maestro
17-01-07, 00:53
Converting a Juwel tank to marine spec
The Juwel series of tanks are very popular among tropical aquarists: they are attractive and generally well made and a lot of aquarists moving from tropicals start their venture into marines by modifying their existing Juwel tanks. Although not ideal for marine as is, with a few modifications and a little planning they can become beautiful marine aquariums. In this article we offer some tips and advice on how to convert them.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel70.jpg
Lighting
Juwel tanks are supplied with 2 t8 fluorescent tubes, and while these are adequate for tropicals and even a fish-only marine tank they don’t give out enough light to support corals and therefore will need to be upgraded. There are several options on how to go about this; it’s best to research what sort of corals you wish to keep first and then match your lighting to fit their requirements. Generally the soft corals tolerate lower light levels and would be fine under 2 or even better 4 t5’s with reflectors whereas some hard coral species like Acropora need bright intense lighting to thrive so would need many t5’s or metal halide lights
Options:
1. Arcadia do a twin t5 fitting called an I-Bar which is designed for Juwel tanks. This simply supplements the t8s and so doesn’t need any further mods (though adding a pair of reflectors would help considerably). Note that the t5s are not full width. You can then add one or more extra tubes under the front and back covers, the Arcadia t5s can appear a touch yellow so 1 or 2 actinic tubes would be a good idea. Be aware that under an enclosed lid, heat may become an issue, especially in the summer months, so ensure that the rear lid can be removed so that a clip-on fan can be added.
Arcadia I bar and I bar fitted to modified hood
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel80.jpg
2. Another very good option is to invest in an overtank luminaire. The Arcadia range of luminaires are designed to fit the Juwels perfectly; they sit on the rim of the tank so you will need to remove the Juwel hood. As the tank is effectively open top you get a lot of airflow around the lights and water surface, meaning heat is not so much of a problem although a clip on fan may still be needed in the summer. The extra airflow also improves gas exchange at the water surface, which helps keep the PH up and stable. The luminaires come in a 2 t5 version or 4 t5’s (recommended).
Arcadia Luminaire and Luminaire lighting a Rio 180
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel73.jpg
3. Remove the hood and go open-topped with one or more metal halides. The advantage of halides is that you can fit a lot of light over a small surface area, which is especially handy for the Trigon range. Note that a lot of Juwel tanks have black brace bars which will cast a nasty shadow from a single halide; with a dual halide unit you will not get this unsightly problem. Be aware that halides do create a lot of heat and you will need to use several fans or invest in a cooler to keep the temperature down and stable.
RIO 180 with Dual halide unit and Trigon 350 with single Pendent
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel74.jpg
Filtration and Circulation
By far the most popular method of filtration is the Berlin method which uses live rock. You will need approx 1kg of live rock for every 2 gallons of water, and for this filtration method to work efficiently you will need to have good water circulation around the tank. Juwel tanks are supplied with a single powerhead but this will not be adequate. As a guide you should be looking at 20x volume per hour circulation for soft corals and 40x tank volume per hour circulation for hard corals.
For example, if you have a Rio 240 = 240 litres for 20x per hour circulation you would need powerheads rated for 4800 lph total (240x20= 4800)
This can be provided by adding one or more powerheads: the Tunze streams and nano streams, while expensive, offer excellent performance and build quality. The advantage of the Tunzes is they give out a softer wide surge of water instead of the narrow jet created by standard powerheads such as Maxijets. Seio pumps also give out this wider surge and although they don’t quite match the build quality of the Tunze models they are very affordable.
From left to right, Tunze stream, seio pump, maxijet and Tunze nano stream
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel91.jpg
Protein skimming
One of the most important elements of the Berlin method is the protein skimmer. It is really worth buying the best skimmer you can possibly afford: skimp here and you’ll pay a lot more in the long run.
Unless you install a sump (see later) you will need a hang on back skimmer. The best on the market is the Deltec MCE 600: this skimmer also has the advantage that there is no unsightly pump to sit in the tank. For small tanks of less than 30 gallons (135 litres), there is also now a smaller version called the MCE300.
Other options are TMC V2 skimmers as well as the New Wave skimmers which seem extremely good value although with these two makes the design means the pump does sit in the tank.
Left to right, Deltec MCE 600, TMC V2 Range and Wave hang on back skimmer
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel75.jpg
Adding a sump
A sump has many benefits for reefkeeping, not least of which is that it hides unsightly skimmers and heaters and other equipment out of view. It also creates a constant water level in the main tank and is a high flow location to add additives and other media. A sump can include a section to grow some macro algae: the algae absorbs phosphates and nitrates as they grow, therefore reducing the levels of these nutrients in the water,
The supplied cabinets are not ideal for housing a sump. The internal vertical support can be removed and replaced with front and back braces, or a section can be cut out before the cabinet is built. A removable ‘leg’ can be made for bracing, but be aware that these should never be removed while the tank is full and if you do decide to remove the vertical support then you do need to reinforce the cabinet. On tanks with an open middle section, some kind of door would be needed to hide the sump. In this example a side panel for a Rio cabinet happened to be nearly the right size. Homebase do a handle indistinguishable from the Juwel ones.
