175g Deep Sea tank

[Jimbo662]

I guess it's my turn to start a post. I'll be ordering my tank this weekend. First though I need to figure out the sump. I picked up a 110g tank a couple of weeks ago. Here's the diagram of what I was thinking. It's not to scale and I've definitely got some questions. What depth should I plan the water to be? I want a lot of open space in the DT so I wanted to have a large area in the sump for live rock. I think the new tank has 3 drains, if so I'd planned to set it up with what I think is called the bean drain where one is facing down, one is facing up and the third is up a little higher in case the tank tries to overflow. Any expert opinions out there?

Edited July 27, 2012 by Jimbo662

[jaggedfire]

Is the 110 serving as the sump for the 175? You have lots of options here. You can plumb as you have now or split | in/skimmer>>>mud/refugium>tank>return<rock/frag Takes a bit more plumbing though. You shouldn't need triple bubble traps, only after the skimmer. The depth of each compartment.

If you have the height you can also set the skimmer on an elevated base. Typical is around 10-12", but this depends on your skimmer, and what height your overflow is set to and Much water will back flow. You don't want a flood every time you turn off the pumps.

Running rock and mud after skimmer keeps the pods and micro fauna from being skimmed.

If keeping a frag tank running before provides extra food (fish poop) before being removed.

As for DSB/mud, this size is also going to be codependent on your substrate depth in the DT. More/deeper/finer in the DT the less you need in the sump.

Of course, this all depends on what you are planning on keeping, heavy stock Fowler, reef or just a few corals.

Also remember you don't need a billion gph flow!

I'm sure I have repeated a lot of info you already know here, just want to throw it out there. Looks like you have a good plan.

If you need any help with dimensions or capacities, let us know or shoot a pm. This is what makes this place rock.

[Jimbo662]

yep, the 110 will be the sump for the 175. I'm still very new to all of this so all suggestions / recommendations are welcome! I'm planning on a mix, not too heavy on the fish, probably start out with soft corals and slowly doing a mix. I've got an idea of the rock work in the tank and want to keep a good amount of open space. That's why I was thinking a large area for only rock in the sump would work, also so that if / when i need to change out some of the mud I won't have to worry about dealing with any rock that's sitting on top of it.

I'll probably do about 1" - 1 1/2" of sand in the DT.

Edited July 28, 2012 by Jimbo662

[offroadodge]

i think there isnt a need for 3 partitions. 2 would be good, make the middle the biggest for a FUGE if you are planning that, could make it like a small DT and fuge all in one to hold new fish until you feel they are ready for the main DT. JMO

[Jimbo662]

I like that idea!

[Jimbo662]

OK, so here's the equipment list so far...again any suggestions are appreciated.

Tank: DSA 175 Pro (72"x21"x27")

Lights: still debating between the Vertex Illumia SR260 5ft or 4 of the AI SOLs (and I see AI is coming out with a new model sometime in Aug).

Skimmer: TBD

Powerheads: 2 - Vortech M40w ES (I'm planning to have clear space along the front and back of the tank, rock work will be concentrated mainly near the center)

Sump - 110g (72"x18"x18")

Return pump: TBD

Auto top-off system

Depending on leftover budget maybe a controller of some type

I was planning to set up a simple auto water change system by putting a "Y" connection on the return line with ball valves on each section so an appropriate pump for that.

Anything I'm missing or should be considering?

Edited July 28, 2012 by Jimbo662

[Jimbo662]

Ok, so last night I got an email from Ecotech. They said 3 Radions would work fine on my tank. That just makes my decision harder...I'd thought I would need four of them and that was going to be too much. I can handle getting 3 of them. So...any thoughts on which lighting option I should go with?

[Jimbo662]

Well, it's that time! Tank arrived yesterday and confirmed it does have a total of 5 holes in the overflow. Any expert suggestions / diagrams on how to set them up the right way? This is my first attempt and I don't want to screw it up!

Edited August 5, 2012 by Jimbo662

[Timfish]

First off your design for your sump/fuge will work fine the way it is if you want to keep everything separate. I would keep it much simpler if I was setting it up however. I would not bother with a skimmer or filter socks and would have just one divider about 6" high to keep the mud from getting into the pump. Adding a few pieces of live rock on the mud would help initially getting bacteria, sponges and 'pods going in your sump but I would not neccessarily consider it essential to add a bunch of liverock. If i was going to add a bunch of live rock I would use a piece of eggcrate to keep it from settling into the mud which would make it easier when you have to periodicly replace some of the mud. If you want a seperate chamber to grow algae that's fine but I don't see a problem with it growing over the live rock and mud. I would use a piece of Enkamat to keep the algae out ot the pump.

(My impression is you are trying to get a certain amount of pounds liverock per gallon. I feel liverock is VERY beneficial and would not set up a marine system without it [see Delbeek & Sprung's "Reef Aquarium" series, Nilsen & Fossa's "Modern Coral Reef Aquarium" series, and comments by various authors on wetwebmedia.com]. But I would point out it is possible to set up a system without liverock. How much live rock is subjective and just a few pounds of quality live rock will provide a lot of beneficial organisms and biodiversity to your system. Don't feel that you have to add a bunch to your sump to compensate for a sparse aquascape in your display tank. Also, just like you have to take steps with your fish and corals to reduce the risk of unwanted organisms you should "cure" your live rock in a separate tank for 3 - 4 weeks prior to putting it into your system.)

