Linxie's 1.2m

Linxie

Linxie

Joined
7 Dec 2009
Posts
118
Reaction score
11
Location
Durbanville (CPT)
Hi Everyone,

So now that I have my tank and plans are chugging along, I may as well start a thread so long :)

There've been a few obstacles which we've managed to overcome. The sump which came with the setup was too big and the HOB overflow is hideous, so we've been puttering away this week getting the tank drilled, an overflow box made and tonight we should finish with the new sump.

DT is 1.2m x 450mm x 450mm
Sump is 900mm x 380mm x 332mm with three compartments. First will house the skimmer once I get a proper one (going to use reef octopus HOB until I find the right internal one - the other internal one I have is too big and even with the new sump, we won't be able to get the cup out) and some other filtration goodies (phosphate pellets and nitra-guard cubes), second will be a refugium and house the heaters and the third will be the return chamber with an ATU connected.

Stand, DT and Sump prior to cleaning:


The ghastly overflow:


Playing around with the rock scape:








So if everything goes accordingly to plan, the tank should be filled on Saturday :)

I'm going to stick to softies and LPS for now and would like to get some smaller fish such as clowns, firefish, and a royal gramma once the tank is ready :m01:
 
Been looking at some internal sump skimmers and have ordered the bubble magus curve 5 which will fit perfectly into the sump. This should arrive next week or the week after that.

The sump is finished, and I should clearly stay away from silicon. Left that to hubby who did a much better job than I...

Will finish plumbing tonight then run a FW test through the system to see if there are any leaks etc. :)
 
Congrats!
It is exciting times ahead, hope you have lots of fun filling the tank and watching it come to life :m01:
 
I did try one of these overflows way back...
marine006_zpsfdw4xyzj.jpg


They can easily cause a flood.
At the very top of the section going over, I would replace one of the elbows with a sideways T-piece. The top should be capped with female end-cap. Drill a little 6mm hole in the end-cap and attach a piece of black garden micro irrigation pipe to that. That pipe can then connect to the venturi of old style powerheads. Then the powerhead will continuously suck out any bubbles that collects at the top end of the pipe. Only downside is a lot of fine micro bubbles in your display every time a bubble gets pulled out. The powerhead must be in the display, not sump, else that tube will act as a siphon pipe when power goes out.

Also easier to start the siphon if you suck out the air with your mouth.

Check the tube every weekend for blockages.
 
Linxie said:
There've been a few obstacles which we've managed to overcome. The sump which came with the setup was too big and the HOB overflow is hideous, so we've been puttering away this week getting the tank drilled, an overflow box made and tonight we should finish with the new sump.
Click to expand...
Did you manage to get the tank drilled?
 
RiaanP said:
I did try one of these overflows way back...


They can easily cause a flood.
At the very top of the section going over, I would replace one of the elbows with a sideways T-piece. The top should be capped with female end-cap. Drill a little 6mm hole in the end-cap and attach a piece of black garden micro irrigation pipe to that. That pipe can then connect to the venturi of old style powerheads. Then the powerhead will continuously suck out any bubbles that collects at the top end of the pipe. Only downside is a lot of fine micro bubbles in your display every time a bubble gets pulled out. The powerhead must be in the display, not sump, else that tube will act as a siphon pipe when power goes out.

Also easier to start the siphon if you suck out the air with your mouth.

Check the tube every weekend for blockages.
Click to expand...

butcherman said:
Did you manage to get the tank drilled?
Click to expand...

Thanks :) The tank was drilled last weekend and the new sump and overflow box finished this week past :thumbup:

Friday evening we finished the plumbing and Saturday morning filled her up with FW to test for any leaks. We did a fake power outage and there were no issues, what I didn't think of was that the return pipe into the tank would change :m85: Need to put a non-return valve or shorten the pipe to ensure no excess flow back into the sump.

Some pics...

At this point we had not cut the bottom pipe yet as I wasn't sure how long/short it would need to be for the filter sock... cut this after we installed the filter sock and bracket:



Overflow box was a little low, but it's not an issue. Hubby can make a new one.


