64Ivy's 500g SPS Dominant Reeftank
- Thread starter 64Ivy
- Start date
- Location
- Garden city
Also wondering how u keep u levels up with that much sps how do u keep nutrients down? Agree on the tank of the year!
- Location
- Garden city
What is the orange acro??
Not anymore. Right now, my CA has been pretty stable at 400 ppm. My alkalinity will fluctuate a little bit though, varying from the mid 7's to about 9 [dKH] but always, imo, well within reasonable parameters. I top-off with kalk because the corals (and the coralline algae) can really suck up the calcium and since the reactor can barely keep up on its own, I figured that any manual dosing would probably cause the numbers to fluctuate even more ('I'm not there to dose regularly all the time'). And finally, since I tend to feed rather heavily, the kalk helps precipitate any PO4 inherent.
If you'll notice in the FTS, between the Tunzes, I have 7 returns that are split with Y nozzles into 14. It is also quite a long run from the sump so I have two of the Reeflos for just those upper returns. But what you CAN'T see is that I have 4 more returns, also split by Y nozzles into 8, running along the bottom of the back wall and therefore need the third pump to service them.
Levels up: Calcium reactor, Kalk Dosing, Occasional manual Mg dosing, frequent water changes.
Nutrients down: Aggressive skimming, Ozonizer, Biodenitrator, GAC and GFO reactors, manual detritus removal, frequent water changes.
If you're referring to the piece about midway front, it's a Montipora setosa.
So is some of that 'closed loop' ?... one pump for sump return?
...12-15000 gph thru a sump would be pretty strong. Combined with all the Tunzes and the wavemaker, you have 'tsunami' potential!
- Location
- Franklin Square, NY
great looking tank..I've seen pics of it on other sites as well and it's looking better each time...best of luck with it.
The upper return pumps, yes, can be considered kind of a closed loop. You have to think of them as one big honkin' super pump. In fact, I'm sure the diameter of my hoses restricts the amount of potential flow created there pretty substantially. It is quite a long run for them though and I've always been a fan of a little overkill if the other choice is a little underkill. As far as the bottom pump is concerned, I did neglect to mention that it also splits off to provide circulation to my 40g 'LPS' tank (see photo). So considering the length of travel, the twists, turns, and the other physical restrictions, I doubt if half the gph the pumps are capable of is actually realized.
Oh, and the Tunzes also alternate for random flow so they're not going full bore 24/7 either.
Meanwhile, here's a shot of the backroom featuring the back of the main tank, some of the plumbing, the 'catwalk', the step stool up to the catwalk, and one of the lighting pendants Also visible is the 40g 'LPS' tank, skimmer, kalk mixer, UV sterilizer, GAC and GFO reactors, various controllers, and general clutter.
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- Location
- Bay Area California
Beautiful tank!
Can you please describe the flow pattern. It looks to me that flow is top back to front, then down the front, then front to back along the bottom.
Also can you describe the plumbing in the closed loop. How did you prevent organisms from being sucked in?
I am in the process of setting up a black back 96"-30"-24"h and am having trouble deciding on flow direction.
Can you please describe the flow pattern. It looks to me that flow is top back to front, then down the front, then front to back along the bottom.
Also can you describe the plumbing in the closed loop. How did you prevent organisms from being sucked in?
I am in the process of setting up a black back 96"-30"-24"h and am having trouble deciding on flow direction.
The Tunze 7095 controllers have the capability of running (I think) up to 4 separate powerheads, 8 with the optional adapter. But I opted instead to use 3 controllers to run the 6 Tunzes I employ specifically so I would have NO flow pattern at all. My three 'pairs' of powerheads are all set on 'Interval 1' but on different channels and are each set to switch at different times. Add the wavemaker and the water never flows the same direction twice. It is truly random flow. Result? Some crazy interesting growth patterns, especially the tabling stuff. I have them growing in literally every direction, even backwards toward the rear of the tank (annoying). Just an experiment I tried, btw, and I 'm generally pleased with the results.
In totality, the circulatory system of this tank has become unnecessarily complicated. This is due to the continual jerry-rigging, additions, subtractions, and updating I've done over the years in a vain attempt to make my life a little easier. The result is that now there are four kinda-sorta separate circulatory systems on the thing, only one of which could really be considered a classic CLOSED loop: My wavemaker, in which the water drawn from my bottom intakes bypasses the sump entirely, then is moved through the chiller, the actuator unit, and finally gets pumped directly back into the tank via two sets of returns placed at the N/S ends. I'm sure I've done my usual pizz-poor job of explaining how the other systems work in conjunction with each other and, for obvious reasons, I chose not to include this one in my previous attempt to explain the volume water that moves through my sump. But I vow some day to finally explain the workings of this whole damned set up in a clear and concise manner as soon as I get my website up and going again. Or maybe when pigs fly. Whichever comes first.
In any event, I beg of you, do NOT set up your system like mine. Preplan, preplan, and preplan some more. Try to think of every future scenario that you may venture into and design accordingly NOW. All I can offer you today is (a) The quick disconnect is your friend and (b) You can't have too many outlets.
Oh, and I use a black mesh tie-strapped to the overflows to keep out unwanted critters. Doesn't always work though.
As Promised:
Tank view left.
Tank view right.
Unknown Stag over Red Planet.
Unknown. Echinata possibly?
Granulosa Field.
Favia speading onto tanks barebottom.
Birdsnest.
Idaho Grape and Relection.
Red Planet in situ.
Polyp extension on Rainbow Prostrata
Polyp extension on pocillopora.
Idaho Grape again
A Cup of Undata.
Tank view left.
Tank view right.
Unknown Stag over Red Planet.
Unknown. Echinata possibly?
Granulosa Field.
Favia speading onto tanks barebottom.
Birdsnest.
Idaho Grape and Relection.
Red Planet in situ.
Polyp extension on Rainbow Prostrata
Polyp extension on pocillopora.
Idaho Grape again
A Cup of Undata.
- Location
- Bridgewater, NJ
That Idaho Grape is just ridiculous! Love that Undata too, just an amazing tank!
- Location
- East Northport 11731
Beautiful tank sir!
- Location
- Garden city
First pic under the red planet looks orange maybe yellow what is that?
- Location
- Huntington
Matt's window shopping lol.
That is some of the most natural looking growth I have seen in a tank. Just awesome.
That is some of the most natural looking growth I have seen in a tank. Just awesome.
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