budhaboy's new 65 gallon system

[Anonymous]

I had two SCWD's on my 110. They suck. The switching mechanism is flow driven and creates lots of losses in the volume of flow. They will also jamb and or clog up since the drive gears are really small.

Yes, SCWD's can be a pain, I went thru 5 of them before I finally had one that worked reasonably well for a fairly decent amount of time.

But, they are also cheap.

The key thing with them (at least in my experience) is tuning the pump that feeds them.

yeah finding the right pump to work wit hthe sqwds were a pain. The Squirt(1000gph max) and Super Squirt(2500gph max) and electric motored - but I'm not sure I want 2400 gph flowing through the sump...and I dont know if or how much drilling for a closed loop would run me compared to just have the koraliasor whichever in tank...

 

[Anonymous]

I had two SCWD's on my 110. They suck. The switching mechanism is flow driven and creates lots of losses in the volume of flow. They will also jamb and or clog up since the drive gears are really small.

Yes, SCWD's can be a pain, I went thru 5 of them before I finally had one that worked reasonably well for a fairly decent amount of time.

But, they are also cheap.

The key thing with them (at least in my experience) is tuning the pump that feeds them.

yeah finding the right pump to work wit hthe sqwds were a pain. The Squirt(1000gph max) and Super Squirt(2500gph max) and electric motored - but I'm not sure I want 2400 gph flowing through the sump...and I dont know if or how much drilling for a closed loop would run me compared to just have the koraliasor whichever in tank...

Those are just max numbers, you can go lower. Unless you want to go super fancy on the closed loop you do not need any holes. Over the back is an option for the suction. Down sides is you will see the suction and it will need to be primed.

On my 60 I had the regular squirt on the return running approx 600 gph. It was nice.

 

[Anonymous]

tagging along...

 

[Anonymous]

Squirt on return pump. Look hard it is there.

Return exits to tank. You really can not see the ones in front, but they are just like the ones in the back.

 

[Anonymous]

okay, so I stuff I have in storage still:

MHs - 2x250, need new bulbs - kelvin rating?
NO/VHO ballasts and end caps - need Actinic bulbs
Pinpoint pH monitor - need new probe(I do believe I have both sets of calibration fluids)
Mag drive pumps- 2.5, 5, and 12...
RO/DI, 65gpd - need new filters
20? gallon long for the sump, not sure if its big enough, or if I really want to use it - small tanks are cheap either way
Titanium heaters

deposit on 65 gallon tank and stand is paid, payments pending, canopy to be built by yours truly(having a garage AND a workshop is a great thing)

still need:
skimmer
sand - planning on a coarse style as opposed to oolitic- had problems with the fine stuff before
rock - still searching for the "perfect" rock, but will be ordering in bulk, going for 40-50lbs - as I'm planning the 2 island style aquascape.

other gizmos to be added later as funds and need arises(calcium or kalk reactor, ATO, etc)

 

[Anonymous]

oooooh, kewl.

 

[Anonymous]

so, what're everyone's favorite Kelvin rating for MHs? I'll be running a pair of 250 Moguls, with either NO or VHO actinic supplementation(I have both ballast types)

 

[Anonymous]

I personally still like 10kk plus strong actinic supplementation the best, even though it's fallen out of fashion. That being said, I've been really impressed though by photographs I've seen of Elos' 20kk bulb and if I had a halide fixture at the moment I'd give them a try. See this thread over on RC for some pics...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... ?t=1756115

 

[Anonymous]

14,000 here, though there is a difference between what some manufacturers call 14,000k and what others do. The Giesemann Megachrome Coral bulb that I got with my light is supposed to be 14,500k, but looks whiter/yellower to my eye. If you want the best pop from your corals' colors, people recommend Phoenix or maybe Radiums, which are a bit bluer maybe. I might get the Radium next time I change my bulbs out, though it's a little whiter at 150w (it's available as DE for 150w, but only Mogul for 250w). Either that of the Phoenix.

