My 180 Setup Diagram (pic's) - Input Please

[1brent1]

This is my first saltwater setup so I need some INPUT from everyone, suggestions, errors, etc.

Here's a couple photo's of my tank. I just finished building the stand/canopy. -
http://partydamage.com/fishtank/09.jpg
http://partydamage.com/fishtank/05.jpg

I'm going to have approx. 250 lbs of cured live rock to start in the tank.

I can easily make modifications to the image and re-upload over-righting the one you see so we can get this thing perfect.

Still not sure on whats going in the refuge. Will worry about that later. I just wanted to have it as large as possible.

 

[flanque]

How can you be assured of the water level with the pumps off?

 

[20 20]

I would think you'd get a lot of stuff from the fuge getting pumped into the main tank with that setup. Maybe you should make the return area of the sump larger, and make the baffle between it a the fuge higher.

 

[1brent1]

How can you be assured of the water level with the pumps off?

I figured Display Tank will continue to drain approximately 3/4 to 1 inch down the overflows once the pumps are shut off "gravity" (the sump has half the surface dimensions of the display tank so it would raise 2"s) then down the pipes adding a little more water. So I'm guessing it would raise 2 to 3 inches.

 

[flanque]

Can you please post some more pictures of your setup?

 

[1brent1]

I would think you'd get a lot of stuff from the fuge getting pumped into the main tank with that setup. Maybe you should make the return area of the sump larger, and make the baffle between it a the fuge higher.

If I did that then I'd be afraid of the pump running dry from my lack of attention with adding water as it evaporates. What would be some more options on the refuge return baffle?

 

[1brent1]

Can you please post some more pictures of your setup?

What you see is what I have. Under the tank is only an empty 40 gal sump waiting for baffles & there's a new protein skimmer that need hooked up. Once I get the baffles correct and install them I was going to make a trip to HD to start buying the plumbing. The 2 hoses you see on the overflow in the photo are coming off. They were on when I bought it used.

 

[flanque]

On your diagram it says external overflow. How does it attach to the aquarium and get the water to overflow into it?

 

[1brent1]

On your diagram it says external overflow. How does it attach to the aquarium and get the water to overflow into it?

very similar to the attached doc. Why?

 

[swissfish]

i would put the skimmer in some kind of containment, just in case. How will you set up start back up after a power outage? Make sure that you don't loose the syphon.

I also second the bigger baffle in from the sump to the return aeria.

Everything else is looking really good.

 

[1brent1]

I also second the bigger baffle in from the sump to the return aeria.

what should I do?

 

[Brad]

With that much space in your sump/fuge...I would just put the skimmer in the sump and keep things safer/simpler.

Your diagram doesn't show unions, but make sure that you are able to shut off/disconnect/reconnect every pump from the system for cleaning. (I'm sure you've already thought of that)

If you are making that into a 'fuge, then you might consider making the baffles out of black acrylic to somehow preventing light from going where you don't want algae growing.

 

[1brent1]

I also second the bigger baffle in from the sump to the return area.

How should I have the return area baffles?? anyone please??

 

[1brent1]

I've updated the Diagram Image and decided to put the the PS in the sump and re-route the plumbing a little. INPUT PLEASE. I can't wait to finish this up, if yah know what I mean.

Thanks

 

[20 20]

You need to have the baffle between the fuge and the return pump be the same height as the water line in that new diagram. If you don't, the 'stuff' in your fuge (critters, macro algae, etc) will just flow over to the pump. I know you want a large return area so you have less topping off to do, but I don't think you should have it set up the way you do. Move the baffle to the left some (and make it taller), make the fuge smaller, and make the return area larger.

 

[1brent1]

We'll, I bought most of the plumbing last night from Lowes, will start putting everything together tonight, can't wait!!

Think I'll be all right with the 1" width return plumbing to .75" when it T's off behind the tank or should I go larger. The .75 is already built from the previous owner, be nice not to have to redue.

And should I maybe go larger with the 1" over flow plumbing? Maybe on the one side do 1.5" to the wye and then the rest be 1" after the wye. On the other side of the overflow just keep the 1" to help even the flow? What would you do?