55 corner/mandarin build help please!!

[Cornerboy]

Thank you all so very much for sharing your expertise. I've become a BSR YouTube junkie. Love it!!

After finding $100 used tank I thought I could do this on the cheep. LOL. I didn't realize it was going to be more expensive than crack though.

So, I'm building a 55 gallon corner tank with a 55 gallon sump&refugium and I could use some tips on gear and the sump design. I'd like to have mandarins (1m, 2f) a leopard wrasse soft Coral and LPS primarily.

Lighting (corner) is probably going to be two AI HD Prime pucks but I'm still toying with the idea of one puck and two compact fluorescent strips. I like the idea of being able to use my phone to control the lights.

?return pump- I like the phone control idea so much I was looking at the Sicce 7 .0 SDC with the phone app as an option but I can't find much information on it. I was also looking at the Ecotech which has flow probably more in line with my needs but I'd like to avoid buying a controller to use the phone options if possible.

?Plumbing is a little different in that the sump is going to be 15 ft away and a closet in the adjoining room and I think I'll have about 11 feet of head pressure figuring elbows and rises. I've seen different opinions on whether head pressure affects flow or not and how much. So that is one question before I share some craziness. My Hope Is that if I have about 30 gallons combined between the refugium and the return compartment (divided with coarse filter material) that would be enough that I can use the milder closed-loop functions on those kinds of pumps to very flow. Of course I'll have finer sand for the wrasse so any advice around flow concerns would be appreciated. Sicce 3.5 is the pedestrian fallback plan.

?Sump 55 gal- I was thinking 1) filter socks in the skimmer compartment, (vertex 130, with ozone maybe) 2) going over a baffle with carbon on top into the 3) fugue (chaeto pukani and marine pure). I'm going to need lots of copepods. 4) and then just having 10 gallons boxed off with coarse filter material and the return pump, heater, ato (thinking kalcwasser down the road) Etc.

I may just have to bite the bullet and buy a controller but with all the developments happening with apps I'm wondering if more and more of that just going to be available over the phone and easy to do.

So what's stupid and what's clever? Advice please!!

Anyway, you all are great!! Ryan, you had me hooked two minutes into the first episode. You're amazing. Hope to see you all at reefapalooza in April!!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R. To add to your research, I'd like to suggest reading through the thread below.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Cornerboy]

Welcome to R2R. To add to your research, I'd like to suggest reading through the thread below.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

Thank you!!

 

[JoshH]

I like the thought of the 2 AI Prime HDs. They are great little lights and being separate pucks vs. the 26 persay you can position them however you'd like to get even spread. You will I'm sure hear this very shortly that 3 mandarins are probably a bad idea in a 55 gal. Now I'm not going to say it's impossible as there are people out there that keep 2 in a 20gal successfully. But I will suggest doing extensive research on the care requirements, specifically the level of pods you would need to sustain them (Which you do seem to have a good idea of the amount). You'd probably be looking at farming cultures of your own, supplementing with spot feeding frozen and so on. Also your stock list is mostly based on creatures that stay pretty close to the sandbed and rocks, are there any fish other than the wrasse that you would be interested in that dwell higher in the water column? This is just me but I'd probably go with a goby of some kind, one mandarin and a few more open swimmers for variety. Research is your best friend here and you seem to be well into the research phase (And enjoying it at that) which is awesome and the best way to go. Welcome to R2R, there are tons of helpful people here who want nothing more than to help you succeed!

 

[Cornerboy]

I like the thought of the 2 AI Prime HDs. They are great little lights and being separate pucks vs. the 26 persay you can position them however you'd like to get even spread. You will I'm sure hear this very shortly that 3 mandarins are probably a bad idea in a 55 gal. Now I'm not going to say it's impossible as there are people out there that keep 2 in a 20gal successfully. But I will suggest doing extensive research on the care requirements, specifically the level of pods you would need to sustain them (Which you do seem to have a good idea of the amount). You'd probably be looking at farming cultures of your own, supplementing with spot feeding frozen and so on. Also your stock list is mostly based on creatures that stay pretty close to the sandbed and rocks, are there any fish other than the wrasse that you would be interested in that dwell higher in the water column? This is just me but I'd probably go with a goby of some kind, one mandarin and a few more open swimmers for variety. Research is your best friend here and you seem to be well into the research phase (And enjoying it at that) which is awesome and the best way to go. Welcome to R2R, there are tons of helpful people here who want nothing more than to help you succeed!

