Ron Popeil
10-18-2006, 10:11 PM
this system finally came together in august of 2006. its the first part of a future dream system of mine. currently the complete system contains nine individual clownfish consisting of three species. eventually i would love to have a huge wall of similar designed tanks with one of each species of clownfish.
for now, this is the system i get to enjoy. the two cube tanks drain into a common sump below. the sump is connected to a 75 gallon refugium by a mag 5 pump. on the left is the 45 gallon a. chrysopterus/h. crispa cube. on the right is the 60 gallon a. nigripes/h. magnifica cube. the 50 gallon sump below houses an ASM G4 skimmer and a PM calcium reactor. also present is a PCI 300w heater, along with a pH probe and wireless thermometer. two acrylic lids to my previous system function as baffles to limit the large amount of sump bubbles from reaching the main displays. from the sump, a reeflo dart pushes some 3000 to 3200 gph of water into a T which then divides again into dual sea swirls above each tank. in the chrysopterus tank there are two 3/4" sea swirls, and in the nigripes tank two 1" sea swirls. the two tanks run a single corner overflow, silenced by a stockman standpipe. the refugium is illuminated by a 4x96w power compact hood. connected to the refugium with a small 60 gph pump is the 10 gallon frag tank im finishing, and this is circulated by 300 gph powerhead. once i figure out a 175w halide, ill be able to start using the tank for growing frags. over each tank is a pair of lumenarc reflectors housing 400w 20k bulbs. two moonlights illuminate the tanks for the duration of our full moons once a month.
my photo period stays around 10 to 12 hours, with each tank coming on about 6 hours apart. this helps keep heat down, but i still battle temperatures above 84 periodically. because of some poor designing, if the power cuts out, the main tanks backflow a few gallons, but the refugium drains considerably. my sump has a highwater level in order to handle the amount of flow going through it, so i do have a large amount of excess water to displace during an outtage. this has been remedied by a 10 gallon tank connected to an overflow bulkhead from the top of the sump.
my top off water comes directly from my RO unit. i let it run about 12 hours during the night every three days or so. water changes had been very infrequent, but with a recent magnesium depletion, ill be keeping up a 50 gallon water change once a month, instead of once every three months. i dont dose. i feed an incredible amount of food several times a day. i harvest 5 gallons of algae about once a month.
here is a side view of the length of the system
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1049.jpg
the refugium and soon to be frag tank
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1048.jpg
my wiring. its amazing. with a healthy dose of danger.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1046.jpg
for now, this is the system i get to enjoy. the two cube tanks drain into a common sump below. the sump is connected to a 75 gallon refugium by a mag 5 pump. on the left is the 45 gallon a. chrysopterus/h. crispa cube. on the right is the 60 gallon a. nigripes/h. magnifica cube. the 50 gallon sump below houses an ASM G4 skimmer and a PM calcium reactor. also present is a PCI 300w heater, along with a pH probe and wireless thermometer. two acrylic lids to my previous system function as baffles to limit the large amount of sump bubbles from reaching the main displays. from the sump, a reeflo dart pushes some 3000 to 3200 gph of water into a T which then divides again into dual sea swirls above each tank. in the chrysopterus tank there are two 3/4" sea swirls, and in the nigripes tank two 1" sea swirls. the two tanks run a single corner overflow, silenced by a stockman standpipe. the refugium is illuminated by a 4x96w power compact hood. connected to the refugium with a small 60 gph pump is the 10 gallon frag tank im finishing, and this is circulated by 300 gph powerhead. once i figure out a 175w halide, ill be able to start using the tank for growing frags. over each tank is a pair of lumenarc reflectors housing 400w 20k bulbs. two moonlights illuminate the tanks for the duration of our full moons once a month.
my photo period stays around 10 to 12 hours, with each tank coming on about 6 hours apart. this helps keep heat down, but i still battle temperatures above 84 periodically. because of some poor designing, if the power cuts out, the main tanks backflow a few gallons, but the refugium drains considerably. my sump has a highwater level in order to handle the amount of flow going through it, so i do have a large amount of excess water to displace during an outtage. this has been remedied by a 10 gallon tank connected to an overflow bulkhead from the top of the sump.
my top off water comes directly from my RO unit. i let it run about 12 hours during the night every three days or so. water changes had been very infrequent, but with a recent magnesium depletion, ill be keeping up a 50 gallon water change once a month, instead of once every three months. i dont dose. i feed an incredible amount of food several times a day. i harvest 5 gallons of algae about once a month.
here is a side view of the length of the system
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1049.jpg
the refugium and soon to be frag tank
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1048.jpg
my wiring. its amazing. with a healthy dose of danger.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/ronaldpopeil/DSCF1046.jpg