Prop system

[Rob Top]

As I finsih up my large central system I am starting to plan my prop system out. I have a spot 10'x3' max. I am leaning towards a tank that is 72-96"L 24"w and 12"h. I have gotten a few quotes on making a glass raceway tank, and have looked at open troughs. Calfo makes some goods points on the use of a raceway in his book. Just wondering what if anyone is useing a raceway and what they think of them.

 

[coastal]

they work great for me. mine are made of fiberglass very inexspensive

 

[liquid]

coastal: got any photos?

Shane

 

[coastal]

heres an empty shot

 

[Rob Top]

Coastal, perhaps I we are missunderstanding eachother. That looks like an open trough, I'm asking about a raceway. That's where there are baffles on alternating sides going down the lenght of the tank. Thus forceing the water to zig zag from 1 side to the other. Does that explain it better?

 

[Mihai]

I'm not using one but I think that it's an awesome idea. Perhaps I'll build myself one someday.

M.

 

[ChrisRD]

You might try asking Joe Burger.
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/

I'm pretty sure he has (or has had) a setup like this...

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

Coastal, perhaps I we are missunderstanding eachother. That looks like an open trough, I'm asking about a raceway. That's where there are baffles on alternating sides going down the lenght of the tank. Thus forceing the water to zig zag from 1 side to the other. Does that explain it better?

Just put a barrier in the middle, and any tub will become a raceway. A true raceway, however, has two round ends.


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[tinyreef]

rob,
what's your intention for the raceway method?

is it for flow-dynamics of some sort or a staged-filtration setup or better area-utilization (i.e. instead of a 20' long tank or multi-tiered setup)?

 

[Rob Top]

The idea is presented in Calfo's coral farming book as a way to improve flow dynamics. My thoughts are to take it a step further and have an overflow at either end and two return pumps. The pump on the right is on for say 5 minutes and the left overflow is used, then the left pump and right overflow, switching back and forth.

 

[tinyreef]

maybe instead of two return pumps alternating (i think that'd be too hard on them-on/off), you can just use one return pump going to the center and two alternating PH's on either end pushing the water opposite. e.g. a mag-9.5 and that cheap powerstrip/wavetimer with two maxijets-1200's.

just a thought to prolong the return pump's life and cut costs.

post pics when you're done!

 

[Anonymous]

I like the raceway idea because it maximizes flow through an area, sure you might be pushing 100gph but if you put in a smaller cross section you're going to move water faster.

Also it helps as a filtering system, you could restrict the nutrients through an area where xenia, yellow polyps or even aiptasia! (I read calfo's book too ) can feast. I never tried a large scale version, I did have a smaller one though in my sump, but mostly to keep bubbles from going into the skimmer pump and restricting it's bubble creation.

 

[Anonymous]

Joe Burger decided it was a waste of time, and I think stopped using his. If I recall correctly the system didn't generate enough flow.

If you do the alternate pump thing you wouldn't have to rotate the frags, hopefully.

 

[Rob Top]

Yeah, looks like Joe is ditching his, not enough flow. I'll be going with an open tank then. Off to the local farm and feed place to look at what sort of troughs they have. Like I said this is just the prep work. I still need to finish my first central system. I hope to have that done by the end of April, Start this one in may.

 

[-JB]

Hey guys. I am still using the raceway. But I did find that the flow in the raceway was not enough by itself. I have 4 powerheads in there now. I plan on redoing my setup near the end of the year and I will be replacing the raceway with a prop tank the same size just minus the dividers that make it the raceway.

-Joe