470g inwall construction thread

[GSchiemer]

Several people have made mention of your attitude and you were the one who got a warning. Send me a pm Greg and we'll work it out.

Exactly when did I get this "warning?" The only "warning" in this thread was a general comment by "Agu" a few pages back and it wasn't directed at me. As a matter of fact, you've been the only one spewing personal insults and attacks. Shall I quote you again?

Here was the "warning:"

Lets keep things civil, avoid personal attacks, and not make derogatory statements about anyone or any group of people. Agu

I have no interest in corresponding with you further in any format; not the least by PM.

 

[GSchiemer]

Boys....boys.....getting back to some actual reef discussions. I have 3 thermometers currently on the systems...one is coming off...1 built internally in the skimmer set to come on at 79 and off at 78. One in the sump on a aquacontroller....getting readings from 79.5 to 78.5 and a temporary one on the side of the tank readings from 77.2 to 78.3. So there's basically a 1.3 degree difference between them. Question...at what location are you guys measuring your water temp...sump, tank, chiller? And your thoughts on a 78 to 79 range?

I'll make one suggestion regarding measuring and controlling temperature. Make sure that the temperature sensor and heating element are in the same body of water, preferably the sump. IOW, you don't want the sensor in the skimmer or tank and the heater in the sump. If the water should ever stop flowing, there is the real danger of over-heating the tank.

Greg

 

[GSchiemer]

My reason for posting that comment was to see how your tank and rockwork differed so much from curts..... And that was my only reason for wanting to see your tank pic's... I have never suggested that mine is better ( which it isn't by far ) and I never posted anything negative about you.... What I simply noticed is that you were knocking curts layout and had not posted anything for him ( or us ) to judge from.... Now from the pictures that I've seen of your tank is two fold: A. It's a beautiful tank full of healthy fish and corals. and B. Your tank layout seems very similar to curts....

IMHO, you started off pretty strong in a neg. way and got pretty much the responses you deserved.... I think it's great that your tank has been featured in sooo many magazines and books and probably on the Discover Chan. "BUT" this "MY WAY IS THE BEST AND ONLY WAY.... and IF YOU"RE NOT DOING IT THIS WAY, YOU"RE SCREWING UP attitude is not a very constructive way to come off.... Now I don't have the books you've mentioned simply because I've only been at this SW Reef thing for about 6 months... BUT.... ( using too many cap's here ) in my 30+ years of FW, I have amassed quite a sizeable library of ref. material that might even rival your own....

So.... take a chill pill and don't frick'n judge people.... your tank is a real piece of work and I thank you for sharing it with us .... But you're not going to see a picture of my tank for a while... It's simply just not that impresive yet... ( and it may never be... ) But when I get along a little further, I'll send them along to you ....

:rollface:

Thanks for the thoughtful and honest reply. I didn't mean to come across as harsh and authoritative, but sometimes it's difficult to convey your true emotions in a post.

Greg

 

[GSchiemer]

Has anybody running MH ever measured the temperature difference between the surface of the tank and the sandbed?

Depending upon how close the lights are to the surface and whether you use glass covers, the temperature of the first 1-2 inches of water can be a few degrees warmer than the bottom. This is not unlike a natural reef.

Greg

 

[fishman805]

Thanks for the thoughtful and honest reply. I didn't mean to come across as harsh and authoritative, but sometimes it's difficult to convey your true emotions in a post.

Greg

You're welcome Greg... No harm no foul... You've obviously got alot of experience to share... specially to someone as new at this as I am ...

 

[mikeo1210]

I have no interest in corresponding with you further in any format

Good at least you got the message.

 

[Knyght]

Soooooooooooo, any updates on what this thread is about?

I especially like the way that you incorporated the steel beams into the framing of the new room. If I ever decide to do what you have done, that is one very useful bit of information. I may never have thought of doing that on my own.

:beachbum:

 

[Broodingwolf]

Hey Curtis --

I just sat down and read the whole thread, and despite the bickering (which started out as interesting and relevant and then degraded into a ****ing match) I really am looking forward to seeing more from you. I don't know if I'll ever have the funds/guts/spousal approval for such a large tank, but I sure love reading about them! In short: carry on, my friend!

 

[curthendrix]

I've been busy this weekend placing frags in the tank. Placed 20 or so acros and montis, 1 blasto, and 1 yuma. I highly recommend the Deltec Aquascape....and a little superglue for good measure on those vertical mounts. I had a power outage Friday night with power going off for approx 8 hrs. Airbreak worked perfectly on the SeaSwirl return and the double checkvalve return also operated flawlessly. As a result, the water level in the sump failed to reach the level required to test the emergency overflow drain.....will probably try a test on the emergency drain in the next week or so. (Generators do come in handy). We're having our downstairs hardwood floors re-done beginning tomorrow so precautions will be in order to protect the tank from the fumes. I will seal the room the best I can and employ lots of carbon. The floors could not be re-done until my old tank was taken down.

