tunicate

I've recent commented on IOS tank. It's at below link. (Look for post Posted 14 May 2012 - 11:25 PM) If you engage a tank maker to construct both the tank with the cabinet together, then it should fit & hold the weight of your tank well. The cabinet should be the least of your problem. P.S. Acrylic is not easy to maintain.

Thanks for replying.

I encourage you to also check out for sales section on our forum. A 2nd hand German pump may yield better value than a brand new China made one. BTW, an decent LED lighting alone for a 2 footer may well exceed $290. I do not want to sound discouraging, but keeping a marine aquarium is not a cheap hobby. What you've mentioned is the setup cost. Below is a link to calculating your electricity consumption for the tank(i.e. running cost) which you also have to take into consideration. And also factor in NSW, additives, etc for the running cost. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/tank_elec_calc.php If you plan to introduce corals into the tank, then it's better to have a tank with a sump below as the upkeep of corals require more stringent water parameters, thus more equipment, hence more $$ to purchase & maintain them. The sump area would allow you to house these equipment & muffle out the equipment sound if the sump sits in a cabinet. But once you got your budget & plans straighten out, setting up a marine tank has great potential of a fun project, and something you'll enjoy tremendously. Happy reefing

Hi Santamonica, If the purpose of the air bubbles is water movement over the mesh, would placing the mesh in a high flow location within a sump yield the same result?

Are you able to add a baffle between the skimmer & your return pump? Let the water go under the baffle before reaching the return.

Can show a video or some pics of the problem?

Let's call the 3.5 footer with built-in IOS as "A", & the 2 feet cube with sump as "B". A's equipment in the IOS is more expose unless you mask out the glass on the IOS compartment & have a hood to cover the top as well. Even so, equipment noise can be a problem to some. A 3 feet display with 1 foot IOS may be a suitable design for a FOWLR tank where equipment need is fewer. IOS design allows you to use a much smaller return pump. B is a typical design to keep the equipment hidden in the cabinet, & noise muffled. Plus it will probably be easier to sell off if you decide to decomm it in the future.

item sold. thread closed. thanks

If the vertical piece blocking the sand protrudes more than 6 inches over the sand bed, it may work. This is because of water movement, critters, fishes, as well as people disturbing the sand bed.

If you're having sand, just block off the underflow to disable it. The rest should work as normal.

Tank 1. 3x2x2 ft is popular 2. There're ready made setups where you may do some bargaining 'cause the shop may want to clear space. 3. You mean water depth? 1.5 to 2ft is typically ok using 4xt5HO. Sump Good for you. I encourage you to have a sump. 1. Pro - It allows you to easily add a sump to a 5 plan tank. (No drilling required) Con - Overflow box rely of siphon, hence risk breaking it. This would result in a flood if you did not incorporate a flood sensor to stop the return pump. 2. A proper overflow(internal or external) with drilled holes for durso piping is the way to go for reliability. If you're buying a tank-sump setup, a built-in overflow should not cost you too much extra compared to the overall price.

I only have a handful of chaeto if you like. Just PM me for address.

Thanks for the review. Love the clear pics.

So your sump tank is 4 ft. What about your display tank?

There has been inquiry about its power consumption. Below is a pic of its power adapter.

Sorry, I don not have sufficient experience with out-sump models to give recommendation. However, I notice Deltec is a popular brand for out-sump choice in the forum. I guess water leakage is an important consideration for out-sump placement.

Based on an estimated total volume of 460+ liters after your sump upgrade, you can go for either NAC6 or NAC7(to over-skim) or other brands of equivalent size.

OK, the next best thing is probably a customized IOS tank. (1) Figure out what's the maximum tank size you can fit in. (2) Come up with a list of filtration media & equipment you're planning to have. (3) Use info in (2) to size up your IOS partition. You'll have a pretty good idea how your tank will look like after completing step (3). Draw out your tank specs(with measurement), or make a small model out of cardboard for your tank maker.

I'm using AB3000 for my 2 footer return. I notice there is a movable flap within the pump chamber for directing water to its outlet nozzle, depending whether the impeller turns clockwise of anti-clockwise when you power on. I often encounter the flap stuck to the wrong side, causing minimal return flow. Had to power down, give the pump a few shake, then on again to recover. But when it gets going, I'm happy with it. Not sure if it's just my pump, or if anyone else also have such issue with their AB pump.

Water level in your main tank will fluctuate due to evaporation & top up. Some people do not like that, thus go for sump design.

On leave this week. Collection time will be more flexible.

On leave this week. Collection time will be more flexible.

On leave this week. Collection time will be more flexible.

upz

Gotta take the good with the bad. Over time, beneficial bacteria form your tank will migrate onto the new rocks.