Upgrade my Downgrade

[RiaanP]

Well, always changing stuff.

I will only be able (hopefully) to restart my big 750L tank in the second quarter next year. Currently running a 240L display - standard Daro 1.2m tank that is drilled. Well I got everything around this tank that I want. And I need to do something.

Next couple of weeks a lot will change.
First item


I need a dedicated quarantine tank. And I want to remove the cheato from above the DSB. I got 2 extra 90L tanks. One is drilled.

So the bottom drilled tank will become a refugium and house the cheato. Pumped from return chamber. Gravity overflow back to the 1st chamber. With light unit moved from old DSB / cheato setup to new refugium.

Top tank is the quarantine tank, will be isolated from rest of the system. Own heater, powerheads with sponge filters, small skimmer. 60L water changes done during the week.

[Suhayl]

I always thought you have a biggish reef tank. Well looking forward to see some pics of the setup you planning. I have a new theory is keeping things as simple as possible. My last reef tank was runnig for 10 months but it was endless grief. My new setup is my old 400L with barebottom, sump with no panels inside, and runnig a skimmer. Than running carbon in a bag, ok a phosphate reacter. Im dosing manualy, its running a month and things are looking good. Lighting I opted for 10 t5 instead of my 2 x 400 w matal halides. Less heat which means no chiller, and less electricity.

[RiaanP]

yes, I do still have my big tank, empty at the moment. Still needs to move it. Looks like I will be moving house first part next year, so for now, it can stay were it is until I move house.

the 240L is a lot more fun, easier to work, cheaper to run. Smaller water changes, more compact and running out of space. But the big tank is visually a better tank. So its a trade off. Also not using 2*150W MH and also one big return pump less. And changed the closed loop Reeflow Darts to Vortech pumps. Cheaper to run.

The Refugium will add about 80L extra water to the system. Depending on water height. And the complete stand can be moved next to which ever setup I have eventually.

[RiaanP]

Stand is completed.
Refugium unit is in place. Cheato moved over and tumbling very nicely. ALlready looking better with cayno bubbles removed.
One of those slimline cheap T5 units Lanzo is selling used as sump light.
and powerhead in place to provide circular movement that helps in the chaeto tumbling very nicely.
Extra 80L added to the system.



On the DSB I put an old PL sump light unit I had. Can see that my cayno problem is also less now with better flow acros the DSB for the last couple of weeks.

Water movement. My return pump is too big. So I split the outlet into 3, controlled by ballvalves. One drives the phosphate reactor that directly falls back into return chamber. Next pumps water to the right back corner of the refugium. And last line is the tank return. Also have a little 500L pump in return chamber that pushes water to the cryptic tank / black plastic container filled with extra live rock. Just outside the photo on the right. That container also flows back via gravity into refugium (50mm pipes on the right). Refugium flows back to skimmer compartment under gravity. The long horizontal white pipe above DSB. Helps with more water flow across the DSB.

Next - the Quarantine Tank on top. and need to cleanup the power cables...

[Jhavenga]

It is looking good Riaan!

[RiaanP]

almost completed.

Quarantine tank in place. Own light unit. 2 small 800-L pumps on sponge filters. Baby Aquarium Systems skimmer. Heater. Auto top up unit. Just need some more water...


A complete shot.


Tank and quarantine lights are off.

Cryptic tank on the right.

Now, what next? Whatch this space..

[Travis1]

Looking good riaan! Keep up the good work,

[RiaanP]

ok, phase 2.
I got another 350L tank lying behind the garage. It used to be a Malawi tank. Got it drilled in one corner. Will go with a old style corner overflow.





The breakdown
New sump, with RO unit 10mm by 858 at the back. Enough for 30L. Just must found a way to refill it. Thinking of using a funnel with long down part, like those used for petrol. That will be permanently mounted on a swing arm that will come out on the left. And the end should stay in that compartment.

DSB section 650 by 320mm. Keeping it norrow so the flow speed should be higher on same return pump.
Return chamber is a bit wider, do not have the RO section at the back. Can get my kalkwasser stirrer, phospahate reactor and return pump in there. Plus a bit of apce for another small pump to drive the Cryptic tank - the dark square bin on the right 320*410*550 deep (can be deeper - will see).

Frame is 50*50*6mm angle iron.

All electrical multiplugs mounted on the brown board above the sump. Nice out of the way.

Two arms going up at the back, bolted to frame, to hang the light unit.

Only thing left to figure out is the plugs and timers for the lights. And the Ozone unit plus Vortech drivers. Where to put them.

[Lycan]

Sjo looking great Riaan !!!

