Hello All NJ Reefers,
After 9 years, I'm going to start in the hobby again. Late 90's had a 75gal show, but the sump room was my pride and joy. Close to 500 gallons running through the system, multiple grow tanks, mainly SPS. Broke that down in 2000, life/kids/work got in the way. 2007 found me back at it with a 20gal nano, which was coming along nicely but a home move ended that project. So here I am in 2017 with grand plans but taking it slow. Not sure what plans will end up being reality, just a few short weeks ago, I was thinking 40gal, now I'm thinking 150 gallon custom aquarium. Time will tell.
Got the project started with equipment I still had laying around. Eheim pumps, a bermuda bps-3c, powerheads, old salt, not sure how many pounds of 'live' now dead rock I've had in storage in the BRUTE garbage cans. Purchased some new heaters, and boom... I've got myself a "tank" and "Sump"
So this is what I've come up with to cure the rock.
The rock is in a 32 gal BRUTE CAN I've got a shrimp down there somewhere kicking off the nitrogen cycle. I've plumbed that twice over, with a modified single herbie overflow and a secondary overflow. If power gets shut down the herbie style overflow, self primes. If by chance it doesn't then the second overflow picks up the slack, but a dozen or so tests, seems like this is a winner and no chance what-so-over of an overflow... or wet basement.
The sump is a 20 gal BRUTE, which I created a PVC/EGGCRATE table in to place the PS and the pump. Underneath that is the return pump. Once we run through the nitrogen cycle, we're going to purchase a few pounds of fresh rock, throw it on the top. Place 4 - T5's run by an ICECAP 660 over the can and get that rock "Alive" again.
That PVC contraption sitting on top of the rock, is a self made media reactor filled with carbon, water being pushed through at about 100gph. (Shrimp making smelly water... Need to keep the smell down before the wife balks on my plans.)
Next steps, drill the float valve in the sump and hook up a fresh water RO/DI for replacement.
Excited to play chemist again, we'll get the water parameters spot on and I'm betting within 6-8 weeks I'm going to be growing a can full of beautiful pink coralline.
In the meantime, start planning and pricing out a 60"x 24"x 24" custom aquarium which will be view-able from both front and back. (2nd picture) Looks to be a prime spot for a display with hidden sump under/behind the wall.
Mike
PS- I live in Gillette, NJ. Hopefully, someday I can make an event and meet some other local reefers.
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After 9 years, I'm going to start in the hobby again. Late 90's had a 75gal show, but the sump room was my pride and joy. Close to 500 gallons running through the system, multiple grow tanks, mainly SPS. Broke that down in 2000, life/kids/work got in the way. 2007 found me back at it with a 20gal nano, which was coming along nicely but a home move ended that project. So here I am in 2017 with grand plans but taking it slow. Not sure what plans will end up being reality, just a few short weeks ago, I was thinking 40gal, now I'm thinking 150 gallon custom aquarium. Time will tell.
Got the project started with equipment I still had laying around. Eheim pumps, a bermuda bps-3c, powerheads, old salt, not sure how many pounds of 'live' now dead rock I've had in storage in the BRUTE garbage cans. Purchased some new heaters, and boom... I've got myself a "tank" and "Sump"
So this is what I've come up with to cure the rock.
The rock is in a 32 gal BRUTE CAN I've got a shrimp down there somewhere kicking off the nitrogen cycle. I've plumbed that twice over, with a modified single herbie overflow and a secondary overflow. If power gets shut down the herbie style overflow, self primes. If by chance it doesn't then the second overflow picks up the slack, but a dozen or so tests, seems like this is a winner and no chance what-so-over of an overflow... or wet basement.
The sump is a 20 gal BRUTE, which I created a PVC/EGGCRATE table in to place the PS and the pump. Underneath that is the return pump. Once we run through the nitrogen cycle, we're going to purchase a few pounds of fresh rock, throw it on the top. Place 4 - T5's run by an ICECAP 660 over the can and get that rock "Alive" again.
That PVC contraption sitting on top of the rock, is a self made media reactor filled with carbon, water being pushed through at about 100gph. (Shrimp making smelly water... Need to keep the smell down before the wife balks on my plans.)
Next steps, drill the float valve in the sump and hook up a fresh water RO/DI for replacement.
Excited to play chemist again, we'll get the water parameters spot on and I'm betting within 6-8 weeks I'm going to be growing a can full of beautiful pink coralline.
In the meantime, start planning and pricing out a 60"x 24"x 24" custom aquarium which will be view-able from both front and back. (2nd picture) Looks to be a prime spot for a display with hidden sump under/behind the wall.
Mike
PS- I live in Gillette, NJ. Hopefully, someday I can make an event and meet some other local reefers.
