View Full Version : Tiggsy's Percula 120
Pondered long and hard over more tropical V marine.......then marine with a sump V "all in one"..........then 2nd hand V new........and finally ordered a Perc 120 to be here next wednesday!!!
In case anyone is pondering the same my reasoning for the perc over a traditional set up with a sump was that it seems the type of set up i'd like to achive can be done with a perc and a perc is simpler for a newbie. In the past i have owned stuff like a Juwle Trigon 350 which i bought because i liked the tank not because i had seen any setups in the tabks i like - as a result i couldnt do what i wanted (ammano style planetd) without huge changes to it. This time i looked at actual setups i liked and then looked at what people had housed them in.
Went for a new one as i couldnt get exactly the one i wanted used. Not sure what the rules are on here about advertising non-sponsors "deals" but i am was quoted £1950 for a bow front 120 with the ocean light + 15-w upgrade...........then (just as i was going to order) i found a local supplier to me (berkshire) who is doing me the tank with a bow front, the light upgrade and the aqua medic top up system for £1735..........very pleased!
Setting up questions:
Think my RO water set up is now sorted so can start looking at the tank - just a few questions at this point as i want to make sure i set it up right and dont start wishing i had done it different 6 months later!
Closed loop? need one? seems a few perc 120 owners have feed flow to various points in the tank instead of just directly from the pump head. It would be easy enough to put a short close loop along the back/bottom of the reef to improve flow there - but do i need to bother?
Pump power? supplier can swap my pumps over for more power if i want ...again is adding an extra powerhead/uping the ones there already worth doing. I know i can always add a stream but i'd like as much hidden as possible.
i also have a bit of work to do on the cabinet as i want the tank to be 6 inches higher of the ground...........but i'll leave that to the DIY section :D http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.p...f=6&t=48609&st= (http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=48609&st=)
Tiggsy
ps- this is my Trigon (which is being collected by the new owner tommorow) that the Perc will replace.....hope pics of tropicals isnt a banning offence on a marine forum ;)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/tank-lid1.jpg
Welcome, yu won't be dissapointed with the Perc in my opinion.
Do a search for Perc in the title in members tanks forums.
Look at abyss, marine, anna, gregh, crooked, fergie, andy the scientist they all have threads on their perc's.
More recently I started a thread jobr as has publican.
It will take a bit of reading but will give you loads of ideas that you can adapt yourself. Personally I don't think there is a right or wrong way but you will see all the differences.
Some have closed loops, some don't. Sometake bits out others add more in.
Just my opinion but here goes with some answers to your questions.
1. Closed loop, don't personally think you need one. A spray bar off the main return pump would not be a bad idea and very quick and easy to do.
2. Skimmer, return and two circulation pumps are fine as standard. Just keep the sponges etc cleaan (again some people have removed these, I find they collect a bit of crap and I just wash them in old tank water every few weeks and it takes no time).
I was very suprised at the force of the flow out of the pumps. I have put two eheim bends on mine for direction uthe tank as opposed to pointing straight out.
3. Most people add some more flow (you can never have to much IMO) either by powerheads or Tunze streams. These are quite easily concealed behind rock etc if you so wish.
4. DIY, personally I would leave it as standard, don't you spend most of the time sitting watching the tank and not standing? If you feel the need to adapt then again search the forums for threads that show builds and look at what has been used, there are some excellent examples.
Hope this rambling is of some use.
Keep reading and asking.
Originally posted by Tiggsy@Sep 3 2005, 07:01
Pondered long and hard over more tropical V marine.......then marine with a sump V "all in one"..........then 2nd hand V new........and finally ordered a Perc 120 to be here next wednesday!!!
In case anyone is pondering the same my reasoning for the perc over a traditional set up with a sump was that it seems the type of set up i'd like to achive can be done with a perc and a perc is simpler for a newbie. In the past i have owned stuff like a Juwle Trigon 350 which i bought because i liked the tank not because i had seen any setups in the tabks i like - as a result i couldnt do what i wanted (ammano style planetd) without huge changes to it. This time i looked at actual setups i liked and then looked at what people had housed them in.
Went for a new one as i couldnt get exactly the one i wanted used. Not sure what the rules are on here about advertising non-sponsors "deals" but i am was quoted £1950 for a bow front 120 with the ocean light + 15-w upgrade...........then (just as i was going to order) i found a local supplier to me (berkshire) who is doing me the tank with a bow front, the light upgrade and the aqua medic top up system for £1735..........very pleased!
