rsumner's 450gal Home Office Reef
- Monster Build
- Thread starter rsumner
- Start date
- Tagged users None
1000rrstunna
Active Member
Any thoughts on humidity management ? I’m planning a similar size build and it’s a concern
OP
OP
I also am constantly concerned of how I'm going to need to control heat and humidity in my office after the big tank is up and running. I'm leaning towards a mini-split with a ceiling mount cassette. A whole-house dehumidifier or ERV in the crawl space above my office would definitely solve the humidify issues, but I'm worried about the fact that these units sometimes **add** a little heat as they dehumidify. I've had an AC company quote me to install a dehumidifier in the crawl space and it would cost about the same as a mini-split.
OP
OP
Well, I finally finished my aquascape, have sand in the tank and I’m filling it with RODI now.
I also got 100% of the plumbing done and got most of the electrical done too.
I’ll provide more updates after the tank fills and I start cycling it.
I also got 100% of the plumbing done and got most of the electrical done too.
I’ll provide more updates after the tank fills and I start cycling it.
Nice build as well!
We were in Bee Cave for 10 years, then moved to Llano to renovate a 120 year old house and start a brewery. We're back in the area close to the bridge on 71.
We put in an offer on a house in Lakeway on Rolling Green Drive, actually happy it didn't go through. It was a very large house and needed a complete remodel. The pool also needed to be redone, chunks of plaster were breaking off.
GarrettT
Well-Known Member
Man, this hits close to home. Just remodeled mine and honestly it just about killed me. The lack of contractors and experience out here really makes thing hard. Dont even get me started on the cost. Don't know how my tank survived these last 6 months lol. If you're ever looking for sometime, check with me first, as I tend to hoard stuff around here.
Having just done a foundation to roof remodel in Llano (also completely remodeled the brewpub in an old building on the square), the builder finishes here drove us crazy. We've already done extensive renovations to the house we just moved into, even though it was built in 2015 LOL
Can see some of the renovation here:
What Is the Longest Time You Have Spent On a DIY Project.
Just finished up like 1/2 of our kitchen. We've been here since October last year and can't wait to get more done. First picture is recent, second picture is from the house listing before we moved in. So far in the kitchen: - Took out the cooktop, vent, dishwasher, microwave and oven. - Moved...
www.reef2reef.com
OP
OP
Thanks for the reminder. I need to reconnect with the carpenter now that I'm ready for him to do his magic.
lubeck
Valuable Member
It’s been a long time coming for this moment! You must be stoked to get the cycle started. Can’t wait to see this beast filled up and stocked.Well, I finally finished my aquascape, have sand in the tank and I’m filling it with RODI now.
I also got 100% of the plumbing done and got most of the electrical done too.
I’ll provide more updates after the tank fills and I start cycling it.
cant Wait to hear feedback on the skimmer.
what are the initial stocking plans for fish/cuc.
OP
OP
It definitely has -- thanks for following along! Here are some updates:
Cycling: It took two days to completely fill with RODI. After that, I dumped about 5 buckets of salt (IO Reef Crystals) into the display and let the MP60's and Abyzz return pumps do their job mixing it up. After dialing it in to 1.0264 SG, I got the ATO pump programmed on my Apex and let the rock cure for about a week and a half. Yesterday afternoon, I stole a few cups of Seachem Matrix and two Brightwell Bio bricks from my existing tank and dropped them in my sump. My male clown fish doesn't spook easily, so I was able to drop a net in the existing tank, easily pull him out, and drop him into the 450. He misses his anemone, but he's doing great. I'll continue to monitor ammonia and NO2, but I shouldn't have to worry about the NO3 cycle considering how much media I just seeded the system with (from a tank that's been running for over 5 years).
Temperatures and Humidity: I've noticed this larger tank (and thicker glass) does a much better job insulating compared to my smaller 100g tank. Temp swings are very minimal and the tank seems to be running close to ambient with pumps and lights on. (still haven't cranked up the 240w of UV though). I dropped a 200w heater in the sump last night and it raised the temps to 1 degree over ambient in 12 hours. I have the chiller pump running with no chiller installed, but I'm not sure I'm going to need one. If I do, I'm thinking something really small will be sufficient. Evaporation on the new tank isn't nearly as bas as my old tank, but I want to get the old tank out before making a call on whether or not I'm going to need a mini-split installed.
