted July 5, 2004 Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 The set up looks nice however seems very complicated for a 5ft tank. Why not just have 1 large sump so that the skimmer can get more water contact so it can skim better, simply is better. what will happen if the pipe gets blocked from the 4ft sump to the 3 foot sump.??/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 design will ensure pipe wont get blocked. agreed, simple is better but i think the clutter in the diagram makes it appear more complex than it actually is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted July 5, 2004 Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 Looks reasonable. 2 questions 1 comment 2 observation. Question - Why have the drip tray for the Ca/Nitrate why not just stick it in the sump? Question - Is the skimmer in the sump? If not, how do you feed the skimmer (obviously via a pump, where is it?). Comment- Because of the 'cascade' you create, the bottom sump controls the 'water level' (that is water added or removed will only effect the level in the bottom sump). Using your water change (drain) tap into the sink, you will not be able change out more than the volume of the 3ft tank (which in reality will be a lot less than this volume). Comment2 - Maybee not in your diagram but you will want to think about baffles in the sump (which will reduce the water change capacity). You should at least have 1 baffle for the heaters to ensure they are always submerged. Observation - I think you skimmer is in the wrong place. It is counter productive to have the skimmer after the refugium. Any goodness that escapes the 'fuge will be skimmed out by the skimmer before entering the main tank. I belive the skimmer should be placed before (feeding) the refugium. Awesome diagram, its obvious you have given things a lot of thought, and done a lot of planing. I am sure it will pay off for you, good luck and well done. I like it Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 drip tray because space is available, tidier, easier to access etc that way. yes, is an in-sump skimmer so 2 pumps at bottom of it. I understand that the 3 foot controls water level and figured the amount of water to be changed would not be greater than 140 litres in one go. Baffles an idea, ta. Skimmer positioning, yeah perhaps. I'll re-think this but it's likely I'll have to get a bigger external skimmer later on (current Deltec 1060 is rated to 1,000 litres, which is exactly how much I'll have in the new setup) so it could easily sit prior to entering the refugium. My only query with your observation though is that there is such high water throughput around the system, that the water skimmed from the sump would be pumped a full cycle around the entire system in a short period of time anyway. I understand the theory behind it but I think it will be minimal effect because of fast water cycling. If anyone wants to buy a Deltec skimmer for $800 I'll consider selling it and upgrading! (thats half the price they sell for at Hollywood) Thanks, appreciate the comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2004 well, not a great deal of work done on the room in the weekend. did finish off the last wall though and built most of the stand for the 4 foot refugium. Went to Chesters plumbing today in Albany (next to HFF) and spoke to a really helpful guy Peter. He gave me a good price on a few bits of plumbing (eg: those grey pipes with blue taps pies was talking about) got 40mm ones for $19. Anyways, here's a (somewhat boring but an update nonetheless) latest pic (you can see the tub sitting on the floor between the 2 stands, it will be fixed directly above where its sitting) Once the 4 foot refugium stand is fixed to the wall, another slightly higher stand will be built next to it to hold tank for top-up water. Plumbing comes in after that! Getting the stands perfectly level was a mission and took heaps of 1mm trimming here and there to get it right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Picked up my "grey union ball valves with blue taps" today - swapped with threaded model I originally bought after a recommendation against them from Pies (thanks, the new ones way rock!) My new 3/4" Sea-swirl is on it's way from the USA, cant wait. I also picked up a plastic drum (200 litres, allowing a 20% water change) today from 'bazza' today, nice bloke. im going to use the drum on its side and plumb it up as a holding tank for water changes. The lid is fixed with 2 x 65mm holes: here's a side on shot of the sump room and upstairs tank. the right side of the 'green' pipe goes to the outside of the house to a small tub. i simply full up the tub which fills up the drum. open the "red pipe" tap over the sink to empty water, open the "green pipe" tap near the refugium to fill the sump back up. (closed loops in the main tank not shown) I think as the taps are opened, the water being added has to travel to the main tank and the refugium before emptying in the sink so I would imagine a very small portion of water being changed (if any) would actually go back down the sink. Suggestions for improvement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Did you check thats a food grade drum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 yup, definately. smells like rum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackJackJack Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 mmmm rum. fish will be happy the first few changes then hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 ha ha haaaa! i'll make sure i monitor them when it goes in i got my new tank today. 