[Minh Nguyen]

Hi everybody. I fill my tank with water last week. I took some picture then but only I got it scan.
The tank is my old tank, an 8 feet long, 450 g tank. I have a 125 g sump/refugium. Three Ampmaster 3000 for circulation. One as a sump return and the other 2 push two close loop. I will have two 400 W mh and two 250 W MH all 20,000K for light. I also have a 400 W MH in the sump. I don't have very nice picture right now but here is a few ugly ones so you can see what I am talking about.

This is the full picture of the tank with some RO water in it. The 4 intakes on the two side of the overflow box are the intake for two close loop.

[Minh Nguyen]

Here is the picture of my three pumps in an cabinet next to the tank.

[Minh Nguyen]

Here are three pictures of the top of the tank. I did have to change the direction of the outputs so that they were all horizontal instead of pointing slanted downward. This was change so that the return current do not kick up the sand on the bottom of the tank.The three tall returns are return from the sump. All the output in front of the tank spray to the backs are close loop output. All of these are 1 inche PVC. The piping flead up to the outlet are all 1.5 inches combination of flex PVC and PVC. There are 4 outputs each from the close loops and three outputs from the sump return.
Minh

[Minh Nguyen]

Here is the last picture for now. It is the picture of my dirty pump. I clean the sump up somewhat before the tank was fill with RO water. The large pipe is the water from the overflow; the smaller pipe is the return from the skimmer. The skimmer I used is a Precision Marine XL2 push by an Iwaki RLT 70. It is a very nice and powerful skimmer. I don't plan to use this once the tank stable, then turn it on again after 2 years or so when the nutrient level of the tank start to built up. The screen pipe you see here is the intake of the pump to the skimmer. I will use a Kalk reactor and will drip kalk into the intake of the skimmer pump.

The tank is in an enclosed cabinet. I will need to put in a chiller. I know that with the amount of light and pumps I have for this tank, temp is one thing I will have problem with. Large fans can be use to cool the tank. It is very noisy to use large fans. I plan to plumb the chiller to outside the house. I will put it under a small cover area to keep the element out of the chiller. This will keep the tank quite.
BTW, I have three drains in my overflow box from three 1.5 inches bulkheads. I use three 2 inches Durso standpipe drains. They are very quite. I also have three return bulkheads, one inch PVC pipes for return using one of the AmpMaster 3000.

At this time I have a mixture of very fine sand 75%, and 25% very coarse crush shells as substrates. Average dept is about 6 inches. I also have about 100 pounds of LR from my tank before. I think I will not add much more than this to my tank at this time.
I am still need to put most of the light back. I only have one 400 W over the rock right now. Once all the lights are back, and the chiller is in, then I will put the doors back on the cabinet.

[Reefland]

Hey Minh!

That's is awesome that you are able to finally start putting some water back in your tank and getting the equipment fired up. It's been a long time now (a couple of months anyway which seems like an eternity without our reefs) and I know you are very excited to be back at it again.

I am wondering, what different equipment are you using this time versus before and why? I also find it interesting that you only plan to run your skimmer for a while and then plan to shut it down and not restart it again for a couple of years. Do you mind elaborating on that a bit?

Looking forward to more progress reports and definately more pictures! :0
Scott Z.

[MtnDewMan]

Glad to see your tank is coming to live again ... Keep it up, can't wait to see the continued progress with it.

[Minh Nguyen]

Originally Posted by Reefland

Hey Minh!

I am wondering, what different equipment are you using this time versus before and why? I also find it interesting that you only plan to run your skimmer for a while and then plan to shut it down and not restart it again for a couple of years. Do you mind elaborating on that a bit?

Looking forward to more progress reports and definately more pictures! :0
Scott Z.

It took me a while to get over my tank crash. 5 months is a long time for me. I started to really miss my tank so I get it start again.
One major change is the circulation. Before I used two Aqua Sea 4700 pumps with an automated 3-way valve. The 4700 really pump too much water thought the sump. To the point where it is difficult to really maintain a refugium there. This also increases the noise level, both from the water flow and the pump noise. This pumps (4700) also heat up under the tank lot. It is also less efficient than the Amp Master 3000. With three Amp Master 3000, I use about 1/2 the power and push about the same amount of water as two 4700. Much less pump noise, less heat and less water flow sounds. I also moved all my light ballasts and pumps to the cabinet, separate from the aquarium enclosure. This should decrease the heat addition to the aquarium.
Another major change is the plumbing. Before, most of the water returns go to the two ends of the aquarium. Now most of the currents go from the front point directly to the coral area. With multiple outlets, this decreases the velocity of the water enough. There is still very great flow volume. I have decided to remove the three way valves out completely.
Another major change is in cooling the system. Before, the cooling is provide by a 12000 BTU wall air-conditioned and lots of fans. This was not very efficient, and very noisy. I plan to put down $1500.00 for a 1 HP chiller and plumb it to the outside of the house. This is much more efficient. I also decrease the heat input by remove all the heat source out of the aquarium enclosure. I still will use smaller fans and IceCap vent fans to vent the enclosure.
About the skimmer, I want to keep the nutrient of the tank down, but at the beginning, I want to increase the nutrient load to "grow the sand bed" so to speak.
I will try to update the tank pictures as the tank develops. I hope to finish the whole tank and have everything in by Xmas.
Minh

[Ninong]

Minh,

Good luck with your new setup!

