Modications To Boyu 550

[Galvinized83]

As the title says

I'm soon to pick up my 550 but won't be getting it up and running until April as I'm moving house so don't want to move the tank after it's cycled if I don't need to.
So now I have a few months looking at an empty tank (gutted) and was going to use this time to gather all other bits of kit and do any recommended modifications to the tank.
Is the any mods you guys have done or any threads you can point me to for some info
Thanks David

 

[MrLiam]

Is it April next year as its May tomorrow.

 

[Galvinized83]

Oh, it's August we are moving n not April. "I knew it began with an A" hahaha, I leave all the important stuff to my girlfriend which is why I don't know when we are moving lol

 

[MrLiam]

OK Im not as experienced as much as some of the other people but I have the Boyu tl450. The changes that I have made are taken all of the white tubes and bio balls out (replace them with live rock rubble), got a new heater and added a koralia nano circulation pump.

 

[Galvinized83]

OK Im not as experienced as much as some of the other people but I have the Boyu tl450. The changes that I have made are taken all of the white tubes and bio balls out (replace them with live rock rubble), got a new heater and added a koralia nano circulation pump.

Thanks for the imput, I was thinking of running live rock in
the back compartments. Have been reading through forums and looking at some of the mods ppl have done and want to get stuck in so I'm ready to go when we moe house

 

[seffieuk]

to TFF and the Salty side

I started the hobby with the same tank, I loved it, I didnt mod it at all apart from removing all the crud they give you to put in the back filters, noodles, foam, bioballs...........

My sister also had the same tank, she put a light in the back and grew chaeto.

Most people mod the boyu pump to the slightly bigger one, but be careful, sometimes it can cause vibrations........just read woody's journel

What are your plans for stock?

Seffie x

 

[Galvinized83]

Just got my tank today. Hehe, stock wise I would love some clowns and some gobbies or fire fish. (I need to look into compatibilty into them first, I love small fish with bright colores..

Would love some soft corals, them that fan in the flow of the tank..

Just ordered some new LEDs (blue) as the ones that come with the tank are not upto much,,

It will be months untill I move house and get this setup and now I'm thinking of getting a sump running to add volume... Hahaha,

 

[seffieuk]

A goby, clowns and a fire fish are all fine

I always found the moonlights fine. So you will have to fill your time, writing on this forum and reading loads.........woo hoo

Seffie x

 

[Galvinized83]

Can you plz give a link to Woddys journal as I can't find it.

Also, can you give the modle number or any info for the pump that most ppl upgrade to, as I don't want to order the wrong one as the space in the back compartment is rather small!!

Thanks
David

 

[MrLiam]

I think thats the one but I dont know what pump you need Im sure seffie will know or some one who has had the 550
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/348012-overstocked-fowlr-reef-nano/

 

[woody88]

Hi mate, the link above is the correct one for my journel.
I upgraded the pump (temporarily) the led lighting and I'm currently looking into converting the standard PL compact lighting into a 70w metal halide which is gonna mean increasing the size of the vents and upgrading the 2 cooling fans.

Pump wise, I went up to an aps 1800lph pump which gave me awesome flow. Didn't need a powerhead with this baby running. But unfortunately the pump was that big I had to modify the wise to get it to fit which resulted in it being wedged in place and causing a horrible vibrating noise which eventually led to me removing it and putting in the stock


720lph pump which to be honest dosen't do a bad job.
The standard pump turns over around 6 x the total tank volume which ain't too bad for a stock pump.
You may have read that upgraded pumps drain the weirs on the 550. They do if the water level isn't high enough for the water to flow over the 2 middle weirs but it only drains down about half way and then holds at that level.
If there is Continous water flowing over the 2 middle weirs then the water level in the pump weir will remain the same.
In terms if filter media I removed all the sponge, ceramic noodles, bio balls etc and the large piece of sponge in the inlet compartment I cut in half and keep that in just to aid the
skimmer in terms of mechanical filtration.
I currently have 2 stock boyu wg3 skimmers running. One has the cup removed and is running as a phosphate reactor so to speak and it does a great job.
In my one compartment I have live rock rubble, activated carbon and nitrate remover in separate media bags.

