2ft set up questions

Originally Posted by kyriakos

Which Tunze skimmer you use ; I used to have the Tunze nano 9002 it was working ok in my 80litr tank.

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

Thanks for the replies guys, I have a Tunze 9002 running in there atm. You can just see it on the right of the tank, blends in with the background!

I love this skimmer, best thing I ever bought for marine I reckon! It's meant to be good for up to 200 litres so I'll be using this one still!

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

I love this skimmer, best thing I ever bought for marine I reckon! It's meant to be good for up to 200 litres so I'll be using this one still!

I had that tank working about 6 months , i was also using the tunze cleaner i still have that tank and i am thinking making it a quarntine tank.

Here's a pic I did in Paint of an idea for an overflow. I would have a ball valve on the right pipe so I can restrict how much goes down that one. I would make it so most of the water goes down that one and only a little goes down the left pipe. That set up is meant to be much quieter than regular set ups.

Another idea I had is to attach the pumps off the weir and hide the pumps under the rocks. Anyway, let us know what you think! Cheers

you are going to use both pipes to suck water; why not use one for suck water and one for return ; How are you going to return the water in the tank,;

I was going to make a pvc 'hook' that hooks on the side of the tank.

something more it would be a mistake that i also did, dont hide a pump under rocks they may need to be clean or even replaced so just thing in what trouble you are going to be moving all that rock work . I have place my tunze streamers with the stream rock kit and now corals grow on them and i have to move everything now to clean them

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

I was going to make a pvc 'hook' that hooks on the side of the tank.

My opinion you should also ask others in the forum i would have make one pipe for drawing water and one for returning.

Yeh I could do that I guess, but I would prefer to have two drain holes incase one gets blocked.

You're right about hiding the powerhead thing. I didn't really think that one through

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

Yeh I could do that I guess, but I would prefer to have two drain holes incase one gets blocked.

You're right about hiding the powerhead thing. I didn't really think that one through

Look at the mess i did with my tunze and a pic of mu left over flow

Thanks for that mate. I think I will go with the regular full tank heigh overflow rather than the box overflow. Just wondering now whether I should do a centre scape or sloping from one of the sides.

Also what fish could I keep? I would like to have the following if possible:

Pair of occy clowns
Decora or fire goby
Bicolour blenny

Not sure if I can have any more than that, if I can might you be able to suggest some Thanks

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

Thanks for that mate. I think I will go with the regular full tank heigh overflow rather than the box overflow. Just wondering now whether I should do a centre scape or sloping from one of the sides.

Also what fish could I keep? I would like to have the following if possible:

Pair of occy clowns
Decora or fire goby
Bicolour blenny

Not sure if I can have any more than that, if I can might you be able to suggest some Thanks

Are you going to have full view of the tank ; About the fish i like fire goby and decora very nice fish and easy ti keep i have mine for almost 3 years now but if you wont more than one take a pair i add 2 more and the first one i had was chasing the new until it stressed them and kill them I also a bicolour blenny witch it always nip at my fingers when ever i place my hand near the place that he hang out. Good fish though for controling algae ,about clown i am not so expert although i have a female maron and a clarky had them for 3 years also first fish in the 85l tanks big mistake the man from the LFS didnt told me that they fight but the learn to get along or i was lucky they didnt kill each other . yellowtail blue damselfish are a good additional and grren chromis ,and also cardinalfish,and maybe a shrimp goby . You have a lot of choises my friend

Originally Posted by i_luv_fish

Which type of overflow should I go for?
Just a regular weir or a small box in the top corner of the tank? Just wondering pros and cons of both. I am kind of leaning towards the weir full tank height one because that's what I know the best. I was thinking of putting it in the back centre, as I would like to do a scape with its tallest part in the middle sloping to each side.

They both would work fine. I would do what ever is easier

How many holes should I get drilled?

My LFS does 25mm holes or holes to fit 25mm, can't remember which one I think its the second option. Anyway, I am thinking two holes. One for the majority of water drainage and the other one as a back up - better safe than sorry! My return will be by a pvc 'hook' over the side of the tank.

You really only need one hole for the drain. The return can just go over the back of the tank.

How many litres should I go on the return pump?

I have two powerheads/wavemakers generously given to me by Andrew (Thinking Reef) which are about 1000 l/h each. They run one at a time, so one is on the other is off then they swap after a certain amount of time. I have a 1800l/h pump which I just tested but I think that would blow the fish out of the water. I think I will probably use the 1100l/h I have. It's just a cheap powerhead, but I reckon it would do the job.

For a return pump i wouldnt go over 840 lph. That will give you about 10x turnover through the sump. You could even go as slow as 420 lph (5x turnover) What ever you chose make sure your over flow can handle it.

My last question for now is how should I set up the sump?

I was thinking something like skimmer, bubble trap, DSB/refugium, return. Here's a link to a pic of sump that I like the design of. Would this type of sump be suitable for my tank?

Sound good to me but i would skip the DSB because the sump wont be big enough to house a DSB that will do anything for you

I think with macroalgae, the brighter the light, the better it works.

Actually my macro grows under a old 75 watt spot light, Its doubled in size the month and half I had it in there.

Thanks for all the help every one! Looks like I have more options for fish than I thought! How many fish you reckon I could keep?

Originally Posted by chris&barb

You really only need one hole for the drain. The return can just go over the back of the tank.

[U]

For a return pump i wouldnt go over 840 lph. That will give you about 10x turnover through the sump. You could even go as slow as 420 lph (5x turnover) What ever you chose make sure your over flow can handle it.

Yeh apparently a 25mm hole is meant to be able to take 5000 l/h. Personally I reckon thats bs but I can't prove that. I could get away with one hole but I like having the thought of if one gets blocked than I have the other hole to back me up. If I go corner weir not sure whether I should go rectangle or triangle weir. I guess it comes down to personally preference in the end.

Cheers

One thing I don't recommend is keeping live rock in the sump, it just collects detritus and causes a nitrate factory.


How many liters is this tank?

Originally Posted by skinz78

One thing I don't recommend is keeping live rock in the sump, it just collects detritus and causes a nitrate factory.

Thats 100 % correct.


I grow all mine in my fuge with a 18 watt P.C. and it over takes the camber between the cheato and the feather .

The tank is around 80 litres. Just bought a 20"x14"x20" tank for the sump

Originally Posted by skinz78

One thing I don't recommend is keeping live rock in the sump, it just collects detritus and causes a nitrate factory.

Really ? i keep about 10 kgs

Got the tank that will be the sump today

I know a guy who has about 80 kilos in his sump and seems to go fine. He still has perfect parametres after 6 months without a water change as well

I was thinking of having coral rubble on the bottom or just live rock?