300 gallon stock tank
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Main
Forum Name: Tank Threads
Forum Description: A place to show off your tank build.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=69751
Printed Date: January 13 2026 at 6:27am
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Topic: 300 gallon stock tank
Posted By: simpleyork
Subject: 300 gallon stock tank
Date Posted: February 18 2014 at 10:13pm
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started the simple plumbing today http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02182014-003_zps192398f9.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 7:37am
Are you sitting down? You posted this publicly so I assume you are ready for critique, right? That corrugated RV pipe is going to terribly slow the flow from that powerhead and the custom "U" tube is going to break its siphon almost immediately. I work for frags, if you would like me to come consult on this project.  Aloha, Mark  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 11:15am
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don't have any frags to hand out, but i do have an urchin or two, I'll be home all day. |
Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 8:37pm
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the system has been running for two hours now . . . fingers crossed. the level of the refugium goes up and down 2 inches as it gets to the higher part it chugs water through the siphon fast taking it to the bottom of the pipe fills up again and then redoes it, if I added a "U" joint to the top side would it stop that? http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02192014-002_zpsd6b35a9e.jpg.html" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Bryce
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 10:00pm
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What is this for? Any details on your goals with this set up? Is there a display tank? Is this going to be a frag tank? Give us some more details.....EDIT, found your other thread, ray pond, makes more sense now. ------------- 65g Reef |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 10:52pm
I would keep that! I do the same thing on big tanks as a surge for water flow. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
simpleyork wrote:Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 19 2014 at 11:02pm
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so it will keep the siphon even getting close to the edge of the pipe? if so great, just don't want to be converting my whole basement into a pond. lol the refugium will be in the long future holding dwarf sea horses and a few other odds and ends, while the main tank will have rays, and what ever ends up getting too big for my 40 gallon breeder. wish my french grunts had made it but oh well next time, they are such neat schooling fish. I'm also thinking of installing track lights in the the basement and having a few ecoxotic par38 led bulb's in them facing the pond so I can grow caulerpa in the pond as well. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 7:03am
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Ahh yes. It's acting as a http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40777" rel="nofollow - Carlson Surge Device . It still worries me though. Have you experimented/tested the system by breaking the siphon to see how much water gets pumped out of the tub and up into the 40 gal? Does it overflow the 40? If it comes close to overflowing, the return powerhead will need to be raised higher or placed inside a skimmer box. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 7:25am
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ran all night but I do agree that i need to tincker with it a bit more to get a more desired result |
Posted By: Durff
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 8:15am
| I would put in an extra overflow for the unforeseen chance that one fails. |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 9:01am
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That is an excellent idea ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 9:54am
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Another overflow, set to come into play in case the water level rose would require more stuff alongside the surge. I've used a surge device, seen Adam's various devices/dump buckets and the big ones at MSM locally and at Waikiki. My opinion is that they aren't all that necessary. Plus, they are NOISY. The http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=21646" rel="nofollow - Poormans Wavemaker is much simpler and better IMHO. Of course, it depends on what simpleyork wants to do in the long run. To keep Seahorses, the suction at the siphon intake needs to be diffused/spread out over a large area. To keep the upper tank water level from fluctuating the surge will need to be forgone. To make the siphon dependable requires one of three options: - raise the siphon output to the elevation of the water level in the upper tank, - use a standard overflow box, or - use a connected water reservoir with a standpipe drain leading to the lower tank. I hope to be able to vist soon. An Urchin is good substitute for a frag. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 1:08pm
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my tinkering has led to this, it has stayed steady level so far, though for a back up maybe drill the tank? http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02202014-001_zps464906b3.jpg.html" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 6:40pm
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That's it, in principle. That's a good first draft design I have an overflow box. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 20 2014 at 9:56pm
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Basement flooded while at work . . . try again tomorrow. Fortunately I had the pump near the surface so it was very little. Under the caring voicement of my wife I will now be taking the 40 gallon out of the picture and pumping the water into a hang over box with carbon so there is no way that I will have another oopsy. lol |
Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 22 2014 at 9:40pm
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well here is the redo, I drilled the 40 gallon tank then that lead into a "filter" zone where it is only around one inch deep(keeping fiddler crabs in this area) then there is an over flow that goes back to the main tank. http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02222014-001_zpsca1167f0.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02222014-003_zpsd54361f5.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02222014-002_zps3db7a8cd.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02222014-004_zpsfff6fc2d.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-02222014-005_zps3d7bc0f5.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 23 2014 at 10:40am
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I like it better. That design should work well and has very low risk of clogging. What's the dust storm from? New sand that needed more rinsing? If Utah sand is not rinsed thoroughly so that the end rinse water is somewhat clear with a milky white appearance (fine Calcium) it will then require time to clear. A slight tan bubbly scum on the water surface is an indication of Utah Sand that has not been rinsed enough. Add as much Chaeto as possible under bright light to avoid high N compounds/pollution cycle. Thanks for the Urchin and the Sargassum. The urchin has gone right to work, eating what I hoped it would eat. In order to grow well, Sargassum needs direct sunlight or to be directly under a bright light. The 40 breeder and the rustic stand look awesome in person. I hope you will be on the Reef Tour. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 23 2014 at 1:15pm
