New Project

[Adam89]

Hello, i once was on here called N1z if u remember HI if not dw. Anyways i kept a marine 240lt reef tank for many years however it was always done messy and as a student at the time i could not afford it anymore. After keeping freshwater discus and some nice plecs im bored

So now im looking at doing marine again, bit smaller but easier for me in water changes etc.

Im looking at a 120-140 lt Cube tank at my work and very tempted to buy it, now my plan is...

A SPS/LPS and few softies reef tank
Pair clowns, goby, maybe a wrasse of some sort or cardinals or dartfish- usual bred and butter

Run a 150 single 14k pendant (i understand actinic bulbs nessesary in some tanks but in mine can i miss them out?)

Drill the back glass and run a overflow pipe, that leads down to a small sump where there will be a skimmer, heater and small macro refugium with idea of miracle mudd but not a important.

15kilos of LR and aragonite sand ofcourse.

Now this is when i hit a wall, sumps confused me like hell, with the correct flow and return etc. Also skimmer ideas and also turnover pump ideas tunze or seio or the new hydors?

Also as for size of a sump how big u thinkin i need cos tbh the cabinet is very small ( 1'x1') and im trying to not go down the route of one beside the tank... ubt saying that i could do a 2 sump idead where one can be used to do water changes???


Anways if u can help in anyway i would be greatful indeed.

Adam

 

[ben1987]

you dont need to have a blue bulb, its down to taste. brings the coral colours out a bit more.

sump your looking at about 5x turnover through it.

 

[SkiFletch]

W/B N1z, nice to have you around again. Ben is right, 5x turnover through the sump. IMO, you should make the sump tank as big as possible while still allowing for you to get your hands in it and work. Also, the drain is more challenging to design so set your flowrate and start there...

 

[ben1987]

you could get really creative and do a central wier and a 360 degree aqua scape

 

[Adam89]

Well here is the proposed tank its a Aqua atlantis EVO50, and it holds 140litres.

Now clearly the cabinet aint big enough for a sump, so think im gunna build one fits a 24x18x18. but may just do a 24x12x12.

Anyways I need help with my overflow, i thinking not to dill and use a prebuilt overflow made by schuran, they any good?. Seems wise when you duno if the glass is tempered or not.

Ive designed my sump so you can approve of make suggestions..

And if i need 5x turn over then i gather a New Jet NJ800 would be suitable. but i read that the schuran overflow has a max flow of 2000litres so surely i could just run a 2300 newjet with a tap to just cover headloss and flowrate?

Many thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

Probably won't even need the tap, the head loss will drop the 2300LPH to probably around 1800LPH in real-world operation. Always good to have a ball-valve shutoff with unions though for not if, but when the pump needs servicing