150 Gallon Build Thread ... From the Start

Mindcrime121 said:
I considered a UV sterilizer for mine, but decided against it. Just not cost effective unless I'm doing reef IMO. I may change my mind the first time I wind up with a hundred gallons of green water though, LOL!!
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There's something about UV sterilization that just makes my water crystal clear... I never really fought green water/bacterial blooms but UV sterilization is a guarantee that you'll truly never have to deal with either.

Mindcrime121 said:
I'd recommend running your CO2 line directly into the intake of a filter though. That's what I'm planning on doing and have read several posts and elsewhere that it's quite effective, more so than a diffuser or blowing it through a powerhead.
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This is a great option but I can't do it LOL. The FX5 (and a few other canister filters) can be very finnicky with that injected gas. I have read several accounts of auto-purge malfunctions for the FX5 in this configuration. Shouldn't be a problem for Coy's filters though (I think...)
 
Gamma UV (25 W):



http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4393+11472&pcatid=11472



Inline bioreactor for pressurized injection:



http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3747+9918&pcatid=9918

I have these two elements on a 1/2 ID beverage tubing loop powered by a Fluval 205 (instead of a powerhead). Both are on the outlet side of the canister filter as I don't want to run any risk of gas build-up in the canister. The Fluval 205 has enough gas to power the water through both of these with minimal length of tubing.

Coy, there really is no right/wrong answer on the UV issue... I just prefer having it for peace of mind but it is just another expense. I've never used a ladder diffuser but am a huge fan of the bioreactor; I count the bps directly in the chamber and skip the bubble counter completely.

Planning a loop like this takes effort: you have to match up all ID sizes to make sure it will all fit together.

Example: You want to install an inline heater for your Eheims. What is the ID tubing of the filter? The heater you buy must have the same inlet/outlet ID measurements for the plumbing install.
 
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cfsinc said:
Question 1 - What's the lowdown on a UV sterilizer?
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Not necessary for FW tank, but man, is it a nice cheat. You'll never have green water or have to worry about water borne parasites like Ich. If you've got the cash, I highly recommend one. Again, not a necessity, but a very nice convenience. I personally use a Pentair Lifeguard on one tank and Corlalife TurboTwist on the other. Both are very nice.

I brought in a load(20) cardinal tetras with ich(group buy, had to take them) and didn't lose a single one. To be fair, upped my temp and dosed with Jungle Ich, but still.

cfsinc said:
Question 2 - A black car shows every spec of dirt; will a black substrate show up all the junk?
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How black? Colorquartz shows junk pretty heavily. Soilmaster Select/Turface(charcoal), Eco-complete, Flourite Black, and Aquasoil aren't black-black like 3M Colorquartz, but they don't show debris quite like Colorquartz does.
 
Vader - when you get a minute, could you please post a pic of your plumbing. (I know, first it was topless and now I want to see the plumbing - LOL.) I would like to see how the whole UV, canisters and inline bioreactor are setup. I am diggin' the bioreactor (I have been researching that very unit). Without allowing for it when building the canopy I am not sure it would fit / work.
 
Luc said:
Been viewing this thread for quite some time.
Compliments to the woodworking skills, absolutely stunning.

Working on my 99 Gallon, stand is shaping up nicely, but it would be comparing a Volkswagen Beetle (old version) to a custom-build Rolls Royce...

Wish I had the space, tools and time.
Have a look at my progress...: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177028&goto=newpost

Hats off for this thread...
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Wow! I really appreciate all the kind words! I checked out your setup - very nice! It's certainly nothing to sneeze at - you have done a great job!! Thanks for following the thread ...
 
Thanks for the compliment too.
Still undecided on substrate and many other things myself. My main goal is to have as much as I can DIY. (CO2 reactor, chiller etc.) That's where my fun is at. Trying to get high-tech by sourcing DIY solutions.
Seeing threads like this though is plain fun reading. Keep going, you might have have happy fish at post 2500...lol
 
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