ALMOST 11 feet

R

reefstricken

I recently picked up a 200g 130x18x20t moved with the help of JBSmurf, BrianG, and Titus (thank you guys) and now I'm about to have to move it again (depending on new job - likely somewhere closer to dfw), so I figured I would post my plan and progress, until I can put water in it.

I currently have a 100g that I'm testing out some LED configurations on. 8 cree XM-L and 14 cree XT-E with 60 degree optics (24" over the water) and plan to add 4 more XM-L likely w/o optics, or wider beamed, to help kill the disco effect, as well as 7 more with blue, green, red and perhaps a couple xpg. (I'll double this 60" fixture for the 200g.) - the fixture mockup below was an initial plan. I'll post pics what I ended up with later.

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more to follow.
 
@dfwminis
it's a perfect height and depth for me, can't wait to have it filled!

@Marc
Yes, I'm not completely decided on the closed loop. I've been thinking about a OM/SWCD alternating at the far end. I've got a Dart and a couple iwakis, but fewer holes the better. I currently have just one mp40 and will likely be getting another at the very least - more of these being the alternative to the CL. 1.5-2" intake. would you do it differently?
 
If the tank hasn't been drilled for that hole, I'd probably not do it. You can move Vortech pumps wherever you like, but you can't move a hole. :)

Due to the slim shape of this tank, I could imagine a series of Mp10s on the back wall (depending on glass thickness) pointing forward perhaps. Each one can be dialed into the flow that section needs, for example. Less plumbing, less power consumption, cleaner look and feel.
 
Nice looking tank, it's more then twice the size of the tank I'm setting up LOL, can't wait to see your progress. If you stay in the area would like to come by and take a look as you get things completed.
 
Since the glass is 1/2", you'd have to use Mp40s instead. Check with Ecotech to make sure about the glass thickness, because I've seen them advise people to put Mp10s on the back of their tanks where additional flow was desired. You can obviously put pumps on the ends, but you'll need about 4" of clearance for the dry side.
 
ok i'm almost convinced of the vortechs. here's a bit of thought process:

I think CL intake placement is good along the short side, which when pumped in from the far side should create a nice 'pull' across the tank.

9-28w average consumption mp40w
98w average consumption Reeflo Dart.

I have a single mp40w es, 3 more would be roughly $1395. I own a dart, even if only 2000gph that 'pull' could be a good place to start.

Closed Loop:
Pros: loop creates flow across the length of the tank, low up front cost, fairly efficient in respect to what it creates.
Cons: there's a hole in the tank, prone to leaks, more plumbing, harder to maintain (pump cleaning), pump heat. unsightly intake. can't easily move the intake. wave maker cost.

I currently have an eheim 1262 as my 100g return. I could potentially use the dart to run reactors and return instead giving a bit more turnover.
 
It's a tough call I know. If you put a hole in the tank and feed it down to the intake of the Dart (3600gph at 0' head), then you have to feed the water back up to the tank. Are you going to run it to the opposite end 11' away? Would you center the pump so ~8' runs to the pump and ~5' goes back up to the CL assembly? How do you envision the plumbing pipes to run with a CL application?
 
dart isn't a pressure rated pump with that much piping I think you will need to gon with something other than a dart that is quite a bit of loss with that much piping and turns


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These are pretty crude, but should give the general idea. I was also thinking I could put the pump right at the intake and pump it along the top. Y or T split at the far end.
I also would really like a dedicate room for the sumps, rather than under the tank. but this is where I'm putting them for now. I have a 29g, 50g, 55g, 65g available for sumps. mocked up are 55's

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EDIT: These don't account for the change in direction for intake/output of the pump, another flow stopper.

ugh... the CL is looking less promising.
 
I'm reading between the lines a bit, but it seems like what you really want your CL to do is to give you fairly strong laminar flow down the length of the tank. Is that right?
 
Instead of drilling the ends most cl have them on the bottom of the tank that will prob cut down on the head loss if you are insistent on running a cl. I would think you would need two cl (two seperate darts) one for the right and one for the left if you want to get away from using powerheads.

If it were me i would run four 1" seaswirls on reeflo gold barracuda for a closed loop and not drill the tank


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I would run a MP60 on each end and MP10's across the back with the cable installed per directions to help hold it up, without the weight pulling it down the MP10 should hold otherwise, go with the MP40's but that is kind of a waste, since they would have to be turned down. Also think of resale because you just never know these day's, it may be harder to sell a tank drilled for CL.

Cheers,
 
no holes it is. my aim has been a low consumption / low heat system as well as to keep a clean look. I would have liked to push/pull the water all the way across the tank (idea seems like a great one, but likely not sufficient without reworking it as the tank needs grow). Thank you for helping me hash this out. Additionally, with the LED fixtures 24" off the top of the water I'd like the top of the tank to look very clean and open (other than slim wier to external overflow, return(s), and the vortech wiring (probably in piping).

My mp40 runs on one side of my 100g (60x18x20) and can be seen creating flow to about half the tank (observed from food circulation). This tank is pretty similar just about 2 times as long. I'm curious if the mp60 would be too much, I know the 40 will pickup/cyclone the sand bed if I turn it up too high. I do think with planning a mp60 might work on one side.

@bimmerzs I've considered resale, but I've also considered this becoming a sump for a future build.

this should have been the thread name: It's not very wide but it sure is long!

cheers
 
First of all, I love this thread and think it's great you've put so much work into the CAD drawings. I do have to agree with a couple of the posters above that I Would NOT do a closed loop. As mentioned, you can move vortec's and closed loops have really fallen out of favor over the last couple years, because they are a PITA. If it were me, I'd put a Tunze wave box on each end, and you could get a great wave motion goin in there.
You may save a little money to start with a CL, but it doesn't really help in the long run, if you end up unhappy with having to deal with it.
 
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