Bess's Reef Tank
- Build Thread
- Thread starter redpine42
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I've been thinking about drilling holes to the basement. I'm mainly concerned about how to fully automate it. If I go with the big 10L jugs of Triton and figure out how my RO/DI is piped to my ATO, then the only thing left is feeding and trimming Chaeto. Oh and adding fish and coral. We're in Virginia.
RtomKinMad
Well-Known Member
Nice. Basement set up changed our whole weekend routine of maintenance and no more carrying buckets of RO h2o up the stairs. We put the RO in main water line( plumber did I should say) then put a line to the sumps directly from RO for auto top off, used a float valve. Then connected the doser. Had to drill whole to the outside and put a hose to the skimmer for fresh air and oxygen. With windows closed in winter and hot summer days had high co2 which drops ph. So far that has worked well too. We also use an apex but just for monitoring but just got it six months ago. Plumbed in the UV sterilizer with shut off valves too for bulb changes etc. It sounds like you have really done your home work and got nice supplies and equipment off the bat! We’ve had a slow Learning curve! Lol here’s a picture of our tank and home made sump. It’s not fancy but works well.
RtomKinMad
Well-Known Member
The smaller sump is a 60gal tank that we turned into sump for the 180 fo system, pretty simple and has top off also with float valve.
Our sumps and water station could use a good cleaning but this is our busy time of year at work for both of us and we have a 2 acre yard to mow! So we haven’t even riden the Harley’s this year yet! We worked on the tanks several hours yesterday cleaning and catching one purple tang to remove from 300gal and moved some rock and coral around and changed up the light settings. We have AI lights but our LFS owner swears by kessels.
What kind of fish does your wife want?
Our sumps and water station could use a good cleaning but this is our busy time of year at work for both of us and we have a 2 acre yard to mow! So we haven’t even riden the Harley’s this year yet! We worked on the tanks several hours yesterday cleaning and catching one purple tang to remove from 300gal and moved some rock and coral around and changed up the light settings. We have AI lights but our LFS owner swears by kessels.
What kind of fish does your wife want?
That's a really nice setup. I'd do the sump in the basement and RO/DI also, unfortunately I finished my basement a few years back so I'd have to tear down sheet rock to get water where the new tank will be. So for now I'll be lugging water to the tank.
As for what fish Bess want's, I couldn't say she is kinda focused on coral right now. We really like what's been done with personal reef design. Hopefully she'll get on here and join the discussion.
RtomKinMad
Well-Known Member
Very nice thankyou. We wish you luck and have fun setting up. We got lucky on finished half the basement! Was disappointed at the time but glad we had the utility space now. We don’t really use the finished space anyway especially since the tanks are upstairs! My next house will design around the tank! Lol good luck and have a nice day. Hope you get the tank soon and continue to post.
So tomorrow the aquarium arrives. I'm interested in doing the triton method, but am all wrapped up in the skimmer and refuguim. So there are few things that can happen.
1. My red sea reefer is a version 3 and comes with a division of the sump into skimmer and refugium.
2. I can modify my sump to have 3 sections, fuge, skimmer and return.
3. Buy a new sump.
4. Get an external skimmer.
Does anyone have experience/advice about any of these?
Thanks,
Dan
1. My red sea reefer is a version 3 and comes with a division of the sump into skimmer and refugium.
2. I can modify my sump to have 3 sections, fuge, skimmer and return.
3. Buy a new sump.
4. Get an external skimmer.
Does anyone have experience/advice about any of these?
Thanks,
Dan
Last edited:
davehead86
Community Member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2017
- Messages
- 67
- Reaction score
- 37
If you can split the sump into three sections thats all that matters, well and that the FUGE is 10-20% and you have a turnover rate of 10x in the sump.
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
That’s sickening.. I to have received broken tanks, not fun!
I'm really happy with the support I get from Saltwater Aquarium, but shipping from the west cost has never worked out for me with large items. The box had three screws holding it together and there were foot prints all over the top of the box, that wasn't UPS since it had a plastic cover on the top when it arrived.
Wonder if they are going to take the broken one back?
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
No they will just send you new tank..
C-Reefer
Well-Known Member
Oh man... after waiting to long too. I'm so sorry, must be sickening.
They won't take it back, you can do what you want with it. I'm sure someone around you would love a nice tank like that, and its not that hard to fix the acrylic for the overflow. They should send you a new one.
They won't take it back, you can do what you want with it. I'm sure someone around you would love a nice tank like that, and its not that hard to fix the acrylic for the overflow. They should send you a new one.
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
I just noticed we are very close.. I go wheeling in my H3 near Leesburg
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
Nice job on the sump, hopefully you will have your tank soon.. I just can’t believe these tank manufacturers don’t come up with a fail safe shipping method for aquariums the precentage of tanks being damaged during the shipping process is astronomical, your experience is probably about typical.. I have had one of the last two tanks I ordered also arrive broken:mad:
Have you been to blue ridge aquatics? They are off 234 on the 15 side.. maybe 30 minutes from Leesburg
Have you been to blue ridge aquatics? They are off 234 on the 15 side.. maybe 30 minutes from Leesburg
Last edited:
