That is one option. Will be trying to consider all the different tradeoffs.
Effectiveness
Noise
Aesthetics
Code
Cost
Will have to vent the cabinet somehow, more likely along the top somewhere less visible on the side.
Welcome to all the fun: setting up a 12 foot reef tank
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Effectiveness
Noise
Aesthetics
Code
Cost
Will have to vent the cabinet somehow, more likely along the top somewhere less visible on the side.
Update:
Well there has been a decided lack of "Fun" lately with the setup. Specifically with connecting the APEX brain to the bank's wifi network. Spent too many hours trying a hundred different attempts. Finally got a hold of a Neptune guy with some good networking background. We hatched a new plan. Hopefully it works.
I brought the brain home with me. Took about 5 minutes to connect it to my network. Easy peasy. Got it connected to Fusion in 3 more minutes. Put in the bank's SSID and password, saved and unplugged.
In theory, all I have to do is take it back and power it up and it will connect. Leaving in a few to try that out.
Well there has been a decided lack of "Fun" lately with the setup. Specifically with connecting the APEX brain to the bank's wifi network. Spent too many hours trying a hundred different attempts. Finally got a hold of a Neptune guy with some good networking background. We hatched a new plan. Hopefully it works.
I brought the brain home with me. Took about 5 minutes to connect it to my network. Easy peasy. Got it connected to Fusion in 3 more minutes. Put in the bank's SSID and password, saved and unplugged.
In theory, all I have to do is take it back and power it up and it will connect. Leaving in a few to try that out.
Some, but still WIP. The HVAC people are reviewing. There is actually a huge return at the top of the atrium, but either the air handler is too small or not operating properly. The tank is part of a separator wall, so the front side area is hot (from the atrium) while the back side is cool.
We've done two things:
a) leaving the canopy doors open on the cool side.
b) Turned down the thermostat on the cool side
InkBird says 78.2, and the APEX temp says 79. So we were good enough to put in some fish and coral today.
count krunk
Valuable Member
That's good to know. Glad you guys are down to a temp that supports adding livestock.
So for the APEX nerds out there that might be setting one up in a corporate or educational setting, connect the darn thing at home. Link it to Fusion. Test it on YOUR WiFi. Of course it will work like a charm.
THEN, change the SSID and password to the worksite WiFi. Unplug it from power. When you plug it in at the corp/.edu it will connect and you can get to work.
Well it is officially a reef tank now!
I know it sounds bizarre, but with 20 fish and a dozen or so corals, the thing still looks empty when you stand back. Also, very challenging to take photographs of something so l-o-n-g.
The initial stock list is a variety of gobies, scissortails, high fin cardinals (12), small blennies. Nothing large or aggressive. A huge CUC team plus the usual shrimp suspects. Will let the biome adjust to that load for a week or so before adding the larger fish. Just 2 of my overgrown fish will double that bioload. Their turds are bigger than some of these fish.
All the corals came out of my frag systems. For now just the low and mid-range, fairly hardy stuff.
Two small colonies each of:
JF Setosa
Bubblegum digi
Reverse sunset digi
Purple stylo
Plus 8 two inch disks of various zoanthids
I chose to just coral stock the middle section for now. I expect most of it to be OK assuming we can keep some nutrient available. You never know what is not going to take though as the chemistry is pretty different from mine. As of yesterday, polyps looked good.
I know it sounds bizarre, but with 20 fish and a dozen or so corals, the thing still looks empty when you stand back. Also, very challenging to take photographs of something so l-o-n-g.
The initial stock list is a variety of gobies, scissortails, high fin cardinals (12), small blennies. Nothing large or aggressive. A huge CUC team plus the usual shrimp suspects. Will let the biome adjust to that load for a week or so before adding the larger fish. Just 2 of my overgrown fish will double that bioload. Their turds are bigger than some of these fish.
All the corals came out of my frag systems. For now just the low and mid-range, fairly hardy stuff.
Two small colonies each of:
JF Setosa
Bubblegum digi
Reverse sunset digi
Purple stylo
Plus 8 two inch disks of various zoanthids
I chose to just coral stock the middle section for now. I expect most of it to be OK assuming we can keep some nutrient available. You never know what is not going to take though as the chemistry is pretty different from mine. As of yesterday, polyps looked good.
ScottR
Surfing....
Nice man. Glad to see this thing come together in the end. Some stability and good maintenance will help it along the way.
