Punk's Cube Design

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hey guys,

i'm busy designing my cube & would really appreciate all the input i can get...

thinking of going the "vertical stack" route as my place is veeery small & horizontal space is extremely limited... BUT my roof is 2.5m high! :041:

here's what i was thinking:
nano1.gif


nano2.gif


nano3.gif


here's the details i've got so far:

display: 800Lx800Wx600H, water level @ 580 = ~370 l

sump: 600Lx900Wx500H divided in 2 sections: RO reservoir (for auto topup) section and skimmer, return pumps, etc. section; total water = ~216 l, RO reservoir section water = ~54 l

dsb: 600Lx800Wx200H, aragonite 15cm deep, water 5cm deep

fuge: 600Lx800Wx200H, water level @ 180 = ~86 l

skimmer: Reeftek TS2/3?

i left 200x900 spaces open next to the DSB, fuge & sump areas so i can place odds & sods + equipment & monitors like in this pic:
nano4.gif


how i think this might work is i'll have 2 return pumps (1 big & 1 small):

the big return pump will pump the water up into the display (possibly @ 6000 l/h), the water will overflow into the sump skimmer area & get pumped back up to the display etc.

the small return pump will pump the water (at a much slower rate as the big pump possibly @ 1000 l/h) all the way up into the DSB, the water will overflow into the fuge area, then overflow into the main display, then overflow into the sump skimmer area etc.

i like the fact that the fuge feeds the display directly because all the food it produces goes directly to the guys that wants to eat it... :)

i also put in external C2C overflows everywhere & will be going BB in the display AND FUGE...

what you guys think so far?! am i mad?! :batman:

cheers,
ant
:)
 
oh & i'm thinking of running 1x150w MH (the compact one's) and 2xactinics because i want to keep a mixed reef (softies and LPS) with little bit of SPS! :yeahdude:
 
and i really hope i would be able to keep a nennie happy with this lighting...

regarding flow inside the display:
i was thinking 2 Resun Wavemakers (@ 15000 l/h each) with the controller.

so that is:

total display volume: 370 l
return pump: 6000 l/h
2 x Resun Wavemakers: 30000 l/h

total flow = ~90 times...
 
Looking nice, how will you plumb it?

If you can go T5 ATI will save on
 
Hi Punk - this seems like this projects going to be AWESOME! Good going on your design! And yes - you would be able to keep most nemmies happy with MH's and T5's. IF you decide to go T5's only, you should be able to keep radianthus, and bubble tips quite happy, as well as quadricolor anemones....

I am just not too sure about the fuge being barebottom - perhaps the critters needs to have sand/substrate to propagate properly? Not too sure.... But your design looks COOL!
 
Looking nice, how will you plumb it?

If you can go T5 ATI will save on
thanks man :)

i want to keep the plumbing as simple as possible...

soft (black so no algae will grow inside) hoze from return pumps upwards...

i want to setup a spray bar in the DSB so the water get's directed evenly over the aragonite...

2 x durso's in the DSB, fuge and display overflows, thinking of going 40mm piping all round (or can i go thinner?)...

calfo manifold over display with the 4 x loc-lines...

what you think?

cheers
:)
 
thanks man :)

i want to keep the plumbing as simple as possible...

soft (black so no algae will grow inside) hoze from return pumps upwards...

i want to setup a spray bar in the DSB so the water get's directed evenly over the aragonite...

2 x durso's in the DSB, fuge and display overflows, thinking of going 40mm piping all round (or can i go thinner?)...

calfo manifold over display with the 4 x loc-lines...

what you think?

cheers
:)

Sounds good

Sorry meant save on Heat and power, and with ATI 4 x white and 2 Actinic you will keep anything you can with MH
 
Hi Punk - this seems like this projects going to be AWESOME! Good going on your design! And yes - you would be able to keep most nemmies happy with MH's and T5's. IF you decide to go T5's only, you should be able to keep radianthus, and bubble tips quite happy, as well as quadricolor anemones....

I am just not too sure about the fuge being barebottom - perhaps the critters needs to have sand/substrate to propagate properly? Not too sure.... But your design looks COOL!

thanks dude, i can't wait to finalize the design & start the build!

oh & thanks for the help with the BB fuge, it looks like most people have a thin layer of substrate in their fuge...

i also want to use low iron glass (starfire?) for the 3 viewable sides of the display, anybody know where i can get in jo'burg / pta?

cheers!
:)
 
Another thing - I depending on the total size of the cube - 2 x ReSun WaveMakers might be a BIT too strong....

hmmm... how much flow should i be aiming for (not 90x)? thanks man! :)
 
Just an idea...pump from sump to top tank and gravity feed all the way back to display...that way all the critters from the fug and DSB will not go through any pumps and become a nice live food sorce for your fish and corals
 
and I hear resun wavers are off the market...

I would go either 2 boyer wavers or best bet would be 2 tunze nano streams 6055's on a multi controller - probably a bit expensive but hey you get what you pay for....
 
if you go as I suggest you could probably use an OR6500 as a return - again expensive but IMo the only one too look at - no noise and should last a life time. Alan also mentioned that the ATI pumps are good...
 
Just an idea...pump from sump to top tank and gravity feed all the way back to display...that way all the critters from the fug and DSB will not go through any pumps and become a nice live food sorce for your fish and corals

cool stuff, that was exactly what i was thinking! just wondering if i should swap the dsb and fuge around so that the fuge can keep the dsb "alive"? :thumbup:
 
if you go as I suggest you could probably use an OR6500 as a return - again expensive but IMo the only one too look at - no noise and should last a life time. Alan also mentioned that the ATI pumps are good...

cool stuff, so far i've got these pumps short-listed:
big return pump: OR6500 (max 6500 l/h)
small return pump (for dsb/fuge): OR2500 (max 2500 l/h)
display: not sure, i don't really want to spend more than R2K for a wavemaker and controller, i'll need to do some more research, what do you guys suggest in the R2-3K range?

thanks! :)
 
Nice design Punk, how long before you start building?
hello there, i want to start this build ASAP, i've been lingering for way too long :)
 
hello there, i want to start this build ASAP, i've been lingering for way too long :)

Yep - so get on with it then:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: good luck dude, it's good to see a system so well planned before it's actually built.
 
here's some pics of the sump ver. 1.0:

sump1.gif


sump2.gif


sump3.gif


sump4.gif


it feels a little cramped though...

those are the exact dimensions of the skimmer (Reeftek TS3) and AquaMedic pumps... i hope i'll be able to put in & take out the skimmer if needed...

so the flow through the sump will be:
(1) enters the skimmer compartment from the display tank's 2 dursos
(2) flows through the bubble trap to the return compartment back up etc.

oh & the RO reservoir can hold approx. 86l, is that enough for a 500l system? how long will 86l last before i need to top it up again?

what you guys think?

cheers!
ant
:)
 
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