DYI 600g + -

[saf1]

How are you Sea Swirl outputs so tall? I am using a pair of 1" for my return and while I still think they are too low they are nothing like yours. I just drilled a hole into mine tonight, the elbow, to try and break siphon during power failure to limit water in sump. Didn't work exactly how I thought and I'm still getting more returned than what I wanted. I can see a larger sump here in a bit or drill my existing one to spill into an emergency reservoir or something.

Nice tank btw. My cycle is almost complete - ammonia hit .2 yesterday - didn't test today but hopefully tomorrow will be 0 so I can add some more and see if it is cleared in 24 hours.

I really like your tank. Great job.

 

[lapin]

How are you Sea Swirl outputs so tall? I am using a pair of 1" for my return and while I still think they are too low they are nothing like yours. I just drilled a hole into mine tonight, the elbow, to try and break siphon during power failure to limit water in sump. Didn't work exactly how I thought and I'm still getting more returned than what I wanted. I can see a larger sump here in a bit or drill my existing one to spill into an emergency reservoir or something.

When I ordered the 1-1/2 sea swirls I contacted Eddie and had them modded. The original plan was to mount them to a frame made out of 2" square tube stock mounted on top of the tank. Still an option. If the top is 1" thick, the bar is 2" thick, and the water level is 1" below the top, thats 4". I had him send longer than normal pipes and he made brackets that would work with a frame. I also had him add some length to the wires. As deep as the pipes are now, it would overflow even my sump if the pump stopped. I'm going with shorter clear pipes to see how that looks.
The siphon break hole is all you can do unless you can cut the pipe shorter and make that work.

Nice tank btw. My cycle is almost complete - ammonia hit .2 yesterday - didn't test today but hopefully tomorrow will be 0 so I can add some more and see if it is cleared in 24 hours.

Good to know your cycle is almost done. I will get a few fish soon for quarantine. Still getting the question. "When ya gonna put something in the tank?"

 

[lapin]

Here is the swirls with clear tubes. Looks a lot better I think. I drilled some air gap holes just under the water line to prevent the tank from overflowing my sump. Also did some apex programing with my older apex. So you need to update the firmware to use fusion. So you d/l the installer. It need an operating system version newer than 10.6.4. So I d/l the installer on my new laptop. Oh guess what, you need a wired connection to your router. No ethernet port on new laptop. Had to use a mac mini I have for a music server. Jumping thru lots of hoops. Leg cramps. Firmware update successful. Next run on fusion. Ok something is a miss. Fusion sees everything but no settings control. Looking thru many threads. Hours later, no hair left, found answer. You need to also turn on fusion control. Perfect. Fusion makes it very easy to program all your stuff.

 

[saf1]

Do you happen to take a picture of the drilled area? 1 or 2 holes and by any chance remember the drill bit size? I drilled mine also but doesn't seem to break the siphon completely. I'm a bit nervous because I don't have a lot of free room in my sump. I drilled one hole - thought it would be enough. I guess not.

Clear does look nice. I saved some of the rubble from the Pukani I had and was thinking about gluing some pieces to the elbows.

 

[lapin]

I took a picture of the hole. It is a 1/4" hole in a 1-1/2" sea swirl. 2 things to watch out for. When you drill the hole make sure it is high enough so when you get drain back into the sump it does not overflow. The hole should be far enough under the water when your tank is running as not to suck air into the hole. That will cause bubbles and noise. I drilled mine about 1" below the running height of the the tank. When the tank drains down, the water level is about 1/4 inch below the edge of the overflow. When the tank is running I have 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water over the edge of the overflow. So thats how I get the 1 inch figure. I'm getting 15 gallons drain back into the sump when the pump is off plus what water is in the pipes. Also my pipe into the swirl is threaded so I can adjust the height. Right now it is screwed all the way in. I'm still playing with flow rate. Things may change a little.

 

[saf1]

Thanks Lapin. That helps a lot. I may have drilled too low then although I am just at the top of the elbow but in the back. I believe it was a smaller hole than 1/4" though. I'll double check. Did you drill through the output plumbing of the Sea Swirl? In the picture it looks like you did. I avoided that - didn't think we are supposed two.

I really like them though, I must say. I'm probably going to have to design a different sump. This one just doesn't have the necessary reserve and I should have that just to be safe. The one requirement my better half said is no spilled water...

 

[lapin]

Thanks Lapin. That helps a lot. I may have drilled too low then although I am just at the top of the elbow but in the back. I believe it was a smaller hole than 1/4" though. I'll double check. Did you drill through the output plumbing of the Sea Swirl? In the picture it looks like you did. I avoided that - didn't think we are supposed two.

I did drill thru both the elbow and the threaded nipple that screws into the swirl. I figured if it caused a problem I could turn the elbow a bit to cover the hole. I think what he does not want is for you to drill thru the part mounted under the swirl that is attached.

 

[saf1]

I did drill thru both the elbow and the threaded nipple that screws into the swirl. I figured if it caused a problem I could turn the elbow a bit to cover the hole. I think what he does not want is for you to drill thru the part mounted under the swirl that is attached.

Thanks. I think I asked Ed that @ Sea Swirl and he recommended that I don't. I like your idea though. I may have to try it. Like you said you can turn and cover it or even epoxy. I am a bit of a scary cat though since these things are a bit expensive.

Right now also trying to decide if I want to start a limited light run. The cycle has started but still not processing Nitrites to 0 yet so not sure if lighting is required. Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 1+, and Nitrate is 20 - 50 range. The Nitrite number is what is throwing me off at the moment since I was expecting to fall next and it hasn't.

