90 gal tank + 30 gal sump questions and advice

[SmedenS]

Hi all

I am living in Thailand and been planning a reef tank for the past 2 months.

Details/plan:
- Tank 100x60x60cm
- Sump 80x49x40cm

Equipment:
- Bubble Magus Curve A5
- 2xEheim Compact ON1000 (returns with 50% via UV)
- 2xJebao SW-4 (4000 l/h wavemaker)
- 10W UV which I plan to set on/off on a timer with 15m intervals and adjust from there
- 200 micron filter sock + holder
- 2x70W Aquarium System solutions led lamps
- Filter material I am collecting on the beach 8-30mm pcs of dead corals
- Table will be made out of black 4040 alu profiles with a 100x60x5cm black granite plate as top.

My setup plan is something like this, where main target is mechanical filtration with a slow/even flow throughout the sump.
The illustration was made basis 80x60x60 Tank, but I have now changed my mind to 100x60x60cm.


Questions:
- With an average temperature between 86-94(daytime) and 80-84 (nightime) I guess it is a no-brainer that I will need a chiller to cool the water to 78-80 degrees. What size of chiller to you recommend if I need to lower the temperature by 3-5 degrees on this size of tank?
- I like the idea of 2 return pumps to create an even and slow flow through the sump, am I wrong taking this direction? (expecting app. 1000-1200L/H return with 2 pumps)
- 10W UV will only be connected to 1 of the return lines, allowing me to adjust minimum hours ON time to keep water clear and not kill every organism.
- Sand bed/anaerobe zone. Should I consider to make 4-5 divided areas, where I can sipher out/replace the dirty sand of 1 area each month, ensuring the dead zone doesnt become "too dead"?
- What should I do with the extra 20cm sump length compared to the picture? bigger refugium or seperate tank for auto-fill-up?

I am looking forward to hear your inputs and guidance, so I can chose the best path towards a healthy reef tank.

Thanks in advance

 

[Reef-junky]

Don’t need the UV sterilizer. Also I wouldn’t bother with sand in the sump go with live rock or a marine pure block instead. You would have to have a deep sand bed to do what your talking about but they are risky. I’ve read about more tank crashes then long term success with them. Not sure what your trying to do with two return pumps?

 

[SmedenS]

Reef-Junky - Thx for your sensible advise, I will avoid the sand and go for live rock or see if I can find marine pure blocks in my local shop.
The 2 pumps is most likely coming from boating, where I know 2 props in the water does most things better than 1! (more thrust/more lift) so I thought the same would apply here + I am hoping 2 pumps will create a more even flow in the sump as the water will return from both corners in last chamber? And.. the cost for 2xON1000 was the same as 1xON2000

As the sump will be 20cm longer than illustrated, what should I do with these extra 20 cm?
- more live rocks?
- larger refugium?
- res for auto top up?
- area where I can add reactors/equipment in the future?

Thx

 

[Reef-junky]

Just so you know what a marine pure block is. You want the 4 inch one.

https://www.amazon.com/CerMedia-MarinePure-Block-Bio-Filter-Freshwater/dp/B00HYUY35W

 

[Reef-junky]

Do you know how many gallons your tank is? You really don’t need to run two return pumps like that. All the return pump is for is to run the sump. You only need 3 to 5 times turn over so say it’s a 100 gal DT then you want a pump that will be 300 to 500 gph. You have to take into account head loss and fittings. As far as the extra space have you thought about an ATS? I would add a reactor with carbon as well.

https://aquariumstoredepot.com/blog...is-set-to-revolutionize-the-aquarium-industry

https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/algae-scrubber-basics.264/

Picture is a reactor

 

[SmedenS]

Reef-junky - Thanks again.

I havent ordered the tank yet, but targeting 100x60x60cm or roughly 85 gal of water (minus live rocks).
I have already received the 2xCompact ON1000 pumps, so this is possibly my first wrong-move. I will give it a try and make sure I can change to single pump if needed.
2xOn1000 consumes 20W with combined 2000L/H flow. 1xON2000 consumes 23W with 2000L/H flow. I still think 2 props in the water will have more thrust push up vs. a single ON2000. Plan is to combine them in a Y and push water up together in a single 16/22mm hose.
My last freshwater tank was 200x100x60 with a 80cm deep sump. I had 1 return pump in each end corner with great success and believe it will offer a little bit more even flow throughout the sump.

I read this thread yesterday "Donovans poor-man-nutrients-control"
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/poor-man-nutrients-control-donovans-nitrate-destroyer.302685/
I think I wish to go same route and make a similar unit. If I buy a dosing pump to feed the VSV, how many dosing units should this be able to control? 2 or 4? Allowing me to dose VSV + 1 or 3 different coral supplements?
I dont wish my first reef tank to become too technical and demanding, but there must be a rule of thumb for good elements to add to a coral reef tank? Can a supplementary 1 part dosing be ok, or shall I get a unit that can control dosing from 4 bottles/supplements?

Sorry, I am trying to learn a lot of new synonyms, but what is ATS?

 

[Reef-junky]

Worst case you can use one pump as a back up. Never seen anyone try to run two pumps like that into a Y. If your going to use the nitrate destroyer then you don’t need an ATS. I can really tell you anything about those.

An ATS is

https://aquariumstoredepot.com/blog...is-set-to-revolutionize-the-aquarium-industry

https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/algae-scrubber-basics.264/

 

[SmedenS]

Thanks..