1500mm x 600mm x 600mm approx 540 litres(5'x2'x2' or 140 gallons) Shes a beauty, all crystal clear glass waiting for a mass algae buildup to ruin her complexion :lol: All the holes i had drilled are in the perfect place and the 35mm holes are spot on for the fittings i have. my only concern is with the overflow which was built smaller than I thought so adding the durso will be slightly more difficult, woops :-? gotta build a temporary stand at some stage for a temporary tank and transfer all fish corals etc then move my current 4 foot (320 litre) out. of course this is after i have finished plumbing up the sump room (which shouldnt take long) and plumbing up and testing the closed loops in the new tank. will post a pic of plubming stages for the new tank for those interested in the placing of the loops (which i carefully calculated by modelling the tank out of cardboard boxes ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 well now i've got the new tank, i was able to do a bit more plumbing to the sump room. here's the current 4 ft tank with a vivid marked on the wall for a cut out of the new tank to show increase in size (with the ugly wallpaper that will be no more in a few months!!!) I like this pic as it shows how much bigger a 5 foot vs a 4 foot tank can actually be (in this case, almost twice the litreage) This is a shot of the new tank with my daughter Aleysha in it (and a nice background shot of her washing ) As you can see it will be a bit of a squeeze for the durso, the only thing I wish was changed (i worked out I can just fit it with about 2mm clearance) and here is the start of plumbing up for the closed loops and overflow (or rather a test for measurement as the back of the tank still needs painting) I also bought a few rotating flow nozzles from the UK which should arrive in 6 weeks or so (when my cousin brings them back from his holiday) I am not sure on the size of them or the fitting however the plan is to use one on each closed loop return. If they dont fit or work for this setup, I'll sell them off (i think they're meant to fit on a powerhead) They were relatively cheap anyway so took the risk they'll do a good job, if not a "fixed direction" loop output will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 I hope you realize the sprogfish in that second picture will FAR outgrow the tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 yeah, the new tank is her bath until everything else is sorted ps: go to bed, look at the time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Why should I go to bed? Normally I'm not even off work for another 6 hours...What're YOU doing up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Nice tank chimera, I wish i had an in wall! Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 Thanks Layton - yeah it looks nice and tidy in the wall, cant wait to see the new one in their with the MH's lighting the sucker up! I got an Iwaki MD-RX30 off Steve yesterday for the return pump. It does about 4,300 litres per hour at 0 metres head height. Mine will have just under 3 metres head height so according to their graph on flow lost at various heights, I get 2,100 litres per hour. Still good enough and spot on for the Sea-swirl (3/4" @ maximum 850gph or 3,200lph). The rest of the water movement will be achieved from the closed loops and Tunze streams if need be. I got the tank valves for the bottom holes (x3) all silicon'd up and in yesterday. Im nervous as hell about doing a 'leak test' - its gotta be sealed 100% first time otherwise Im screwed when the tank is up and running! If anyone knows the best way to pressure test for leaks (other than obviously just filling the tank up with water) let me know. Would applying vigorous water movement help in testing? (updated lph figures from initial post!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 I see you got the Durso comming out the side of the tank, Alois did this too. You are going to struggle to get that Elbow in there, remember it needs to be at least 1 size larger. As for testing the tank, fill it with water it about the only way I can think off. Leave it over night, should be sweet. Hint. If you havn't glued the ones on the back in yet, Paint it first, that way no light can get it behind the tank valves and make it look odd. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 yeah i realise about the durso hence my initial comment about the only thing i would change - never mind. i'll sort out something im sure i've intentionally left the back ones off so I can paint it this week. I picked a blue that sprays on transparent. Its not completely the exact blue I like but the room the back will be facing will be dark anyway. I was thinking really slight lighting in that room plus the transparent blue should give it some depth? BTW, here is the flow rate loss chart for the Iwaki models: From an electrical engineering forum re: Iwaki's: As I understand it, IWAKI pumps come in two flavors, both use the same pump head for a given model number, but the motors differ. "MDxx" models use a Japanese motor, "WMDxx" models use an American motor. Aside from Iwaki itself, I have never seen anything positive said about the American WMD motors beyond the 'Made in USA' factor. OTOH, I've heard that the WMD motors don't have the same reliability and quiet operation that the Japanese motors do. Judging by the pictures, I think the WMD motors may be slightly larger as well. Just remember - WMD is bad, MD is good.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desh Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Chimera, Iwaki uses 3 different types of impellers. Depending on your application you can get high flow, high pressure or standard. What you would want is the standard. The high flow models drop the flow rates as soon as there is a slight increase in pressure (RZ series). Also remember that your piping will also have losses in them you might be looking at RT70 or a RT100 for the flow rates you would want. The US motors operate at 60 Hz rather than 50 HZ, so you will end up having to have a transformer. When you read the graphs make sure you look at 50 Hz flow rates as these are much less than the 60 Hz flow rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Got one for sale Desh?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted July 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 i think an RT70 or RT100 would blow the inners out of the sea-swirl it will be plumbed up too... im sure i read the pump was an "MD-RX30-220N" (will confirm when i get home tonight) although on various web sites i can only find info about RXT and RT, nothing about just "RX" an interesting post: http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/archive/index.php/t-7831 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desh Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 No I don't want to sell the one I have cause I can't find one for the same price. You don't want to under spec the pump since there is no point having good skimmer if you don't have the water circulation sorted. Good Luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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