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Back in business - 110g shallow build


stephaniegarcia

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Used to be a member here. Split with my ex and liquidated everything. Had a bad deal with a member taking my livestock "to sell" and never paying me, but she seems to be fading out of the hobby a little. That soured me for a while, but I decided to get back in when I bought a new house. I close early February, so I'm just gathering things now.

This is all my friend Pham's fault by the way. I mentioned getting back in and he just HAPPENED to have this tank. I blame him for everything.

110g shallow tank (48x30x18) with starfire glass. I needed a tank no more than 48" but wanted over 100 gallons. Amazing how this just happened to be the right size.

2 x Gen 4 Pro Radions (got them brand spanking new for $1450 Had I picked them up in Houston would have been $1400.)

T5 light fixture to supplement radions

Ordered 125lbs of marco rocks and 140lbs sand. Will start cycling when I move)

Will go with full Apex controller. Working on that now.

Need to get a sump built. I remember hobogato built my last one, unsure if he's still around. I'll contact him soon about that (are you out there?)

Possibly going with Jebao equipment after talking extensively with Pham. Skimmer, 2x rw-15s, return pump. This unless I just happen to find killer deals on ecotech mp40's or a reef octopus skimmer.

Going with battery backup Of some sort. Haven't decided how I'll accomplish this yet. There are a few different options.

RO/DI going in the garage once I buy one and move. Working on this as well.

There will be more coming but that should get me started. I'm super excited to be back in the hobby! Just wish it was a cheaper one Pham is hanging on to the tank for me until I move - so I have no pictures yet. I'll have plenty once I get started!

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Welcome back Stephanie! You may remember me more as JeeperTy back in the day.

I'm glad you're getting back into it and you got the coral zoa crack dealer himself being your sponsor back into the addiction. [emoji12]

I'm a big fan of the Jaebo equipment but the only one I would may be search for an alternative is the skimmer. There are plenty of other options that I think will reap you better performance IMO.

I haven't seen Hobogato around for awhile now but rumor has it he's still reachable on MAAST and still open to projects. Might want to ping him there.

Anyways, welcome back and I hope you have a nice, smooth closing.

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Ty - thoughts on a skimmer? I'm open to suggestions.

I'm very happy with my Reef Octopus and the newer ones with the DC pumps combine great performance with quieter operation and less energy usage.

I've heard Aquamaxx skimmers are excellent and a great value for price.

I liked my Skimz skimmer I had but the two downsides to it are the manufacturer's ratings are higher than actual performance and replacement parts can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Otherwise, thought it was a great skimmer if you bought one size up than their recommendations.

I'm sure others will chime in on other skimmers they've used and are happy with.

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Welcome back into the game. Good luck with the build. I am starting over kinda, been running a 75 gallon just to keep my favorite fish from my 180. I am looking into the Jaebo stuff as well when I get my bigger tank here soon.

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Probably going to go with the Reef Octopus Elite line. The fact they are Apex compatible makes it even better. My goal is to automate as much as possible with the capability to control things through apps. This means asking people to "watch" the tank and dogs when I'm out of town will allow me to continue to monitor parameters and worry less.

I really want to plumb the tank so that water changes go directly to my washer drain line. The tank will sit approximate 15' from that area. That would mean tearing in to a wall. I think for the time being I'll do it the old fashioned way (lugging buckets) and eventually plumb it to where I can open valves for water changes and filling up my ATO reservoir. I saw someone on here that had done that and was inspired. But I think I have enough to do without worrying about that right now.

Sump wise - got in touch with hobogato. As soon as I get dimensions of the stand and decide on the exact RO skimmer - he will build my sump.

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Welcome back Stephanie! You may remember me more as JeeperTy back in the day.

I'm glad you're getting back into it and you got the coral zoa crack dealer himself being your sponsor back into the addiction. [emoji12]

I'm a big fan of the Jaebo equipment but the only one I would may be search for an alternative is the skimmer. There are plenty of other options that I think will reap you better performance IMO.

