BobcatReefer

I was going back through this thread yesterday after seeing the tank on Sat and had to have a laugh at some of the vids. Kim's got a tow-headed toddler on her hip in the vid, just like she did on Saturday...I had to doublecheck the date of the vid/post! lol - same mom, new kid! Also, same kid featured in one of the end-of-clip "outtakes running around being loud was the same one announcing it was his house too on Sat! Sounds like he's been consistent over the years, eh?

I really want to be a fish in that tank right now! Feel like that would be a great spot to cuddle up and nap!

That's just really impressive. Cheers to that effort, sir!

One on Tues, one on Weds (yesterday).

OK, next up: tank cycling. It's been 10+ years since I've done this, and the last time I did it, I just tossed a couple of damsels in for 2 weeks and considered it done. All the LR in the tank today was sitting in a tub w/ sw, heater and pump for the duration of the tank swap. About a 10 days ago, I turned off the pump and heater to see if I could draw any more worms out (nope), and then they were left out on the deck for about 48 hours before I put the scape together. Sand is 40# Original Grade Ocean Direct Live Reef and 40# Fiji Pink Arag-Alive! and water has been in for about 4 days now. There is also a 4" DSB of live sand from the old tank in the fuge, but I'm not sure how "live" that is right now, after sitting in a bin (w/ sw) for ~6 weeks. All I've done so far is throw a couple cubes of food in. Haven't put the lighting up on the DT, but the fuge light has been going 24/7. Nitrates are <10ppm. Nitrites = 0. Ammonia = 0 Thoughts? Suggestions?

The return enters the tank too far below the water line for the siphon break to work - I should have put it higher, but I didn't. Live and learn. The only reason I've seen to not have a check valve is that they fail, typically over time. My plan is to upgrade this setup within 3 years, so I'm not too worried about it.

Well, I gave it a go backing down the flow and my suspicion was confirmed - very tough to find the right point where it was quiet, but still w/ enough flow to keep up w/ the pump. Got the Stockman installed and we're down to a much more manageable low gurgle. Next challenge: installing a check valve on already installed plumbing. That should be fun!

It's got a valve on it, I just don't want to use it for that purpose. Maybe I am overthinking it, but I'd rather have it going full out than not, given that I have the other one restricted. Basically, I'm scared to death I'll screw it up and overflow my tank.

The noise is from the water going down the pipe, not from the fall into the box. I could restrict the flow w/ a valve like I'm doing on the other one, but I want this side running at max flow.

It's loud at the HOB, not the sump. I fixed the sump noise by swapping out for a longer pipe that ends below the waterline. I've got to get this done tonight or it's going to drive me bonkers!

It's a single drain overflow (well, two of them on opposite sides of the tank), and both those solutions are multiple drain solutions, no? Only one is loud, because the one going to the fuge is backed down quite a bit. I'm going to try the Stockman and if it works, bueno. If not, I'll give the Hofer Gurgle Buster a shot.

You and I have similar taste in swimmers B2H!

meh - just annoying mistakes. Go to youtube vid for Stockman build and the guy says 1.25" compression coupling, you buy the 1.25" compression coupling. But you really need the 1" compression coupling. And the hardware store isn't open after 7, so there's only time for 1 trip per night. The overflows are SO FREAKIN LOUD!!!

If you're going to be an expert and make youtube videos about how to DIY something, then MAKE SURE you have the measurements/parts CORRECT!!!

Thanks! It actually came together much easier than I had thought it would. Used extra thick superglue gel so that placement is where it is for life. I tried to make plenty of swim-thru holes, overhangs, and still have lots of flat space for corals. Also wanted a ton of open area so it wasn't just a mass of rocks piled on the back wall. Pretty happy w/ how it turned out!

WooHoo!! Water is in, salted to taste and now clear!

heh... Power outage test showed that I'm screwed unless I add a check valve. Even w/ my siphon break on the return fitting, water will still trickle because the lower arm of the locline Y is still below the waterline. Need to get working on those Stockman silencers, because this thing is loud as all get out!

So far, so good. Had a brain cramp while getting the sump/fuge levels right and dumped some over the top, but overall pretty much as expected. Definitely see some design flaws, but easy ones to fix: Main return pipe needs to be submerged in the sump. Fuge returns need to have more holes drilled, and maybe capped.

[emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]

le sigh... Halfway through priming/cementing last night, I discovered that even the small side of a 1" union won't fit through the holes I had so carefully drilled, sanded and painted. So seeing as how I'm home sick today, I stopped off at the hardware store in between the doctor and the pharmacy to pick up a bigger bit, and now I'm waiting for paint to dry to continue on the plumbing.

Thanks Kim! Here are the runners the magnets will attach to. Have one up already, but only have one set of clamps so it will take a couple of days to get them all on the stand.

Thanks!

Also pulled the trigger on painting the plastic wood trim on the tank and it actually turned out amazing!