[RiaanP]

ok, I think I got the electrical sorted. Including place for the ozone unit and Vortech drivers.



On both sides, two shelves from back to front with a backing to prevent stuff falling into the sump.

And a rail of plugs at the back, but moved in under tank in case of water dripping down the back so that the plugs stay dry.

The bracket for the electrical is an extension to the light fixture bracket. Can see the support running up behind the tank. This bracket will be bolted to the frame with a gap of 25mm between steel and glass.

Should be able to get the light timers onto same power strip.

Is that enough plug points?

[RiaanP]

Doing the stand this Saturday.
I decided to increase the stand height to 950mm Legs 900mm. But I'm worried about the stand flexing. It will be high, but using 50mm 6mm thick angle iron, I do not doubt its strength. I do not want another frame or beam around the legs at the bottom. Even with a frame around the bottom it will still flex if it can.

The sump will be on its own subframe, seperate from the stand.

I got spare 25mm square tubing. Thinking of cutting 300mm pieces and to weld that into the corners, making little triangles. Will that be enough?

Almost same as the stand have in the pic above. That stand used to flex and move if I run the magnet cleaner against the glass. After the triangles were welded in, that stand became rock solid. (there I used 10mm square solid bar)

More info, tank is 350L with rock etc, the total weight should be around 500kg.

[viper357]

You confuse me, how many tanks have you got now?

[RiaanP]

Only one running.

My big tank, the 750L that I named Playstation 3 is shut down at the moment.
I temporary moved and hopefully by March / April next year will get to my final destination. Then I could restart that tank. To much work to move that one. So I'm running the old tank 240L (Playstation2) at the moment. Luckily I completed it as a fully running system, own DSB drilled with overflow. It should have beed a my quarantine system.

I must admit, playing with the 240L is a lot of fun. But I got bored. So that is how this new story started. First with a quarantine and refugium add on.

I got a 350L tank extra. Actually my brothers old Malawi tank. Got it drilled. And completed the stand over the weekend. Just need to complete the light rack and the small shelves for the controllers. Should have that completed by this Sunday.

So then my tank should not look that crowded.

Will sell the 240L (Tank, stand, sump, skimmer, light unit - as a setup) when the moved to the 350L is done. Then next year after the big boy is restarted, then I will sell the 350L as a complete setup.

[viper357]

lol, I don't know where you find the time to fiddle so much, what country are you in at the moment?

I'm also setting up a little 3ft tank and you're right, it is fun to play around with something, I'm really enjoying it, fitted the lights in the hood this evening, will do the wiring tomorrow etc. etc. But it's a real bits and pieces tank, using all sorts of old and dirty pumps and fittings that I'm digging out of boxes.

Have you finished your stand? Did you add the triangles in the corners?

[RiaanP]

In South Africa. Just landed a 2 big project at 2 of the SA banks. So I will be stuck around here for the next year. No travelling

Yes, small is fun. Stand is completed. Welded and undercoat painted. Need to make the shelves and the support for the plug bars. And the light support structure. 2 Arms that reach up from behing the tank to hang the lights on.

Still changing my mind on the sump setup. Latest option is to have the cryptic and RO unit as remote units. Using 2 black plastic 600*400*400 containers from Chamberlains. On a stand (like a 2 layer bookcase), cryptic top tank so that it can gravity feed back to the sump. RO below, so that you can pull it out, refill it and push it back. That would allow me a proper sump with bbbiiiiggggg DSB.

[neo]

Riaan, you'r talking about plug bars, are these going to be normal multiplugs or are you going to build your own ?

[RiaanP]

Either Or.

I can fit multiplugs against the strip. Or built up plug points. Need to go past Voltex to see their pricing and what options I have. Would like to have 4-6 standard Sa plugpoints and then at least 10 Euro points, more will be even better.

[RiaanP]

Before my next major change, here is the setup as it is today.

full shot, move the table out of the way for the shots . All pics taken from same spot.


From the right
Cryptic and auto TopUp container. I put my Kalkwasser inside that container as it leaks a bit.


Refugium, with my cheato ball spinning away


My quarantine tank. Complete system on its own, without sump. Even got its own ATU unit.


My sump.


1.2 Display


And my electrical substation. Plugs on bottom shelf, Vortech controllers and ozone in the middle, food and general storage top shelf. Currently I'm using 24 plugpoints... crazeeeee

[RiaanP]

My new stand is completed, just needs its final paint coat. Doing this stand with HammerRight Paint.
also the overflow box is completed.

Will post a pic tonight.

[Sentari]

Looks very cool Riaan! Keep up the good work!