I haven't seen Hobogato around for awhile now but rumor has it he's still reachable on MAAST and still open to projects. Might want to ping him there.

Anyways, welcome back and I hope you have a nice, smooth closing.

I'll be. I never realized you were Jesper Ty.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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Welcome back.

I had a 110g high, same dimensions but the 30in was how tall the tank was, which made it the worst tank to work on I've used, narrow and you need a diving mask to get anywhere near the sandbed... Yours is like the perfect dimensions, IMO. Great width and not too shallow that it becomes a problem trying not to grow vertically.

You might also be ok with a single Rw15. I use one on my 90, and unless it's been a long time since I did maintenance, I can get a 1 1/2" wave on lowest speed of W1. If you get the right harmonic frequency for the length of tank, these can move a tremendous amount of water.

An APC battery backup is a good and reliable way to keep some flow if the power goes out. I only run 1 of my in-tank pumps off the UPS and it lasts a long time when no power. If you're trying to run more than a single pump, or are trying to compensate for potentially many hours to days of lost power, you're way better off getting a generator. You'll need a ton of batteries or a very large, very expensive UPS, to keep most of a tank going on a UPS.

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Things have started coming in. Probably should have waited until I moved, but wanted to get in on some sales. Ordered 75lbs of Marcorocks and 140lbs of sand, and then a 50lb aquascape box with their "cement" mix. They had an end of year sale, and I was bored. That's literally the only excuse I have. I specifically asked that it not ship until after the first of the year. What did they do? Shipped it, and my 90 year old grandmother (whose house I had it shipped to) tried to get it inside. She ended up calling the neighbors etc. I really wasn't happy about that. I appreciate fast shipping, but when I say I'm not going to be here and to please wait until after the first to ship, please wait until after the 1st to ship :-/

Picked up a Reef Octopus Elite 150 Super Cone Skimmer. Anticipating that to be here this week. Purchased a WXM from Jen_H. Waiting on a reply about a complete APEX system before I go out and buy one new. Going to pick up a used BRS RO/DI 6 stage unit tomorrow. Will start piecing that system together next. I have a storage unit, so most of this is heading in to there to get it out of the house I am living in before moving.

These beauties did come in. They are so pretty. So Shiny. They'll be paired with a T5 light that came with the tank. I can't decide how I want to hang them. I don't want the cord showing, and don't want a canopy, so it's either fab up my own brackets, or buy the ones Ecotech sells.

9jXS2lel.jpg

As far as the battery backup - I was thinking I wanted it for incidental things like the power going out for a few hours. Not days of anything. Days of anything and I guess I'm screwed. It's not something that's on the "must purchase now" list.

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Battery backup - will go with this as I saw a build in here that was using it on their larger tank.

https://smile.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1500PFCLCD-Sinewave-Compatible-Mini-Tower/dp/B00429N19W?_encoding=UTF8&tag=viglink12644-20

Things I have picked up in the past couple of days (and will likely wait on everything else until it gets closer to moving time, as I'm running out of space!)

Brand new APEX classic with some add ons (PM2, some extra probes and breakout boxes etc.) off a Houston reefer. I need to go pick it up. He bought it and then got told he was moving overseas.

Used Tunze 3551 ATO

Almost new 6 stage BRS RO/DI with DI bypass, TDS meters, etc. It was a divorce sale and I felt horrible about buying it, but told the guy once he got back in if I had corals I'd give him some to start out. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I know how it feels. I need to purchase the 150gpd upgrade and a booster pump (plus the tanks) but that will happen right at closing.

Gently used MP40QD. I realize the Jebao are much less expensive, but I have the radions and the WXM module for the Apex, so went with this. I'm going to try out jestep's suggestion and use one to see how it goes. If I need more, will look at the MP10 or another MP40 depending on what's happening in the tank.

The only things I NEED to get things going once I move:

Something to cycle live rock in. I'll probably end up picking up a 100 gallon stock tank at Tractor Supply. They are $80, and I can add it to the list of ARC member rental equipment for future uses.

