CurvBall's Reef...finally.

[CurvBall]

Morning everybody,

Well, my tank is officially underway
I've decided to include some images of my tank in it's construction phase. I had to check and see if the closed loop system holes were in the correct place before Duraquatics went ahead and added the overflow box and bracing.



Here is some background on this system.

Tank:
1000mm long x 500mm wide x 550mm deep (water level will be 500mm), external overflow box with three 32mm drains. (one to sump, two for CLS 'see Circulation')

Circulation:
This will be achieved using a closed loop system. To start with this closed loop system will only be run by one pump. The water will be drawn from the overflow box. From there the pump (estimated to do 3500-4000lph) will push water through a SCWD wavemaker. This will then run to four CLS outlets. Two of these are lower in the tank while the remaining two outlets with serve flow to the mid water area of the tank.
A sump pump rated at roughly 2500lph will be split into 4 outlets placed in each top corner of the tank. The sump return will not be on any form of wave maker. The sump returns will be used for surface agitation to aid in evaporation to cool the tank.
I will add a second pump to my closed loop and this will also run through a 2nd SCWD wavemaker. The same size pump will be used.
When the 2nd CLS pump is added, one pump with push water through the mid water CLS outlets while the other pump will run the lower outputs. SCWD units will provide alternating currents from one side of the tank to the other.

I would just like to say thanks to Mike aka MojoReef for his invaluable advice and input regarding my closed loop system.


Sump & Filtration:
900mm long x 320mm wide x 320mm deep. This has been divided up to accomondate a fairly large refugium area where I'll have mud (Miracle Mud by EcoSystem Aquariums will be used, my tank will be a test model for this product in South Africa) substrate. This will be lit 24/7 using 2-4 x 20w energy saving bulbs to promote growth of macro algae, namely Caulerpa sp.
I plan to also add two fluidised reactors each for Rowaphos and Carbon. From the first day, I will run Rowaphos and Carbon in socks in the sump until I get the reactors.

Lighting :
1 x 150w Metal Halide 5200K
1 x 150w Metal Halide 20 000K
2 x 39w Deltec Aquablue T5's (an additional two T5's will be added at a later stage)

This will give me a total of 378w of light. I would like get my wattage to as close to 500w as possible, without extra heat, so an additional two T5's will be added at a later stage. That will then give me 456w of light.
This lighting set-up will be used inside a custom hanging pendant (thanks to a friend). The pendant will also incorporate two fans to help cool the light bulbs down.

Misc. stuff
I will have a float switch connected to a small powerhead inside a reservior which will hold my 'kalkwasser' top off water.

For more details and diagrams please visit my website:
Regal Projects

[Witfull]

looking good, i bet your happy yo finally get things rolling! i look forward to seeing progress reports. good luck!!

[EdgeKrusher]

Sweet! But did you notice taht your site wasupdated next month? LOL Can't wait to see this filled with water, corals, and fishes. Good luck!

EK

[Curtswearing]

Cool Beans!!!

Keep us updated as the project goes along.

[Spooda420]

If my math is correct that is about a 68g tank right? looks good.

out of my own ignorance why are you using 2 different K lights? 1- 5500 k and the other 20000k

also can you give my the lottery numbers if your web site has been updated in july already? j/k

tank and construction looks good.

C

[Tosh_Auer]

Looks good mate. But also whats with the MH Bulbs? one will look really yellow and one will be really blue? thats gonna look kinda weird?

Tosh

[CurvBall]

Thanks for all the comments everybody. I didn't realise that I put July instead of June in my banner, thanks for pointing that out for me. Sorry but I can't help with those lottery numbers

With regards to the lighting of my tank:
Spooda420 wrote: "out of my own ignorance why are you using 2 different K lights? 1- 5500 k and the other 20000k"

Tosh_Auer wrote: "But also whats with the MH Bulbs? one will look really yellow and one will be really blue? thats gonna look kinda weird?"

These two bulbs will be placed next to each other in the centre of my tank hood. Kind of like this:
|------------| |------------|

These are double ended MH bulbs and will be mounted parrell over my tank (front to back).

[Witfull]

still one side will be a different colour than the other, they will blend in the center, but to the each side the dominate bulb will prevail.

[CurvBall]

I think I've confused everybody, will post a proper diagram a little later

[CurvBall]

Okay here is my lighting layout. Hope this makes more sense to everybody now. What I'm trying to do is achieve the same colour and look as the Reefkeeping.com May Tank of the Month, Conrad Chua's (Achilles) tank.

[Craig Manoukian]

Awesome job CB, more pics!

[CurvBall]

Thanks Craig.

I will post more images as soon as I get a chance. Should be getting my stand and tank this weekend

[Craig Manoukian]

Kewl!