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Thinking about a new tank....

CoralReefer (Mike) was over yesterday and we made some decision. He looked at the space. Since I am going custom, we decided a 55"x20"x24" tank with an internal overflow box is a good compromise for the space.

I will go with a 48" hybrid ATI T5/LED fixture and use my two existing Rapid LED Coronas. That will save me a lot of money on lighting.

We talked about the plumping. 1" is probably fine. This tank is ~115G so 10x is easy to hit with 1" plumbing. The question is around how to keep it quiet.

Here is what I am thinking:

Design the system for ~2000gph to give me headroom.

1" siphon (~1,700 gph at 24" and full siphon (http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx))
1.5" open drain (should get the other 300gph here and still quiet, I assume more if the return pump pushed it, but will start to get noisey)
1.5" emergency drain (2100gph ? https://flexpvc.com/Reference/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml)
2x 3/4" returns (~1400gph max each https://flexpvc.com/Reference/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml)

I also need ~20" of linear overflow to handle the flow (actually, less, but that is reasonable: https://www.glass-holes.com/product.sc?productId=45&categoryId=3). That should be easy with the center box and the 5 holes for the bulk heads for these dimensions.
 
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BTW, I am thinking about 2 Various 6 return pumps (I already have one). This gets me to ~2000pgh at 4.8' of water head. I like the idea of the backup. I had my return pump fail last year and it was a rush to get a replacement.

Here is the chart:

varios_6-pressurechart_2.jpg
 
Plumbed separately: each Various 6 will go to its own 3/4" return line and I won't run them at Max, so not looking for 2000 gph of flow (they are DC pumps).

I know there are mixed feelings on running two pumps but I have heard first hand from someone that it works fine when they are plumped separately.
 
magnetar68 said:
Plumbed separately: each Various 6 will go to its own 3/4" return line and I won't run them at Max, so not looking for 2000 gph of flow (they are DC pumps).
Click to expand...

Maxed out or not, 3/4" line sounds awfully small for a pump that size.*

magnetar68 said:
I know there are mixed feelings on running two pumps but I have heard first hand from someone that it works fine when they are plumped separately.
Click to expand...

I have mixed feelings about running two totally independent return pump circuits. Sometimes I think it's a good idea, and sometimes I think it's a great idea.**

*Mind you I've been going on about return lines being undersized for almost 10 years now.
*I'm also from a warmer area, so I tend to assume you aren't running a heater full time.
**You are correct that it's sub par if two pumps feed one return without check valves, but that's why you run separate returns.
 
What I was thinking is that the loc-line is 3/4" anyway, so why plump for 1" or 1.25" (the latter is the native output of the pump) and then stop down to 3/4" at the loc-line. I don't know the plumbing math. Maybe running a thicker pipe up to the loc-line return results in a higher overall flow rate? Maybe there are friction losses along the way in the smaller pipe?
 
LocLine sadly stops at 3/4", but you can always put a Y fitting in either the PVC or the LocLine and have multiple outlets off each return line.
 
DISCLAIMER: I am probably going to change my mind several times before I decide.
  • Here is a mockup of the larger 150G 60x24x24 tank in the spot I am planning on.
  • It is big, but not too bad.
  • If I go with this size, I would do 3x1.5" drains and 2x1.25" returns.
  • And 1x VarioS-8 (2700gph) return pump that gets about 1900gph at 4.8 ft head pressure (and about 2000 at 4.4 ft).
LivingRoomTank150G cropped.png
 
What is the clearance to the couch? Can you open the stand doors, or will they just be magnetic panels?
Is there a space issue on the return bulkheads? If not I would make them all the same size and adapt down if needed. I always keep a spare bulkhead on hand because the only thing worse than discovering a cracked bulkhead in your tank is discovering a cracked bulkhead and not having a spare on hand. This lets you keep one size spare instead of two.
 
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42" between the couch and the front doors on the cabinet. Plenty of room (hard to tell with this mockup because there is no natural shading which helps give these visual clues.) Maybe someday it will be easy to do a VR capture of a room and then replace furniture in VR.

Yes, I am trying to minimize the room needed for the center overflow box. Not sure how much a the two smaller bulkheads really help.
 
Is there any natural light that will be hitting the tank coming from the window? Is the area on the other side of the door an option?
 
Not an issue. I have had a tank there before. That window faces north and only gets minimal light. Also the blinds are closed most of the time.


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Your total head pressure is gonna be higher than 4.8”. Figure about 8-10’. Each bend will be about 1”, at the minimum you will have 3 bends. Each fixture will add about another ft. So about another 2’. Horizontal runs will add some.



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iani said:
For a tank that size I would consider the Red Sea reefer 625xxl.
Click to expand...

The Red Sea tanks are nice looking tanks and they are very good at marketing them.
I had a Red Sea 130D. It was my first tank and it was a great way to get started. I got everything I needed and quickly had a tank up and running and cycled. Honestly, however, I ended up not happy with it. The heater only lasted a few months, the tank stand got wet and started to decay, the protein skimmer was too loud so I upgraded it. The media basket was a pain in the neck to remove so I upgraded it. Even the test kits I bought were bad and had to get new ones.

I think they have gotten better. I know the test kits are much better now.

But I really like the flexibility of picking every component. It is the classic one-stop-ship vs best-of-breed thing. Also, I am shooting for a Triton Method tank so I need a larger sump than the one that comes with the Red Sea tank.


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