 

[1diverdown]

Curt,

just finished reading the last 10 or so pages of this thread and, well, it's been an interesting ride so far

because i know what equipment you're using on your reef, i have been highly interested in seeing the finished product. first of all, visually it is very impressive. wow. you have clearly spared no expense, which is the way to go if you're going to do it once (no point in wasting money on something you'll be replacing in a few years). it's great seeing someone making the committment to their life support instead of saying 'i'll only spend this much on my equipment so i can get that $200 frag right away.' then when it doesn't survive, it's 'well i better get another $200 frag so i can replace the one that died' not realizing that often it's the equipment that's the weak point. OTOH, there's no substitute for proper husbandry. which brings me to Mr Schiemer.

although he might have come across a wee bit harsh, Greg is a brilliant aquarist, and has probably forgotten more knowledge about reefkeeping than i will ever have. his point about the bulkhead placement is a legitimate one, and became a very real issue on a 3500g reef system that Mike Paletta and i consulted on. the tank was built by a custom builder, with bulkheads drilled in the bottom and lower back, even though we stongly urged him not to do it. ultimately, the tank started to split, and needed to be drained. although top quality ball valves were used, after only 10 months they had calcified to a point of failure, which Mike and i discovered the hard way. Deltec is making a new 5000g system for this client, and, as it has since they first started making systems, taking the pipes over the top, down the back, and out to the front for the closed loop. the nozzles point back to the reef, and with a bit of creativity, can be hidden with rock work. i don't know how you can add a preventative measure to the lower BHs, but if there's a way to do it before your system gets too established, i'd highly recommend it.

thanks for keeping us involved with your reef:thumbsup:

Doug

 

[nbd13]

is there a reason you did not just go with 1 1/2" bulkheads instead of the 1" you went with for the returns from you barricuda?

i am having James build my tank and will have a Dart on a closed loop 2" intake and then i am doing 4 1.5" out puts....

wondering why you went smaller than 1.5" since the output of the barricuda is 1.5"

let me know what you think, hes going to build it on monday!

thanks!

Nick

 

[curthendrix]

is there a reason you did not just go with 1 1/2" bulkheads instead of the 1" you went with for the returns from you barricuda?

A couple or reasons. The first is that I have five 1" bh coming off the 1 1/2" output from the pump. With the 1 1/2" output being fed into 5 bh, I don't believe I'm restricting very much flow, if any, compared to having 1 1/2" bh. Looking back at my design, it would have made more sense to use 3/4" bh since I had to use a reducer to get to the 3/4" locline that I'm using in the tank as the returns out of the bhs. BTW..I'm sure you'll be as pleased with your as I am mine.

 

[nbd13]

see i am using locline also....

maybe i will change the bulkheads to 1" instead of 1.5", i guess it will help alot in terms of flow.... since 1.5" bulkheads wont have much flow and i need to get to 1" anyway for the new 1" loc line from ocean motions tha i will be using.....

i will call James on monday....

thanks again, any new pics!

very nice so far!

Nick

 

[curthendrix]

I'm having my downstairs wood floors re-done beginning next week.....in wall water leak a couple of months ago destroyed the old floors. Anyway, trying to make a plan on how to protect my livestock from the fumes of the stain and polyurethane. Thus far I have the following planned:
1) Seal the room the best I can
2) Use a carbon based industrial air purifier in the fishroom during the staining and finishing
3) Use a de-humidifier in the seal room
4) Carbon in tank
5) Tank lights off during staining and finishing...due to heat in the sealed room which I won't be able to evacuate
6) Air vent to room sealed or carbon filter over it...haven't decided yet.

I have an temp and humidity controlled exhaust system in the room, but by turning it on I would be drawing fumes into the room...so it will be off with the de-humidifier on.

Any other ideas? Thoughts? I've been dreading these next two weeks for months but I had to wait until the fishroom was finished and old tank torn down before I had the floors finished.

 

[nbd13]

and you used a dart for this closed loop right?

if so how many gph do you think you are getting out of each "y" peice of loc-line?

thanks again!

Nick

 

[NexDog]

Nick, I'm having James build my tank(s) too and I'm going with 1.5" returns. I'll have 4 in the back between the overflows and 2 on each end. I think sticking loclines out the bulkheads negates one of the main reasons for using CL's instead of a Tunze system and that's looks. You'll get good flow out of 4 1.5" returns. I'm not even sure 4 3/4" returns can handle 3200gph?

 

[nbd13]

intresting point.....

maybe i will stick with 1.5" bulkheads and try the locline and if i dont like it i will stick with some else....

thanks!

Nick

 

[nbd13]

hey did you get James to include the bulkheads for you?

if so what type of bulkhead did you go with?

slipx slip? threadedx threaded?

thanks!

Nick

 

[NexDog]

Tank hasn't been built yet. But I'm hoping he'll include the bulkheads. I have no idea what a slipx or threadedx is. When it comes to plumbing you might as well talk about subatomic particle beams because my knowledge of either is remarkably similar.

 

[nbd13]

he will include them, if you pay for them....haha

Nick