Tank 1 - Version 5

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WayneD

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Well finally I have commenced on the "latest" attempt in marine tank hobby. From the title you can gather that this has been a long and steady learning curve, and you too will notice that I am one of those characters who is never satisfied with things, and am constantly looking at ways to improve.

I have a 6 footer display tank, with a "just under" 6 foot sump, and some neat equipment. Busy piecing things together, and finalising layouts, and what additional equipment I still need/want (big difference here!).

Will post details, and pics as I progress. Probably good to start with a backround as to where I am currently i.e. version 5, so that there is a inkling of long learning curve undergone so far!
Will update these shortly.:peroni:
 
masahello

i am in jhb too, shout if u need anything
 
Should I say "A VERY WARM WELCOME to MASA" WayneD? I am quite sure that we welcomed you already - but I MAY just be mistaked! ;)
A VERY WARM WELCOME in ANY CASE!

Please share what equipment you ALREADY have, and what equipment you "WANT"?

If you need to purchase anything - please contact our sponsors. I am QUITE sure that you should get a decent deal from them!

Also - Please post pictures of your tank? And of all the current equipment that you have. That we can too share this journey with you!

Good luck with this latest venture, man!

Awesome to have you on-board!
 
I started my journey in the marine hobby some 4 or 5 years ago, probably the same way many of you have....so you can probably relate to this ? After many years of wanting a marine setup, but for one reason or another, not getting my crap together, it just never happened. So when I finally made the desicision to get on and just do it, I went to the biggest marine store in town and confidently walked in to get going. After a couple of hours and 2 exhausted salesmen later, I left with my tail between my legs, rather dejected. This was something that I simply could not afford, with all the equipment I was going to need plus tank and, and, and......I was in for 80 to 100k!!

2 weeks later, the vision of "my" tank was still firmly embedded in my head, so I knew I just had to make a plan and get it done. Junkmail scoured, and I had found it. 8 hours later, bought, collected, assembled, and running! Which was a miracle, as I then lived on the fisrt floor in duplex complex, and up to that point had absolutely no idea of the weight of a 6ft tank. 6 men, a case of beer as bribery, and an hour later!! This was tank1-version 1. For a damn side less than 80k!!

There are reasons people sell there old set ups, and this was to be my first lesson in this hobby!
Tank 1-Version 1:
1800x600x700 Display tank - drilled with std rear crnr overflow
Standard oak cabinet & stand
Standard enclosed bioball sump
Return pump 1600l/h
1 heater
T8 lighting in flip up hood
1 box (huge) crushed coral sand
no powerheads/circulation pumps

I was now hooked, and in a very short space of time got to know every fish store in the entire Gauteng region! I am sure I drove a couple of guys mad, but certainly added to their turn over.
 
Cool dont know if you can change anything but a few thoughts:

just change the bioball sump for a dsb with chaeto, although i've had success in the short term with bio balls in the long term NO2s can become a problem and they can get blocked have a look at the sump in my setup or some of the other guys. there are alot of really good sump diagrams on masa. Try get a sump half the width of your tank cause then you can put skimmer reactor etc in front of your sump and easy to install extra equip. 1200Lx300-400Wx400H ?? can go shorter!

go for a bit of a bigger return 2400-2800 per hr cause i'm running 2500 on my 5ft and because of the hieght the flow is very slow throught the sump.

IMO bare bottom is better than crushed coral, go check the current tank of the month at www.reefkeeping.com really cool tank
 
there is nothing wrong with bio-balls, they work very well, but yes i would add a DSB etc

just keep the bio-balls moving with a powerhead and no dirt collecting
 
Wayne - you say that that was VERSION 1 of "your tank"? What are you doing currently, with VERSION 5?

What other hardware do you have? What filtration? What power-heads/pumps? What lighting?
 
dallasg said:
there is nothing wrong with bio-balls, they work very well, but yes i would add a DSB etc

just keep the bio-balls moving with a powerhead and no dirt collecting
Click to expand...

I have to dissagree with you Dallas. The thing is bio-balls actually work too well in converting ammonia to nitrites to nitrates, but this is where it stops. They cannot convert nitrates into nitrogen like a DSB because there are no anearobic activity taking place. So you'll actually end up producing nitrates, which in a fish only setup won't do damage, but if you have a mixed reef, then it is bad! DSB is much better in this case ;)
 
O JA, welcome WayneD if I didn't welcome you before. Hope you enjoy it here :)
 
Bio-balls have proven to work - in either FISH ONLY setups, or fresh water systems. Bio-balls is a traditional method of filtration. Unfortunately, they are not condusive to keeping the less hardy corals, not SPS corals, at all....
 
Am giving the history and build up to where I am currently, as I thought it might be helpful to other new folk to our hobby, as we are often put off by the traps along the way. Point is, one can start out very simply, and slowly build up to a really great system, as and when finances permit. A bit long winded, but bare with me.

Version 2:
Added circulation pumps.(Cheapies from China).
Added in sump skimer. (Cheapie from China).
Threw out new crappy skimmer and replaced with Deltec AP702.
Threw off T8 Lights and put in T5's 2 white & 2 Blue.

As you can see, each upgrade I made, included mistakes. This meant spending on things I would later toss out, where if I had waited, thought things through and made the right choice, I could have upgraded sooner!

Version 3:
New sump, made in 3 compartments to fit everything I had in mind to purchase and install, plus a DSB!!
Toss out old heater, add 2 new heaters.
Toss out Chinese circulation pumps, add 4 Tunze turbelle pumps with control unit.
Upgraded return pump.
Added a Deltec Calcium reactor.
Added a Deltec phosphate reactor.
Added a Carbon Reactor.
Added a haelea chiller unit.
Added an Aquatronica control system.

Was very happy with progress, and had a shorter list of wants when...........I decided to move home!!!?!!! My God that thing is HEAVY...and what a mission to move!!!


Version 4:
Set up in new home.
Tossed stand & cabinet, replaced with new stand, much taller to accomodate new skimmer (Deltec 902). Cabinet still to be replaced.
Added 2 Seio circ. pumps.
Added 3 x MH units to my lighting.
Added UV filter.

All was going swimingly, but the tank had been relegated to kitchen/scullery area in the new abode. Now have made the changes necessary to move system into lounge area (pride of place). In this exercise, managed to destroy 3 compartment sump, as well as 2 Tunze's! So hence version 5 is upon me!!!!
 
WOW Wayne! Quite some moving around! ;)

BUT - I MUST SAY - your really learnt your lessons the hard way - like MANY of us did before!

And Also WOW! Great kit that you ended up getting! Deltec AP902! AMAZING skimmer! Good on you mate!

And PLEASE post progress pics as well?
 
all the LFS's i have been too here in jhb use bio-balls :) and none hid the fact eighter
lets just say some well known reefers LFS's use them
 
yip, but they like 30c each hehe
 
So now for version 5!!!
This is where I am at currently.
Display tank 1800 x 600 x 700 moved and in pride of place in the lounge!
New 1750 x 500 x 600 (with skimmer compartment, bacterial filter (even though most people don't seem to like them), DSB, return compartment, RO water compartment) sump. Manufactured and in place under the tank. It IS big!
Deltec 902 skimmer in place in sump, up and running.
Fine crushed coral substrate in tank.
Tank filled and Live rock in tank.
Seio circ. pumps running.
Temporary return pump circulating water from sump to tank.
Heaters in place in sump.
Chiller in for repair.
Tunze's in for repair.

Still plenty of work ahead, but loving it, and enjoying the process again! Will post some pics in the next couple of days.
 
i am in jhb if u need a hand

sounds awesome
 
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