Need help with new tank

[gcaligan]

I recently acquired a 180g glass tank which was previously used for saltwater. I'm planning to convert the tank into freshwater (African cichlids), but I would like to use the sump that came with it. Up until now, I've only had a 55g with HOB and canister filters.
The guy I bought it from kept some of his reef equipment; I had to cut some of the PVC to move it; and I rushed to take everything apart and clean it because it smelled like ass. Now I'm not entirely sure how to put everything back together. I'm starting to feel like the redneck with the car on blocks in his front yard.
Re-connecting the PVC's doesn't seem like a big deal, but I'm also toying with the idea of swapping them out for flexible hoses.

Here's the tank:


He had it set up so that both of these empty into the sump. He said he could control the flow rate into the sump by rotating those PVC inputs. I haven't seen anyone else doing it this way. What normally goes into the bulkheads?









Then he had a return going over the top of the tank:



Does this seem like a good way of doing it?

I think I don't need the protein skimmers, but is there any reason not to use them?




Anybody know what these two connections go to?




Alright, I'm having trouble keeping my thoughts straight at this point, so I'll stop here. If anyone can help explain what I have and offer some advice on ways to put it all together, I would really appreciate it.

 

[Egon]

Well your all set up to get this monster going. Pitch the protein skimmer, they don't work in fresh water.
Your overflows are set up fine but they are going to make a little noise. By adjusting them left or right your going to raise and lower the water level in the tank. I would just make them as high as possible and then adjust them down until the gurgling gets the quietest.

Your sump is interesting. It looks like two sumps connected by a 1" or 1.5" line? If your ever going to add another pump to increase filtration your going to have to add another line between the sumps.
Run the over flow from your tank into filter socks from the filter socks the water should go to bio media area. Get rid of the protein skimmer and use the extra room for bio media. From the bio media area the water is going to the next sump and then to the pump and returns to the tank. I always point my returns straight down forcing the water to the bottom of the tank. This forces water down causing the dirty lower water to go up and drain into your overflows. You don't want clean water from your pump running back down into your sump! After you have your set up running turn off your pump and see if the sumps can take the capacity of the water siphoning back into the sumps. If the sumps start to over flow then you need to raise the returns until they are just below the surface of the water. Some of my tanks I have the returns right at the surface causing bubbles to get forced into the water, I like this look so it works and I never have flooding issues.

 

[gcaligan]

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I first posted this. Thanks for the response, btw. I didn't mean to seem ungrateful by not responding sooner. I was working on building a new stand and making a 3D background, and I went out of town for a little bit. Anyway, here's the progress:











I think the stand turned out okay. Could've done a better job with the background- more realistic looking and hiding the seams- but what can you do? I tried to hide the overflows behind some outcroppings, and I have the return splitting and going through the BG pointing downward. Will the flow to the overflows be adequate with it partly hidden?

As for the sump:
It's basically just filter socks alone for mechanical, then filling the rest of the space with bio (pot scrubbies, bioballs, etc)?

And for the heater:
Can I put it in the sump rather than in the main tank?
And do you need to use the same wattage either way?

Thanks

 

[Egon]

Good stuff. I did a background on both my tanks and I love it!

So your intakes are pointing down? That may, if I understand this right, cause a syphon and drain your tank to that level. Something to test for sure. I have two drains behind my back ground just to keep the water flowing back there and it works great!

Your sump sounds good and that plan will work fine.

Heater in the sump is the best option, all my sumps have heaters in there and it works for me. I live in the desert, heating a tank is not an issue. Might want to double check or be prepared to add a heater to the tank if it's not working.

Your stand looks great! I like the back ground too! Fill it with water and run the pumps to see how the flow works out. Tank more pictures

 

[AOmonsta]

Those connections you asked about probably went to and from the chiller in the SW tank. You can scrap those too.

 

[gcaligan]

Those connections you asked about probably went to and from the chiller in the SW tank. You can scrap those too.

Okay thanks. He must've kept those parts.

 

[gcaligan]

Good stuff. I did a background on both my tanks and I love it!

So your intakes are pointing down? That may, if I understand this right, cause a syphon and drain your tank to that level. Something to test for sure. I have two drains behind my back ground just to keep the water flowing back there and it works great!

Your sump sounds good and that plan will work fine.

Heater in the sump is the best option, all my sumps have heaters in there and it works for me. I live in the desert, heating a tank is not an issue. Might want to double check or be prepared to add a heater to the tank if it's not working.

Your stand looks great! I like the back ground too! Fill it with water and run the pumps to see how the flow works out. Tank more pictures

No, the intakes are pointed up. They're just partly obstructed by the BG.

The returns are pointed almost straight down.

I need to find some help to lift the tank onto the stand before I can re-connect the plumbing and fill er up..... Hopefully this weekend.

 

[Egon]

Sounds good, looking forward to the pics

 

[gcaligan]

I've heard a good rule of thumb for heaters is 5w per gallon. Normally for a 180g tank, then, it would be 900w (or 3x 300w heaters).
If I put the heater in a 40g sump, can I get away with a 200w heater, or do I still need more power?

 

[Younglin]

I'd use at least 400W for the heater. Either 2 200W's, a 300 and a 100, or any combination you think of. If you keep the tank somewhere warm you can get away with less. My tanks are in my room which is kept at a constant 28 degrees from my computers and server, so my heaters almost never turn on.