RO/DO and saltwater mixing tanks. Either from TS or Tank Depot. I've conned asked Juiceman for help on this after seeing a setup he built on another thread. I'm doing a stacked configuration thinking that I'll gravity feed RO water down to the mixing tank, and then pump it back to my tank.

Pan World Pump for mixing.

Sump (will get stand dimensions from Pham and then get hobogato over on MAAST to build it for me since he built my last one.)

Return pump. I've been reading about the Jebao pumps, and I'm just extremely hesitant after reading about intermittent failures and DOA pumps. I haven't read any negatives about the RO VarioS pumps (other than the price,) and want a variable pump. Has any one dealt directly with the RO pumps?

All of the plumbing - which needs to wait until I get into the house with the tank. I will do this while the rock and sand are cycling in the stock tank. Going to run off a manifold. This will also make water changes as easy as turning valves and having a spigot connection with a hose running ten feet away to the sink.

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I was looking at the VarioS pumps for my build too, but it's hard to find much info on them. Only a handful of reviews, although the ones I found were mostly positive. I do like that they are german made, that they have the 0-10v control that can work with the Apex, and they seem to be priced between the Jebao and pumps like the Vectra. I still may pick up one just to run my manifold, still undecided.

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For the pump wave, it can be really tedious to get the right frequency, but you'll know when it's working. For the frequency the same length at the tank, which is the easiest IMO, the water at one end will be as high as it goes at the exact time it's at its lowest on the other end. So basically the wave itself does most of the work, the pump just gets the water moving in the right direction. For a vortech, you would want to use a pulse mode where it is on then off completely. You'll then mess with the frequency to get a self reinforcing wave. I would throw in a few hours of NTM if using a vortech as well. It's a great mode to stir things up and help eliminate dead spots for detritus to build up.

I haven't used that pump so can't comment. I was looking at them for a while, but I've seen enough bad reviews about the jebao DC return pumps that i don't think I'd consider one. The waveline and octopus were at the top of my list when I was researching about a year ago. I have other things I'd rather spend the money on so just sticking with an eheim compact possibly forever since these things don't really fail in my experience with them. But the lack of almost any sound makes those DC pumps really appealing. The good ones are insanely quiet.

Anyway I have a stacked mixing station that I got from RichardL a few years ago, not sure if it compares to the one you're looking at. Just 2 personal suggestions if it is similar. If at all possible, figure out how to get the bottom one lying at an angle so the outlet is 4 - 6 in below the opposite side. I still get dead spots and it's difficult to drain all the way unless I put a block under the far side. If you draw it out and want to do it right, you can build it so you can recirculate either tank, or fill in either direction. I'm missing a valve to recirculate the top tank, and I didn't want to replace $100 in plumbing for a feature that I only use a few times a year, but if I were doing it from scratch, I'd definitely have the option. I use a garden hose adapter and a python water change adapter to fill from mine. I ended up putting a jebao in it as well, but the pump will recirc the lower tank, which helps mixing much faster.

20161001_102400.jpg

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My tanks will be vertical in the interest of saving space (my other toy is a 95 YJ that is not in pieces now, but generally is after I take it off road and break something.) I'm going to assume there will always be a few incles of water left in the bottom. My plan for that is to have unions strategically placed so that I can take the tanks down and give them a good cleaning every so often on the driveway.

I need to draw out plumbing plans and post them for critiques. I start a new job Monday, so my posting will be curtailed soon. I'll try to get that posted this weekend seeing as how that's the very first thing I need to have set up.

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And I think you'd need 1 more MP40 just to round out the random flow. Not for more flow but for more variance in the flow.

I have 3, and 2 mp60s which is total overkill. But they're all running at different times, and at very low percentages. Helps them to run quiet and keep everything as random as possible.

