RipSlider
01-08-2008, 11:20 PM
Hello folks.
First proper question from me.
In the next few weeks, I'll begin to set up my marine tank. This has already been set up once, but due to it being incredibly noisy, got taken down again before it was ever graced with Live rock, let along fish. New house, new idea's etc means that SWMBO has granted permission for another bite of the apple.
Here is my basic idea. Before I start to get into more detail, please could someone have a look over it, and let me know any points where I have better, or even just equally as good, options.
OK.
Tank is a 1,200 main tank, to which I will add a sump and fuge. Initially I want to go FOWLR, but then move on to corals after I've got the hang of the marine universe.
Tank is currently drilled out for weirs, but this will probably get swapped to a Durso system after seeing how quietly TangMan's runs.
Sump is a 4x15x12 inch tank in tank in four sections ( plus a "slow section"). Section 1 will be the inlet and also the skimmer uptake. For the skimmer, I would really like to go DelTec, but as I want to use Ozone, I may have to find something else ( Any suggestions?) Ozone will be injected directly into the skimmer. Ideally I want a skimmer that is impellor based but can cope with an ozone attachment.
Second compartment will be a Deep Sand Bed, hopfully using live sand and Cheato as a macro algae, so I guess I will need lights in there as well.
third section is the "stuff" section, where the overflow fron the DSB happens. This will also the pick up points for Rowa-Phos, possibly a de-nitrating coil as well. I'm also thinking of a calc reactor of some design, possible a "passive" one, which is essentially a skimmer with some coral frags to get knocked about inside. (not sure what the proper term for these are )
Last section will be a return to the tank, so a big pump. This will also be the place where the fuge vents.
Somewhere in here, I want to add in a UV tube to two, however not sure where. Definately don't want it near the ozone, so not in section 1 or 2, don't want it killing the good stuff from the fuge, so not in section 4. So either UV needs to go into the durso down pipe or into the "stuff" section, which will already have a lot of other equipment in there. Any suggestions?
The "Slow section" is a closed off space made from black perspex that runs the length of the sump. Water can only move very slowly though this section, and it is permanently dark. The idea is that I'll pack it with sponges or possibly live sand, and let it act as a denitrator. Not sure where you can buy sponges in the UK, never seen them in tanks.
Fuge will be made up from a spare tank of tangman's. Not sure of the dimensions, but it looks to be a 4ft tank. into this will be a fairly deep live sand, macro algae, lighting and maybe some other plants, such as a true sea weed. (which I can also use for nutrient removal ). this needs more research. If there are useful threads up already, I would be very greatful for pointers. This will have a very slow turn over, possibly 2-3x an hour at most.
Tank itself will be filled with live rock on a fairly deep sand base, hopefully which will also become live sand over time.
Initial stock will be purely interesting shrimps and clean up crew. Once the tank has been stable for a good long while, and I've got the hang of it, I will then think about fish stock.
I know that in a large tank, I'll need some decent sized pumps, but I'm not sure what the procedure is. Do I set up the pumps, and then base the live rock set up and volume on the way the flow works, or do I set up the live rock, and then get the right number of pumps based on how the rock is set up?
For lighting, I'd really like to use t5's if possible, as it will be FOWLR to start. If I have to, I can move on to halides, but heat and waste light are issues that I'd rather not deal with right at the start of my marine adventure.
I'll also add an ORP monitor to handle the ozone, which will be linked to a solinoid controlling ozone flow.
So, that's my basic plan. While setting it up, I'm also planning to add in an auto-top up mechanism as well, but that's not a major thing ( i think ).
Does this sound OK? Any issues immediately jump out at you as being recipes for disaster?
Any advice etc greatfully recieved. I know there are a lot of discussions to have over time, but for major things, like pumps etc, I'll start a new thread.
Many thanks
Steve
First proper question from me.
In the next few weeks, I'll begin to set up my marine tank. This has already been set up once, but due to it being incredibly noisy, got taken down again before it was ever graced with Live rock, let along fish. New house, new idea's etc means that SWMBO has granted permission for another bite of the apple.
Here is my basic idea. Before I start to get into more detail, please could someone have a look over it, and let me know any points where I have better, or even just equally as good, options.
OK.
Tank is a 1,200 main tank, to which I will add a sump and fuge. Initially I want to go FOWLR, but then move on to corals after I've got the hang of the marine universe.
Tank is currently drilled out for weirs, but this will probably get swapped to a Durso system after seeing how quietly TangMan's runs.
Sump is a 4x15x12 inch tank in tank in four sections ( plus a "slow section"). Section 1 will be the inlet and also the skimmer uptake. For the skimmer, I would really like to go DelTec, but as I want to use Ozone, I may have to find something else ( Any suggestions?) Ozone will be injected directly into the skimmer. Ideally I want a skimmer that is impellor based but can cope with an ozone attachment.
Second compartment will be a Deep Sand Bed, hopfully using live sand and Cheato as a macro algae, so I guess I will need lights in there as well.
third section is the "stuff" section, where the overflow fron the DSB happens. This will also the pick up points for Rowa-Phos, possibly a de-nitrating coil as well. I'm also thinking of a calc reactor of some design, possible a "passive" one, which is essentially a skimmer with some coral frags to get knocked about inside. (not sure what the proper term for these are )
Last section will be a return to the tank, so a big pump. This will also be the place where the fuge vents.
Somewhere in here, I want to add in a UV tube to two, however not sure where. Definately don't want it near the ozone, so not in section 1 or 2, don't want it killing the good stuff from the fuge, so not in section 4. So either UV needs to go into the durso down pipe or into the "stuff" section, which will already have a lot of other equipment in there. Any suggestions?
The "Slow section" is a closed off space made from black perspex that runs the length of the sump. Water can only move very slowly though this section, and it is permanently dark. The idea is that I'll pack it with sponges or possibly live sand, and let it act as a denitrator. Not sure where you can buy sponges in the UK, never seen them in tanks.
Fuge will be made up from a spare tank of tangman's. Not sure of the dimensions, but it looks to be a 4ft tank. into this will be a fairly deep live sand, macro algae, lighting and maybe some other plants, such as a true sea weed. (which I can also use for nutrient removal ). this needs more research. If there are useful threads up already, I would be very greatful for pointers. This will have a very slow turn over, possibly 2-3x an hour at most.
Tank itself will be filled with live rock on a fairly deep sand base, hopefully which will also become live sand over time.
Initial stock will be purely interesting shrimps and clean up crew. Once the tank has been stable for a good long while, and I've got the hang of it, I will then think about fish stock.
I know that in a large tank, I'll need some decent sized pumps, but I'm not sure what the procedure is. Do I set up the pumps, and then base the live rock set up and volume on the way the flow works, or do I set up the live rock, and then get the right number of pumps based on how the rock is set up?
For lighting, I'd really like to use t5's if possible, as it will be FOWLR to start. If I have to, I can move on to halides, but heat and waste light are issues that I'd rather not deal with right at the start of my marine adventure.
I'll also add an ORP monitor to handle the ozone, which will be linked to a solinoid controlling ozone flow.
So, that's my basic plan. While setting it up, I'm also planning to add in an auto-top up mechanism as well, but that's not a major thing ( i think ).
Does this sound OK? Any issues immediately jump out at you as being recipes for disaster?
Any advice etc greatfully recieved. I know there are a lot of discussions to have over time, but for major things, like pumps etc, I'll start a new thread.
Many thanks
Steve