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So it Begins...150 gal tall build


redevil13
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First off, Thank you to everyone on here I have been lurking for a year or so since moving from DC and the opinions and insight have helped a lot. I have done Saltwater tanks for 4 years now ( pair of biocubes) and I had a FOWLR for a year or so 15 years ago. I try to read everything about different parts of our systems and pick what I like best about the ideas and try to merge them to get what I'm looking for out of all of them. If you have any questions at all on anything I type or you see feel free to ask and I will try to show you how to do it or answer why. So let it begin....

I have had a 75g and 2 biocube 29g ( 1 Currently ) so this will be my first big boy setup

She is 48"x24"x30" with dual overflows and returns

I will do the parts list first and I will include links to sites if you see something that interests you then ill get the pics rolling..... if the site will let me lol

150g tall, stand, canopy, with 40b sump

Apex https://www.neptunesystems.com/ with pm1, ald + 4 sensors, dos, wxm, lsm + 3leds, 3 eb8s, 1 eb4, 1 apex bob and 2 diy bob, fmk (may return, seems neat but not sure if needed)

Avast  marine ATO https://www.avastmarine.com/products/ato-kit , Rapid Led custom led setup includes 3 dimmable channels 38 leds total with added moonlight kit that is setup as a magenta stunner 5 led spread http://www.rapidled.com/new/ (This is originally a nano setup and I ran it at 30% so we shall see if I can punch down over 2 feet, I may end up doing 2-3 black boxes and configuring to apex compatibility) http://www.ebay.com/itm/370858771177?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Reef Octopus Classic 200int http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-octopus-classic-200int-8-internal-protein-skimmer.html

Sump is basic and I decided to just include 2-3 baffles with lowes 8 dollar piece of glass and some silicone, make sure if you build your own you get GE 1 and not GE 2 https://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-Silicone-I-10-1-oz-Clear-Silicone-Window-and-Door-Caulk/3070881  GE 2 has mold resistant  chemicals and CAN NOT be used in a reef setup

Sump will have a refugium on the right 12in deep water and 14in wide with simple sand, LR rubble, and cheato. I am going to power it with a aqueon 1700 mainly because I was using that as the return pump in the biocube (Overkill don't do this lol, it will push water to places these biocubes aren't designed to have it) http://www.marineandreef.com/Aqueon_QuietFlow_Submersible_Utility_Pump_1700_p/res06619.htm. The left side will hold the drain setup with skimmer and the baffle will hold the water at 9" of depth. The drain system will be a bit different then most or normal, the drains are 1" but I will be increasing the pvc to 1.5" AFTER the bulkhead. Basic theory here is too give the water a chance to slow down before it gets to the T at the drop point into the sump, cap the T and drill a hole allowing the air to escape and stopping the lovely hot tub effect. Salt creep and noise will all be but gone after this and each drain will be setup independently to reduce the damage of a clog in 1 main line. I know a lot of people run a branch off of the main return pump but I wanted to stay as close to the rated 1200 gph at 5 feet that the pump I have is capable of, so I will have the aqueon 1700 running a 4 part manifold. The 1700's line will let me use up to 3 reactors http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-biopellet-reactor.html?gclid=CJiUwuKAndMCFVCewAodvqsLUA and the refuge supply line that will have a spray bar as the outlet of the fuge. I currently only have 1 reactor running carbon but I am trying to plan ahead in case of gfo or even a calcium reactor is in my future. The refugium will house pods and some kind of nutrient export (I have been running one in the biocube and love the results) and will give me a place to put any critter that is being problematic if needed. The center section will house the main return and manifold pumps along with my probes from the apex, temp, orp, salt, ato, both main and backup heaters will be located here too if space allows.

I will have 4 Rubbermaid containers that will fit nicely together next to the sump these are plumbed with float switch sensors already and will be my ato resv, dose parts 1 and 2 and skimmer overfill. The floats trigger various alarms and warnings in the apex system aswell as actions like opening a value to let the ato to refill itself etc. The containers where purchased at Walmart and were cheap think 4 bucks each they are 10"x5"x12" hold 1 gallon of whatever you need. I will have them sitting in a shallow 20"x11" container with a ald sensor located there

Other simple things like stand lights triggers by a magnetic switch through a apex bob and ALD sensors will be used in and around the stand too.

The tank will have roughly 200 lbs on LR and I will have a small sandbed (really wanted to go bare bottom but the wife is picking fish that require sand beds) and the coral will include everything for softies to sps and will start with clowns a sixline, gramma, and lawnmower blenny

 

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At the moment I have a pair of mp10qds for flow but the will be set on the back of the tank for the ecosmart tidal feature a pair of mp40qds are the likely side pumps but I am looking at the 60 too 

I have a ozone generator but I doubt I will use it 

A pair of brs dosing pump will provide the bionic 2 part

Here are some pics of the cube in and out

20170411_151412.jpg

20170411_151428.jpg

20170411_151452.jpg

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Not the prettiest but you get the idea 

Since I am eliminating the micro bubbles from the drain and I am plumbing the skimmer below the water level the bubble trap is pointless and I know of a few ways to stop bubbles from getting to the display. if you look high right on the sump you can see a smaller piece stopping surface water from spilling over and that's simply so I can feed if needed and allow things to sink 

20170411_180432.jpg

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For those doing pvc work make sure you scale up on any break in your return line  example I used a 1in valve and a reducer on each side to take it back to the 3/4 it's running same with quick disconnect http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php you would be shocked at what those things do    the pic below is a 1in quick dis and you can see it looks straight through like a 3/4

1491954542541470676893.jpg

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1 hour ago, redevil13 said:

For those doing pvc work make sure you scale up on any break in your return line  example I used a 1in valve and a reducer on each side to take it back to the 3/4 it's running same with quick disconnect http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php you would be shocked at what those things do    the pic below is a 1in quick dis and you can see it looks straight through like a 3/4

1491954542541470676893.jpg

Very important when flow is critical and near the max of the pipe size!

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