Calistyle's 120G Peninsula Build

[christygirl]

Cali,

That is good about the flex. I had trouble with that on one of my earlier tanks.... So, in my new build I built a prechamber for the water to flow into... This way, I never touch the pipes or valves.... Kind of a set it and forget it method.... Especially helpful since I am running a Bean animal overflow. Here is a sketch...

 

[christygirl]

The water lows into a pre chamber and then flows over and through the sock.... Also, if the sock clogs, there is a slot that allows water to pass to the baffles..... This makes it flood proof and also alerts you to a sock change because it is noisier.

 

[calistyle]

Very cool Randy!

I have the plumbing for your (gate valves) and discotu's ideas. I'm going to mock those up this evening and see what works best.

I've also switched from Durso to Stockman overflow and that has made the tank silent. (kinda, flow accelerator issue remains, more later)

 

[lowbudget]

when in doubt more glue. they have a special glue call Arron at sps coral store he told me about it

 

[calistyle]

Light is hung and running in bali mode @ 30% power. I'll mess around with it over the next few weeks.

The aquascape isn't done, we just dumped in 80-100 lbs of the rock.

 

[discotu]

I have Randy's old sump with essentially the same design and i love it. Just a couple things i modified:
-offset the sock holder so the plastic rim of the sock sits flush with the plate. currently the sock ring sits above the plate and the water has to flow up and over it.
-added two ribs "V" shaped on the sock plate that channels the water from the prefilter to the center of the sock. otherwise some water flows past the sides of the sock and drips into the sock chamber. the dripping sound is actually pretty loud.
-i temporarily blocked half of the second set of baffles so that the water flows into the front left chamber first then into the return pump chamber last.

Cali, once you put some distance btw the 90 to the Y/T split the flow will be closer to even. adding gate valves will just add bulk to the plumbing and is unnecessary.

 

[christygirl]

Discotu,

Yes, I was going to add a second layer of acrylic with a hole that was 1/2 diameter bigger so that the sock would fit "in" the surface. Also, I was going to seal all the edges. The current layout of your sump was something I barely just did before I realized it didn't fit in my stand.... I made sure all of those issues were addressed in my new sump. Good idea on the blocking of the half chamber at the rear.... My new sump still has that all the way open.... I just didn't want the pump to starve for water....

As for the valves.... I am partial to the valves, but mostly because I now run a Bean animal overflow which is silent.... The valves control the flow exactly how you want it.... So, in my opinion, adding at least one valve will allow him to control exactly how much water flows to each side of the y. You are right though.... it does add bulk.

 

[calistyle]

Another minor issue I could use some advice on:

I have a 1" flow accelerator for my return from Overflow. It's rated at 660 gph and is rather short. The issue is, every 10-20 minutes it creates a vortex and sucks air from the top, shooting bubbles everywhere.

My return pump is Fluval sp4 (1800gph), but is(will be) used to push 3 reactors too. I assume I'm pushing more than 660 gph through the flow accelerator, but even dialing back the return pump it still does it.

1" locline doesn't exist, so my options are a little limited.

 

[ChouDawg]

Since it's 1" MPT you could do an extension/elbow/flex PVC painted black. Not sure how much deeper you'd have to go to keep it from pulling in air though. Another option would be to fashion a cover of some sort that clips on the end and hovers over like the MP10 shields people are using on shallow tanks. A quick thought would be one of those heater suction cups. Slide the ring part over the nozzle and attach a piece of acrylic to the suction part top to cover the top? Lastly, you could probably glue something over the top few slits in the accelerator but you'd of course be losing some of the nozzle effect. Most of those options are easy, cheap and reversible but I'd say you should hold off until your reactors are running so you get a better indication of the flow rate when your system is fully operational.

 

[calistyle]

Thanks for the tips!

I wouldn't have to go much deeper, it only creates the vortex maybe 5-6 times per hour. However, when I get some waves going in there (w/ more than 1 WP25), it might happen more often.

I don't know if it's better to try and drop that one down with a few 90s, or to reduce and split it off into two 3/4 inch and do loc-line or 2 flow accelerators.

 

[calistyle]

2 90's resolved this issue. Just waiting on plasti dip to dry on pvc so it's black.

 

[christygirl]

Think about putting a siphon break on there. Lowering the return will cause it to siphon more out if the tank when the power is off for feeding, water changes, etc.

You can drill a small hole on the inside portion of the return pipe inside of your overflow. Water will spray out of it so ad an air line that goes up and then turns down just inside your tank at water level. When the water turns off, the level lowers, the end of the air line is exposed and then air is introduced for a siphon break.

You probably already know all of this already but, just in case......

 

[christygirl]

By the way, I am assuming that you used the 90's to lower the accelerator which would keep the vortex from happening. If that us not what you did then disregard my previous post.

 

[calistyle]

Yikes. GREAT IDEA and no I did not think of that.

 

[calistyle]

Think about putting a siphon break on there. Lowering the return will cause it to siphon more out if the tank when the power is off for feeding, water changes, etc.

You can drill a small hole on the inside portion of the return pipe inside of your overflow. Water will spray out of it so ad an air line that goes up and then turns down just inside your tank at water level. When the water turns off, the level lowers, the end of the air line is exposed and then air is introduced for a siphon break.

You probably already know all of this already but, just in case......

Actually, I have a True Union Swing Check Valve right at the return.

 

[christygirl]

I have 4 of those sitting in a vertical position for each of the returns on my tank..... The problem with these is that they truly don't seal all the way closed when they are brand new. Over time, with calcification, algae growth, etc.... they basically just slow the water down... Yours being true union like mine will be easy to clean, but..... all it takes is once.... So, you either have to allow for the extra siphon by having a sump large enough to take all of the water before the siphon breaks... or break the siphon early.

In my case, I have a sump large enough, but, I don't use a flow enhancer like yours.... I use the flat lockline end and ride them just below the normal operating surface. My tank drops about one inch, which is about 8 gallons. my sump can handle 16 in case of an emergency.....

 

[discotu]

with 2 WP25s and 2 MP10s, do you need a flow accelerator? keep it simple my friend

 

[calistyle]

with 2 WP25s and 2 MP10s, do you need a flow accelerator? keep it simple my friend

I really like it. I am considering not running the mp10's or maybe not running the wp25's. Not sure....but I do know I'd like to keep the accelerator. I would test 1 in loc-line if I could, but I'd have to go all the way to home depot for a reducer to 3/4 if I want to do loc-line. :headwally:

 

[Fallling]

I really like it. I am considering not running the mp10's or maybe not running the wp25's. Not sure....but I do know I'd like to keep the accelerator. I would test 1 in loc-line if I could, but I'd have to go all the way to home depot for a reducer to 3/4 if I want to do loc-line. :headwally:

I'm using one of the same flow accelerator on a closed loop... they are pretty niffty

 

[Mavilez]

Light is hung and running in bali mode @ 30% power. I'll mess around with it over the next few weeks.

The aquascape isn't done, we just dumped in 80-100 lbs of the rock.

I am really interested in the light fixture you have. I have been looking at the Pandora for a while but I am still on the fence. How do you like the light? Do you feel that it is worth the investment overall? Do you see anything you dislike about the fixtures construction or the light coverage?