I know I still have to see Nitrites process to 0 after the Ammonia so just wondering. Then starts the diatoms, then cyno probably once lighting is in effect. Then I can probably turn on skimmer and a more full lighting schedule.

Btw - where did you find clear PVC? I'm using the black ones he shipped and considering adding some left over rubble to it.

 

[lapin]

Thanks
Right now also trying to decide if I want to start a limited light run. The cycle has started but still not processing Nitrites to 0 yet so not sure if lighting is required. Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 1+, and Nitrate is 20 - 50 range. The Nitrite number is what is throwing me off at the moment since I was expecting to fall next and it hasn't.

The light will grow algae, so you don't really need it. No harm in getting it set up and running part time. The bacteria that actually processes nitrate in a tank, grow best in the dark without much oxygen.The nitrates will not go away in a new tank. You will need to do a water change to bring them down. Other things that process nitrate are avail. A refugium with chaeto. An algae scrubber. Deep sand bed. A sulfur reactor.

Btw - where did you find clear PVC? I'm using the black ones he shipped and considering adding some left over rubble to it.

You can get them on line at PVC Fittings. You can make them out of some clear acrylic tube stock, if you have a chop saw. Requires a few angled cuts.
They will be covered with stuff in time. unless you clean them every month.

 

[lapin]

The tanks been running for a few weeks now. Nothing new with the build. Will post up a final picture when I get the sink back in to room. The build is over. Soon it will be time to do some decorating.

 

[oceanfan913]

This is an awesome build and going to be a great tank. Curious to follow your progress and see the end product. Good luck, fantastic start!

 

[lapin]

This is an awesome build and going to be a great tank. Curious to follow your progress and see the end product. Good luck, fantastic start!

The tank is done. I have been doing a bit of decorating. I have 13 fish. Mostly gobys. Got to look hard to find them. Had the diatoms come, sand sifters were added. Some hair type algae is starting to grow. Maybe I will turn on the UV if needed. Will add a lawn mower to cut that grass if it gets too long. Maybe the coraline will come soon and starve it out. Running carbon now but no GFO or Cal reactor. Everytime I started up a GFO reactor on other tanks, I got red slime cyno. Weird, or do they feast on iron? Used Randy's part B mix to bring my Alk and pH up. Now at Alk 9.3 and pH 8.14. I have a Co2 issue when the a/c is on. Will run fresh air to the skimmer via a pvc pipe to the garage. The clean garage. No gas cans or stuff this one. Mines a mess. I do have an extra 20" canister I could run as a Co2 scrubber. Media is expensive.
Here are a few pictures. The froggy is about the size of a football

 

[oceanfan913]

Looks really good!

 

[lapin]

The calcium reactor is up and stable. 1 bubble per second with a very fast drip. pH at 7.1 water output is 500 ppm. Tank pH is 8.1 and 450 ppm. hahahhahaha it looks like it is up on the wall... weird

 

[Ostentum]

Watch the alk with the Calcium reactor, if you dont have any tank demand then your going to shoot your alk through the roof especially at that bubble rate. Check Alk daily to determine your demand and adjust accordingly.

 

[lapin]

Watch the alk with the Calcium reactor, if you dont have any tank demand then your going to shoot your alk through the roof especially at that bubble rate. Check Alk daily to determine your demand and adjust accordingly.

I had low Alk in the high 7's and was using Randys homemade part B. Had it up to around 9. I have not dosed in a week and my Alk with reactor is 8.5.

 

[Subsea]

I had low Alk in the high 7's and was using Randys homemade part B. Had it up to around 9. I have not dosed in a week and my Alk with reactor is 8.5.

IMO, calcium reactor should be considered standard reef equipment. For certain, I like calcium and trace mineral addition with calcium reactor, but more importantly is the introduction of CO2 as a source of carbon for your corals.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2016/9/aafeature

Dana Riddle shows how inorganic carbon dioxide feeds corals carbon and organic carbon, like vodka, feeds bacteria.

 

[lapin]

IMO, calcium reactor should be considered standard reef equipment. For certain, I like calcium and trace mineral addition with calcium reactor, but more importantly is the introduction of CO2 as a source of carbon for your corals.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2016/9/aafeature

Dana Riddle shows how inorganic carbon dioxide feeds corals carbon and organic carbon, like vodka, feeds bacteria.

My calcium is now stable and Alk is now at 9.4
I have been battling cyano for a few weeks now. I dont like the look of red slime. The wife likes it. Love / hate.
Next week I'm adding some macro algaes to the display. Since im not going to keep sticks I can have some without it starving.
If this works I might have to come to your place and get some good stuff.

 

[lapin]

my cyano

 

[Subsea]

My calcium is now stable and Alk is now at 9.4
I have been battling cyano for a few weeks now. I dont like the look of red slime. The wife likes it. Love / hate.
Next week I'm adding some macro algaes to the display. Since im not going to keep sticks I can have some without it starving.
If this works I might have to come to your place and get some good stuff.

I read the first & last pages of your tank journal. Good stuff.

Did Timfish help get your large tank moved?

From what I read you don't have rabbits or Tangs. In that event, I could help you with both utilitarian and decorative macro. It depends on your preferences.
Let's talk more about what you want your tank to be. I like a lagoon biotheme with mixed garden tank using macro. Most reef fish will forage and hunt in a thicket of macro. Nutritious biofilms cover macro surfaces feeding both pods and fish.

I like Caulerpa Prolifera with a thin bladed emerald green color, it displays very well. Keep its holdfast in the substrate. It's holdfast required me to treat rock with hydrogen peroxide.