If you do decide to upgrade the LEDs in the hood the transformer will successfully run 2 more. I currently have 2 extra red 12v dc led lamps run off the same tranny and the blue and red effect at night along with the shimmer from the surface agitation is awesome.

Check out my journel as it explains in more detail.

Cheers

 

[Galvinized83]

Hi mate, the link above is the correct one for my journel.
I upgraded the pump (temporarily) the led lighting and I'm currently looking into converting the standard PL compact lighting into a 70w metal halide which is gonna mean increasing the size of the vents and upgrading the 2 cooling fans.


Pump wise, I went up to an aps 1800lph pump which gave me awesome flow. Didn't need a powerhead with this baby running. But unfortunately the pump was that big I had to modify the wise to get it to fit which resulted in it being wedged in place and causing a horrible vibrating noise which eventually led to me removing it and putting in the stock


720lph pump which to be honest dosen't do a bad job.
The standard pump turns over around 6 x the total tank volume which ain't too bad for a stock pump.
You may have read that upgraded pumps drain the weirs on the 550. They do if the water level isn't high enough for the water to flow over the 2 middle weirs but it only drains down about half way and then holds at that level.
If there is Continous water flowing over the 2 middle weirs then the water level in the pump weir will remain the same.
In terms if filter media I removed all the sponge, ceramic noodles, bio balls etc and the large piece of sponge in the inlet compartment I cut in half and keep that in just to aid the
skimmer in terms of mechanical filtration.
I currently have 2 stock boyu wg3 skimmers running. One has the cup removed and is running as a phosphate reactor so to speak and it does a great job.
In my one compartment I have live rock rubble, activated carbon and nitrate remover in separate media bags.

If you do decide to upgrade the LEDs in the hood the transformer will successfully run 2 more. I currently have 2 extra red 12v dc led lamps run off the same tranny and the blue and red effect at night along with the shimmer from the surface agitation is awesome.

Check out my journel as it explains in more detail.

Cheers

Thanks for the reply woody, I have been reading your journal since I was provided with the link. Think you have done a fab job so far, think I have a page or two left to read, I'm at the beggining for April.

So would you recommend using a bigger return pump to use in the sump?

My plan is to get all the bits of kit that will be needed, so when I move house I can add my salty water and live rock and get going. So any advice with regards to the bits of kit, pumps, power heads, skimmer. Would go down a treat..

Thanks
David

 

[Galvinized83]

Just finished reading woodys journal and maybe the 1800lph pump is far to big to fit.. Will have a look to see if there is one that is in-between..

I like the idea of lots of flow, as from my early research the more flow the better..

I would like to get a new skimmer as the one that came with the tank is in about 3 bits so would like to use this for something elce

I would also like to mod the compartments in the back as in the centre there is a split in the centre compartments to allow a small amount of water into the 3rd chanmberbif you would. I would like to seal this small gap as to force the flow so it completes a full circle if you get me

 

[woody88]

Hi mate! You can upgrade the pump easily. I think ehiem do a 1200lph pump that fits in the weir no problem but tbh I actually prefer my stock pump with the UV removed and my modified spraybar.
I have 2 powerheads in mine. A koralia nano 900lph to mix up the flow in the tank created by my 3000lph pump that's aimed at the surface.

Modifying the weirs is possible. I read a post on another forum about a guy that cut away the weirs apart from one and used an external sump which was plumbed into the weir but tbh for the size tank that it is IMO I don't think it's worth it.

 

[Galvinized83]

As I'm planning on making a small mod to the back chambe I have a fue questions just before I go about getting the bits I need to carry out the mods,

I will need sealant. Is it best to use 'marine sealant' insted of just normal 'aquarium sealant' ?
Also I will need a small sheet of plastic to cover up the gap in between the two centre most compartments. ( I will uploa a pic later when I find out how).. I was thinking of cutting up a plastic take away food box, will this be ok??

Thanks for your input so far guys n girls.
Any info is a great help

Thanks
David