Setting up questions:
Think my RO water set up is now sorted so can start looking at the tank - just a few questions at this point as i want to make sure i set it up right and dont start wishing i had done it different 6 months later!
Closed loop? need one? seems a few perc 120 owners have feed flow to various points in the tank instead of just directly from the pump head. It would be easy enough to put a short close loop along the back/bottom of the reef to improve flow there - but do i need to bother?
Pump power? supplier can swap my pumps over for more power if i want ...again is adding an extra powerhead/uping the ones there already worth doing. I know i can always add a stream but i'd like as much hidden as possible.
i also have a bit of work to do on the cabinet as i want the tank to be 6 inches higher of the ground...........but i'll leave that to the DIY section :D http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.p...f=6&t=48609&st= (http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=48609&st=)
Tiggsy
ps- this is my Trigon (which is being collected by the new owner tommorow) that the Perc will replace.....hope pics of tropicals isnt a banning offence on a marine forum ;)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/tank-lid1.jpg
Nice trop tank mate!
Im buying a perc 90 soon and would like the same advice on changing pumps etc. Iv been told aquamedic have upgraded the pumps on the whole range but dont know how true this is.
As for your base id use 6x2 planed timber, make a frame around the inside of the origional base, then put about 4 or 5 'noggins' in. (more pieces of 6x2 joining the two longest peices in your frame. Use big screws (4"x 12guage) and pilot drill the holes to aviod splitting the wood. you can treat it with a wood sealer when its done.
Mike.
i think i have read every perc thread there is (twice)....which was one main reason why i picked that tank. :)
leaning on the side of a spray bar of the main pump so will prob go that way.........if that sits under the reef (under egg crate) is that good for flow through the reef or bad as it dilutes flow through the tank- in which case keeping the spray along the bottom of the back would seem best.
"Nice trop tank mate! "
thanks ...lookin a bit sad today half empty and about to be sold :(
T
Good luck my friend, you won't be dissapointed with the perc, once you do a few mods, ditch the filters on the pumps and get your flow sorted, but apart from that it's a fantastic tank.
BTW excellent planted tank, shame you couldn't keep it.
Good luck
J :thumbsup:
Hi
Agreed. I'm well happy with my perc 120. I personally havent done any mods to it,but i have added a couple of decent powerheads to aid flow
Chris
plants got so complicated i decided it was as much work as a reef with less fun stuff! (i was daily dosing nitrates and phosphates to keep the plants ahead of the algae......which meant 2 hrs of pruning a week - i was just a wet gardener!)
Im still trying to decide on the best way to deal with the flow....current idea is to put the LR on raised egg crate and send the main return pump into a 3/4 outlet closed loop running behind it. Is there enough flow from that or should i run that loop of a new/better pump?
T
Hi
Yeah i suppose you could do that. I personally dont have a major problem with flow but then again ive only just started stocking coral. I'm sure more experienced perc owners will be able to help more with the flow.
Chris
I think you will be suprised by the flow.
I put a layer of live sand over my base prior to the live rock aquascaping been done.
I have one stream behind the rock work and one out in the open.
The back of the tank behind the rock now has no sand as between the main return pump and the stream its all been moved forward in the tank.
My snails and starfish keep it nicely turned over and its quite strange / interesting just sat there and suddenly snails start popping out of the sand.
Doh, guess you found UR then!! just spent ages replying to your PM on Scoobynet and then found this!!
Good luck and get some pics up as it arrives and develops :D
cheers,
greg
Tank has arrived at the shop today!
Decided not to swap the lights for the 250w upgrade - to many concerns about heat (had huge probs with my trop tank this year in there), light spill and just more light than i need thus potential algae probs. I was only really thinking of 250w as i like the tank to "Look" nice and bright - and i hope 2X 150w + 2 X T5 will achive that ok ( i can always switch the T5's to white tubes if i need more.
Just got off the phone to my acrylic man (hes a real man- just works with acrylic) He is making me a reef platform so i can get a closed loop under it! should be cool!
Pics by the weekend!
oh..and 100GPD 4 stage RO unit with in line TDS and pressure gauge ordered from Ro-man as well!