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I was looking at your thoughts on mixing station and you mentioned going with a stacked formation. Here is pic of the station I built before I moved. RO/DI went into the top and then drained into the bottom where I mixed it. I then had a valve so I could pump it into the house and into the tank.

post-2485-0-77543200-1483646199.jpg

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I was looking at your thoughts on mixing station and you mentioned going with a stacked formation. Here is pic of the station I built before I moved. RO/DI went into the top and then drained into the bottom where I mixed it. I then had a valve so I could pump it into the house and into the tank.

That's exactly what I'm looking at doing, but with vertical tanks instead of the horizontal set up. And unfortunately, I don't have a mud room sink in my garage :( I actually want to put the RO/DI in my laundry room, but after looking and measuring a bunch, it's just not going to work. I can probably house the RO/DI there and have it spliced to run off the washing machine spigot, but the tanks will have to go in the garage. That just a small hole in the wall of a brand new house - I can live with it. The garage is right behind the laundry room, so it's not going to be too terribly hard to figure out. Until I run the plumbing through the walls, I'll have to use a hose back to my tank to refill things (or lug water buckets)

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I can probably house the RO/DI there and have it spliced to run off the washing machine spigot, but the tanks will have to go in the garage. That just a small hole in the wall of a brand new house - I can live with it. The garage is right behind the laundry room, so it's not going to be too terribly hard to figure out. Until I run the plumbing through the walls, I'll have to use a hose back to my tank to refill things (or lug water buckets)

That's exactly what I did, used a really good brass Y to connect the washer faucet to the cold washer line and the ro line. I then took face plates from a normal coaxial cable plate, removed the metal cable connector, and used a 1/4" rubber grommet which you can get at Lowes or HD on the plate. It looks very clean on both sides. You could drill a hole just as well, but I figured it would look a lot better with a wall plate instead of just a tube going into the wall.

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And I think you'd need 1 more MP40 just to round out the random flow. Not for more flow but for more variance in the flow.

I have 3, and 2 mp60s which is total overkill. But they're all running at different times, and at very low percentages. Helps them to run quiet and keep everything as random as possible.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's on a 200g? That seems like a lot. I was going to go with 2 max. I really think it's going to depend on how I build the rockscapes as well. Worst case maybe 2- MP40's and one MP10 on the back?

I'm going to need another power bar for my Apex.

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I can probably house the RO/DI there and have it spliced to run off the washing machine spigot, but the tanks will have to go in the garage. That just a small hole in the wall of a brand new house - I can live with it. The garage is right behind the laundry room, so it's not going to be too terribly hard to figure out. Until I run the plumbing through the walls, I'll have to use a hose back to my tank to refill things (or lug water buckets)

That's exactly what I did, used a really good brass Y to connect the washer faucet to the cold washer line and the ro line. I then took face plates from a normal coaxial cable plate, removed the metal cable connector, and used a 1/4" rubber grommet which you can get at Lowes or HD on the plate. It looks very clean on both sides. You could drill a hole just as well, but I figured it would look a lot better with a wall plate instead of just a tube going into the wall.

Definitely going to use a face plate (but thanks for reminding me.) My mother (even though I'm in my 30's and it's MY house) would kill me if I didn't make it look presentable. I'm also going to be spending a bunch of money on PVC at Lowe's (just the pipe - I'm going with Flex PVC (where I purchased everything from my last build) to buy all the fittings. They are awesome.

Love that I can show my military ID and get 10% off at Lowes and HD as well (but the real secret is - the cashiers have the ability to give any one 10% off without management approval. Just go tell them you are building a house and ask if they can give you 10% off. It's easier then trying to find coupons. Also - slickdeals has an ongoing coupon thread with an online 10% generator. So the military thing is really just good PR for them.)

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P.S. as soon as I get this one established, finish the front axle on me Jeep, and win the lottery - I'm doing another nano . The last one I had was THE COOLEST thing.

The other thing I think I really need to do is have an electrician come and add a dedicated circuit for the tank. Just thinking about everything that's going to be running, and it really just seems like a great idea. Any one have a good electrician that they recommend? I'll give them a buzz after I'm moved in and have the live rock going.

Speaking of moving - I am NOT looking forward to it

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