I guess I also dont need a refugium, subject to correct setup of the nitrate destroyer?

I have ordered a Hailea HC-130A chiller, I hope it will be sufficient with the expectation to lower the water temp by 2-5 degrees on average.

Which Salifert test kits should I order? NO2, No3, PH and? as a start?

My biggest problem might be RODI water, as there is limited water pressure in our house. The house has a basement tank with roughly 5x3x1.5m of rain water, can this water be used to make RODI water and what kind of pump/RODI filter shall I target.

 

[Reef-junky]

Thanks..

I guess I also dont need a refugium, subject to correct setup of the nitrate destroyer?

There are a lot of different ways to control PO4 and NO3- just depends on how you want to go about it. I like a more natural approach my self.

 

[Reef-junky]

Which Salifert test kits should I order? NO2, No3, PH and? as a start?

NO3
alkalinity more important then PH
NH3 for cycling tank after that it will stay zero
Calcium
Magnesium

You will also want to test SG and monitor temp as well

 

[Reef-junky]

My biggest problem might be RODI water, as there is limited water pressure in our house. The house has a basement tank with roughly 5x3x1.5m of rain water, can this water be used to make RODI water and what kind of pump/RODI filter shall I target.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-reverse-osmosis-filters-systems/reverse-osmosis-systems.html

https://aquarium.bulkreefsupply.com/search?w=RO/Di boosters pump&asug=

You may need a booster pump. It depends on how much pressure you get. Minimum would be a 4 stage filter. It really depends on how much money you want to spend. You could get a 6 or 7 stage filter. It will cost you more up front but in the long run you will spend less on replacing filters because they will last longer. You do know that an RODI filter produces a lot of waste water right? A decent 4 stage filter will get you about a 4:1 ratio so for every 1 gallon of water you make you will have 4 gallons of waste water for a total of 5 gallons put into the filter. If you run two RO filters you can get that ratio down to 1:1 but that’s about as good as you are going to get.

 

[SmedenS]

Reef-Junky - Thx for your swift answers.

With natural approach you mean? refugium+?

I will get the suggested Salifert test kits, SG and temp. meters.

Yes, I know there is a lot of waste water using RODI, hence my question if I can use the rainwater from my basement tank?
First step I guess would be to make measurements on the stagnant rain water in the basement tank?

 

[Reef-junky]

Yes, I know there is a lot of waste water using RODI, hence my question if I can use the rainwater from my basement tank?
First step I guess would be to make measurements on the stagnant rain water in the basement tank?

You should be able to use that water. Just wanted to make sure you knew that you will end up using a lot of water. Didn’t know if that rain water was your only source. You can use the waste water for a garden or washing your clothes ect. Not sure but my guess is you will want to agitate that water and probably run some kind a prefilter.

 

[Reef-junky]

Reef-Junky - Thx for your swift answers.

With natural approach you mean? refugium+?

Refugium
ATS
CUC
Marine pure block or live rock in the sump
Pods
Skimmer

Ect

There’s nothing wrong with Any one method of controlling PO4 and NO3 it’s more of a question of what works for you.

 

[SmedenS]

Thx.

Rain water is not the only water source here, but the water pressure in the house is very low since the pump is near the road and app. 100m from the house. So I would need a extra pump for RODI anyways.
It would be nice if I can use the collected rainwater since I have plenty of it and it seems the right thing to do. It looks crystal clear and is not smelly or anything like that.

Are Marine Pure blocks worth their value? will the anaerob zone inside a block not be a problem in regards of dead zone?
I cannot find Marie Pure Blocks at my LFS, but found "something better" according to this link (lol)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Cer...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_4,searchweb201603_52
These look similar to Marine Pure Blocks and I need to place my skimmer a bit higher to get correct water level.

 

[Reef-junky]

Marine pure blocks are totally worth it. I have never heard of those other blocks. You can find marine pure blocks on amazon.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/marinepure-ceramic-biomedia-video/



https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...ll-your-reef-tank-needs-for-nutrient-control/

 

[SmedenS]

@Reef-junky Thanks again.

What is your thoughts on 40-50min direct sunlight when the sun is rising in the morning? (0 min at summer time like now, but 40-50 min during winter time from app Sep to March.)
My plan about a tank on the balcony is going haywire.. I started with a plan of 60x60x60cm, then 80x60x60cm and then it grew to 100x60x60cm and now possibly doubling that in size.

The main problem is, with all the equipment I have already bought/received it seems better to place the aquarium in my office/basement. Chiller/ATO demands more space than I was initially hoping for, so the easy way is to go 'bigger'.

I have bought a 5stage RODI system with booster pump, so I am planning to use the tap water with low pressure instead of rain water.

 

[Reef-junky]

To be honest I’m sure what kind of effect having a tank outside would have. It will cost you a lot more to heat and chill the tank that’s for sure. I take it winter doesn’t get that cold by you. Even so you set your tank at what 78 ish to 80. Plus at night the temps going to drop outside. It would probably cost you a ton of money for heating in winter. How cold does it get by you?

 

[SmedenS]

Outside/Balcony is the place we spend most time and thereby allowing more time to enjoy the tank.
It never gets cold here, but it get's "less warm" in Nov-Feb.



I have never experienced lower than 24C/75F at night time, so I think the Chiller will be the one working hardest and a heater will be working little to none. Time will tell when I get the tank started up.

 

[Reef-junky]

With those temps looks like it will be fine.