Testing for any leaks... water line 3cm below bracing, would have liked that no more than 1cm below bracing... after test, drained and cleaned the tank again - removing the sand we couldn't get out before.



Later we filled the tank, then had to go out so couldn't enjoy the tank until today.
Sump - Left is inlet from tank with filter sock and will house the skimmer, middle has some live rock and the heaters and right has the return chamber and ATU


Left island in DT


Different view of left island


Right island


Right island viewed from the left


FTS


SG is currently at 1.024 so need to raise this slightly.
Haven't tested other parameters yet, will do so tomorrow.
http://www.marineaquariumsa.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/
 
Linxie said:
Friday evening we finished the plumbing and Saturday morning filled her up with FW to test for any leaks. We did a fake power outage and there were no issues, what I didn't think of was that the return pipe into the tank would change Need to put a non-return valve or shorten the pipe to ensure no excess flow back into the sump.
Click to expand...


Drill 2 small 4mm holes opposite each other on the return line just above water line. That would break the siphon when power goes out.
 
Very nice Lindy! I'll be following this thread and see how it goes. Maybe I'll pack in my planted tank and convert it, or just get another. :whistling:
 
AdrianTregoning said:
Very nice Lindy! I'll be following this thread and see how it goes. Maybe I'll pack in my planted tank and convert it, or just get another. :whistling:
Click to expand...
Adrian :) Thanks, enjoying the journey so far and look forward to growing with the hobby.
Get another one... I can't imagine tearing my planted down... too much hard work and money went into that little setup.

Quick Q: My KH is at 5dKH, should I increase it now, or leave it until the cycle has neared completion?

PH is between 8.2 and 8.4 and no ammonia detected yet. I've added a little bit of food to get the cycle going.
 
Here's the list of fish I'd like to get for my tank. According to the chart, they should all be compatible and are reef and invertibrate safe, can you confirm this?
So if this list works, which fish should I start with and which fish should I add last and what other fish can you recommend? What is the limit for my tank and what's the largest fish i can get that won't harass the other fish?

Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus carpenteri)
Kaudern's Cardinalfish, Captive-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni)
Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
Ocellaris Clownfish, Captive-Bred (Amphiprion ocellaris )
Firefish, Helfrichi (Nemateleotris helfrichi) or Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora)
 
I had a bicolor blenny once that had a taste for coral, sold him to another reefer who had a coralless tank. Also, make sure you don't get a royal dottyback, I had one and they are aggressive as anything. Harassed my leopard wrasse out the tank.
The rest seem okay, and all small fish, so bio-load will be good.
Im not sure if it is your first tank, if it is, wait a while and get your hands wet first. Through my venture with my tank i have discovered that coral's fascinate me alot more than fish, im sure this is the case for many other reefers. In the end of the day, as Paul Baldassano says, do what makes you happy. forget about the rest.
 
CameL said:
I had a bicolor blenny once that had a taste for coral, sold him to another reefer who had a coralless tank. Also, make sure you don't get a royal dottyback, I had one and they are aggressive as anything. Harassed my leopard wrasse out the tank.
The rest seem okay, and all small fish, so bio-load will be good.
Im not sure if it is your first tank, if it is, wait a while and get your hands wet first. Through my venture with my tank i have discovered that coral's fascinate me alot more than fish, im sure this is the case for many other reefers. In the end of the day, as Paul Baldassano says, do what makes you happy. forget about the rest.
Click to expand...

Thanks Camel, are there any blennies who don't eat coral? Will ensure it's a royal gramma and not a dottyback :)

My first marine tank yes, not my first fish tank though. Will not be getting these fish yet, the tank still needs to cycle and I want to get used to it first. I'll not get all the fish in one go either, but spread them out over a few weeks / months. Maybe alternate between coral and fish purchases?

Me... I love both corals and fish and wouldn't be happy with just a coral tank... it would be like having a planted FW tank with only one fish.

I'm open to suggestions though, since this is my first marine tank, I'd like to take it slow and get to know it first before diving into anything.
 
Spotted aiptasia on the LR in the sump on Monday and thanks to some advice have decided to remove the LR from the sump so long and just dry it out. Have dosed stability to help with the bacteria.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom