Project New Reef by Achilles Tang

[Jeremy]

Bro

Solid set-up:)Looks like your dream tank will be ready in no time:)

BTW how you convince her into it?????I should learn from you kekeke i will bring my wife down & pls make sure your wife can convince her as well.

cheers

<_< <_<

[Hon]

hey achilles

Since your tank so damm big, what equipments will you use to support it?

Like you pump, skimmer, lightings and any advance technology?

Share share leh.... I need to draw my shopping list also...

[ong]

How I wise I have enough $$ & room for such setup!!! I always dream to have one like yours.......

[kelstorm]

wah.. very chio leh.. me thinking of something similar to that for my new house.. i think HON is thinking abt the same too.. perhaps can get some idea.. take some pics and show her so that she will let me have the in-built wall.. hehehe.. already had the permission to have the tank..

[VANAN]

Hey achilles,,,

Dun forget to call me for ur warming up party ok!!!

[Achilles Tang]

Ok ok....

----------------------------

Lighting:

AB Aqualine Aquasunlight pendant: 2 x 150watt 10,000k BLV HQI, one moonlight, 2 x 18watt Coralife Actinic 03 tubes.

1 spare 150watt 10,000k BLV HQI pendant as an add-on if lighting is not enough.

----------------------------

Circulation:

2 x Reeftec PE-1s for broad, diffused, low-velocity AND cone-shaped water current spread... I have investigated the best water circulation mechanisms and the Reeftecs are on par with the Wave2k (which is bulky and apparently having problems with the drive train).

(2 Reeftecs should give the same circulation power as 10 powerheads BUT without the damaging high-velocity jets coming out from ordinary powerhead nozzles. It will also consume less electricity)

1 x closed loop to the chiller.

------------------------------

Calcium Reactor: Korallin Kalkreactor 1502.

-----------------------------

Chiller: Teco RA680

------------------------------

Here goes: Good Lighting and good water circulation is a must. My priority is to ensure that the chiller will no longer be linked to the sump and main pump. It must be on it's own circuit.

Lessons learnt: switch off the main pump during feeding time = no water going back to the tank from the sump = chilled water only in sump. FORGET to turn on main pump and leave for a few days = from constant temp of 25C climbing to 32C = dead melted bleached corals = cry for many weeks over my stupidity and carelessness.

Therefore, to overcome this scenario from ever happening... should I forget to turn on the main pump, the chiller circuit will be unaffected and the main tank water will remain cold.

The chiller and lights will also be on the same electrical circuit. If the circuit to the chiller trips, the lights should go off too... so no worries about heat.

Oxygen-wise: The main tank will have enough oxygen diffusion from the large surface area. As long as the Reeftecs are on, every corner of the tank should receive ample circulation for oxygen-import and get waste-export.

Filtration-wise: 6" DSB for half the tank to ensure definite denitrification effects. The other half will be sloping from 6" to about 3" semi-DSB. How do I achieve that? I will have a 6" acrylic partition on the glass floor cutting half-way across the tank. No rock or sand shifting or sand-burrowing creature is going to affect this 1.5ft x 5.2ft true DSB zone.

Liverock: Won't have too much of it as the DSB is more effective at denitrification than liverock. Also, a lot of corals come with liverock so it's pointless to pile on too many base rock in the first place.

I am also planning to build an acrylic rock rack to maximise circulation and save on space.

The sump will be purely a water catchment and equipment area. It will be linked to the main pump and the refugium. The water there should continue to be 'fresh' as the skimmer will oxygenate the water, even if the main pump is not circulating water from the main tank. The refugium will also function and not crash as it is self supporting. It will be the main natural filtration export for phosphate and dissolved wastes. I will selecting an algae species that will not crash/go asexual.

As I believe in a hybrid system (best of all worlds)... my Euroreef skimmer will be further boosted using ozone in small quantities and irregularly.

I believe that this system will enable me to keep a heavily-stocked tank and yet with crystal-clear water.

[Hon]

Geez..what is Reeftec? Mind to share this piece of equipement.

A pic will make it even clearer...kee..kee..

[spiff]

hon,

remember tt time u ask me download tt video??? got a power head in a acrylic box? ya,...tts reeftec pump

[Hon]

gosh... did you order that from the state achilles?

I waiting for tunze turbelle stream leh, it's the same principle as reeftec.

Wonder how much you paif for those??

[Achilles Tang]

Hon,

Yup... my reeftec is black in colour and slimmer... it's version two.

Jimmy Chen, the inventor, from the States passed it to my friend who is a pilot who flew it back home... free delivery.. hee hee! I am the first overseas customer.. heh heh!

Tunze is coming up with a commercial version so expect to pay like 4 times the price... in my opinion.. not worth it.

One of my reeftecs is running in the current tank and I LOVE the flow it generates... lots of turbulence but non-high velocity flow... I have removed two powerful powerheads from my tank.

I recommend all SG Reef Club members to get it... but it's for those with at least 3 feet tank only.

It's S$175 for two units with customized brackets for euro-bracing. The pumps you can get it for around SG$90 each.

IMO, it's worth the money as the idea works well and the unit is well constructed. I guess it can be reversed-engineered, anyone with a lot of time on their hands with acrylic experience, can buy acrylic to cut into nice pieces and holes, find the plastic bolts and nuts, cut a bit of egg-crate, find a shaft attachment for the propeller and a propeller which pushes, not pulls.

