[Papa Doug]

Here is the start of the new tank, picked up last night. Its 1/2in. glass, 30in.L--24in.W--24in.H. Going into the wall. Lots of wall work and tank work to do yet.

Cant decide on running my MR3 from the tank direct or finish the overflow and have a sump. Going to buy paint for it now.

[zhenya]

Nice tank,Doug

I'd say finish the overflow and add a sump
What are you going to light it with?
Anyhow,looks like a fun project...so have fun!

[Papa Doug]

Gene, it will have a fan cooled pendant hanging over it. Bulb will be a 400w Radium, driven by one of Perry,s pulse start ballasts.

I know the sump is the way to go, but I have such a dislike for them.

[Reefland]

Overflow, Overflow, Overflow!

Man it excites me when people are starting up/redoing tanks. I can't wait to dig into ours!

Scott Z.

[Papa Doug]

Scott. Guess overflow is your choice.

[kevinpo]

Doug,
You should try one of those Coralvue 400W 15,000K bulbs. I think you'll like it.

Regards,
Kevin

[zhenya]

Doug,

I see just one hole that is drilled,how are you going to run your return?I'm guessing sea-swirl/s? I'm also guessing that this will be a bare bottom tank?
I hope you get it wet soon as I'd love to see how it looks
Like Scott,I get excited whe people starting new tanks.I have that clam tank sitting in my garage for months now and I was not able to do anything with it yet...

[Papa Doug]

Kevin, I may try some other bulbs someday. I still have two brand new 20K Radiums to use up first. Guess I could sell them though.


Gene, thats the 2in. hole drilled for the overflow. I installed a 1 1/2in. bulkhead last night. That means I would be running a single overflow, with 1 1/4in. pipe. No Seaswirl type devices for me. To mucho Canadian. The return will be a 3/4in. over the top pipe from a 3MD. Most of the tanks current will come from two 6080 stream pumps.

Still weighing the benefits and cons of going sumpless or not. If no sump, the bulkhead will be reduced to 1in. pipe, for a direct feed to the Mak4 skimmer pump, sitting beside the tank. The pump will feed the skimmer, sitting on the shelf seen on the tanks left, dumping direct back into the other side of the tank.

Yes, bare bottom. I may put lots of rubble on it though. One reason for contemplating a sump, is so I can limit the rock in the show tank. I have tons left over from the 225 and thought I may put a fair bit in the Rubbermaid 40g tub, I use a sump. That would then contribute to the overall filtering. Not to mention a much easier top-off system.

The direct method does have its benefits also. One less pump. Plus no gargling overflow. Also I believe the skimmer working direct from the tank will process more water.

[Bamm Bamm]

NICE TANK!!! Can't wait to see it all set up.. I vote for a sump also!!

[Papa Doug]

So far decided to stay sumpless. Installed the intake strainer pipe and feed lines to the pump. Then high pressure braided hose to the skimmer that sits on the shelf on the other side.

[dattack]

Aren't you going to get tons of bubble from the skimmer into your tank?

[Papa Doug]

I was running it yesterday. No bubble problem. If you look at the skimmer, you can see the raised pvc inside the skimmer. I,m just experimenting with it. A friend uses it on a very tall beckett and still drive it with only a Mak4. Seems to work pretty well in getting the foam higher in a taller skimmer. This eliminates most all bubbles.

[Papa Doug]

Pics taken this morning. 400w 20K Radium/pulse start. As seen, I went with lots of rock and not the sparce island thingy. I was not getting rid of any expensive Fiji rock. Besides I have only small fish, except for the brute clarkii and they all love the rock to hide in if needed.

And may I add Scott how much I think of the ability to post multiple pics on a reply and thumbs to boot. Has to be the best feature of any board. Brilliant

[zhenya]

Look good,Doug

I know the feeling of not wanting to get rid of the extra rock...if you had a sump you could always put some in there Anywhoo, glad to see you'are off and running

How big is that Clarkii? She sure does resemble my brute,I have to use all the strength to not use stronger descriptive words

[Poseidon]

Must be something about "brute" and Clowns... that is exactly what I call my female Occellaris!! She will swim all the way across my tank just to BITE ME!!! LOL if I'm not in there she never goes down there!!

[Papa Doug]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Look good,Doug

I know the feeling of not wanting to get rid of the extra rock...if you had a sump you could always put some in there Anywhoo, glad to see you'are off and running

How big is that Clarkii? She sure does resemble my brute,I have to use all the strength to not use stronger descriptive words

I still have a 40g Rubbermaid full of rock. Thats just my good Fiji in the tank, except for some large homemade, that made nice bottom pieces. I tried to keep everything to allow for flow around them all and across the bottom. Both stream pumps are running in there, behind the rock. Its ready to go, if I switch to the sump.

The clown is a good 5in. Large female clarkii. It resided in my friends 180g, in a large Seabae anemone. As my tank was not suitable for my pair of breeding Cinnamon clowns, we put them in his tank. Of course we had to remove the clarkii. She lived in a tub here for now until we found her a home. Her personality was such, that I never had the heart to take her in. So in the tank she went.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Doug Lowey

I still have a 40g Rubbermaid full of rock. Thats just my good Fiji in the tank, except for some large homemade, that made nice bottom pieces. I tried to keep everything to allow for flow around them all and across the bottom. Both stream pumps are running in there, behind the rock. Its ready to go, if I switch to the sump.

The clown is a good 5in. Large female clarkii. It resided in my friends 180g, in a large Seabae anemone. As my tank was not suitable for my pair of breeding Cinnamon clowns, we put them in his tank. Of course we had to remove the clarkii. She lived in a tub here for now until we found her a home. Her personality was such, that I never had the heart to take her in. So in the tank she went.

Doug,

I don't know what's up with them females Mine is about 5-5.5 inches as well and like Mike described his...it takes a beeline for my hand from accross the tank She's your avarage dominating Clarkii I guess but I'm about fed up with mine.I need some of those gloves that divers wear when diving with sharks just to do rutine maintanance in the tank I've posted shots of that criminal mag before so I won't polute your thread with that

I think you'll be posting about adding sump soon enough...although, I like how you set up everything,efficient and simple in maintanance. I fianlly drilled some holes in my clam tank for return lines to be added,thank god it was acrylic and real easy to do.
When are you planning to start adding some stonies in there? You'll probably have to nail down everything with the flow you getting from those streams

[Papa Doug]

Gene. I was just doing up a sump plumbing list for tomm. {just in case though}.

The clarkii cant be any worse than my pair of cinnamons. They use to ravage me when in the tank. I guess now that they have an anemone, my friend says they are worse.

I just added the colonies of green and brown digita that was left on the live rock. Thats it for now. I have a small maxima and will add two more when I take the squamosa to a friend.

I have a nice acro colony, some more green digita and a couple of caps, in the friends tank. Wont add them until I,m sure mine is fine. Esp the Radium lighting. Doing the 4 on 1 off thing and watching the digita close.

[Papa Doug]

The sump has been added. 40g Rubbermaid. Pics later. Esp. my neat overflow.

Skimmer is now running off the sump. I changed the rock in the tank somewhat, removing some, since the sump contains about a 100 lbs. My scrubber is running off the tank, but will likely let my friend use it.

I think a 32in. beckett and a huge ATS, may be overkill for my 75.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Doug Lowey

The sump has been added. 40g Rubbermaid.

I know you hate them...but I think it's for the best

That 32" beckett is a killer,eh? I think you are right about overkill and your ATS could be retired What is that intake inside the tank on the left is for?The one with a screen over it?Tank looks great,Doug!Keep us posted and add some pics when you start putting more corals in.