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Sculpin 
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 Topic: Dream System (soon to be a reality)
Posted: November 18 2010 at 11:03pm |
So I spent last night thinking about the best system I could design (in other words my dream system). I've always wanted a system were the sump is in an adjoining room or basement. I love a silent tank and it just so happens that my house has a basement with a utility room (where our furnace and water heater are) right below where I plan on putting a 120 display. The room its self is about 14' by 10' and big enough to handle this kind of layout.
To explain my design, I want to use 4x 30 or 40 gallon breeders, one lower then the last using gravity to move the water through the system. The first and highest will house a polly bag and protein skimmer, the next a frag tank, then the refugium, and last where the heaters, top off valve, and return pump will be. I know I could of put the skimmer in with the return pump and save myself a tank but I like the fact that the skimmer is ahead of the refugium. It keeps from unnecessarily killing off valuable plankton so they can safely make there way to the display tank.
Anyways this is only my first draft of what I'm sure is to be many and is not to scale. So tell me what you think.
Micah
Edited by Sculpin - November 18 2010 at 11:05pm
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Jeffs_little_ocean
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Posted: November 18 2010 at 11:29pm |
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Kind of reminds me of Keith's design with his 180 upstairs and his sump in the basement, although he has a big frag tank with the sump underneath it. (see last months totm). Why not just have tyler build you a big sump with 4 big chambers? It might be cheaper than buying and drilling four 40 gallon tanks?
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davser
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 12:08am |
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it looks awesome
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Sculpin
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 12:09am |
Thats a good idea. I'll look into the cost difference between having it custom made and doing separate tanks. I was just planning on buy them used seeing as how I don't really care about there condition. The main reasons why I designed it that way was so that it would be modular, in case I ever had to move. I could take out one or two out if need be. Also I love the idea of having a 40 or so gallon refugium. I love those things and if I could, I would make it as big as the display tank it's self.
Micah
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MadReefer
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 2:26am |
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I would put the frag tank below the fuge. Other than that, just about the same thing I would do if I could.
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Corey Price
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 8:02am |
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Honestly, I've been there and done that... It is cool.
1. Too much flow to the refugium isn't good. Two separate drains from the main tank would be better, so you can put one drain in the refugium, place the refugium before the skimmer, and let the 'fuge drain into the skimmer area. The other drain goes into the filter sock at the skimmer area. You don't want to kill plankton, but why let the skimmer do that for you first? Filter socks also trap food for the 'fuge.
2. Too much pump can be disasterous. Go easy on the pump, but use a good Iwaki or Blueline. I would skip the direct-drive Sequence pumps for something maintenance-free. Sequence pumps have seals that do go out.
3. Provide a secondary drain and valve the drains with a gate valve. This adds a third drain, but it can make the system dead quiet and reliable. I never had an overflow or flood in two years of running that style of system with my basement sump & main floor tank system.
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jcoulter17
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 10:09am |
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I would have the last sump tank be the biggest because if the power goes out
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Kahuna
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 10:52am |
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I have done this same set up. Make sure you utility room can take the extra humidity. I had to take down the extra tanks because my tools were starting to rust. I even used a dehumidifier. Just things to be aware of. Also I've gone to a smaller return pump to reduce sound and added in tank pumps. Two MP40's.
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Luckedout
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Posted: November 19 2010 at 10:57am |
It's a cool concept. If I had the space for a room like this I think I would keep the frag tank separate from display tank. Then you can use it as a quarantine tank when you get new fish and coral. It'll just provide a fail safe for any future problems. I don't think anyone purposely passes along manjano's or aptasia, but you never know when you buy a new frag. Or that new fish that bring along some ick to share with his tank mates. 
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-Ben
90g Mixed reef
www.body-balancechiropractic.com
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