Awais' 120g Build

And now there is this dark brown stuck-on stuff finger tip sized, on the rocks near the lights. Difficult to pluck them out, but possible with artery forceps. On close look, it does have filaments...so its some kind of fungus/algae.... wonder what it is and if its going to cause trouble?

It does not look like dinos nor cyano. What kinda algae is it, is it going to hinder the growth of some corals there and how to get it?






 
Thanks twiggyb. have a yellow tang that seems to me picking on it, but mmm maybe thats a reason enough to get another tang!!!!:bounce1:

twiggyb said:
Kinda looks like a micro algae, a bristletooth tang of some sort should take care of that pretty easy.
Click to expand...
 
A yellow will eat it, but the mouth isn't designed to scrape off the rocks like a bristletooth would. Yellows are good for the longer algae, bristles for the short stuff
 
Looks good Awais! Looks like film algae on the surface of the rock but are you sure the nubs aren't sponge? When you pulled it off, was it lighter or white inside? If it's sponge, leave it alone, that's one of the most efficient natural water filters there is.
 
Thanks Smooth
When i pulled them off, they are filamentous fibers, definately some algae. Ive had sponges very early on, and this is different. Maybe the light reflection on the pics seems to show it is lighter in color, but these are dark brown in color. They wont come off easy, have to use a forceps to pull em off.
I just did a 20% water change and decreased the already low mysis.... and see where we go.....if it doesnt help soon, next will be lights off...

smoothdog said:
Looks good Awais! Looks like film algae on the surface of the rock but are you sure the nubs aren't sponge? When you pulled it off, was it lighter or white inside? If it's sponge, leave it alone, that's one of the most efficient natural water filters there is.
Click to expand...
 
awais98 said:
Finally got the 2 4x4 columns and beam spanning 2 joists under the DT.
Feel better, finally wont yell when my son jumps walks :bounce3:









So, as to your plumbing noise, which pipe is which left to right? You made a comment about noise from the third pipe, this pipe shouldn't have any flow anyway. Going from the pick above I am hoping that the pipe. On the left,the straight one is your full siphon correct? This pipe needs to have the vavle opened more. It is hard to get perfect with a ball vavle but is possible. Confirm that I am looking at things correctly and we can go from there.
Click to expand...
 
So from left to right:

Left: Full siphon: elbow turned downwards
middle: Air line siphon, elbow turned downwards
Right: emergency with elbow turned upwards.



I agree that the full siphon valve should not be closed that much at all, it is that way because I could never get it to work the right way.

Ill explain it with pics:
My overflow weir is end to end on the inside back of the tank



I have the feeling, the way I had make the vertical slits on the overflow elbows ( see pic below), might also have to do with my failure.
After researching a lot, I found that the main full siphon slits/opening should be a little lower then the others.
If that is true, then I am not 100% sure how I am going to do it now.... A: either change the elbow( which I believe might be impossible, its probably tight and with the hood and all, its going to be a challenge) or B: Put some tape on the upper parts of the elbow slits, so that the opening is a little lower.


If I do put that tape/change that elbow.... open up the valve more.... I believe the water level in the overflow would get lower..... 2 problems...... water falling lower into the weir from the tank itself causes noise 2nd: the airsiphon line... which ideally shud be sitting just above the elbow.....will start making a LOTTTTTT of noise....
That 2nd reason... is the reason I got frustrated and I just let it ( air line) always be under water....
So when that happened, I had 2 full siphons...... water would flow out too fast...... to decrease that flow..... the valves are so closed....as you see in the first picture..... and now the emergency upturned elbow has to work.... and as I believe enough water flows through it I get some noise ( my current issue)...its not very noisy but definitely noticable.

Ive tried so many times, its not even funny.
So thats my oveflow saga.....

Id love if you or any one can help.

[/QUOTE]
So, as to your plumbing noise, which pipe is which left to right? You made a comment about noise from the third pipe, this pipe shouldn't have any flow anyway. Going from the pick above I am hoping that the pipe. On the left,the straight one is your full siphon correct? This pipe needs to have the vavle opened more. It is hard to get perfect with a ball vavle but is possible. Confirm that I am looking at things correctly and we can go from there.[/QUOTE]
 
Are those 90s in the overflow glued into the bulheads?

