My AP24

[frewl]

Well I just got my AP24 filled up with salt water last night. I have the standard PC lights. Started the Lights on their cycle. I got the Corallife Aqualight Dual Power Center.

I replaced the stock pump with a Maxi-Jet 900(I know it sounds a little light but you will see next why I got it). I have 3 Mini-Jet 606's on the Natural Wave timer.

I have half the plumbing done right now. I have the bottom return done except. for the y and the nozzles still waiting on them to get into stock but since its loc-line I figured I would just add them on when/if I really needed them. I have this return on the double cycle timer. On the top I have two holes drilled for my top two returns. One in the center that will just have a Y and nozzles in the back top center. I have the other planned to wrap around the top to the front top center to oppose the other return and have them alternating on the wave timer. Again I'm waiting on a replenishment at store to get it done.

I've Got about 30 pounds of Arga-Alive sand and just some base rock.

This is what I want to do: Please give me some input I'll post some pics soon I guess I'll post them as some things get done.

I want to replace the stock fan and add another one. I'm thinking something flashy like An led case fan for computer modding. I saw some nice one with a lot of airflow and UV reactive. They would look like Glowing ears on the Aquapod But it might be interesting.

I want to add two more LED's for moonlighting but I'm not sure if that will be too much.

I know it might sound crazy but I want to add a small overflow box and maybe a 10 gallon sump. I guess that might be alittle overkill seeing how this is just a 24 gallon nano but it would help me stablize the system with more volume of water.

I know I'll have to get a chiller for the summertime because I've been running it for about 24 hours and its been about 81-82. That's another reason I want to add the sump so I could put the chiller down there. I was thinking a solid state chiller.

Well that's it for now.

Billy

[aquaman3680]

Well it sounds like you are thinking in the right track. The sump would be a great idea but i would do a refugium instead of a sump. A chiller isn't needed, just upgrading the fans will help with temp. If you spent about $200 on a chiller then you mine as well setup another tank.

JMHO

Matt

[lcstorc]

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. I think you will just have to wait and see if you need the chiller or not but a sump and/or fuge would be a great addition. We have several people here who have small tanks with a sump and/or fuge added so check the nano threads for some ideas.
Meanwhile good luck and post some pics when you can.

[PhilOlsen]

I would definitly go with the fuge over a sump, the only filtration you will need is live rock and a GOOD skimmer, the fuge will add to the water volume, allow added rock and/or macro algae and give "critters / food" a safe place to breed as well as give you a place to hide the skimmer, heater etc.

[frewl]

Well I wet tested my horrible attempt at a sump with a fuge in it. The seals mostly hold water. I'm hoping to run a little under 200 gph through it. I'm going to put a Quiet One 1200 in it and with the head loss calc it said it should be running at about 195. Its a 10 gallon I had laying around and I got the baffles at Lowes for a dollar each out of their scraps. I can't complain about the price really. I ended up using 2 tubes of silicon sealant when I should have probably only used less then one(live and learn I guess.) Well more isn't always better so I'll just leave it as it is. I'm going to run it for a while like this I want to build a new stand for it so I can fit a bigger sump under it.

I need to make an overflow box now. I have a crazy idea of making an overflow fuge with an under gravel filter build in. My basic idea is to make an oversized overflow box have the siphon tube out of the tank feed into the pipe of the UG filter come up through live rock rubble and then that the drain tube take the water down to the sump. I don't need alot over flow so I'm thinking this might work. My first thoughts of this if that it would be about 20"x20"x4" but then I think I'll make it a bit narrower then the tank so that it won't get in the way of the return tube to the tank. I like the idea of having this as a combo fuge and overflow box because it will give me easier access. I plan on having macro algae in this fuge rather in the fuge in the sump because the quarter are going to be tight under in the stand.

[lcstorc]

I would ditch the undergravel filter. I have heard nothing but bad things about them. Other than that sounds like an interresting plan.

[frewl]

Well the underground filter would just let the water be disbursed under the live rock rubble better. I guess get less flow ever all the rubble instead of having it just coming up in a small section. I'm not really worried about flow since I'm only needing about 200-300 GPH and even then its about 10x overturn. I need to fit a smaller stand into the stand I have now to hold my sump. I'm trying to squeeze as much as I can out of my existing equipment. I got a Sea Clone 150(I know its not suppose to be that great of a skimmer but I couldn't pass up the deal $25.) that I had to make a stand for the 10 gallon sump so it could hang on the back of. I've got to make a hood for the sump for lights for the plants I'm thinking about putting shoal sea grass down in the sump and having Chaetomorpha in the overflow/refuguim.

I was thinking since the back of the AP is basically a big overflow skimmer box that I was just going to cover the top of first chamber to make sure no fish jump the wall but I don't think there is much clearance with the top down but I'm just going to make sure. and have the siphon tube directly in the back chamber with no skimmer box.

I've got 2 tubes of weld on #16 and a pint of weld on #4 on the way. Should I have gotten weld on #3 instead of the #4? And also I've been able to find 1/4" acrylic easily at lowes. The only thing I'm worried about is the height of the overflow/refuguim. they say for 18-24" you need 1/2" Acrylic 12-18" you need 3/8" and < 12" 1/4" is fine. With this being a low volume of water do you think I still would have to go by these guidelines?

[daveat]

weld on 4 is the best stuff out there. make sure you have super smooth edges though as it is not really designed to fill in gaps, if you do any cutting always clean it up with a router (if possible) or get your cutting done at a plastic shop (no idea where one would be in your area) i have also heard of people who torch the edges to get them even cleaner, basically you take a propane torch and run it at a moderate speed across the edge of the plexi to quickly burn/melt off any shavings that were left behind.

as far as the height goes if you plan on supporting it somewhere in the middle you should be fine. maybe you could run some sort of divider down the middle with lots of holes in it so it still gets flow.

as far as an undergravel, all they do is build up and become nutrient sinks, i wouldn't reccommend it at all.

to get more flow in this maybe you could add a small recirc powerhead in there to help keep any detritus and other waste from collecting in slow water areas. i realize you have a 10x flow but at the same time 200gph is 200gph - it doesn't really move a whole lot. maybe throw a 3-500 gph pump in there to add to the flow and give it some turbulance