A couple things on lighting. I know it is not everyone's preference, but we are running windex blue. Besides the "pop", it also helps to visually diminish the inevitable uglies. Will add back more white later.
Also a problem I didn't see coming. We have 16 outlets in the top of the canopy -- all GFCI. Remember, this is a hybrid set up with Aquatic Life fixtures. T5s require ballasts. Apparently, most T5 ballasts "leak" a tiny amount of voltage. Just enough to trip the darn GFCIs. Google it; it's a thing.
I haven't fired up the UV yet (waiting to be sure we can control temps effectively) but that ballast will also likely trip the GFCI. Google it; its a thing apparently.
I know one way to solve for it, but if you have a solution that doesn't involve breaking code, please share.
Also a problem I didn't see coming. We have 16 outlets in the top of the canopy -- all GFCI. Remember, this is a hybrid set up with Aquatic Life fixtures. T5s require ballasts. Apparently, most T5 ballasts "leak" a tiny amount of voltage. Just enough to trip the darn GFCIs. Google it; it's a thing.
I haven't fired up the UV yet (waiting to be sure we can control temps effectively) but that ballast will also likely trip the GFCI. Google it; its a thing apparently.
I know one way to solve for it, but if you have a solution that doesn't involve breaking code, please share.
ScottR
Surfing....
Blues are a good call anyway on a new tank. Running a full spectrum may lead the way for nastier uglies.
Hey @Brew12 are you not one of the resident electrical gurus around here? Happy for any advice you can share.
Update:
Welp my phone started chirping last night around dinner.
APEX alarms at >82F
No less than 5-6 times did I enquire with the bank operations people about weekend cooling. This is the first weekend with the APEX in place and now we know. Just ticked over 83.3. Not good.
Welp my phone started chirping last night around dinner.
APEX alarms at >82F
No less than 5-6 times did I enquire with the bank operations people about weekend cooling. This is the first weekend with the APEX in place and now we know. Just ticked over 83.3. Not good.
Last edited:
Gained another 6/10ths of a degree in the last couple hours. 83.9 now. Lights are off.
Executive decision has finally been made to slap on 1HP chiller while we figure out the building's weekend HVAC stuff. My buddy is there now hooking it up.
Hopefully not too late for all the livestock.
Executive decision has finally been made to slap on 1HP chiller while we figure out the building's weekend HVAC stuff. My buddy is there now hooking it up.
Hopefully not too late for all the livestock.
Bo.
Impatient as always
I know there's a lot of other going on with temps, but just a comment on the rfg's. On a tank that long I'd probably stick to a normal directional nozzle type as that will help get a bit more "distance" on your flow. Might not be an issue with the mp60's at 40% though.
The RFGs did not work out. I don't think they are designed well for the return flow we are pushing. Almost 2" below the water line and they vortex suck in air.
We are having a little trouble with the 60s. Because of the width of the overflow, I can't raise them high enough to stop the sandstorm. Now down to 30% and still pushing sand. We might have to drop down to MP40s (if they fit; haven't measured) so that we can raise them higher and crank them hard. Flow in the dead middle of the tank is less than ideal.
Better news. The chiller is running hard and bringing down the temps effectively. 81.8 and falling.
Bo.
Impatient as always
Crazy idea... But is your weir wide enough to put the "external" magnet mount inside it for a gyre to get high enough in the tank and not cause sandstorms?
I am at least as crazy as you. I had originally specd out the biggest gyres, one for each corner. But the tank height is only 24" so at 1/2 speed they would suck either sand or air.
The weir isn't wide enough for a horizontal mount of the big units.
If it were my own, I think I would add some closed loop seaswirls for the middle.
Daveobrien
Active Member
My tank is 25" tall, and I have an MP60 higher and an MP40 5" of the sand bed to create flow. MP40 makes a sand storm... Until I added a Shallow Shield, turned up side down. Still moves sand a bit, but doesn't suck it into the pump. I've only seen Shallow Shields offered on saltwateraqarium.com, but I haven't looked too hard for other sources.
I don't see one for an MP60, BUT... Couple of phone calls (emails) and maybe someone can hook you up. It's pretty straightforward.
My tank:
Shallow Shield:
Vortech MP40 Shallow Shield (BLACK) - Pico Aquariums
Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Saltwater Aquarium or Reef Tank.
www.saltwateraquarium.com
Attachments
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Unfortunately, he is correct.... anything with a ballast, unless well manufactured and kept incredibly clean, will tend to arc just enough to ground when they start that it will trip a GFCI. There is a work around but it is less than ideal.
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