Planning stage - 55g acrylic tank

[DaveK]

Originally Posted by goldenmean

Thanks MDP for the encouragement!
I would love to see a picture of this tank.

...

One item about MDPs 55 gal tank should be pointed out. MDP is extremely knowledgeable and very experienced with SW systems, reef and otherwise.

He's getting excellent results, with out a lot of equipment because of this. For many others, such a system would end up as a tank of very dead livestock.

[goldenmean]

Oh I would never expect to get the type of results as MDP -
Even with all the equipment

I know that what is a hobby to a newcommer like me
Is a career to MDP

[goldenmean]

It has been a busy 3 months.
I have invested in an RO/DI system from thefilterguys.biz
RO/DI Systems
OCEAN REEF + 1 FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI.
It has been great not haveing to lug water from the LFS for the nano.
However my waterpressure is only at 30psi so The system is slow to make RO/DI. I am going to have to invest in a booster pump at some point but that can wait until after the new tank is up and running.

I bought an AGA black pine stand.
nothing fancy but it will work.
and I built a sump from a 15g tall AGA glass tank



I added a glass baffle to seperate the intake zone from the skimmer area to let the skimmer work in a calmer water zone. I used glass swizzle sticks to the baffle and the intake side wall so that I can create an egg crate shelf for running carbon under the sock when I want to.

After the Protein skimmer (Tunze DOC 9005) I decided to go with just a 2 baffle bubble trap (over then under). I did a lot of online research and most bubble traps use 3 baffles but I found a couple of articles and DaveK also talked about just needing 2 baffles. The way I looked at it is why would I want water to fall over the 3rd bafffle and thus create new microbubbles.

Then I added a Mag Drive 9.5 for my return pump.
I bought a LifeReef prefilter box, siphon box, overflow box, siphon overflow, Eurobrace, Euro-brace, Euro-tank
slim prefileter box/overflow which has a 700gph flow rate.
A mag 7 at 3 feet has a flow rate of 500gph while the Mag 9.5 is at 850.
A ball valve will slow flow to within my 700 gph limit.
The height from the pump to the top of the tank is about 3 1/2 feet.

I went to the vendor area at IMAC and came home with a Tunze Turbelle NanoStream Pump 6045
for in tank flow.

Here is a test run yesterday in my back yard. The ball valve has yet to be installed. It all held water and my sump worked too even if my silicone job is none too pretty.





Now for the lights.
I had been tring to decide if I wanted T5 or MH.
I knew I wanted to keep clams so I wanted MH
and I was going to get the Current 48” SunPod 2X250W 14K HQI.
I was saving up the $600+ when an I ran across a local reefer that was getting out of the hobby. He had Hamilton 4' DLX 250W 20,000K 2MH 2 PC COMPACT FL 2-96W that were about 2 years old. I jumped on the opportunity and after he sold his livestock I went to pick up the lights.
Only $200 and he threw in a complete set of new bulbs. This light system with an extra set on lamps goes for $950 brand new. This sure made me grateful that I did not just put new lights on the credit card and bought the sunpods right away.

[ReefSilly]

Wow that was a great deal! The lights look good.

[atlantic reefer]

looking good Golden

[Gecko]

MDP,
Why don’t silver members get benefits like this? I would love to try your salt, I use Reef Crystals and I think its OK… but I hear allot of chatter in regards to your salts. Make me a believer...

[ReefSilly]

"Okay" so whats up; any more updates?

[goldenmean]

I'll let you know when I get salt water in it!
I still have to call aquacraft and order salt.
And I still need to buy a heater.

Then I am going to order 80lb LR and 55lb LS from
Tampa Bay Salt Water

okay Bio-Sea is ordered from Aquacraft!

[goldenmean]

I recently bought a 32g food-grade brute on a dolly for mixing salt water wich I am currently curing as per this RAG thread
http://www.reefaquariumguide.com/for...c-buckets.html

Bio-Sea is on its way.

And I have ordered the rest of the little things I still need:

Ebo Jager 150 W heater (I cut a old broomstick to make sure I would have room in my sump for it so I have decided to not get the new Hydor ETH In-line heaters).

A couple of digital thermometers

A Ebo Jager 100W heater for the salt mixing brute
and a powerhead to stir it up.

The TBS LR and LS is my birthday present which If I get it on my birthday is next week.

It wont be much longer....

[ChuckG]

At least you are moving forward and not simply standing still.

But come on - let's get some life in this thing already