In what can only be referred to as a ridiculously long time in between updates, I proudly present you with Stupid Aquarium Tricks Part 2. Finally, an update to the original SAT. Without further ado, here we go!
Q) What kind of pump should I run? Internal or External?
A) External if you can. I was originally intimidated by external pumps due to the plumbing requirements and leaking possibilities. After sticking with internal pumps (Mag-Drive, Eheim, Rio, etc) for a while, I have finally made the leap to external. Sure, it’s more plumbing, but i’m getting more than double the output on my Reeflo Dart than I was on my Mag 18 for about the same power draw. I also have a lot more capability with that pump and it adds less heat into the water. I won’t say it adds no heat to the water, but i’ll definitely say less.
Q) What kind of circulation pumps should I run?
A) None! Build a surge and/or a closed loop! After several iterations of circulation pumps (Tunze, Seio, Hydor, etc) I can safely say that they all suck! The nice ones are certainly not a cheap solution and although they seem to do a good job, it’s nothing compared to what even a small surge device can do. Toss in the required controller to make the Tunzes really do their thing and the cost of a surge and/or closed loop is negligible. Let’s do the math, i’ll grab some prices from MarineDepot…
- 2x Tunze 6125 pumps - $535.78
- Tunze 7095 controller - $270.27
Total for the circulation pump solution… $806.05! Yeah, almost a grand for two little pumps and a controller.
Now let’s do a closed loop with a wicked OceansMotions 4-way on it for that nice random flow effect.
- Reeflo Dart - $259.99
- OceansMotions 4-way 1.5″ x 4x 1″ with #3 Drum (Source : OceansMotions) - $389.00
Total for the Closed Loop solution… $648.99. Almost two hundred dollars less! You could actually toss in another small pump and a surge device and still be around the same price as the circulation pump setup.
Just remember… most circulation pumps will add heat to the water, provide a very directional and laminar flow pattern, and have to be cleaned a lot. Also remember that circulation pumps leave you staring at this ugly black/grey plastic pump in the middle of your nice reef tank. 
Closed loops have to be cleaned as well, but they’re not nearly as horrid about it from what I can tell. Just make sure that when you plumb a closed loop that you use unions and valves so you can remove it for when you have to clean it!
Q) Where should I put my tank? I’d like to put it right up against the wall so you can’t see behind it!
A) Remember, if you can’t get behind the tank, you can’t WORK ON IT. Think long and hard about this one because once the tank is in place and full of livestock it’s nearly impossible to move! Tanks belong 12+ inches from the wall, especially if you’re running closed loops or you’re plumbing your returns up the back of the tank.
Q) How does Kalkwasser work?
A) I won’t go into the dynamics of how Kalkwasser actually works, there are plenty of articles on that. The basic thing is that you mix the Kalkwasser powder with fresh water and drip it into your tank. The solution that is created is high in pH and very rich in Calcium. Some people use their ATO to push Kalk into the system, but I highly discourage that. Quit being cheap and get a separate container to run your Kalk in… then drip it into the tank. Running it through your ATO is disastrous when your evaporation rate increases or you do a water change and don’t put enough water back in the tank. When the ATO kicks in to compensate you get a large dose of water that’s 14pH into your reef. Next thing you know, you’re sitting at a 9+ pH and hoping everything survives. Trust me on this one, it’s worth the secondary chamber (like a Kalk reactor) or a simple bucket drip setup.
Q) Kalkwasser sounds dangerous! Is it worth it?
A) Absolutely. Just go read up on it and learn from the mistakes of others. Kalkwasser is a really inexpensive way to supplement the water in your reef and it does work quite well. Just be prepared to set it up properly.
Q) PVC pipe is hard to work with, should I use flexible tubing?
A) No! You should learn to plumb and/or get help from friends! Trust me on this one. Flexible PVC is one thing, but the tubing stuff can be very restrictive on flow. Not to mention the fact that it’s clear and builds up algae inside of it really fast. I’ve gone down the flexible tubing road a few times because it was so easy to deal with, only to realize the error of my ways later on and regret it. The simple reality is that PVC takes a little practice, but it’s cheap so you can afford to make a few mistakes. 