Custom In-Wall 150 Project

[conda]

I still haven't added the Tee yet, but the microbubbles have cut in half now. Maybe the sponges I added helped, but I do not like that solution in the long run--they are getting really dirty really fast.

I finally figured out how to take video with my digi camera (see the scooter vid), so I will take it of the sump to show you what I am talking about.

I should just fly Melev out here to fix it for me.

 

[melev]

If you have the room for the Tee assembly I described, it might resolve this once and for all. And move the bleed off out of the return section as well.

 

[conda]

Ok, below I linked a quick video of my sump in action to try and show you what I am talking about. The first part of the video is of the right side of the sump where the water enters. You will see the bubble tower skimmer action I tried to describe.

Then I tried to zoom in to show the microbubbles as a result. They are hard to see, but they are in the forground. You can also see the second drain entering the sump in the background.

Finally I zoomed the rest of the sump to show Marc his work in action.

Sump Video

If you need a better video just say the word.

 

[melev]

I would remove that 45 degree fitting, and run the down pipe right into a 90 degree fitting, which connects to the Tee and then down into the bubble tower. The PVC in the base of the Tee should only submerge 1" in the water, max.

What is the white spa flex in the center? Is that from the Return pump or is that your excess going back into the sujmp? If the latter, it is pointed right at the intake of the return pump screen - and you don't want it configured that way.

You're right about the bubble tower skimming the tank! Look at the wall of the sump, covered with skimmate.

 

[conda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6972719#post6972719 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
You're right about the bubble tower skimming the tank! Look at the wall of the sump, covered with skimmate.

You like what I did with your bubble tower I see.

I will try your suggestions this weekend and see what happens. I hope it works, because the microbubbles really ruin the tank.

Regarding the pipes in the middle. The spa flex is the return, there is a sc40 pipe that drops straight over the pump. This is probably what you are talking about. I made a mistake when I plumbed it, not realising what I was doing. I plan on moving that to exit in the skimmer section.

I'll post back later this weekend with the results. I'm getting some corals to add some color to the tank tomorrow, so I will post them also.

 

[melev]

Hope it helps. I don't really want to travel to Pennsylvania any time soon.

 

[bheron]

Hey Conda, I've been battling with the microbubbles for some time now. Lately, Im onto a new theory having to do with my return pump. then, i remebered you and i have the same treturn pumps - Mag 18s, right?

Well, I was going to do some research into something called "cavitation" that happnes in pumps. I have no idea if this is the cause of microbubbles, but I constantly hear a "swishing" nosie from my Mag18 , 24/7. Because Ive tried so many things to combat the microbubbles, and I STILL have them a little bit, Im thinking it might be the pump itself. Iwas going to post it on my thread but when I checked yours I figured.. what the hell.

 

[conda]

Well, I still have not had the time to shut down the pumps and change the plumbing, but I did have time to go get some cleaners today--the brown algae is starting to take off now.

Here is what I got today: Trochus, Cerith, Nerite, and Nassarius snails, peppermint shrimp, cheto for the fuge, and a pygmy angel fish.

So my total crew now in the display is:

50 Trochus Snails
30 Cerith Snails
4 Margarita Snails
1 Large Turbo Snail
7 or 8 crabs
3 Peppermint Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp

The fuge now has:

1 Large handfull of Cheto - 10 bucks for such a little bit! :eek1:
8 Nerite Snails
4 Nassarius Snails

My son wanted this Cherub Pygmy Angel fish, so I got it for him. It is only about 1 inch long! I never seen one before, so I don't know much about them. It looks like it may grow to the size of the two clowns I already have--but that is a guess.

Anyway, that's it for today. I didn't get any corals since none of them looked healthy. I'm going to head to a different store for them later in the week.

 

[conda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6987759#post6987759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bheron
Hey Conda, I've been battling with the microbubbles for some time now. Lately, Im onto a new theory having to do with my return pump. then, i remebered you and i have the same treturn pumps - Mag 18s, right?

