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A Tank Size Question

T

TripsieD

I have an issue to work out and I am not really sure what to do and could really use some advice.

Here is what’s going on:

I am in the process of putting together a new nano. The original specs called for a 15 gallon (24 x 12 x12). I was intending to do a lot of the DIY myself. It turns out that what I was looking to do was rather beyond my skills at this point and would rather go with a tank manufacturer, unless someone here would rather build the tank (which I would really prefer…any takers????). I am looking for a dead/peninsula rectangular tank (I have a 29 gallon ready to be turned into a sump). I am wanting to do a little of SPS/LPS and maybe some softies.

After talking with several, I decided that a modified 20L (30 x 12 x 12) was the way to go. In speaking with a local tank manufacturer I found out that the smallest glass size they carry is ½ inch. At 30 x 12 x 12 I would be losing a lot of interior real estate to glass. I had read a thread on RC about a guy (a math teacher I believe) who used the golden rectangle to create the measurements for his tank. I started doing some research on it and thought it might be cool to try and it would really enhance the aesthetics of the tank (albeit in a very subtle way).

The closest measurement to the tank size I want would be 34 x 21 x 14, the addition of the divider wall (an internal weir) would put the total dimensions to 38 x 21 x 14 (the overflow would be concealed by the rear canopy (Merv, are you up for a building project or at least design???) as I do not want to see any equipment at all in the tank). The new measurements are much larger than what I had originally planned on, leaving me with a number of quandaries.

I have already purchased a Mag 9.5 return. Will that pump give adequate flow? I had planned on a single 1” drain, do I go with a 1” and 1 ¼ inch drains? I have a Coralife 130 watt PC fixture, will that be enough light coverage for SPS/LPS?

I really have no clue what to do as plumbing is really not my specialty and I am probably posting this faster than I should (I guess you could call this a panic post lol), as I probably will figure this out later.

Thanks for your input!

Tom
 
T

TripsieD

I am finally beginning to come to terms with the new tank dimensions, yet I am still left with some plumbing questions, some of which were posted already but will ask again for context.

1. Will a single 1 inch drain be sufficient to service the tank?

2. If not, then the second drain should be 1 1/4 inch?

3. (based on dual drains) The 1 1/4 inch drain would feed the intake of the sump and the 1 inch would feed the fuge??

4. Would flex tubing be sufficient to plumb the system with or should I go with spa-flex (which has its own set of issues, I realize)? Hard plumbing is not my best subject, which is why I am considering the flex-tubing.

5. Is the Mag 9.5 going to provide a sufficient turnover rate (the sump is a 29 gallon) or should I just upgrade to the 12?
 
C

concept3

Guest
1 inch is good for 600 gph

technically, you only want to do a slow turnover into your sump, I think the mag 9.5 is gonna be waaaay overkill for your 29. I mean, as an example, I have about 100 gallons total water volume, and I am only using a 540 gph pump (I could step it up to 1100 with another pump since I have a 1.5" drain)

a few answers for now, I have a sprained right hand today from lifting wrong at the gym last nite
 
kabal2

kabal2

i had a 29g and a mag 7 is overkill for the sump and it will give you a lot of micro bubbles, now a mag 9.5 we talking crazy, just go with a drain of 1", that will be good for it, a mag7 is good because you can split the return back to the sump and run a few things out of it, flex tubing is good for plumbing

Gabe
 
T

TripsieD

Thanks for the replies I really appreciate it a lot! Hope your wrist gets better soon Merv!

What I am getting thus far (making sure that I am understanding correctly) is that a single 1 inch drain should be sufficient. That is taking into account that the main display is roughly 43/44 gallons?

I had expected the 9.5 to be rather heavy and was planning on ball-valving it back to roughly 50 to 75 percent, though I am not sure on what that would do to the life expectancy of the pump. So I am reading that I should probably bring the 9.5 back and get a 7 instead (it would save a few dollars)?

Thanks for the input!

Tom
 
C

concept3

Guest
try not to throttle back, it's energy wasted on the pump. Instead, get a pump to closely match what you want for flow and redirect the excess waetr pressure via another valve and redirect it back in the sump instead of throttling it down.

thanks, I'm gonna go get a wrist brace, it's swelling a bit.
 
kabal2

kabal2

tom, if you redirect the extra flow back to the sump, you can run phosban reactor, calcium reactor, depends in the kind of skimmer, you can even maybe feed the skimmer, that just my opinion
 
T

TripsieD

So then I should be looking at something similar to this? (not to scale)

NewTank.jpg


Except that I should have a 7 instead of a 9.5?

Tom
 
T

TripsieD

I am looking for mostly SPS/LPS and possibly some softies. I have recently gotten addicted to pocillipora for some reason :D :D

Tom
 
kabal2

kabal2

i think you may need some more flow than that, you can get the wavysea, and a other pump, like a mini tunze,
 
kabal2

kabal2

yes but you have to remember when you have the mag a full force you may get some microbubbles, so i think you better redirect part of the return back to the sump, and get a powerhead in the tank, or go for a CL
 
T

TripsieD

I guess I had made more out of this than I should have LOL

I had planned on tee'ing the return to feed the fuge, so that part is easy enough. The CL could be plumbed off of the divider wall or I could just use a Hydor Koralia on the divider wall (but I would really rather not have any powerheads in the tank at all if possible)
 
T

TripsieD

I ad forgotten about the microbubble issue. I think tee'ing off the fuge might do the trick for the redirect, so now it's just figuring out a CL. Does that sound about right?

Tom
 
T

TripsieD

Thanks for that link, Gabe. I hadn't thought about an external CL, that may be the trick there!!! (sorry about that last post, my page didn't update for some odd reason).
 
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