Riot's New Tank

[riot]

Hi.

Several reasons for this new thread.

First, all the new tank setups have gotten me itchy. The other is that its going to be a matter of time before my old tank burst. The front glass pane has bowed since I removed the centre brace to accomodate my 1X400w MH. It still works fine, but you never know when will it blow. Thirdly, thinking of the ZEO method and intend to start anew without a sandbed.

So, thanks in advance to all you reefers keen to help me out with your wisdom.

To kick it off, i intend to run a single 400w MH with T5s actinic suppplementation. Can a 400w raised up in a high hood cover a 4 ft spread? Ideally, the tank will be 4X2X2. Not too large, as I really want to retain the current equipment I have(400w MH, 1/2 HP Chiller, etc)

Secondly, to maximize energy, any chance of putting the return of the beckett straight back into the main tank. I know I will have to raise the bastard really high up , but that will remove my need for a dedicated return (the old eheim 1260 can feed my chiller). That will jusify my energy gobbling beckett (esp since I cant get anyone to swop their euros with me)

Failing that, are cabinets generally high enough to hold a beckett insump? That will mean a clearance of 40 inches (plus stand to raise the beck output)

Anyway. how much will a 4X2X2 tank+cabinet+hood+sump cost?

Man, cant wait for the holidays!

Thanks!

[Ekia]

a 4x2x2 (12mm) cabinet(chenggai) + sump,hood, pipings should cost around $1400...

If u dun want chenggai wood.. will be about $200 cheaper... but i would rather use chenggai for durability...

[lightningstrike]

First, all the new tank setups have gotten me itchy. The other is that its going to be a matter of time before my old tank burst. The front glass pane has bowed since I removed the centre brace to accomodate my 1X400w MH. It still works fine, but you never know when will it blow. Thirdly, thinking of the ZEO method and intend to start anew without a sandbed.

same here bro....... i in jepun for 6 mths....... i cannot stand the itch liaoz....... everyday think of reefing........ brain going kuku liaoz....... all i can do is to surf SRC to relieve the addiction.

To kick it off, i intend to run a single 400w MH with T5s actinic suppplementation. Can a 400w raised up in a high hood cover a 4 ft spread? Ideally, the tank will be 4X2X2. Not too large, as I really want to retain the current equipment I have(400w MH, 1/2 HP Chiller, etc)

IMHO, if u raise the 400W MH higher, yes, u wld get a wider spread. but u lose out in intensity, then what's the point of having a 400W MH right? if me, i go for 2x250W.

Secondly, to maximize energy, any chance of putting the return of the beckett straight back into the main tank. I know I will have to raise the bastard really high up , but that will remove my need for a dedicated return (the old eheim 1260 can feed my chiller). That will jusify my energy gobbling beckett (esp since I cant get anyone to swop their euros with me)

i m not a beckett user (at least not yet) but by putting the beckett return to the main tank, wun it cause a lot of microbubbles in ur main?

juz me 2 poor cents.

[piglet]

a 4x2x2 (12mm) cabinet(chenggai) + sump,hood, pipings should cost around $1400...

If u dun want chenggai wood.. will be about $200 cheaper... but i would rather use chenggai for durability...

if you want GF piping , union ball valve and piston check valve, more return return & durso etc >> it will cost you more. GF pipes won't harden & slime within after 1-6yr use. but still it depend on your budget.

[riot]

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking a foot higher up might not mean that much of a loss, considering its 400w and the punch should be sufficient. The actual reef display will be 3ft, the edges dont really need intense lighting as thats where the overflow and tunze will be.

$1400? Care to pm me the maker?

thanks once again!

[piglet]

pm you > "our" tankmkaer contact.

tell him the spec' that you want.

[AlfaRomeo]

A single 400w will not be able to cover 4x2 effectively without losing its intensity to a point that it doesnt make sense. I would do 2 x 400w or 2 x 250w to cover the area effectively.

Or maybe you can move the 400w to one half of the tank and the other half lit with T5? then you can have a rather high lighting area for SPS and the other part for less light demanding species?

If I were to restart my tank, I will go bare-bottom or nearly barebottom with very high circulation and effective skimming. Especially since u going via ZEOvit route.

If you wanna place the skimmer output directly into the main tank, u really gotta raise the skimmer way high and if the pump is at your sump, you will lose flow into the beckett due to ht loss. Also the microbubbles from the skimmer will give u a humongous headache to solve. IMHO, place the skimmer in a conventional way : In from Sump, out to sump.

Your Eheim 1260 can power the chiller and output direct to the main tank or maybe use a 1262 instead?

[AlfaRomeo]

if you want GF piping , union ball valve and piston check valve, more return return & durso etc >> it will cost you more. GF pipes won't harden & slime within after 1-6yr use. but still it depend on your budget.

GF wont slime?

[untouchables]

single MH light is sufficient for coverage of 2x2 area only. it is not the intensity but more to the point where the light can or cannot reach due to spread. best if u put 2x250W, each at one side of the tank. this way, most, if not all ur corals will get light from 360 degrees around. single 400W will probably give sufficient light intensity but those corals at 0-12" from ur tank sides will only get light from 180 degrees around it, the other side will not get light.

for 4 feet tank, i suggest u do this...

side <1 ft> 250W <2 ft> MH <1 ft> side

[weisoon]

All PVC will slime after sometime. I am using GF and prepared to be slimed

Unless you use teflon lined pipes, then will not slime for a million years, but then the price will also be a million years lah.

