As you can see, the biggest difference between this set up and many others is the double-decker design within a cabinet. But, it's not just two tanks mounted in a cabinet. The main display tank (100 gallon mini reef) is on the bottom with a refugium/sea horse tank above that empties into the main tank. There is a 34 gallon sump behind the cabinet doors on the bottom. The total cabinet height should be about 6 feet tall.
Some of the state-of-the-art features on this system include a refugium (draining from above to maximize plankton safty), calcium reactor with a CO2 controler , Kent Marine RO/DI system with float valve for top-off, two 175 watt MH bulbs with PC actinics for the main tank and 50/50 PCs for the refugium.
There are no powerheads in the display tank. The tank is drilled, two Mag5s (controled by a wavemaker)is mounted to the bulk head and they pump the water back into the tank (called a "C-pipe").
The refugium is as long as the display, but not as deep so heat from the reef tanks metal halides can be vented upwards behind the refugium, without adding heat to the refugium. There are two Durso-style standpipes, Two Mag9s for return, and an "auto-water changer" in the sump.
Filtration will be handled by 80 pounds of live rock, nearly 150 pounds of live sand in the reef tank. In the refugium there will be lots of macro algaes as well as 100 pounds of live sand and mud/clay. Oh, by the way, there is NO protein skimmer.
In my current system the skimmer is disabled so it does not skim, it only aerates the water. My tank has flourished since I made this change.
|
