My ever-growing system

DomC · May 30, 2014

That is one sweet frag tank. Any more progress?

hung · May 30, 2014

What kind of lighting are you going to use for the frag tank?

mattjoly85 · May 30, 2014

Your fish room looks awesome!

revsgirl · May 30, 2014

Amazing!! Love the way you have it set up!

benny z · May 30, 2014

DomC said:
That is one sweet frag tank. Any more progress?

Thanks! Yes - I'll add a bit to the end of this post.

hung said:
What kind of lighting are you going to use for the frag tank?

Good question! Lol! Still teetering on options.

mattjoly85 said:
Your fish room looks awesome!

Well thanks!

revsgirl said:
Amazing!! Love the way you have it set up!

Thanks!

OK - yes little bit of progress. Had the sump delivered last weekend and finally got all the valves needed to get going on the plumbing. Using two Panworld pumps - one for the return and one to drive the skimmer, which will be another Bashea just like the one in my fish room. Using SPEARS brand valves again - only the best!

The sump is a "U" turn-around design so that the pumps are both on the same end. The skimmer pump is fed right at the drop-down chamber and the water flows down and back around the 30"-wide tank. The last chamber of the sump is big and open so that I can pull 50 gallons of water from it while the tank is still running for water changes. The sump also has lids to control evap.

Just finished up the drain plumbing tonight - hoping to get the pressure side done this weekend so I can fill it up!

Skimmer should be here next week.

benny z · Jun 4, 2014

Got the plumbing done for the drains and return. Pipe shooting off through the wall feeds a manifold where the media reactors are located, and also a valve for pumping out water for water changes.

Also showing off the black acrylic cap for the overflow end of the tank, which makes for a clean finish up top. Penductors for the majority of in-tank flow, thus the pressure-rated pump.

benny z · Jun 16, 2014

couple vids...

first just for fun - testing out the wave capability of a single jaebo wp-40:

[video=youtube;FqEFPMID7Eo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqEFPMID7Eo&feature=share&list=UUUFa5vdkbU uEvOVhpe23QyA&index=2[/video]

and from today...mixing salt finally in this new tank:

[video=youtube;nc-JUCIhgXc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc-JUCIhgXc&list=UUUFa5vdkbUuEvOVhpe23QyA&feature=sha re[/video]

benny z · Jun 17, 2014

i can't stop laughing at how huge this thing is! lol!

revhtree · Jun 17, 2014

LOL! Wow!

TJ's Reef · Jun 17, 2014

VERY NICE !!! Don't know how I missed this one Ben, guess I've been a little busy myself. Incredibly well thought out and put together system my friend.

Cheers, Todd

benny z · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks guys!

Just did a quick test of coverage. Visually I think one might suffice. This is a single 400w Radium/Galaxy...going to have a friend help me test PAR later tonight. I was thinking I would need two, but one might just do it. ...and if I end up needing two, I may be able to use 250w instead of 400w.

wowkingjames · Jun 17, 2014

Love you quarantine tank. ;-)

alan.reef · Jun 17, 2014

Benny. where do u buy the female penductors?
I have 1/2 male penductor, cant find female locline to connect it.

benny z · Jun 17, 2014

wowkingjames - funny guy!

alan.reef - i found them at aquarium specialty: Eductor Penductors

alan.reef · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks Benny.
are you using 1000 watt halide?

alan.reef - i found them at aquarium specialty: Eductor Penductors[/QUOTE]

benny z · Jun 17, 2014

No...400w at the moment - going to test PAR over the coverage area tonight. May go with two, or two 250s depending on results.

benny z · Jun 17, 2014

Well, just tested and was hugely disappointed. Less than 100 PAR even out of the water. Something like 60 at the surface. Boo. Definitely need a 1000w bulb for that size reflector. Will be using a pair of lumen max elites that I have instead. Getting 350 at the surface and 200 at the bottom with those with enough coverage.

melev · Jun 18, 2014

http://melevsreef.com/g/smiley.php#

benny z · Jun 18, 2014

melev said:

lol! you would...

i am so torn on this light deal. as i see it i have 3 halide options:

2 x 400w
4 x 250w
1 x 1000w

i'm thinking the two 400s would give me the best variation in intensity based on coverage area with super intense par right under the reflectors and then lesser par areas out away from the reflectors, but still enough coverage and intensity for lower light corals towards the edges. four 250s would give me more uniform coverage, but that may not be as desirable in that it wouldn't provide lower light zones like two 400s would. ...and bulb replacement costs double with 4 250s vs 2 400s. i could try a single 1000w radium/lumatek in the huge reflector, but then the 1000w bulb is still more than two 400s...and at this point i'm not even sure if a single 1000w in that reflector would give the same high par area as the two 400w in more focused reflectors.

so at this point i'm leaning towards the two 400s in lumen max elite reflectors...and probably supplementing with reefbrite strips.