Flow and Power Consumption: I've got the Abyzz return pumps running at about 1000GPH each and the chiller pump running at 275 which translates to a 5x sump turnover rate. These Abyzz A200's are beautiful pulling about 70W each at their current flow rate running at 55% power. If I removed the random flow generators from the return lines, I could reduce the power level of a Abyzz's to around 35-40% to obtain the same flow rate. Here's a snapshot of my Apex flow and power sensors:
Water Leaks: I found a small water leak around one of my return bulkheads yesterday. I think it's been leaking since I started cycling the tank. Water ran down the back of my tank and found a channel in the extruded aluminum stand to settle in. It eventually filled the channel and overflowed on the floor where I found it. I had to tighten that bulkhead by a 1/8 of a turn with a wrench to get it snug and stop the leak. After that, I got an air compressor to blow-out all the nooks and crannies of the stand to get the water out, spent a few hours crawling around on the floor with a towel, and running some box fans in the office to dry everything. This was my first experience in dealing with the lack of space I have under and around my tank. It sucked!
Overflow Noise: I've spent the past week tuning the dual Synergy Reef Shadow overflows trying to get them silent. I definitely have them much quieter than they have been, but it's not perfect. Then, after turning on the MP60's, it goes back to "gurgle hell". For the Synergy overflow, I'm running a 6.75" emergency pipe, a 6.5" secondary pipe (no U pipe), and a 2" primary pipe (with U pipe). I'll have to continue to play with these things to get them perfect.
Frame and Cabinet Wrap: I hope to get the carpenter out next week so he can start on the wrap. I plan on using 3/4" hardwood plywood on the fronts (painted in marine-grade white paint) and 1/2" hardwood plywood on the sides. More on this as it solidifies.
It's time to start planning for fish....
Last edited:
OP
OP
I've thought about this question long and hard. I've actually re-written this reply about 6 times
. - I would have invested in having an external equipment room built: A small concrete pad, 4 walls, a roof, and a mini-split AC. I would get a ton of space back and the noise levels would be drastically lower.
- Put the entire stand on heavy duty casters so I could easily move it away from the wall for maintenance.
In other news, I did move all the fish and coral over to the new tank this week. All the fish are loving the extra swimming room (especially my powder blue tang). The coral are just dumped in the tank sitting on rock (and some in the sand). They've already opened-up and seem happy, and hopefully I'll have time this weekend to do some trimming and gluing.
After I broke everything down, I was able to move about 80% of the rock that was in my old display down into the biological filtration section of my sump. I was amazed how much rock I could fit down there.
I also snagged all the chaeto from my old fuge and dropped it in the fuge section of the new sump. The Orphek grow lights seem to be providing more than enough coverage.
I'll do posts in the future on the skimmer, UV, and chiller. In addition, as soon as I get all the coral trimmed-up and placed I'll provide some display shots.
No update on the carpenter for skinning the main stand and side stands -- I've been too busy with everything else.
OP
OP
UV and Chiller Update
Since moving all the livestock into the new tank, I turned on the two XFL5-120H (5" 120W model) UV's from RK2 Systems. These units can produce 90mJ/cm2 of UV exposure at 21GPM (1260GPH) each. I've been running them at around 900GPH each over the past few days, so the exposure rate is somewhere around 120mJ/cm2 which should kill any of the nastys that might have come over from my old tank.
It goes without saying, the UVs increased the water temps, so I installed a 1/10HP JBJ chiller (it used to be connected to my salt water mixing station in my garage) running it at a flow-rate of 260GPH through a dedicated return line from the sump to the display (this is my "center" return line). The JBJ DBA-075 has a cooling capacity of 1270BTU per hour which translates to about 375W per hour. I like it because it has a small footprint (only 9.8” x 16.5” x 18.5”), it's quiet, and supports a low flow-rate. Best of all: It was sitting idle in my garage so I didn't have to buy a new one. This chiller can keep the tank at 77 degrees with all equipment running (two 120W UVs, all 5 Orphek iCon lights, the MP60's, and the skimmer). To be completely transparent, if I let the ambient temperature in the room rise to 74 degrees, then the chiller will only be able to keep the temp in the tank at 78. It's also running 100% of the time. I will definitely get a larger chiller, but since this little guy is holding his own, it's a low priority.
I've already informed my wife that I will be installing a mini-split in my office. I have to set my central AC on 71 degrees to keep my office comfortable and I'm not really able to close the doors to my office without it getting really humid/hot really fast.
