100g Frag Rack Setup

This will be a fairly long build process, but it will include three 33g long (48" x 12" x 12") glass tanks with dual overflows organized one on top of another on a metal rack system of welded 1" metal. More details on the exact equipment will be posted later. But thus far these are the "for sure" pieces of equipment that are purchased.

36 Cree XP-E LEDs per tank (10 Cool White, 26 Royal Blue)
Reef Octopus TDNW-300 Skimmer (this thing is HUGE)
Next Reef SMR1 Bio-Pellet Reactor
AquaController 3 w/ DC8, pH & ORP Probes

Likely using the ReeFlo Hybrid Snapper at 3600gph to run the entire system (guessing 400 to 500gph for the skimmer, 400 for the biopellets, the remaining flowing through the three tanks) I'm going to check the pipe sizes that are already plumbed into the system. If they can't handle that flow I'll likely go with a smaller return pump (likely a Mag pump), and larger powerheads in each tank.

C'mon.. pics! LOL Good that your starting the build thread. It'll come in handy.

Oh heck Matt.... you need to stop these Nano tank projects, get some cajones and go BIG!

Yeti wrote:Oh heck Matt.... you need to stop these Nano tank projects, get some cajones and go BIG!

It's actually quite small! Jason's is almost 3x the water volume!!! Haha.

Right now all I could take pics of is a storage area... which makes me remember... I have to clear all of that stuff out... crap! lol

The rack system is in place and the tanks are sitting there. That's about it... no plumbing finished. No LEDs yet. :-(

And I see plenty of open space for the obligatory meditation chair. Now the next question is how are you going to stop helpful little hands from dipping in to help clean / or stroke the soft friendly looking corals?

Looks like a great project though.

It's got doors!!! Lol

Already worrying about that.

Excellent solution. With some type of wire mesh built in to the door, at the top and bottom to have a through flow of air, to prevent the humid air becoming stale?

I'm going to run the venturi from the skimmer outside the window. It'll be pulling in constant fresh air.

A few changes to the system and some graphics. First of all, two tanks added. So the system is now a 150gish system with a 40ish gallon sump. I'm imagining approx 175g total water volume. Also switching skimmers from the TDNW-300 to a Precision Marine Bullet 1. With a new child on the way and a three year old I simply wasn't comfortable with an external skimmer left out in the open in the room.

I'm designing these using Google Sketchup... which is free but was honestly quite difficult to learn and is a bit quirky to work in. Hard to argue with results though.

Not everything is perfect to scale... the skimmer I know is 1 inch taller than shown, but it's pretty darn close. Next I'm adding in plumbing (which is why I'm going through the trouble) and asking for input and advise.



Here's the sump... a few interesting things to note:
1. The dry area to the right. I'll house two external pumps in this dry area. The Reeflo Dart return pump, and the Iwaki 1200gph pump for the skimmer. The three holes are for the bulkheads.
2. Biopellet Reactor and Skimmer. The biopellet reactor will get water right after the filter sock and will feed into the skimmer intake. The skimmer intake will suck in some more water of course, but will get all of the water from the biopellets.
3. Skimmer output is going to have a bulkhead through to the other side, skipping the fuge. This means that the fuge will get only water that was not processed by the biopellets and skimmer, and... it'll have reduced flow. :-)

wow, nice this will be a nice build thread as it progresses.

Congratulations on the "one on the way" (I did warn you about the water over there, when things kept multiplying in your tank).
I have to ask you, how are you going to get into the top tank? It looks as though it would be close to the ceiling.

Didn't you know he has a shoulder extender with 2 mobile hands

Lol... other than being Inspector Gadget... I plan to keep grow out frags up there so they're left alone for several months. The top of the tank is actually about a foot away from the ceiling, so there is some space... it will require a step ladder to reach though. :-)

I'm digging the chick.. new hired help? Looking good.

Dude that's me in a v-neck minus a few pounds and pre-hair cut. How dare you!

Got another tip to further reduce flow through the fuge I'll install another bulkhead and gate valve above the one for the skimmer.

Gonna be a sweet system. Keep us posted on how things are com in along for sure.