290G Multi Tank Build with fish room

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all, I am in the process of building a 290g system currently. I have a 6ft 150g tank that I am drilling an Eshopps bean animal style overflow into. I am also purchasing an established Red Sea Reefer 450 setup from another reefer and tying that in to a common sump. As of now I plan to run the reefer 450 as a reef tank and the 150g as a FOWLR. Equipment I have/am getting from the purchase (Some Duplicate Equipment) because I purchased a lot of equipment from another reefer when I had a different plan in mind. Also Have a predicament with buying his setup... He has it running now and I will be inheriting a yellow tang, blue hippo tang, pair of lightning maroon clowns, various LPS and softies, BTAs, inverts and what appears to be another anemone maybe?? I am planning on setting up a 55g tank to hold them while we break apart his setup and fill it with his LR and sand plus some starter bacteria. Looking for a recommendation on that as well.
Equipment

Geo's Reef 46R Pro series sump W built in reactors
Theiling Compact Rollermat (Not sure how to implement yet)
BRS Dual Reactor
150GPD RODI Unit
Ecotech Radion Lights for the reef tank
2 AI Hydra 32hds (probably going to return for store credit)
2 Ecotech MP40s
Ecotech Vectra L1 return pump
Sicce 4.0 Pump
Ecotech Battery Backup System
Magus Dosing Pump with a reservoir
JBJ Chiller
40 Watt Pentair UV Sterilizer
Red Sea RSK 900 Skimmer
Reef Octopus 1000sss Skimmer
Tunze Osmilator ATO
JBJ ATO
Older style Apex Controller (needs new PH probe)
Varios heaters to chose from depending on mounting in the sump

A few questions I have besides the livestock issue... Will the Geo 46 sump volume of about 45 gallons be enough for the system? I should have 1 feed to the sump from the Red sea plus the E drain. The 150 will take the other two down pipes in the sump and E drain I will dump with the other one ahead of the filter socks. Should I use the Vectra L1 to feed both tanks or feed on off the sicce pump? Is it worth using the rollermat, it is maxed at 500gph and I have no room in the sump with the socks. I have half thought of feeding a 20-30g tank of its own pump from the sump and have it overflow back to the return chamber to create a larger fuge and maybe place the second skimmer in there down the line depending on need. Where is the best place to run the UV? Will Biopellets in the built in reactors help with the bioload from the fowlr? Anyone have any ideas, thoughts or recommendations?
 

jsker

Reefing is all about the adventure
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2015
Messages
24,974
Reaction score
79,717
Location
Saint Louis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let's get some eyes on this for you :)
 

Oberst Hajj

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
978
Reaction score
852
Location
Colorado
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is a pretty small sump for that large of a total system. Will it be able to handle the back flow when our pumps shut down?

As to the live stock, do you have the room or the budget to get a 100g or 150g livestock tank?
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is a pretty small sump for that large of a total system. Will it be able to handle the back flow when our pumps shut down?

As to the live stock, do you have the room or the budget to get a 100g or 150g livestock tank?

That is my concern it will definitely be threading the needle. Not a lot of head in the pipes but still worrisome. I have a spare 75g that I could use as a sump. I guess i could either sell the geo sump or pump up to it and have it be a multi chamber fuge maybe. I will of course have to drill a hole in that geo sump which seems like a waste... I have thought about the stock tanks but I the height is a but of an issue. The drain lines from the reefer exit the bottom at 27” after conversion to 1” pipe. I am looking at something shorter than that to avoid drilling bulkheads through the side of the sump
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let's get some eyes on this for you :)
Pics will be incoming. I should pick up the reefer in the next week or so. Starting some organization now preparing to move the 150g
 

Oberst Hajj

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
978
Reaction score
852
Location
Colorado
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is my concern it will definitely be threading the needle. Not a lot of head in the pipes but still worrisome. I have a spare 75g that I could use as a sump. I guess i could either sell the geo sump or pump up to it and have it be a multi chamber fuge maybe. I will of course have to drill a hole in that geo sump which seems like a waste... I have thought about the stock tanks but I the height is a but of an issue. The drain lines from the reefer exit the bottom at 27” after conversion to 1” pipe. I am looking at something shorter than that to avoid drilling bulkheads through the side of the sump
If it was me, I'd probably sell the Geo and use the 75g. Another option for temporarily housing the fish... You could just pick up some wood from Lowes or HD and build a simple box with a bottom. Then line the box with the plastic they use to cover the floors in crawl spaces. It comes in rolls and is very thick. You could make the temp tank whatever size you wanted and not have a lot of money tied up in it.
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let's get some eyes on this for you :)
Pics will be incoming. I should pick up the reefer in the next week or so. Starting some organization now preparing to move the 150
If it was me, I'd probably sell the Geo and use the 75g. Another option for temporarily housing the fish... You could just pick up some wood from Lowes or HD and build a simple box with a bottom. Then line the box with the plastic they use to cover the floors in crawl spaces. It comes in rolls and is very thick. You could make the temp tank whatever size you wanted and not have a lot of money tied up in it.
I may just end up selling it, as far as holding the livestock I have quite a few tanks laying around I could set up beforehand so I can set the reefer 450 up and get them back where they belong. I am hopeful that I could accomplish this within the weekend.
 

jsker

Reefing is all about the adventure
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2015
Messages
24,974
Reaction score
79,717
Location
Saint Louis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pics will be incoming. I should pick up the reefer in the next week or so. Starting some organization now preparing to move the 150
I am excited for you and can't wait to see the pictures when you are ready.
 

