Rygh's 250 gallon upgrade
- Thread starter rygh
- Start date
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
looks super bright (I'm guessing the LEDs are on the right? 
)..
)..
rygh
Guest
A single computerized fish controller is for wussies.
Here is the second microcontroller.
Controls PWM output for lights, a few 12V relays, and the wavemaker.
Also has a second keyboard, to be put near the tank in the other room.
I like my reef-angel. But it just didn't have quite enough outputs.
And while I could buy more pieces, since I already had them, I decided to put it together
as a slave controller.
I still saved a TON of time. The board you see is MUCH simpler!
Here is the second microcontroller.
Controls PWM output for lights, a few 12V relays, and the wavemaker.
Also has a second keyboard, to be put near the tank in the other room.
I like my reef-angel. But it just didn't have quite enough outputs.
And while I could buy more pieces, since I already had them, I decided to put it together
as a slave controller.
I still saved a TON of time. The board you see is MUCH simpler!
rygh
Guest
Some advice/opinions on filter turnover is needed.
Would about 4X turnover ratio be good (not just "ok")?
(1000 GPH on a 250 gallon tank)
The flow in main tank is power head based. This is purely filtration.
Note that I expect to load it a fair amount with fish. So not a ULN type tank.
-- background --
Currently, I have two separate filter systems.
1) The ATS loop. Water pumped from tank, up to turf scrubber, gravity return.
2) The sump loop. Overflows to sump, mesh/skimmer/carbon/rubble, pumped back to tank.
Each about 1000 GPH.
But I have some issues with the turf scrubber loop.
A) It has to be up high, for gravity return, so is a pain to clean.
B) It is proving difficult to get rid of all the bubbles.
C) Electricity used on second pump.
D) Heat lost with all the extra pipes.
So I want to put the ATS on the sump loop.
But that means a single 1000 GPH pump.
Alternatives include a larger pump, or ganging the two current pumps.
Would about 4X turnover ratio be good (not just "ok")?
(1000 GPH on a 250 gallon tank)
The flow in main tank is power head based. This is purely filtration.
Note that I expect to load it a fair amount with fish. So not a ULN type tank.
-- background --
Currently, I have two separate filter systems.
1) The ATS loop. Water pumped from tank, up to turf scrubber, gravity return.
2) The sump loop. Overflows to sump, mesh/skimmer/carbon/rubble, pumped back to tank.
Each about 1000 GPH.
But I have some issues with the turf scrubber loop.
A) It has to be up high, for gravity return, so is a pain to clean.
B) It is proving difficult to get rid of all the bubbles.
C) Electricity used on second pump.
D) Heat lost with all the extra pipes.
So I want to put the ATS on the sump loop.
But that means a single 1000 GPH pump.
Alternatives include a larger pump, or ganging the two current pumps.
houser
Past President
I like the controller that guts-level pic sparked my interest.
I went the extra mile and had PCB's made for my digital input module for my controller. Ended up getting a couple of boards made, wasn't the cheapest option, but sure as hell made the wiring easy.
Well I did have to solder the parts on though. Took a while - but fun.
I went the extra mile and had PCB's made for my digital input module for my controller. Ended up getting a couple of boards made, wasn't the cheapest option, but sure as hell made the wiring easy.
Well I did have to solder the parts on though. Took a while - but fun.
rygh
Guest
Yep, real boards sure would have made it a lot easier. And less mistakes as well.
I thought about that a lot, especially when I was planning on doing it all.
(So above, plus LCD + real time clock + IO extenders, plus some PH stuff, etc.)
I am still glad I decided to buy a reef-angel for the tricky parts.
I regret missing out on what would have been a cool overall project.
But I got to do enough of it, and there are SO many things still on the to-do list.
As a bonus, it does come with some nice GUI software.
Can't underestimate how long software can take.
I thought about that a lot, especially when I was planning on doing it all.
(So above, plus LCD + real time clock + IO extenders, plus some PH stuff, etc.)
I am still glad I decided to buy a reef-angel for the tricky parts.
I regret missing out on what would have been a cool overall project.
But I got to do enough of it, and there are SO many things still on the to-do list.
As a bonus, it does come with some nice GUI software.
Can't underestimate how long software can take.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
rygh said:
IMO yes, the thing is if you do much "turn over" your protein skimmer won't most likely won't be able to handle it all the water that's throw at it. Not sure how that would affect other filtration methods like your ATS but as long as those individually have enough flow then it shouldn't matter much.
What sort of protein skimmer/pumps for it, are you running?
rygh
Guest
The skimmer will be small. The majority of filtration will be the turf scrubber.
Well -- maybe -- plans change.
For a while, skimmer will be a cheap Coralife, leftover from long ago.
But I plan to run a Aqua-C EV-120 longer term. It has a Rio 2100, but I would be surprised if it is more than 200 GPH.
The skimmer is set up such that the intake will pull from overflow water, but not
have to take the entire flow itself.
But I get your point, if turn over is larger than skimmer can handle, going larger is a bit pointless.
And the ATS filters a completely different set of things than the skimmer, so there
is really no issue running them in series.
Sump pump is a pan-world 50PX-X.
Well -- maybe -- plans change.
For a while, skimmer will be a cheap Coralife, leftover from long ago.
But I plan to run a Aqua-C EV-120 longer term. It has a Rio 2100, but I would be surprised if it is more than 200 GPH.
The skimmer is set up such that the intake will pull from overflow water, but not
have to take the entire flow itself.
But I get your point, if turn over is larger than skimmer can handle, going larger is a bit pointless.
And the ATS filters a completely different set of things than the skimmer, so there
is really no issue running them in series.
Sump pump is a pan-world 50PX-X.
