Vegasfish 240 gallon build

I don't want to push you to purchase a chiller, but you'll really benefit from one. Looking at your setup, you are moving a lot of water just counting your sump, refugium, and your closed loop.
When I set up my current tank, I didnt have any problems with temperature while cycling until I setup my sump/refugium. At that point it was just the DT, nothing else. I also set it up in the winter which helped.
Then I started adding accessories to my DT. I had installed two upgraded pumps for a wavemaker, my Mag 7 as a return from my sump, a skimmer, and the canister for extra chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration. With each upgrade came a temperature rise. So I started adding fans. This just eliminated one problem and caused another. Evaporation. Another problem I noticed was even though I was using the fans to cool the aquarium, I still had to use a heater to make sure it didn't cool it too much at night (I dont have a controller/monitor). Also, keeping temperature flucuations and Salinity levels at bay was something I was always worrying about. With summer around the corner, at that time, it started stressing me out enough that I couldn't take it anymore and picked up and chiller. Now temperature is at the least of my worries. I pulled the heater out (more room in sump, yay), no more annoying fans, salinity is very consisitant, and I top off about a gallon a week. If you've never had a chiller, you might have not gotten to see how nice it makes keeping your aquarium less of a chore..
Sorry for the long post..

 

Nice 'scape and real informative on the piping. Great project!

 

I know a chiller would be nice for sure. I think I'll get the rigid foam insulation used on metal garage doors and an exhaust fan in the pump box first. If that does not do the trick I'll buy a chiller. Since I'm $4,500 into this tank already what is another $1,000?:

 

Thanks, It has been a fun project and frustrating at times. Once i get the heat problem under control I'll be home free.

 

Week 2 of cycle update:

Ammonia 0.50

Nitrite and nitrate are 0

One of my pumps had a bad seal in it and I found a 2" salt icicle or a "salt-icle"

Anyways I took the pump apart and now I'll have to see how good I did in a week. I hope not to see another salt-icle

 

Hows the temperature looking? Did you "mod-up" that box you have your main pumps in yet??

 

I put the type of insulation used on garage doors in the box. I ordered a solar vent fan which will be here next week. Today with all lights on the temp has stayed at 81 deg. So I feel that when I get the vent in the box it will lower it even more.

 

Looking good.....is this ande????from lvvr...

 

No but I do belong to LVVR under the name LVFK. Since my screen name here was taken.

 

Week 3 of cycling:

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 1.0

Nitrate - 0

I have hundreds of hydroids all over the tank. They are the snow flake type. I have read from many other post that both say they are bad and good. Some say they will go away?

I assume once I add my fish they will eat them but I'm not sure.