Operation Philo Beddoe

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
68
Reaction score
39
Location
Chandler
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Geo's Reef 46R Pro series sump W built in reactors
Theiling Compact Rollermat (Not sure how to implement yet)

A few questions I have besides the livestock issue... Will the Geo 46 sump volume of about 45 gallons be enough for the system? I should have 1 feed to the sump from the Red sea plus the E drain.

Drosie,

You can ask Geo if your 46R sump is capable of handling your tank size. He is a 1 man band so try to include a pic of the sump and short detailed question, the kind a busy guy can answer without a lot of back and forth.

Part #2
Ask Geo if he can integrate a roller-mat into your particular sump. Maybe you can make a local modification and drop one he fabricates into it.

https://www.geosreef.com/product/geo-su46r-pro-rm/

Phone: Geo's Reef Sales (Geo) 614-512-2630
Email: [email protected]

My future sump-

img_4486.jpg
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Heres what I was thinking for my sump setup. No luck in selling the geos sump, I was think of having the 150DT drain into the 44g geo sump and overflow via bulkhead 2” pipe into the 75g sump. The geo sump will be raised a couple of feet above the 75g sump. The 92g would drain into the 75g sump and into a rollermat I have. All emergency drains would go to the 75g. A manifold with a double Y would split the return between the 2 DTs and manifold off for some various equipment and reactors returning to the 75g. A vectra return pump will be housed in the 75g. Blue tanks are DT, Brown is sumps, blue pipe is drains and red is emergency drains. I could not get the return to color in. Does this seem like it should work?

6C40BE5A-9037-4BED-AE05-232DE9941BE6.jpeg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also obligatory update photos. 92g is up and running after successful livestock transfer. Temporary filtration is in place until plumbing can be done.
 

Attachments

  • 9764D085-494D-4C1D-A948-9C44EFAAB660.jpeg
    9764D085-494D-4C1D-A948-9C44EFAAB660.jpeg
    164.9 KB · Views: 45
  • 33A634BE-530A-41E4-AF8C-AB987C793249.jpeg
    33A634BE-530A-41E4-AF8C-AB987C793249.jpeg
    144.1 KB · Views: 39

Operation Philo Beddoe

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
68
Reaction score
39
Location
Chandler
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Heres what I was thinking for my sump setup. No luck in selling the geos sump, I was think of having the 150DT drain into the 44g geo sump and overflow via bulkhead 2” pipe into the 75g sump. The geo sump will be raised a couple of feet above the 75g sump. The 92g would drain into the 75g sump and into a rollermat I have. All emergency drains would go to the 75g. A manifold with a double Y would split the return between the 2 DTs and manifold off for some various equipment and reactors returning to the 75g. A vectra return pump will be housed in the 75g. Blue tanks are DT, Brown is sumps, blue pipe is drains and red is emergency drains. I could not get the return to color in. Does this seem like it should work?

6C40BE5A-9037-4BED-AE05-232DE9941BE6.jpeg
Maybe size your Left emergency drain, to be able to flow 100% of the return in case of a blockage/malfunction to the RH DT. Same for the other E-drain? Looks like a clever plan.
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maybe size your Left emergency drain, to be able to flow 100% of the return in case of a blockage/malfunction to the RH DT. Same for the other E-drain? Looks like a clever plan.
I am using an Eshopps external overflow, it has 3 1” bulkeads. I think the best I could do is bump the pipe to 2” after the bulkhead. I know it would still be bottlenecked by that section of 1” however. Same situation on the other, the reefer has a much larger emergency drain installed in the overflow box it looks like about 2 inch. But that’s still reduces down to a 1 inch drain on exit. Maybe I should bump that up to 2 inches as well?
 

Operation Philo Beddoe

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
68
Reaction score
39
Location
Chandler
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use a COR-20 and I believe when I set it up I was able to set a max power setting/limitation. 3x 1” bulkheads is pretty good. I have a medium eshopps overflow with 2 and like It a lot.

I agree the bottleneck from 1”-2” may not be efficient, and could make noise.
 
OP
OP
D

drosie

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
43
Reaction score
11
Location
MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Change of plans on this I ended up using the geos sump, so far so good on capacity. The 92g only fills it about half way, I have drilled multiple siphon breaks at different locations and the 150 has the same idea going on. The 150 is running on temporary filtration and the 92g is fully tied in now. I will be combing the systems in a couple days. I cranked up the temp in the 150 to 82 and dumped a full gallon of fritz 9 starter culture to seed the rocks. After I tie them together I will disconnect the canister and take the marine pure balls and add them to my sump. Having some algae problems in the 92g. Nitrates were high and phosphates were zero. I am wondering If I should dose phos to try to back the nitrates down/prevent dinos?
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 70 37.4%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 63 33.7%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 15.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
Back
Top