How did you decide on a 1 hp chiller? Do you think you really need that much or is it a matter of having excess capacity?

The reason that I ask is because I am considering getting a 1/2 hp chiller for my little 120-gal tank which I think is more than I need but I wanted to be able to use it on my next tank, too. And I was thinking that if I had a 375-425 gal tank in a house with central A/C that a 1/2 hp chiller would be sufficient. Do chillers have to work harder down here because of the high humidity?

Thanks,

[Elmo18]

I'm glad to hear you are back again Minh!! Nice setup, too. 8 feet....hmm i can see some tangs in there already...

- Elmo

[Minh Nguyen]

Originally Posted by Ninong

Minh,

Good luck with your new setup!

How did you decide on a 1 hp chiller? Do you think you really need that much or is it a matter of having excess capacity?

The reason that I ask is because I am considering getting a 1/2 hp chiller for my little 120-gal tank which I think is more than I need but I wanted to be able to use it on my next tank, too. And I was thinking that if I had a 375-425 gal tank in a house with central A/C that a 1/2 hp chiller would be sufficient. Do chillers have to work harder down here because of the high humidity?

Thanks,

Tank is completly enclosed. 3/4 ir 1 HP should be OK. A little more is better than a little less IMO. Aso I will likly remodel my house. When I do I will add several small tanks to the system. The whole system should be in the 1000 g range.
Minh

[kevinpo]

Minh,
I'm very glad to hear you are taking the plunge again! With all your experience you have the chance to make your system much better. I wish you all the best!

Regards,
Kevin

[almostdiva]

Minh,

Glad to see you are getting everything back up!

I'm looking forward to seeing and reading about the progress along with everyone else!

Rebecca

[Project Reef]

I am more excited than you Minh!!! I can't wait till you get it up and running again. Wish you the best man.

[Minh Nguyen]

I got one 400W 20,000K Radium on the tank. I also have about 120 pound of LR in the tank.
Two Pistol and a Cleaner shrimp, survivor from the disater, in the tank. Fish wise, I have a yellow blue tail damsel, a bicolor blenny, and a tiny yellow tang in the tank. The sixe of the body of the tank is just a tiny bit larger than a quarter. Really cute. He was so thin in the LFS. I think he will die if they keep in in there without adequate feeding in a week or two, so I bought him for 25 dollars. I know that this is a very high price for a tiny yellow tang, but there is only one LFS here in Corpus. They are really reasonable interm of local supplies. He was very shy and only hang around the empty dark size of the tank for 1 day, then he is in the rock work now. There are hair algae in my tank so the blenny and the tank is forever full.
There is an explosion of micro crustasean in the tank, and I start to see worms track everywhere. I think I will go to Houston and get some nice piece of LR and snails this weekend.
One of my friend gave me a bright purple/pink Acro, a green M. capricornis and some Xenia, all frags of colonies from my tank before. I place them in my tank to see if they are doing OK. 3 days on the corals and they are all doing very well.
Chiller comming, then I will put the rest of the light on, and replace the cabinet doors.
Here are old pictures of the two SPS in my old tank.

Other pictures comming.
Minh

[Minh Nguyen]

I finally ordered a Pacific Coast 1 HP chiller for my aquarium. I have the hole put into the wall and will have the plumping inplace by this weekend this weekend I hope. So far I only have 1 400 W MH on my tank with all the corals under it.
I went to Houston this weekend but was too busy to do mych fish shoping. I did get 20 turbo snails, 10 Astrea snails and 10 small Nertrites snails to add into my aquarium. Snails is really a must in aquarium. I also got two serpent stars.
I bought a small Marine Betta and a Purple Tang ,body size a little larger than a quarter, to add into my tank.
I have the following 6 fishes in the tank:
Marine Betta. I should have waite but he is so beautiful and small.
Purple tang
Yellow tang
Lawmower Blenny
Biclor Blenny
Yellow tail damsel

I also got a bright purple/pink Bird Nest frag for 25.00. This is the brightest pink/purple birdnest I have ever seen (From GlobalFish in Houston) I have being looking for this coral like this for a long time. We had this color whil we was in Seattle but unable to find one here in Texas until now.

Corals in the tank:
Montipora capricornis- green with purple border
Acropora millepora- purple/pink with blue tip
Seriatopora hystrix- Pink purple
Xenia sp.

My tank is very stable since everything was cure way ahead of time prior to putting into my tank. I alos got a few flat pieces of LR to use in aquascape.

I will add some picture this weekend.
BTW, one of my AmpMaster 3000 have seal failure. I have to send it back to Dolphin Pumps to have this correct. That is one out of five that have problem with.

Minh

[Minh Nguyen]

I got everything finished except the light bulbs. I ordered online but wrong bulbs were send. I am waiting for the bulbs now. I am using some of the old bulbs that I have around.
Here are the pictures of the tank

[Minh Nguyen]

Here are a few of my fishes

[Minh Nguyen]

Both of these tangs are small. Here is a picture of the Yellow with the Nori clip for size.

[Minh Nguyen]

Here is my only clam that live through the disaster, and a few corals.

[scubadude]

Sorry bout the crash Minh, FWIW Your tank is looking much nicer w/ all the new upgrades! Love the 3 AM3K's lined up like a satellite station is your chiller wired 110 or 220? Good luck and Happy Turkey Day!

Rocky