Help! J-P's set up #2 (journal again)

[J-P]

thanks guys

I think I will go with the DSB on the top tank and possibly the reef in the middle. Possibly

When dealing with a DSB, Mekong, you mentioned that yours did not contain any fish. I would like to have 1 or 2 in mine. Is that feasible?

Bcummings: What is a "CUC"?

[Brandon8521]

clean up crew (ei. snails, hermits, worms, etc.) They will do most of the maintenance in your reef system for you.

[Brandon8521]

Another thing to add, from what I have researched its very important to get high quality and well established live rock to seed your deep sandbed (if you cant get the sand directly from someone elses tank.) Otherwise its going to take alot longer to for the DSB to actually do its job.

[Mek0ng]

thanks guys

I think I will go with the DSB on the top tank and possibly the reef in the middle. Possibly

When dealing with a DSB, Mekong, you mentioned that yours did not contain any fish. I would like to have 1 or 2 in mine. Is that feasible?

Bcummings: What is a "CUC"?

I have seen DSB tanks over 5 years old packed with fish and doing great, but I have seen many more crash in a few years from waste in the DSB. You should be fine even with a moderate fish load, but read more about the pros and cons of the 3 major substrate ideas (bare bottom, shallow sand bed, deep sand bed) and deiced what works for you.

[J-P]

Hot and sweaty, but I got the sump cleaned out and the old paint scraped off.

Next will be the leak test (I hope I capped it properly) and re-painting it.

Here are some new photos

[Mek0ng]

The lower baffle seems kinda low, maybe I am seeing it wrong, but is it only ~4" high?

[J-P]

good eye!

actually there isn't really a lower baffle. Between the upper one and the lower one was sponge media. The lower one is actually 2 support panes that were used to hold a slice of egg crate or another pane of glass (that did not come with the tank).

[Mek0ng]

Oh so is the lower baffle not in yet? Usually there is lower baffle at least 6-9" to set the proper water level height for the skimmer. Im just trying to help

[J-P]

O am not even certain there is supposed to be a skimmer on this one.. bit it makes scene.

Without that lower baffle, the water level in the sump wouldn't be much more than the opening at the bottom.

Now that you pointed it out... I'll have to look into that.

[Mek0ng]

On the 1st sump I made I only made a chamber for trapping bubbles, the skimmer chamber fluctuated. The skimmer was constantly out of tune due to the fluctuating water level, overflowing with high water, too low with low water. With a in-sump skimmer, constant water level is KEY to making it work properly.

[J-P]

I only need to things from the hardware store tomorrow: a glass cutter and a a buffing tool for the glass. I have several panes of glass that I can cut to size and place in there to make a proper sump

[J-P]

finally an update.
In getting ready to move, I finally started to clean the tanks.

I am not sure of the config as of yet. I would like to do an "L" shape multi-tier system as it would help out with the height and lighting issues. I think it will also look much sleeker without all the bulk of a multi tank "rack" stand.

Here are some pics of the progress over the last couple days:

IMG_1677b.jpg

IMG_1678b.jpg

IMG_1681b.jpg

As far as the "theme" goes, I am not sure yet. I went ahead and contacted some LR and Coral exporters so I can forgo the LFS gouging

Now, I understand "why" the US can't export live rock to Canada. It is the CITES permit.

[stangd1909]

I guess i am the odd man out, I like the FOWLR idea. I love reef tanks, but I really love the Aggressive/fish only Tanks.

[J-P]

still haven't decided because it is a 2 tank system with a sump. One could easily be FOWLR....

[J-P]

Actually, I'm looking at this sump again and I thing that drilled section near the baffles may actually be the inlet and not the outlet...

IMG_1686b.jpg