Thanks for the feedback!! I was going to start with one blue and yellow damsel, a yoshi pistol goby pair, then start to add corals, or the smallest yellow tang, then the wrasse. After a year ill add a mandarin and see how it does, then maybe more. Eventually I'd like to add a flame Angel but I'd like to have all the corals in first, probably zoa dominant. Might also want to add a cucumber.

Thanks a bunch Josh!!

 

[Zack K]

Welcome to R2R Cornerboy! Glad to see another corner tank in the forum!

You will find/are finding out that the 3 most difficult things to accomplish in a corner tank are:

Lighting:
I currently had the Current USA Orbit marine pro. It fit the top perfect and has a lot of adjustable features, but am soon to become a kessil owner. I am thinking 2 A160 and 1 A80 for the back corner. I think you would be good with the AI primes and maybe a T5 combo, not so much Power Compacts.

Flow:
Currently just have my return, I run a lot of water through my sump, creating a strong outflow current, and a Korilla Powerhead. Soon to be 2 MP10 to match the S1 I have for a return. I think I saw somewhere, a guy had 2 Gyres one on each side, going and it worked okay.

Acuascape:
I have seen a few guys scape like a “pile of branches” but I went with kind of rocks around the back two sides. Just a tough feat to do and still allow for flow everywhere.

Now that I have expressed my challenges so far, it seems you have the sump figured out, the livestock part is concerning for me. 3 Mandarins are never a good idea IME. A pair of Mandarins are okay, even singles, but they have a tendency to fight if outside of 1 or 2. And not just little picking. They Fight to the death. I do agree with the above statement that pods are something you will add regularly if you want a pair. But it is definitely doable. Good luck with the build! Definitely following!

-Zack, who has seen a thing or two.

 

[JoshH]

Thanks for the feedback!! I was going to start with one blue and yellow damsel, a yoshi pistol goby pair, then start to add corals, or the smallest yellow tang, then the wrasse. After a year ill add a mandarin and see how it does, then maybe more. Eventually I'd like to add a flame Angel but I'd like to

Any time! And it looks like you have a plan which is a very good thing, Solid advice above (Nice tank Zach!). A note on the heater, I would say it's best to not place the heater in with the return section. This section is where your evaporation will take place and having a heater in a section that may dry up if your ATO decides to not work might not turn out too good. What kind of overflow are you going with?

 

[Cornerboy]

Welcome to R2R Cornerboy! Glad to see another corner tank in the forum!

You will find/are finding out that the 3 most difficult things to accomplish in a corner tank are:

Lighting:
I currently had the Current USA Orbit marine pro. It fit the top perfect and has a lot of adjustable features, but am soon to become a kessil owner. I am thinking 2 A160 and 1 A80 for the back corner. I think you would be good with the AI primes and maybe a T5 combo, not so much Power Compacts.

Flow:
Currently just have my return, I run a lot of water through my sump, creating a strong outflow current, and a Korilla Powerhead. Soon to be 2 MP10 to match the S1 I have for a return. I think I saw somewhere, a guy had 2 Gyres one on each side, going and it worked okay.

Acuascape:
I have seen a few guys scape like a “pile of branches” but I went with kind of rocks around the back two sides. Just a tough feat to do and still allow for flow everywhere.

