324g Classroom Tank

Greenstreet.1 · Nov 3, 2013

tangboy said:
In the morning I'm going to check out the master and slave settings... How do you guys like mp40s working together?

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I run them sync with the same settings but I'm about to change it around that when one is on reef the other is on lagoon and so on.

The Lord is good.

tangboy · Nov 3, 2013

Greenstreet.1 said:
I run them sync with the same settings but I'm about to change it around that when one is on reef the other is on lagoon and so on.

The Lord is good.

I've been researching and it makes me wonder if just the 2 mp40s will be enough for mostly zoas, lps and a few sps here and there. Time will tell as will more research!

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Greenstreet.1 · Nov 3, 2013

My tank is only a 75g and I run two of them so I would say it's not enough for you maybe add a third one or mp60.

The Lord is good.

tangboy · Nov 3, 2013

Greenstreet.1 said:
My tank is only a 75g and I run two of them so I would say it's not enough for you maybe add a third one or mp60.

The Lord is good.

Haha! Not quite the answer a poor teacher wants to hear!

May have to get a third for the back...

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Coraloliseffect · Nov 4, 2013

Awesome doing all this in the school for the kids. Tons for them to learn.

For the flow issue if you need more. A low cost alternative is the magnum koralia. Not nearly as sweet but moves some gallons.
http://www.hydor.com/eng/prodotti-tecnici/movement-pumps/koralia__.php
I've got the big one the old magnum 8 in a 300 and blows sand away in the opposite side of the tank.
Low energy usage so not much heat added to tank.

Greenstreet.1 · Nov 4, 2013

tangboy said:
Haha! Not quite the answer a poor teacher wants to hear!

May have to get a third for the back...

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Lol yea get the third one don't want to cut your lunch money.

The Lord is good.

BfishLpond78 · Nov 5, 2013

You may want to look into the Jaebo WP-40/60 line as they would be a good cheap alternative for you. I know the 40's and 60's can be bulky, but maybe you can hide them behind the rock work to help kick up the flow if needed. I assume that tank is 10 foot wide, 2 MP 40's will have to be on full blast to make a decent dent in moving that water.

***EDIT*** Props to you on doing this for your kids! :bigsmile:

tangboy · Nov 5, 2013

BfishLpond78 said:
You may want to look into the Jaebo WP-40/60 line as they would be a good cheap alternative for you. I know the 40's and 60's can be bulky, but maybe you can hide them behind the rock work to help kick up the flow if needed. I assume that tank is 10 foot wide, 2 MP 40's will have to be on full blast to make a decent dent in moving that water.

***EDIT*** Props to you on doing this for your kids! :bigsmile:

The tank is only 8 feet wide, so that helps to keep the distances a lot closer!

tangboy · Nov 5, 2013

I put on some 1/4 inch oak panels to cover the bottom of the stand. Nothing fancy. Side panels are screwed in and the front I'm trying to figure out what to do to keep it easily removable. I will paint these black as well to match the rest of the black stand.

Ideas

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larangcon · Nov 5, 2013

Good Story

tangboy · Nov 5, 2013

By the way, the tank is dirty because I had a layer of fine sand from when I added the Live sand on top of everything, I stirred it up with my hand into suspension and have my mp40s set on Nutrient Export Mode to get it into the sump for the Protein skimmer to work on!

180galreef · Nov 5, 2013

+1 on the Jeabo's , I loved mine.

Coraloliseffect · Nov 5, 2013

tangboy said:
I put on some 1/4 inch oak panels to cover the bottom of the stand. Nothing fancy. Side panels are screwed in and the front I'm trying to figure out what to do to keep it easily removable. I will paint these black as well to match the rest of the black stand.

Ideas

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Looks nice
But.... Honestly for a school, I like it open . As the engineering life support ,sanitation, refugium, fluids, aspect is just as interesting and offers learning opportunities as the life within the display.

tangboy · Nov 6, 2013

The extent of my carpentry skills. The front is not attached but is tucked snug up under the front lip for easy removal.

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JW20VT · Nov 7, 2013

Awesome thread...awesome principal/teacher.....hope my son gets to have a teacher similar when the time comes for school
Needs to be more like you in school systems that realize thinking/teaching outside the box makes a difference, a more enjoyable experience means the kids will retain and actually enjoy learning that its more than a fish tank.

I really wish I had some stuff I could send your way to help

tangboy · Nov 15, 2013

Well Nitrox was able to locate a 125g tank that I can turn into a sump/fuge that will provide a little more room for equipment and macro algae! I will be giving the 55 to my brother for his cube.

Now I'm just waiting for word on what needs to happen for my custom LEDs for this bad boy! Waiting to hear about test kits also to test for my cycle situation as well. Salt water has been in the tank for 3 weeks so far...

tangboy · Dec 2, 2013

Well, quite the surprise when I came to work this morning... walked into the classroom and all was quiet. Nothing should be quiet, I should hear the pur of the motor on the HOB filter running and the gentle slosh of water moving.

Nothing...

Went over to the 29g that had the 2 clownfish, yellow watchman goby, and short-spined urchin and there was no power.

Someone after school Tuesday afternoon (when we dismissed for Thanksgiving break) had stepped on the extension cord and bent it out of the socket :/

50 degree water is cold enough to freeze me!

Back to the drawing board :/

BfishLpond78 · Dec 2, 2013

tangboy said:
Well, quite the surprise when I came to work this morning... walked into the classroom and all was quiet. Nothing should be quiet, I should hear the pur of the motor on the HOB filter running and the gentle slosh of water moving.

Nothing...

Went over to the 29g that had the 2 clownfish, yellow watchman goby, and short-spined urchin and there was no power.

Someone after school Tuesday afternoon (when we dismissed for Thanksgiving break) had stepped on the extension cord and bent it out of the socket :/

50 degree water is cold enough to freeze me!

Back to the drawing board :/

Awww man, thats super lame, sorry to hear. I hope there wasnt alot of livestock in there!

Best of luck to ya!

tangboy · Dec 19, 2013

Well I plumbed in a125 yesterday and Both returns and both overflows leaked at the threaded joint into the bulkheads even with Teflon tape.

So after trying to silicone the joints, they still leaked today. Even the threaded cap on the back of the 125 sump was leaking. So after trying to tighten up the cap, I cracked the bulkhead and water poured everywhere.

I'm frustrated, because it means I have to loosen the bulkheads and then undo the threaded joints, reteflon tape the joint and spin them back on then retighten the bulkheads in the bottom of the tank. Sigh...