berlin method/skimmer/setup question

[ShagMan]

Hey guys,

I know you guys get tired of these "new setup" questions, but here goes: I'm closing on a house in the next week or two, and I'm immediately going to start purchasing stuff for a 110G/wide display reef tank. I want to try a tank with the berlin method... for filtration I'm using: 150 lbs. Fiji LR, 60 lbs. LS/60 lbs. reef sand mixed together and a Remora Pro HTB skimmer w/ Mag3 and a draintube. I'm prepared for a LOOONG (3 months?) curing/settling time before adding any livestock.

1) Is this skimmer adequate (I know that's really general w/out knowing what livestock)

2) Am I making a big mistake by not using a sump? I'm worried about complexity and reliability, as well as the scare that my sump or piping breaks free and drains the tank.

Thanks for the goofy questions,

[ December 29, 2001: Message edited by: ShagMan ]</p>

 

[wnfaknd]

Hi,
The skimmer may indeed be too small for your tank, specially if you plan on stocking your tank with bunch of fish and/or corals. It should be sufficient for curing the rock to start with though.

yes, imo, you are making a mistake by going without a sump. A sump is a invaluable place for you to dose chemicals, medications, place heaters, skimmers, reactors effluent and anything else you can think of. plumbing is usually not complex and if done properly you will not have to worry with any "draining the tank" problems. If anything was to go wrong you would only lose a few gallons, until the oveflow runs dry, which in my 125 gallon tank is about 3 gallons. If by any kind of bad luck my return pipe would crack, i would only lose about 8 gallons. and the chances of any of my flexible tubing braking is next to null

 

[DRT]

I think you would be better served getting a bigger skimmer like a Euro-reef or one of the becket designs.

I also think the sump is an important piece of equipment to incorporate. It allows you an inconspicuous place to dose Kalk/make up water, a place to keep the skimmer and expands your plumbing options. I’ve never sprung a leak in my plumbing but have over filled the sump during a power outage, one of the things you have to religiously test for. Are you going to use an overflow box on the tank or have it drilled.

Dale

 

[ShagMan]

Well, I'd definitly want to have a tank with an overflow box rather than have it drilled; I'm just trying to keep it kind of simple and semi-cost effective (I priced a reef-ready tank and it was about $600 more than a non-drilled tank).

 

[fishfarmer]

How much would it cost to have a glass shop or LFS drill a tank for you as opposed to buying a RR setup? I'd get it drilled unless your tank is in an area that you don't mind geting wet. Sure there are many folks who have never had problems with their overflow boxes, I'm not one of them. For the cost of my overflow box, I could have had a hole or two drilled and could sleep better at night.

 

[noblejames1]

I am with you on that...I got a CS50 overflow instead of a drilled tank and i am very sorry i did. Now i am considering getting it drilled as the overflow is constantly losing it's syphon.ARHHHHggggggg. I would like to get some info on where i should get the holes drilled in my tank, and what size holes/pumps i should be looking at. Also the bottom plate glass of my 55 has a warning sticker on it, indicating it should not be drilled as it is tempered glass. CAn someone please direct me to a link with these questions in mind?
thanks

 

[fishfarmer]

noblejames,

How are you losing siphon on your CS50? Do you have the airline hooked to a 300 GPH pump or are you letting gravity do the work? I was running mine on gravity flow until I got the right equipment to retrofit my RIO 1700 sump pump. It works better now, but if I really crank the flow through the overflow I actually get MORE bubbles collecting in the box.

I'm hoping to upgrade to a drilled 55 also. I'm letting the LFS do it, since he knows what he's doing.

 

[noblejames1]

Hi fishfarmer, yeah i got the rio 1700 airpump too. I am using a Mag 5 for my return pump. Please let me know what your LFS does to your tank as i am now certain i will get mine drilled.
Thanks

 

[esmithiii]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> Am I making a big mistake by not using a sump? I'm worried about complexity and reliability, as well as the scare that my sump or piping breaks free and drains the tank.
<hr></blockquote>

IMO you are making a huge mistake by not going with a sump.


<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

Well, I'd definitly want to have a tank with an overflow box rather than have it drilled; I'm just trying to keep it kind of simple and semi-cost effective (I priced a reef-ready tank and it was about $600 more than a non-drilled tank).

Again, IMO a HUGE mistake. I only paid $600 for my 180 gal reef ready, so I am not sure how a 110 reef ready could be $600 more than a non drilled tank. All this for a 180G AGA tank, BTW.

Here is something I posted previously in a reply to a similar question of why would one want a sump:

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> I have a reef-ready 180G tank and here are the benefits of the sump (I made my own and would gladly e-mail you my plans):
1. Its a great place to dose additives, since there is high flow and also because the additives mix in a volume of water which is then pumped into the tank. No place in the main tank gets a higher initial concentration of additives.
2. It hides all the ugly equipment (heaters, thermometers, skimmer, grounding probe, fans, etc.)
3. It adds 50G to my total tank volume, which is good for biological filtration
4. It is a good place for a refugium. I have a sand bed, LR and caulerpa in my sump which is lit on a reverse cycle.
5. It allows a very convenient location for an auto top-off system, which is a must for a tank that size.
6. All equipment is accessible. Any hang-on equipment on the back of a wide tank is difficult to service if the tank is against a wall (as most are)

In a word, YES it is definitely worth the money. If it is designed properly, there is no change of an overflow.
<hr></blockquote>

I would advise you to take the time, research it thoroughly and don't try to cut too many corners. You will regret it later. Learn from our mistakes!

I had a 55G without a sump and it was so limiting. Accessing the equipment for regular maintenance was a nightmare, and it looked more like a laboratory than a reef. Then I built a sump and used a high quality hang-on overflow box. Worked well for a year, and then had siphon problems. I cleaned up the carpet a couple of times, not to mention running a pump dry for a couple of hours.

Now on my 180 it is drilled, reef ready with a 50 gal sump. It is practically fool-proof. Power goes out and no mess. No siphons to screw around with. I would never go back.

Ernie

 

[amber]

I think you are being overcharged for the reef ready tank. I was told it was about 49.00 more (for overflows--no overflow kit. We used the Durso idea: DIY) by my LFS. I called All Glass and they wouldn't tell me prices but said about 10% more. (this was the old company--it's in new hands now) Check tank prices some more. I've seen a complete used 125 for 300.00 with overflows and fake wood cabinet. I paid $400 for a new tank only. Also I am using a Ramora Pro and am wondering about how powerful it is. It worked Great on the 55 gal. Now I have a little hair algae and a little cyno in my 125. It's only a little but I don't want it to spread. I found a comparison test between Ramora Pro and CPR on the net. Ramora won. HTH amber

 

[bigtank]

The Remora Pro isn't even *rated* for a 125 gallon aquarium. Mine is on a 70 and IMO not enough. AquaC rates it for 40-120 gallon tanks, but I wouldn't try it on anything over 40. IMO/IME.