Coral reefer
Past President
Get a better skimmer Asap says I. Coralife is no bueno!
rygh
Guest
The Coralife is very temporary. I used it for a while on my old tank, not knowing better.
Worked sortof, but went crazy very often.
The Aqua-C was my replacement for the Coralife. So I already have it, but
I can't really disconnect it until from old tank new tank is totally done.
The Aqua-C has been ok. Especially after I modified it a bit, reducing injector nozzle.
A lot of people do that.
Not as efficient. But never goes crazy, easy to tune, and has a positive quirk in that it automatically stops
working right after feeding. Oils and smoke stop bubble production.
In retrospect though - would have bought a NW.
Long term, it depends on how much I want to rely on my turf scrubber.
My bet is that I will DIY myself a better skimmer.
Buy a nice needle wheel pump or two, and build the rest, probably using top of old skimmer.
Worked sortof, but went crazy very often.
The Aqua-C was my replacement for the Coralife. So I already have it, but
I can't really disconnect it until from old tank new tank is totally done.
The Aqua-C has been ok. Especially after I modified it a bit, reducing injector nozzle.
A lot of people do that.
Not as efficient. But never goes crazy, easy to tune, and has a positive quirk in that it automatically stops
working right after feeding. Oils and smoke stop bubble production.
In retrospect though - would have bought a NW.
Long term, it depends on how much I want to rely on my turf scrubber.
My bet is that I will DIY myself a better skimmer.
Buy a nice needle wheel pump or two, and build the rest, probably using top of old skimmer.
rygh
Guest
Thought about it a lot over the weekend, and I pretty much decided to buy a skimmer.
The turf-scrubber works well in my mind, but as an addition, not complete replacement, for a skimmer.
And from an energy standpoint, it is actually better to have a smaller ATS and larger skimmer.
The current plan of using the Aqua-C 120 really just wont handle the load.
They say it can handle up to 120 gallon, but that is pushing it.
And even that is only half of the 250 gallons I need.
So it is just too reliant on the ATS.
I was thinking of DIY'ing one. But the project really just does not interest me that much.
And with so much on the to-do list, best to trim some less exciting projects.
If I get it now, it makes the transition easier also, since both tanks would have solid skimmers.
Not sure exactly what I will buy.
Looking at the used market first. Especially if pump is easily replaceable.
Otherwise, perhaps reef octopus. Seems like a good mix of quality / reasonable price.
Need to spend some time researching it.
The turf-scrubber works well in my mind, but as an addition, not complete replacement, for a skimmer.
And from an energy standpoint, it is actually better to have a smaller ATS and larger skimmer.
The current plan of using the Aqua-C 120 really just wont handle the load.
They say it can handle up to 120 gallon, but that is pushing it.
And even that is only half of the 250 gallons I need.
So it is just too reliant on the ATS.
I was thinking of DIY'ing one. But the project really just does not interest me that much.
And with so much on the to-do list, best to trim some less exciting projects.
If I get it now, it makes the transition easier also, since both tanks would have solid skimmers.
Not sure exactly what I will buy.
Looking at the used market first. Especially if pump is easily replaceable.
Otherwise, perhaps reef octopus. Seems like a good mix of quality / reasonable price.
Need to spend some time researching it.
rygh
Guest
Pretty much decided to buy a Super Reef Octopus 3000 Internal Protein Skimmer.
Rated to 300 gallons, which should be good for a 220+ gallon.
Perhaps overkill, but the next one down is for 180 gallon tanks, so too small.
Seems to have good reviews, both BAR + RC.
Uses a Bubble Blaster HY3000 pump.
Rated at 1200-1500 lph of air while using only 40 watts.
Pretty good specs.
Seems like a good trade-off between quality and reasonable price.
If anyone thinks it is a bad idea, please speak up.
I am far from being a skimmer expert. Too much time spent on turf scrubbers I guess.
Rated to 300 gallons, which should be good for a 220+ gallon.
Perhaps overkill, but the next one down is for 180 gallon tanks, so too small.
Seems to have good reviews, both BAR + RC.
Uses a Bubble Blaster HY3000 pump.
Rated at 1200-1500 lph of air while using only 40 watts.
Pretty good specs.
Seems like a good trade-off between quality and reasonable price.
If anyone thinks it is a bad idea, please speak up.
I am far from being a skimmer expert. Too much time spent on turf scrubbers I guess.
rygh
Guest
ARGH!
I am having one heck of a time trying to move my fish to the new tank.
Simply can't catch them in the old tank.
Those buggers are fast, and can disappear deep into the rocks so fast.
Tried enticing them into open a bit with food, but they are too smart for that.
I tried scaring them out with a small net into a larger net.
I tried PVC pipe as a trap in the corner, but it is too new and different for them to get near.
Maybe if I left it for a while?
Thought about "going fishing" with barb-less hooks, but some of the fish are pretty small.
Not sure how I could get a brine shrimp on a hook.
Any ideas or tips???
Next step is probably pulling the rock/coral out to get to them.
I am having one heck of a time trying to move my fish to the new tank.
Simply can't catch them in the old tank.
Those buggers are fast, and can disappear deep into the rocks so fast.
Tried enticing them into open a bit with food, but they are too smart for that.
I tried scaring them out with a small net into a larger net.
I tried PVC pipe as a trap in the corner, but it is too new and different for them to get near.
Maybe if I left it for a while?
Thought about "going fishing" with barb-less hooks, but some of the fish are pretty small.
Not sure how I could get a brine shrimp on a hook.
Any ideas or tips???
Next step is probably pulling the rock/coral out to get to them.
Coral reefer
Past President
Break it down. You know it will work... I know it's a pain. But it will work!