[Jimbo662]

I do plan on have a substantial amount of rock. I ordered 150lbs of Reef Saver Eco Dry live rock from BRS and will pick up some live rock from one of the store here to add to it to help get it started. Depending on how my aquascaping turns out I wanted to have enough room in the sump to compensate for what wasn't in the DT.

So you're saying not to use a skimmer at all?

[Timfish]

If you feel like a skimmer is a better way to maintain a system by all means use it. I don't feel they are neccesary and suggest you look up the half dozen research articles by Dr. Ken Fieldman et al posted regarding carbon and skimming on Advanced Aquarist over the last several years. Delbeek and Sprung's "The Reef Aquarium" Vol III has an excellent unbiased discussion of the different methodologies also. My experience over the years I'm of the opinion methodology is not nearly as important as consistent maintenance and proper selection of livestock, the simpler the system the easier it is to maintain. Here's two systems I maintain, one has no internal/external filtration similar to a Lee Chin Eng system but does use realatively small internal pumps, the second is nominally a Tyree Zonal System, niether have skimmers.

[bige]

If you feel like a skimmer is a better way to maintain a system by all means use it. I don't feel they are neccesary and suggest you look up the half dozen research articles by Dr. Ken Fieldman et al posted regarding carbon and skimming on Advanced Aquarist over the last several years. Delbeek and Sprung's "The Reef Aquarium" Vol III has an excellent unbiased discussion of the different methodologies also. My experience over the years I'm of the opinion methodology is not nearly as important as consistent maintenance and proper selection of livestock, the simpler the system the easier it is to maintain. Here's two systems I maintain, one has no internal/external filtration similar to a Lee Chin Eng system but does use realatively small internal pumps, the second is nominally a Tyree Zonal System, niether have skimmers.

Not only the examples provided but there are studies (which are probably listed above) that show there really isn't anything in skim mate that is harmful. With that being said, I run a skimmer but feel it does nothing.

[Jimbo662]

What do you think of this revised version. The tank is 6 ft so i'm guessing appx 4 ft for the refuge.

Edited August 6, 2012 by Jimbo662

[Scutterborn]

Here's the sump I just had built for my 185. My tank is a 5' tank.

Just for your consideration in brainstorming.

The first section to the left is the intake side. This will be the fuge with LR and chaeto. The middle section is for the DSB. The reactors will also be in this section. The next section is for the beastly skimmer. Then on to the return section. This is where the tunze osmolator sensor and reactor pump will be. I still need to drill a 3" hole for the bulkhead. I'm running a reeflo snapper circulation pump. Also had an acrylic drip tray for the pump to sit in for identifying seal failures on the pump.

Overall dimensions are 48"LX24"wX20"h

Water level in the first two chambers is 16" then dropping to 7.5"in the skimmer section.

That's some super smooth water flow there!!

- Ben -

Edited August 6, 2012 by Scutterborn

[Jimbo662]

Should the baffles leading into the return section be lower or should both sets be the same height?

[AaronJ]

Scutterborn, Who made that sump/fuge for you?

Edited August 7, 2012 by AaronJ

[mFrame]

Well, it's that time! Tank arrived yesterday and confirmed it does have a total of 5 holes in the overflow. Any expert suggestions / diagrams on how to set them up the right way? This is my first attempt and I don't want to screw it up!

I saw this tank at the Dome last week, it's beautiful, congratulations! Yours has the same footprint as the 226 they're getting for me. Mine will be 3" taller and setup as a peninsula (overflow on the end rather than the middle). Thanks to advice from Jake at RCA, I'll be using the middle hole in the overflow to run all my power cords from up top down into the stand, so there shouldn't be any external wires.

[Jimbo662]

Yep, that's was the one! I like the idea of the peninsula style...just no good place in my house for it. I'm cutting a hole in the living room wall and putting this one in the spare bedroom so I can view it from both sides. Stand construction starts tomorrow!

[Jimbo662]

Should the baffles leading into the return section be lower or should both sets be the same height?

[Teresa]

What do you think of this revised version. The tank is 6 ft so i'm guessing appx 4 ft for the refuge.

why no algae scrubber anymore? I've got a mini diy one on my biocube and it's awesome. Has kept the hair algae from growing in the main tank.

[Jimbo662]

Will the algae scrubber be that beneficial?

[Teresa]

Will the algae scrubber be that beneficial?

? I guess that's up to you. If you plan on feeding the tank heavily or having the lights on for extended periods than I would say yes. Otherwise, maybe not. Here's the forum that I found useful: http://algaescrubber.net/forums/. I only put one in after I had trouble with GHA, so you could always add one later.

[Jimbo662]

Thanks, I'll check out the site.

[Jimbo662]

Well, progress is being made. Stand going together and new toys arriving! Along with the goodies below also got my 150lbs of dry rock. I opened one of the boxes to check it out...it looks great!

[Jimbo662]

Slowly but surely making progress. Once I get the tank on it and the plumbing done I'll add additional braces. I'll cut the sheet rock out after I've moved the existing tank in the living room.

Edited August 9, 2012 by Jimbo662