One last thing: I also hooked up the Abyzz Apex Interface modules yesterday so I can dynamically control each of the return pumps. I'm going to start playing with them over the weekend to try and alternate the flow on the left and right sides of the tank keeping the total flow rate consistent so I don't flip-out my overflows. With the random-flow-generators that I have attached to the return lines, I'm able to generate some awsome flow patterns without having to rely on the MP60's very much. More on this later.
Since moving all the livestock into the new tank, I turned on the two XFL5-120H (5" 120W model) UV's from RK2 Systems. These units can produce 90mJ/cm2 of UV exposure at 21GPM (1260GPH) each. I've been running them at around 900GPH each over the past few days, so the exposure rate is somewhere around 120mJ/cm2 which should kill any of the nastys that might have come over from my old tank.
It goes without saying, the UVs increased the water temps, so I installed a 1/10HP JBJ chiller (it used to be connected to my salt water mixing station in my garage) running it at a flow-rate of 260GPH through a dedicated return line from the sump to the display (this is my "center" return line). The JBJ DBA-075 has a cooling capacity of 1270BTU per hour which translates to about 375W per hour. I like it because it has a small footprint (only 9.8” x 16.5” x 18.5”), it's quiet, and supports a low flow-rate. Best of all: It was sitting idle in my garage so I didn't have to buy a new one. This chiller can keep the tank at 77 degrees with all equipment running (two 120W UVs, all 5 Orphek iCon lights, the MP60's, and the skimmer). To be completely transparent, if I let the ambient temperature in the room rise to 74 degrees, then the chiller will only be able to keep the temp in the tank at 78. It's also running 100% of the time. I will definitely get a larger chiller, but since this little guy is holding his own, it's a low priority.
I've already informed my wife that I will be installing a mini-split in my office. I have to set my central AC on 71 degrees to keep my office comfortable and I'm not really able to close the doors to my office without it getting really humid/hot really fast.
One last thing: I also hooked up the Abyzz Apex Interface modules yesterday so I can dynamically control each of the return pumps. I'm going to start playing with them over the weekend to try and alternate the flow on the left and right sides of the tank keeping the total flow rate consistent so I don't flip-out my overflows. With the random-flow-generators that I have attached to the return lines, I'm able to generate some awsome flow patterns without having to rely on the MP60's very much. More on this later.
WhyMe?
Community Member
Great build, couple questions:
1. Initially you were going with Lifegard Aquatics Pro-Max High Output UV Sterilizers but looks like you went with RK2 XFLO UV sterilizers, why the change?
2. Why did you decide to use Hayward valves?
3. I may have missed it but with the Neptune Flow sensors, did you permanent cement and then use unions OR go with thread sealant?
1. Initially you were going with Lifegard Aquatics Pro-Max High Output UV Sterilizers but looks like you went with RK2 XFLO UV sterilizers, why the change?
2. Why did you decide to use Hayward valves?
3. I may have missed it but with the Neptune Flow sensors, did you permanent cement and then use unions OR go with thread sealant?
OP
OP
Thanks!
1. I went with RK2 because I wanted units made in the USA and wanted to be able to rely on their staff for accurate/tested flow rates to determine UVC exposure rates.
2. Again, Hayward is made in the USA, Reliable, and industrial grade . Where I didn’t use Hayward, I used Spears - also made in the US.
3. Spears Thread sealant. I still had a little leak on one of the sensors, but it seems to have dried up.
WhyMe?
Community Member
Thank you for info. I am debating on either the Lifegard or RK2 UV in general.
1. Where do you have your Hayward valves located?
2. Where are you in your "cycle"? ever hit the "ugly phase" with diatoms or did UV control all that along with live rock?
3. I may have missed, but what are your goals? fish only, lps, sps?
1. Where do you have your Hayward valves located?
2. Where are you in your "cycle"? ever hit the "ugly phase" with diatoms or did UV control all that along with live rock?
3. I may have missed, but what are your goals? fish only, lps, sps?
OP
OP
1. See post #108 for details on where I have the ball valves on my UV and return lines.
2. Tank is completely cycled. I've had fish and coral in the tank for 3 weeks. Never got any diatoms in the sand. My rocks have a little brown hair algae on them, but the tangs and CUC seem to be keeping it under control. I'm starting to see coraline form on the rock now. I use the Avast Marine Plank auto-feeder and feed for 1 second about 6 to 7 times a day. My Chaeto is growing a LOT too.
3. SPS dominant mixed reef.
OP
OP
See post #134 for details on the UV sterilizers. The short story is that I went with two of the XFL5-120H models -- one for each return pump.
Similar threads