Seriously, if you going BB, then you can go as high a turnover rate as possible. Just have to watch out the size of the overflow box. If I had the chance, I will design the overflow right at the back of the tank spanning the whole length. Result: less water noise flowing down the overflow box and big space for smaller organisms to take refuge.

[piglet]

bro weisoon,

So GF only benefit> it won't crack so fast >compare to normal pipes ?

[weisoon]

All PVC pipes the same except certain issues like wall thickness and brittleness. The normal taiwan/japanese pipes are more brittle and may not withstand knocking that's all. The ASTM sch80 pipes have very thick wall thickness and may result in head loss if not used carefully to match with a high pressure rated pump. Also there may be some slight colour differences. Taiwan/Jap pipe/fittings are light grey in colour, ASTM are very dark gery in colour and the DIN(GF, FIP, VDL) are in between and more glossy.

Saw something in another online shop if riot is interested in 400 watters. These are CoralVue 400W DE with 400W CoralVue DE bulbs 10000K to match

[piglet]

What is the price range for CoralVue eg 2x250w or 3x250w??

[weisoon]

What is the price range for CoralVue eg 2x250w or 3x250w??

Piglet

IceCap, Sunlight Supply, CoralVue etc are USA brands and they offer modular system. They have the reflectors with housing as a unit, e-ballast as a unit. If you are into DIY, then can get the housing with reflectors and DIY your own magnetic ballast. Ballast here is very subjective, some say electronic better, some say magnetic better so guess you will have to try out yourself and see. Now EAN is selling the 250W DE Reef Optix III Plus. See the link.

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23261

[riot]

Thanks guys! But I am really not keen to add on more equipment (besides the tank). Gee, think I gotta work on this more.

[riot]

OK

after thinking for a long while, lets see if this works:

5ft setup. 8X80W T5s. Can a 1/2hp chiller support this?

thanks guys. Confirming my oder like soooooon

[piglet]

i plan to use 8xT5 for my 5 footer too. But will use Daeil 1/3hp for it. I calculated > Daeil 1/3hp . is enough for my 5footer. The 0.5 hp chiller > you talking about .. is it daeil 0.5 commerical chiller. ? If yes.. confirm no problem.

[riot]

Nope, its my RR0.5. Working really well with my 3ft 400W MH setup so I assume it should support my 5ft 360W T5.

[flubberina13]

OK

after thinking for a long while, lets see if this works:

5ft setup. 8X80W T5s. Can a 1/2hp chiller support this?

thanks guys. Confirming my oder like soooooon

You sure you wanna put 80W tubes?

They are not easily available when you need to replace them. Must always plan ahead and not get it as and when you need them.

May I suggest you work vertically across your tank for the T5s? So the width is 2ft? Then get 2ft tubes...they are easily available and cheaper to replace...and if you are using MHs, may I suggest a sliding approach for the placement of T5s as I realised maintaining tank is a chore if lights were made to sit on the bracing.

Just my $0.02.

[dr evil]

You sure you wanna put 80W tubes?

They are not easily available when you need to replace them. Must always plan ahead and not get it as and when you need them.

May I suggest you work vertically across your tank for the T5s? So the width is 2ft? Then get 2ft tubes...they are easily available and cheaper to replace...and if you are using MHs, may I suggest a sliding approach for the placement of T5s as I realised maintaining tank is a chore if lights were made to sit on the bracing.

Just my $0.02.

what flubb is saying is true....not many choices of t5 tubes for 80watts. even the eballast is very limited n expensive.

ur 0.5hp chiller will run longer for the amount of water volume in ur tank.

well, to have so many tubes of t5 is more costly than running the MH. do consider.

the disaddvantage of running 2ft t5 is that u need many of them.....atleast more that 10 tubes... which will make ur home in ur pocket bigger.

do let me know if u need help k........

[H_S]

or in another way u can use 8x 4ft T5 plus additional 2 x 2ft T5 by the side of ur tank ...

[tineng]

or use 8x54 and stagger 4 on each side.....leave some 'dark' space for your fish to hide lor....

for me using 4x54 for a 4.5 footer, and will leave .5 ft without any direct light.....

[riot]

Man,

thanks for the advice. Good one on the t5s, flub. Never thought of that.

Dr evil, will be looking for you soon once i finalize my light setup

[riot]

Ok tank details finalized.

Running a 3 ft +++ tank with side overflow (fully 4ft incorp the side OF). Lit by 1X400w MH (should cover 3 ft spread if mounted slightly higer up) with the edges of tank darkened to hide 4Xtunzes. This setup will allow me to use my existing equipment (0.5hp chiller, 400w MH) while maximizing water volume.

Now, the next issue- I intend to run a zeovit system without a sandbed. Problem is a bare tank looks ugly in my opinion. With my 4 tunzes, I am afraid that sand particles will fly and I cannot maximize circulation to transport detritus to the skimmer. How can I achieve max circulation while not not having a bare bottom tank?

What i figure is to silicon those black styrofoam backgrounds used in fresh water tanks to the bottom on the tank. This will serve to cover the glass bottom and make it appear more natural, plus cushion any live rock avalanches. Would this be a good idea?

[dr evil]

hi riot,

since ur tank is more than 3ft, why not use 2x250watts DE units rather than 400watts SE. Its proven that the 250watts DE have the same par with the 400watts SE.

using 2 x 250watts will gives u a better spread rather than a single 400watts. the waltage is much similar too but the cost is much higher as u need 2 sets.

no point raising the 400watts higher to give a better spread cause the higher the lights, the lesser the intensity.

i do have sollution if u are looking for a 250watts DE. large spider reflectors with low cost...