Well, I picked up the pumps for the 135 set up today. I got a good deal on some factory refurbished Gen X's, a PCX70 and two PCX55's. And I think I settled on the basic principles of how I'm going to plumb it. I was going to do a Dolphin Amp Master for the closed loop, but decided that would be overkill for the 135. I don't want strong current so much as steadily random current. I talked to some of you about the SCWD's, because I wanted to have an alternating current, and I was dissuaded from using those for the primary mover, and instead I am ordering a oceansmotion Super Squirt Compact Version.
http://www.oceansmotion.com This is a 4 way, but smaller (better suited to my tank) than the actual officially named 4 ways they sell, and also MUCH more affordable. I am going to use one SCWD in the set up though... on the returns from the overflow. Yes, I said returns. I'm going to be running the PCX70 through the Super Squirt for the closed loop, and I'll be using the SCWD to run two over the back returns for surface agitation. I have a spare SCWD so I'm not going to be in dire straits if it fails, and I don't think that the current from the PCX55 is going to be too drastic for it. Of course, I'll be having ball valves between all devices and pumps and plumbing. Two of the returns will be placed a bit higher up, but have the Revolutions 360 degree double nozzle version that blows the current down into the rocks/tank as shown on the Oceansmotion site. One return will be dedicated to the
pvc rock rack, possibly the bypass valve for the Super Squirt, and the other will feed a tee with loc-line in the edges of the rocks. This will give me more than enough current, and a heck of a plumbing qwest. I decided to run two returns for the closed loop, after looking at a lot of the plumbing other people had done. The oceansmotion site was very helpful. Now I've pretty much got the hardware/wetware figured out... and I've got to get off my butt about getting the stand and canopy done. I'm doing 3 250w electronic ballasts and 4
VHO's. I plan on the three halides being 20K, 2 10K
VHO's, and 2 actinics. I like the 20K halides a lot, and I really like this mix of lamps, the
LFS has it on one of their show tanks, and it's very nice. They have a lot of acroporas and
sps on the top of the tank, and some very nice gorgonians down in the shady parts on bottom. I'll post pics when I start the plumbing, first I need to get my order in with oceansmotion. Heh, one thing at a time, aye?
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