Have you tried the middle 90 in the up position? Both he middle and right pipe should be open completely. Then adjust flow on line 1.

If they are. Not glued you can just replace the 2&3 90s. Put very small cuts (1/4 inch) in one this will be your middle 90. The third does not need any slots as it should not have flow except In case of emergency.

The up turned 90 will raise water in overflow so that it is not making a lot of noise. The trick is adjusting the vavle on line one. It HAS TO MATCH the flow of your pump exactly. On manifold systems opening and closing valves will change this flow on single pump systems requiring the main vavle to be readjusted for the change in flow. This fine tuning is where gate vavles excellent they are much easier to fine tune. If possible I would change the ball vavle on line 1 to a gate vavle, you will not regret it as it will really make this much easier to fine tune.

Hope that helps
 
Those elbows are all TIGHTLY screwed in :D newbie mistake.

Ill try to see if I can get them off at all.

So as I understand:

1: I do not do anything to elbow one.
2: Middle elbow remove and make 1/4" slots and put it turned up
3: replace right elbow elbow with no slots.
4: Change the valve to gate valve on #1.

Question, as middle elbow would be turned up, wouldnt it make lot of noise with water and air mixing?
Well, let me see if i can even change them! Ill keep posted.

Thank you!


Chris Abbott said:
Are those 90s in the overflow glued into the bulheads?

Have you tried the middle 90 in the up position? Both he middle and right pipe should be open completely. Then adjust flow on line 1.

If they are. Not glued you can just replace the 2&3 90s. Put very small cuts (1/4 inch) in one this will be your middle 90. The third does not need any slots as it should not have flow except In case of emergency.

The up turned 90 will raise water in overflow so that it is not making a lot of noise. The trick is adjusting the vavle on line one. It HAS TO MATCH the flow of your pump exactly. On manifold systems opening and closing valves will change this flow on single pump systems requiring the main vavle to be readjusted for the change in flow. This fine tuning is where gate vavles excellent they are much easier to fine tune. If possible I would change the ball vavle on line 1 to a gate vavle, you will not regret it as it will really make this much easier to fine tune.

Hope that helps
Click to expand...
 
Good suggestions but I would also switch the first elbow to one with no slots. Gives more room for forgiveness on your siphon.

Also it will quiet down if your plumbing in the basement has 45s instead of 90s. The emergency line doesn't matter much as it shouldn't have water through it except for in an emergency. Line 2 however should have just enough flow that it flows down the outside of the pipe and 90s will create spots will water will fall and make noise.
 
I was able to turn the elbows! yeppie...I put some tape to test the idea and seems like the noise is somewhat better .... now all I hear is the water crashing violently from the powerheads into the weir....LOL

Off I go to Lowes for the new elbows and a gate valve

Ill keep you posted how it turns out. Thank you Chris and Vspeck

There are other issues, Ill get to once I get this one fixed.
 
Awesome. The crash of water into the overflow is hard to get rid of. I find if I get rid of the powerheads aiming that way that I get more crap building on the surface.
 
The 90 being turned up will raise the water in the weir which should help a little with that noise. The idea is to have 99.5% of the water going down tube 1 and the rest bairly trickling down tube 2. I agree with a vspeck that replacing the 90 in tube two with 45s would make it less likely to produce water dripping noises.
 
I was able to change all 3 elbows!!
I found out the 3rd emergency elbow, I had drilled a little lower then the other two. So I had to make 1/2 " slots instead of 1/4 on the 2nd elbow.
Also, when I turned the 3rd elbow, it turned the bulkhead which lead to a tiny leak on the back of the tank....heart skipped beats...... managed to tighten the bulkhead a little more and remove the elbow carefully.... but all done!!

I didnt find the gate valve at HD or lowes, so decided to try it this way...... seems its working great!!!!!!! Just the water crashing sound from the powerheads!

Thanks you guys!!!! You rock!!!!!!!!!
Heres a pic
 
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