 

[Anonymous]

oh, about RO/DIs - I have an old 65 gpd Spectrapure unit -it hasnt been hooked up in, oh prolly 3 years now...am I gonna hafta replace the membrane along with the other 3 cartridges?
I know the 3 filter/DI resin cartidges need to be replaced

 

[Anonymous]

oh, about RO/DIs - I have an old 65 gpd Spectrapure unit -it hasnt been hooked up in, oh prolly 3 years now...am I gonna hafta replace the membrane along with the other 3 cartridges?
I know the 3 filter/DI resin cartidges need to be replaced

I've been told that even a couple months of not using the membrane is too much, so after three years I'd definitely replace it.

 

[Anonymous]

oh, about RO/DIs - I have an old 65 gpd Spectrapure unit -it hasnt been hooked up in, oh prolly 3 years now...am I gonna hafta replace the membrane along with the other 3 cartridges?
I know the 3 filter/DI resin cartidges need to be replaced

I've been told that even a couple months of not using the membrane is too much, so after three years I'd definitely replace it.

damn. thats gonna be damned near the price of an entirely new unit -not including tax, and reducing it to 25gpd, thats like 130 bucks...why are all my hobbies so damned expensive????

 

[Anonymous]

oh, about RO/DIs - I have an old 65 gpd Spectrapure unit -it hasnt been hooked up in, oh prolly 3 years now...am I gonna hafta replace the membrane along with the other 3 cartridges?
I know the 3 filter/DI resin cartidges need to be replaced

I've been told that even a couple months of not using the membrane is too much, so after three years I'd definitely replace it.

damn. thats gonna be damned near the price of an entirely new unit -not including tax, and reducing it to 25gpd, thats like 130 bucks...why are all my hobbies so damned expensive????

What's the TDS on your source water like? Is it feasible for you to go with just DI and skip the RO?

 

[Anonymous]

oh, about RO/DIs - I have an old 65 gpd Spectrapure unit -it hasnt been hooked up in, oh prolly 3 years now...am I gonna hafta replace the membrane along with the other 3 cartridges?
I know the 3 filter/DI resin cartidges need to be replaced

I've been told that even a couple months of not using the membrane is too much, so after three years I'd definitely replace it.

damn. thats gonna be damned near the price of an entirely new unit -not including tax, and reducing it to 25gpd, thats like 130 bucks...why are all my hobbies so damned expensive????

What's the TDS on your source water like? Is it feasible for you to go with just DI and skip the RO?

to be perfectly honest, I have no idea. Never had a reef tank in this house - got into the hobby well after I moved out(I'm in the process of buying my childhood home from my parents)...looks like buying a TDS meter is in order then...

 

[Anonymous]

Worth checking. I've no idea what the tap water in your neck of the woods is like, but a lot of the northeast has tap water that's relatively pure enough not to chew through DI cartridges super quickly. I've probably gotten about 60 gallons out of the first cartridge I'm using on my tank, and will probably get another 40-50 before it exhausts. So about 15 cents a gallon for me, using just DI. Not too bad.

 

[Anonymous]

Worth checking. I've no idea what the tap water in your neck of the woods is like, but a lot of the northeast has tap water that's relatively pure enough not to chew through DI cartridges super quickly. I've probably gotten about 60 gallons out of the first cartridge I'm using on my tank, and will probably get another 40-50 before it exhausts. So about 15 cents a gallon for me, using just DI. Not too bad.

so you're just using one of those DI cartridges that hooks up to the faucet?

 

[Anonymous]

Yup. Easy peasy. NYC has great water, quite a lot of reefers here do the same thing. Even the Pratt reef uses just DI water.

 

[dain45yl]

AI fixtures are at the high end, price wise. Partly because they do pay royalties to the aquarium LED patent people (the ones who put PFO out of business) so they can legally sell them. At the cheaper end, you could do four or five PAR38 bulbs at $120 each, you'd just have to find an appropriate light fixture to screw them into.

 

[Anonymous]

Finally! finally finally finally. After set back after set back, the tank is finally paid off - should be here sometime this week...next up, skimmer and sump, and building a canopy...still havent decided on lights yet - thought about building my own LED system, although the prices for the LEDs are a bit much still, might just go with what I have out in the garage - mh(2x100, 2x250, or 400?)

 

[Anonymous]

okay what does anyone think of the Koralia power heads? esp. the 750/hour ones? two for in tank circulation? these are able to be used on wave timers...

http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Evo ... 617&sr=8-1