Well, I was going to do some research into something called "cavitation" that happnes in pumps. I have no idea if this is the cause of microbubbles, but I constantly hear a "swishing" nosie from my Mag18 , 24/7. Because Ive tried so many things to combat the microbubbles, and I STILL have them a little bit, Im thinking it might be the pump itself. Iwas going to post it on my thread but when I checked yours I figured.. what the hell.

I had that swishing noise after I had to shut the pump off for some work. When I opened my bleeder to recirculate the water, tons of bubbles came out and then all was ok. So, somehow, bubbles were stuck in there.

I did place that black sponge filter over the return pump which seems to have helped the bubble problem. Now I just need to fix the drain pipes and I think it will go away.

Let me know what you find out.

 

[bheron]

Bleeder? Whats that?? Maybe thats what Ive been missing!

Good idea about the sponge. Just be sure to rinse frequently it out as its just another place for waste to grow. Oh, and when you take it off, shut off the pump or you'll get a nice dust cloud in your tank.

 

[conda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7005689#post7005689 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bheron
Bleeder? Whats that?? Maybe thats what Ive been missing!

I don't know, that is what Marc called it, so I adopted the terminology thinking it would make me sound cool!

The bleeder is just how I dial back the pump when I need to. My return goes from the pump to a Tee. One side to the Sea Swirl, the other back to the sump controlled by a ball valve.

Here is a pic, it is an old pic and the plumbing is a little different now, but basically the same:

Ahhhh, the sight of virgin plumbing. :smokin:

It feels like so long ago. It's amazing what a few weeks and tons of slime later does to your system.

 

[Silverado]

Where did you order your cheto from, have been looking for some.

 

[conda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7008982#post7008982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Silverado
Where did you order your cheto from, have been looking for some.

I purchased it from That Fish Place (www.thatfishplace.com) for 10 bucks. It was all they had left and all is looks like is a ball of thin twine!

 

[tgunn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7005689#post7005689 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bheron
Bleeder? Whats that?? Maybe thats what Ive been missing!

Good idea about the sponge. Just be sure to rinse frequently it out as its just another place for waste to grow. Oh, and when you take it off, shut off the pump or you'll get a nice dust cloud in your tank.

Speaking of the swishing; I notice that sometimes when I start up my return pump I get quite a bit of that noise from it. I then have to shut it down, let all the water drain down the return lines and restart. I then get a whole bunch more flow out of the pump and the swishing is pretty much gone.

I will have to do more research into this, but if a bleeder would help me eliminate the problem, then I'm going to have to give this a shot!

Tyler

 

[Airman]

I saw your sump video very cool. You have your sump set up like my with the return in the middle. I only have a mag 9.5 for the return. One solution might be to put the refugium in the middle and the return on the opposite side of the sump this would allow the water to travel farther before it goes to the tank. Also if it has to travel through a big ball of cheto that would calm things. I know that it would be a PITA because you would have to do some more plumbing.

 

[mille239]

Silverado; you can find chaeto on e-bay for dirt cheap. When I got my refugium set up, I got a freezer bag full (about football size) for around $15 shipped. Many people selling it. once you have it established, you'll have so much that you won't know what to do with it.

 

[bheron]

Hey tyler, I used to get that when I had my Mag18 pump on my old setup. All the time. But, for some reason, it doesnt happen now on my new system.

- Same pump, different plumbing of course. Unfortunately...I tell you why!

 

[Jon]

One other suggestion for FREE chaeto, would be to stop by a local reef club meeting. And just by chance I'm a member of PARC and each month somebody is getting rid of some. I think you are about an hour's drive. We also do lots of frag exchanges as well. FWIW. Just google "Philadelphia Area Reef Club" for dates and such. HTH,

Jon...........

 

[conda]

Damn crabs ate 12 of my snails already! :mad2:

 

[andiruleu]

good stuff!!