Left to right Section cut out for sump, Sump installed, Extra door fitted to cover gap
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel76.jpg
The tank itself will need to be drilled before setting up to allow water to flow to the sump. There are many options open for weir design: check out the Member’s Tank section for ideas on this and the Sump sticky for sump design.
An alternative to drilling, for example if the tank is already set up, is to use an overflow box. This allows water to be drawn up and over the top of the tank and down to the sump. There are various manufacturers of overflow boxes; you need to check how much clearance is needed at the back of the tank and also the claimed flow rate to ensure the overflow box is suitable.
From left to right Cleartides, Aquamedic and Schuran overflow boxes
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel77.jpg
If you intend to run the tank without a sump then there are a few things you can do to keep the tank neat and tidy: an external pump can be placed in the cabinet below and used to run a closed loop to provide additional water circulation without cluttering the tank with powerheads. Additionally the closed loop can also be used to feed a hang on back fluidizer, which when filled with Rowaphos or similar is a great tool for phosphate reduction
You could also use the closed loop to feed a hang on back refugium, or even a Nitrate or Zeovit reactor, which could come in useful if you plan to keep SPS corals. An external heater can be plumbed into the closed loop to again keep as much equipment as possible out of view.
This picture shows a closed loop pump which runs a zeovit reactor, the salt bucket below acts as a RO water reservoir for an auto top up system
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/monti876052.jpg
Most people find the fitted internal filter an eyesore and it takes up valuable space. If you’re using the Berlin method mentioned above, it isn’t needed and can be emptied (and just used to hide the powerhead and heater) or removed completely. To remove, use a sharp flexible blade to gently slice through the silicone. Any remaining silicone comes off easily with vinegar.
There are many great examples of Juwel conversions on UltimateReef to show it can be done, if you have any questions on how to set up your tank please post your question in the help and advice or reefs forum or contact a member of the new member help team
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwelexamples5.jpg
This has been a Maestro / Cajen co-production
_____________________
UR.com Team
Copyright © 2006 UltimateReef.com (http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=190134)
The Juwel series of tanks are very popular among tropical aquarists: they are attractive and generally well made and a lot of aquarists moving from tropicals start their venture into marines by modifying their existing Juwel tanks. Although not ideal for marine as is, with a few modifications and a little planning they can become beautiful marine aquariums. In this article we offer some tips and advice on how to convert them.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel70.jpg
Lighting
Juwel tanks are supplied with 2 t8 fluorescent tubes, and while these are adequate for tropicals and even a fish-only marine tank they don’t give out enough light to support corals and therefore will need to be upgraded. There are several options on how to go about this; it’s best to research what sort of corals you wish to keep first and then match your lighting to fit their requirements. Generally the soft corals tolerate lower light levels and would be fine under 2 or even better 4 t5’s with reflectors whereas some hard coral species like Acropora need bright intense lighting to thrive so would need many t5’s or metal halide lights
Options:
1. Arcadia do a twin t5 fitting called an I-Bar which is designed for Juwel tanks. This simply supplements the t8s and so doesn’t need any further mods (though adding a pair of reflectors would help considerably). Note that the t5s are not full width. You can then add one or more extra tubes under the front and back covers, the Arcadia t5s can appear a touch yellow so 1 or 2 actinic tubes would be a good idea. Be aware that under an enclosed lid, heat may become an issue, especially in the summer months, so ensure that the rear lid can be removed so that a clip-on fan can be added.
Arcadia I bar and I bar fitted to modified hood
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel80.jpg
2. Another very good option is to invest in an overtank luminaire. The Arcadia range of luminaires are designed to fit the Juwels perfectly; they sit on the rim of the tank so you will need to remove the Juwel hood. As the tank is effectively open top you get a lot of airflow around the lights and water surface, meaning heat is not so much of a problem although a clip on fan may still be needed in the summer. The extra airflow also improves gas exchange at the water surface, which helps keep the PH up and stable. The luminaires come in a 2 t5 version or 4 t5’s (recommended).
Arcadia Luminaire and Luminaire lighting a Rio 180
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel73.jpg
3. Remove the hood and go open-topped with one or more metal halides. The advantage of halides is that you can fit a lot of light over a small surface area, which is especially handy for the Trigon range. Note that a lot of Juwel tanks have black brace bars which will cast a nasty shadow from a single halide; with a dual halide unit you will not get this unsightly problem. Be aware that halides do create a lot of heat and you will need to use several fans or invest in a cooler to keep the temperature down and stable.