Now that I have expressed my challenges so far, it seems you have the sump figured out, the livestock part is concerning for me. 3 Mandarins are never a good idea IME. A pair of Mandarins are okay, even singles, but they have a tendency to fight if outside of 1 or 2. And not just little picking. They Fight to the death. I do agree with the above statement that pods are something you will add regularly if you want a pair. But it is definitely doable. Good luck with the build! Definitely following!

-Zack, who has seen a thing or two.

Thanks Zack!! The lighting for the corners sounds like a real challenge. I'm glad you called me out on the 3 Mandarins. I'll be happy with one, but two would great. Three (2females) is kind of a best case dream scenario.

 

[Cornerboy]

Any time! And it looks like you have a plan which is a very good thing, Solid advice above (Nice tank Zach!). A note on the heater, I would say it's best to not place the heater in with the return section. This section is where your evaporation will take place and having a heater in a section that may dry up if your ATO decides to not work might not turn out too good. What kind of overflow are you going with?

Ah... good thinking about the heater!! Skimmer section is not too crowded yet. ;-)

 

[Cornerboy]

Anybody have any thoughts on the smart DC pumps designed for closed-loop systems being used in open loop systems? I'm thinking this is one of those physics things that works fine on the drawing board but ends up with you replacing the carpet trying it in real life

 

[Cornerboy]

Any time! And it looks like you have a plan which is a very good thing, Solid advice above (Nice tank Zach!). A note on the heater, I would say it's best to not place the heater in with the return section. This section is where your evaporation will take place and having a heater in a section that may dry up if your ATO decides to not work might not turn out too good. What kind of overflow are you going with?

There is a tower in the back. It's an aqueon 54. I'm told it will drain about 1000 gph...

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Cornerboy]

Welcome to R2R!!!

Thanks KJ!!

 

[Zack K]

There is a tower in the back. It's an aqueon 54. I'm told it will drain about 1000 gph...

So you have the corner overflow? Mine is undrilled so I had to have a HOB. If you wanted to you could almost be able to put the heater between the baffles of you made them far enough apart. As for a return, I have the Vectra S1 that can run both close loop and Return. Really I can change it by the press of a button. Best of both worlds imo. When I upgrade (hopefully this time next year) I can use this S1 for a close loop and get a new RP

 

[Cornerboy]

I like the S1 a bunch. The battery backup looks really cool. Can you use your phone as a controller for it without having another controller?

 

[Cornerboy]

So you have the corner overflow? Mine is undrilled so I had to have a HOB. If you wanted to you could almost be able to put the heater between the baffles of you made them far enough apart. As for a return, I have the Vectra S1 that can run both close loop and Return. Really I can change it by the press of a button. Best of both worlds imo. When I upgrade (hopefully this time next year) I can use this S1 for a close loop and get a new RP

Yes it's a corner overflow already drilled. Have you ever hit the loop function button while you're using your S1 is return pump? What happened if you did?

 

[Zack K]

Yes it's a corner overflow already drilled. Have you ever hit the loop function button while you're using your S1 is return pump? What happened if you did?

The loop mode puts out fancy patterns really is the only difference. I have mine plumbed so I can run either. I throw the return in a calmer mode at night. In order to connect Via phone you need either the Apex or Reeflink (Ecotechs controller). I am in the process of getting 2 MP10’s so I will more then likely be picking up the reeflink to link everyone in Sync.

 

[Kamden Uelton]

"I'd like to have mandarins (1m, 2f) a leopard wrasse" so you want 1 male mandarin and 2 females in a 55 gallon tank PLUS a Leopard Wrasse? You'd have to have a lot of copepods to keep those alive.

 

[Cornerboy]

The loop mode puts out fancy patterns really is the only difference. I have mine plumbed so I can run either. I throw the return in a calmer mode at night. In order to connect Via phone you need either the Apex or Reeflink (Ecotechs controller). I am in the process of getting 2 MP10’s so I will more then likely be picking up the reeflink to link everyone in Sync.

Interesting plumbing i bet!! My sump will be 16 feet away, but maybe i could do something similar. What do you think would happen if you put it in lagoon mode while it is plumbed as the return pump still?