Spiff,

It's a Little Giant PE-1 pump (not included) with the impeller removed and a propeller attached to the shaft, encased in the Reeftec casing.

I plan to put one on each end and run it on timers... morning, it will flow from left to right... night, it will flow from right to left.... noon time... 1 hour of turbulent time from both units followed by slack tide... no movement... sleeping time no movement... to simulate tidal movements!

I am planning to hide the reeftecs with my rock lanscaping... leaving only a cave for the opening where the propeller can push the cone of current out.

This is really cool! The only downside is the size and price.

[chanbi]

Achilles, how big is it when u mentioned size (including pump)? And can u take som pictures for us to take a look? Sound like a good investment and can take out some of my existing circulation powerheads.

[hongqixian]

I am planning to hide the reeftecs with my rock lanscaping... leaving only a cave for the opening where the propeller can push the cone of current out.

Achilles, is the pump easily taken out from the rocks? It might fail or something and then the rocks would have to be moved to take it out, you might want to take that into consideration.

P.S sorry to hear about the coral deaths, but that story sounds strangely familiar. I heard a man chatting to the boss/worker at Superstar aquarium downtown east and he was talking about a friend who had corals die when tank temp. rose due to chiller...(I didn't hear the rest too clearly)

[Achilles Tang]

Hong,

I doubt if the pump will fail. It's Little Giant... well known in the states for quality pumps... it's definitely better than Ocean Free... hahaha! So I won't worry about removing my rocks... anyway, the reeftec unit will be midway so like its not right at the bottom.

Well... corals are sensitive creatures... so it could happen to anyone whose chiller didn't come on due to carelessness or equipment failure.

Chanbi,

The pump is heavy and measures 88mm length (seen sideways) and 70mm wide. The height is around 80mm. Comes with a long cord: 12ft cord!

The reeftec is much bigger: 140mm length (seen sideways, inclusive of outlet and ledge to even out the vertical alignment), 82mm wide and 153 excluding the bracket. The bracket is 212mm long. Hope you can visualise it... here are some photos taken off the Reeftec site.

I have resized it to be almost actual size so you can better visualise it.

[mushroom]

Are they selling the Little Giants in 220V versions? Any place selling them in Singapore?

[Achilles Tang]

I know their distributor in Singapore... they have not found local retailers for this line of pumps yet... I got the sample pumps from their US principal when they were in town.

They are bringing in some more new stock in a couple of weeks... why? Are you interested in them?

[spiff]

hi achilles,

do the distributor carry the magnetic drive series?

[Achilles Tang]

I can ask for you... what model?

[chanbi]

[quoteChanbi,

The pump is heavy and measures 88mm length (seen sideways) and 70mm wide. The height is around 80mm. Comes with a long cord: 12ft cord!

The reeftec is much bigger: 140mm length (seen sideways, inclusive of outlet and ledge to even out the vertical alignment), 82mm wide and 153 excluding the bracket. The bracket is 212mm long. Hope you can visualise it... here are some photos taken off the Reeftec site.

I have resized it to be almost actual size so you can better visualise it.

]

Achilles, thanks for the details. It sound too big for my 4' tank. Can't afford the space right now. Maybe next time when i can have a fish room like your (still dreaming..)?

[mushroom]

Yeah, visited the Reeftec website. The PE-A version that is coming looks interesting. Would consider getting one when it is available, except dunno where to get the pump. I don't want to use any transformers.

[Achilles Tang]

Just spent the weekend settling my electricals...

Installed an ELCB (earth leakage circuit breaker) or GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) as it is called in the USA. It will trip if any leakage is detected in the circuit, the metal stand will also be earthed to it. This is in addition to the house circuit breaker and ELCB.

Also installed switches that are accessible from the hall once I swing up the panel... it is connected to the electrical sockets that have the following plugged in:

HID lights #1, HID Lights #2,

Reeftec left corner, Reeftec right corner,

main pump,

chiller (which is on a timer)

chiller pump which is on a closed loop.

One spare.

The switches are protected from spray by a clear spray cover box and the electrical sockets, I made a DIY cover (covered in the DIY section HERE).

[Achilles Tang]

Finally the feature wall is up this morning!!

Over the tank is a panel which gives access from the front of the tank.

The feature wall is still unfinished, still needs varnishing and touching up... the hinges are not in yet. I am looking for a hydraulic one that will auto latch once it opens fully and when released, won't slam the panel down but will have enough resistance to slow down the falling weight of the panel.

Wood is solid ply. Siliconed around all edges so water will be unable to seep through. Even between the glass and the wood has been siliconed.

[Phang]

WOW.... Impressive!!!!!!!!!

Even before your livestock is in... already look marvelous!!!!!

You are a Interior Designer????

This is definitely the Tank of the Month... and for many months to come...!!!!!

[chanbi]

Will we get a rough breakdown of the cost involved? Getting very ichy... must go home and look for a space to knock down the WALL??

[spiff]

achilles,

hows ur pipes coming along???

[Achilles Tang]

Still haven't started on them yet.

The 1" true union PVC ball valve is out of stock. Still waiting for the supplier to find it.

Unless Hon... can donate his first... heh!