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the dust storm is from all the new sand I placed in it Saturday evening, I rinsed till the water looked clearish but I think the power heads are stirring it up too much , may turn them off for a few days |
Posted By: LaRue
Date Posted: February 23 2014 at 2:37pm
| Looking cool |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 23 2014 at 6:14pm
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Ahh, yes of course. High flow will easily stir new Oolitic Sand. I usually cover it with a thin layer of larger particle sand and a deeper layer in areas where it is blowing the worst. LR rubble, spread 3-4" around the powerhead on the sand keeps it from being picked up by the suction. In time a bacterial film and the growth of worm tunnels will hold it together quite well. Thinking about your setup, to protect the Rays tails from being sucked in, I might place 4-6 tall pieces of LR or clean Utah Rock strategically around the powerheads on the sand with space between them for incoming water channels. Next thing I would do is to get a large basketball sized clump of Chaeto and light it really good 24/7 from now until after the first Ray gets introduced. Although it is a risk to add a large fish too soon, it is possible if sufficient Macroalgae and LR are used sooner rather than later. Adding a bottle of start-up bacteria is also a good idea. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 23 2014 at 9:50pm
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I've got some Cheato about baseball size . . . anyone have extra? |
Posted By: bmac2
Date Posted: February 24 2014 at 9:13am
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so you used Utah sand in that tank? I am sorry. Hope you didn't want any corals to live in it. If you are determined to use that metal contaminated sand from Utah, then I would get someone to test the sand and see how many metals and how much arsenic is in it. Trust me, after losing a couple of grand worth of corals to Utah sand, it is NOT worth the risk. That is my opinion, and the opinion of a lot of more knowledgeable people than me. Utah rock is different, you can wash the hell out of it and no harm no foul. It was formed centuries before we started mining and filling the air with particulate matter, which can float for 100s of miles before hitting the ground, and contaminating the land. But do NOT use Utah sand, it is playing Russian roulette. Trust me, I did it despite the advice from Eric, and several other knowledgeable people to NOT try it, but I had to and now I regret the hell out of it!!! ------------- Aquarium Creations 300 gallon tank Stand by Dion |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: February 24 2014 at 10:59am
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Really? Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: wickedsnowman
Date Posted: February 24 2014 at 11:24am
| I have used utah sand in every tank I have ever set up an never had a problem with it. Where did you collect it from bmac? |
Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: February 27 2014 at 2:57pm
| the water is all clear now, ended up leaving the powerheads on so it tok a few extra days. |
Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: February 27 2014 at 3:52pm
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Utah sand is the best sand I have ever used....I wouldn't use any other type...unless you like barebottoms. |
Posted By: Akira
Date Posted: March 03 2014 at 12:22am
| I have used ut sand on my previous tank and BMAC the macro algae you got from me came from a tank with ut sand in the fuge. There is gold in Ut also but the weird thing is there is none in the sand I use . Guess i should just assume there is no gold here since I didnt find it my tank . Or maybe I just had sand that was already mined out but only panned and not chemically extracted . Might explain the heavy metals or maybe just the area it was collected from was heavily mined. Uranium was mined here also but my tank only glows with leds....... Just a thought . |
Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: March 20 2014 at 1:01am
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the water is clear now BUT i haven't taken any knew photos I cracked the 40 gallon while doing the wood work so now I have a igloo cooler . . . http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-03132014-002_zpsc198df54.jpg.html" rel="nofollow"> my net was way too small for this boy so here he is getting moved into the pool, oh and he is the small one out of the three I have http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/Pic-03112014-005_zps0126e84c.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  I'll get more photos tomorrow as I am stuck at home while some shipments of fish and inverts get delivered
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 20 2014 at 7:41am
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Sweet raccoon keeping watch over your awesome Rays. May we see a pic from above with the pumps off? ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: March 20 2014 at 8:18am
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soon enough, I'll get it when the kids get up. ended up using the Carib water clearer stuff after trying it on an invert tank to make sure it was rayish safe. Cleared up in just a few short hours after that, and the stuff actually stick to the filter pads instead of clouding it up as I pull them out to rinse them out. Also might pick up a track light system today and some LEDS for it so the rays are more visible. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 20 2014 at 8:51am
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Is that the CaribSea Biomagnet Water Clarifier? I found several water clarifiers in a search. They look like good products, though I've never used those particular products. The description says it is marine invert and fish safe and also says that it enhances the biological filtration. It appears this is quite simply a bottle of gram positive starter bacteria. By it's description, I wonder how well it would work to clear up the cloudy water, bacterial bloom problems that some hobbyists bring to this forum from time to time? Of course, sooner or later the natural growth of a bacterial film on every surface will attract suspended particles and keep water clear. Aloha, Mark P.S. One note - you probably know this but inverts are different enough animals than fish that a substance that is safe for one, may not necessarily be safe for the other. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: March 22 2014 at 12:40pm
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a little cloudy do to them digging in the sand http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010261_zps6515d67e.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010260_zps5d0a09b2.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/P1010255_zpsed4fb5fb.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: simpleyork
Date Posted: March 25 2014 at 5:12pm
| for the past two days it has been crystal clear!!! |