Need some feedback.

[linx]

I'm designing an aquarium and want to filter it with a ats. but i allso like to minimise the cost of bulbs,
i have a oceanrunner 6500 as a return pump, and that will feed the ats. the ats is double screen,
lighting is three T5 bulbs with custom made mirrors.
The aquarium

The setup (too lazy to draw the plumbing)

And the ats






the screen is 12x18" on the pic, but it's not a final measurment. the tank will be 130 gal mixed reef, the overall system will be 160 gal,
with heavy fish load. I might add a second one later if this one will note cope.
The ats is 25x16x8" but i have a small problem, no one knows what T5"HO" is, but they recognise warm white and cool white, will that do?

[SantaMonica]

Assuming you want 24 inch bulbs, which are 24 watts each, yours would be 3 X 24 = 72 total watts. This is a bare minimum for an average 130g reef, and not enough for a heavy fish load.

You have to make sure they are T5HO bulbs, and not just T5 bulbs. "Soft" or "warm" is fine.

You do have one advantage; the acrylic box will pool water and algae at the bottom, and the 3D growth will double the filtering power, but only at the bottom where it pools. To make it pool, move the overflow drain up to about 6 inches from the bottom. Then, move more bulbs near the bottom, so that 2 bulbs will be in this 6 inch area. Most of your filtering will then will take place at the bottom when pooling starts; the upper portion of the screen won't be doing much.

Three T5 bulbs will not cover a 12 inch tall screen very well. Ideally, you want a bulb every 2 inches; this would give you 6 bulbs. This would be 6 X 24 = 144 watts, which is about 1 watt per gal, which is what you need for high filtering / heavy load.

Since 24 inch bulbs put out light for about 20 inches, you could extend the length of your screen from 18 to 20 inches.

Cleaning: I see how the pipes lift up an slide out of the box, but how will you lift the screen up and out without hitting the top of the cabinet?

[linx]

hmmm i need to do some redesign on it, i have time i finish my school in two years. :roll:
He will be in a drawer or a slider, slides in and out.

[linx]

I found a LT 24WT5 HQ 830 Warmwhite (made in germany) today, it's 22" long 3000k and is supostu be a HO bulb.
The waterproof lamp fixture i bought gives me 2 1/2" between the bulbs, don't know how I fit the mirrors in that tight spot.
But since i'm using the bulbs from two sides i thought that i would be getting at least 70% of the wattage
equally on to the two screens, 3x24x0.7(x2)=101W (still not enough i know)
why would that not work?
My reflectors should reflect about 70% of a normal reflectors.

[SantaMonica]

You can't get more wattage from a bulb than the bulbs give off. 3 X 24 = 72 watts. 4 X 24 = 96 watts.

[linx]

new design missing reflectors.

You can't get more wattage from a bulb than the bulbs give off. 3 X 24 = 72 watts. 4 X 24 = 96 watts.

you are over simplifying things. i meant you could get more out of the bulbs that way,
not bump up the Wattage...

[SantaMonica]

Much better design.

[mikepao13]

What is the plan with all that wires?

[linx]

There is a 5mm gap behind the lamp fixture where the wiering will be.

[mikepao13]

very nice

just waiting to see actual pics