RIO 180 with Dual halide unit and Trigon 350 with single Pendent
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel74.jpg
Filtration and Circulation
By far the most popular method of filtration is the Berlin method which uses live rock. You will need approx 1kg of live rock for every 2 gallons of water, and for this filtration method to work efficiently you will need to have good water circulation around the tank. Juwel tanks are supplied with a single powerhead but this will not be adequate. As a guide you should be looking at 20x volume per hour circulation for soft corals and 40x tank volume per hour circulation for hard corals.
For example, if you have a Rio 240 = 240 litres for 20x per hour circulation you would need powerheads rated for 4800 lph total (240x20= 4800)
This can be provided by adding one or more powerheads: the Tunze streams and nano streams, while expensive, offer excellent performance and build quality. The advantage of the Tunzes is they give out a softer wide surge of water instead of the narrow jet created by standard powerheads such as Maxijets. Seio pumps also give out this wider surge and although they don’t quite match the build quality of the Tunze models they are very affordable.
From left to right, Tunze stream, seio pump, maxijet and Tunze nano stream
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel91.jpg
Protein skimming
One of the most important elements of the Berlin method is the protein skimmer. It is really worth buying the best skimmer you can possibly afford: skimp here and you’ll pay a lot more in the long run.
Unless you install a sump (see later) you will need a hang on back skimmer. The best on the market is the Deltec MCE 600: this skimmer also has the advantage that there is no unsightly pump to sit in the tank. For small tanks of less than 30 gallons (135 litres), there is also now a smaller version called the MCE300.
Other options are TMC V2 skimmers as well as the New Wave skimmers which seem extremely good value although with these two makes the design means the pump does sit in the tank.
Left to right, Deltec MCE 600, TMC V2 Range and Wave hang on back skimmer
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel75.jpg
Adding a sump
A sump has many benefits for reefkeeping, not least of which is that it hides unsightly skimmers and heaters and other equipment out of view. It also creates a constant water level in the main tank and is a high flow location to add additives and other media. A sump can include a section to grow some macro algae: the algae absorbs phosphates and nitrates as they grow, therefore reducing the levels of these nutrients in the water,
The supplied cabinets are not ideal for housing a sump. The internal vertical support can be removed and replaced with front and back braces, or a section can be cut out before the cabinet is built. A removable ‘leg’ can be made for bracing, but be aware that these should never be removed while the tank is full and if you do decide to remove the vertical support then you do need to reinforce the cabinet. On tanks with an open middle section, some kind of door would be needed to hide the sump. In this example a side panel for a Rio cabinet happened to be nearly the right size. Homebase do a handle indistinguishable from the Juwel ones.
Left to right Section cut out for sump, Sump installed, Extra door fitted to cover gap
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel76.jpg
The tank itself will need to be drilled before setting up to allow water to flow to the sump. There are many options open for weir design: check out the Member’s Tank section for ideas on this and the Sump sticky for sump design.
An alternative to drilling, for example if the tank is already set up, is to use an overflow box. This allows water to be drawn up and over the top of the tank and down to the sump. There are various manufacturers of overflow boxes; you need to check how much clearance is needed at the back of the tank and also the claimed flow rate to ensure the overflow box is suitable.
From left to right Cleartides, Aquamedic and Schuran overflow boxes
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwel77.jpg
If you intend to run the tank without a sump then there are a few things you can do to keep the tank neat and tidy: an external pump can be placed in the cabinet below and used to run a closed loop to provide additional water circulation without cluttering the tank with powerheads. Additionally the closed loop can also be used to feed a hang on back fluidizer, which when filled with Rowaphos or similar is a great tool for phosphate reduction
You could also use the closed loop to feed a hang on back refugium, or even a Nitrate or Zeovit reactor, which could come in useful if you plan to keep SPS corals. An external heater can be plumbed into the closed loop to again keep as much equipment as possible out of view.
This picture shows a closed loop pump which runs a zeovit reactor, the salt bucket below acts as a RO water reservoir for an auto top up system
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/monti876052.jpg
Most people find the fitted internal filter an eyesore and it takes up valuable space. If you’re using the Berlin method mentioned above, it isn’t needed and can be emptied (and just used to hide the powerhead and heater) or removed completely. To remove, use a sharp flexible blade to gently slice through the silicone. Any remaining silicone comes off easily with vinegar.
There are many great examples of Juwel conversions on UltimateReef to show it can be done, if you have any questions on how to set up your tank please post your question in the help and advice or reefs forum or contact a member of the new member help team
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/juwelexamples5.jpg
This has been a Maestro / Cajen co-production
_____________________
UR.com Team
Copyright © 2006 UltimateReef.com (http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=190134)