T
Hi
Sounds great.Just wondering how you are planning on mounting the T5's as there is no lid on the perc120.
Chris
the T5s are built into the unit - its the upgarde lights Ocean Light 150+ i belive. I didnt fancy bolting T5 tubes on as an after thought.
just finished drilling the wall for the waste water to flow directly out the tank and out the house for water changes!
Getting there!
Ah i see. I'd like AM to do my unit but apparently u can only do it at purchase?
Chris
if you do it at purchase they only charge you the difference bewteen the retail on the std lights and what you upgarde to - the fact that the std light is discounted to go with the kit doesnt matter.
As an example i am getting 150wX 2 + T5 X 2 and could upgrade to 250w + T5's for £175 - to go and buy that unit later would cost £800+ !
i REALLY hope i am making the right choice of 150w over 250w for the sake of £170!!!
Very interesting.I wonder how much they would charge now.I have the twin 150watt Aquamedic Future Starlight model,the one that comes with the perc 120.
Cheers for info
Chris
they told me if i wanted to upgrade later it was simply a case of putting the lights i had on ebay and buying new at full retail = a lot more than upgrading now.
my issue isnt price so much.....its just whether 2X250 is even needed?
So full retail is 800 quid u say.Hmm think i'll leave it,have to look at another option.
I personally dont think you would need twin 250 watt but i'm quite noob.I'm sure someone will correcct me.
Chris
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/perc1.jpg
and so it begins!
Got the 100gpd RO unit installed today and tank unpacked.
Will make a 6 inch raised base for the stand saturday as its too low for me....then play around with the RO storage cupboard and plumb in a waste pipe behind the tank direct through the wall to the drain - water changes should be simple.
Also will see my plastics supplier about some trim for the front edge - not sure i like the open glass edge along the front, pity they dont do a similar glass bit like they do to cover the sump area at the back.
also looks a bit smaller than i hoped - pity there isnt a tank between this and their big expensive things - weres a Perc 150 when you need it :D
Hi
Wanna swop that light unit u have there for mine <_< :)
Good luck with setup. i'm sure you will be happy with it
Chris
Good luck with your set up and if you can feed the cables through the cable run into the base with the back off the cabinet the hole for the plugs to go through is damn tight and have to be inside the cupboard otherwise
If you have room leave a gap on the right hand side of tank makes life easier if want to clean the pump filters...centre ones a pain though.
And as i found to my cost (see my thread) make sure your extensions have drip loops and the heater is right at the base of the pump chamber as i think mine was slightly exposed when lost water due to evap and cracked !!!
I have those same lights over my system and have now had to scale back the lighting periods to bring substrate algae bloom under control the times abyss used on his tank are what i should of ran.
with the lights on over 4 hours in warm weather the temp can rise 2-3 degrees
so a clip on fan is well worth the £6
only had mine 3 weeks so all new to me these are just the things ive learnt so far
oh and use decent salifert test kits i been waiting for phosphate and nitrate to bottom out only to find it was over sensative test kits (tropic marin)
All set up now!
Plugs were a squezze but ok.
Ordered an Aquatronica control system to deal with lights/heater/fan/ect (and top up)
Going to rig up my Eheim 2028 cansiter in the morning to provide some mech filtration and whatever else i want in it - will also T off of that to the waste so i can use it to pump directly out to a drain for water changes.
Removed the filter from the main return pump - cant see i'd want to be getting my arm down there to change it when dirty - left them on the other two - see how i go.
So far so good!
T
Got my water set up how i wanted it now.
RO unit and SW/RO all under stairs!
RO switched on every now and then to keep enough RO for top ups and changes (fitted a DI bypass on the RO so i dont get crappy high TDS water when i turn it on after it having been off a few days)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/IMG_2743.jpg
Buckets are see through so i can easily see how much i have.
In the RO tub is a 700lph pump that can either dump RO into the SW tub or direct it to the quick release connector.
In the SW tub is a heater and 1500lph powerhead run when i need to mix up SW.
Theres also a seperate 3000lph PH feeding the SW quick release.
I simply attach my 4m pipe to the quick release i need either RO for the RO store under the tank or attach to the SW when i do water changes (water is piped out the tank through a hole in the wall behind the tank)
Pick shows the 4m attached to the RO out - next to it is the SW out...behind them is the RO - SW pipe.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/IMG_2744.jpg
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