Golan's 90G Reef

[Gooli]

it's up and running out - you said the "B" word - what bubbles from cavitation? why should the pump cavitate at all (using eheim 1262)

Next? hmmm...RO/DI actually
How's your sand looking?

 

[yuhsuen]

My genX pushes over 1100gph so with my reduced intake due to coraline build up, I think it's cavitating and sending out microbubbles. It's fine after I clean the intake.

RO/DI, lots of people swear by spectrapure, I have the aquasafe system sold on ebay and it has worked great for me. plus they have package deals for replacement filters.

The sand's looking a little better. I really have to get me frag off the snd so the jumbo nassarius snails have room to work I bought another 9.

 

[Gooli]

cool Steve...give them some time to catch up.
so my intake is sucking in air from the surface with those little "tornados" - i think i gotta add a pvc piece to extend the intake a little deeper.

 

[yuhsuen]

I'd make sure the pvc parts/joints that are exposed to air are actually glued together to prevent any micro airleaks. The extension tube underwater leave unglued so you can detach it for cleaning.

 

[NaughtyCashew]

That bubble tower is genius! To think, I have been wasting time looking for tall tupperware containers that would have accomplished the same thing...

Awesome tank, would love to see more pics!

 

[Bebo77]

i dont get it?... how are you going to make a Close Loop without holes?

 

[trmiv]

gooliver, how is the 1250 Eheim handling your return? I'm setting up a new 90 with a 30 sump myself, and I was thinking of going with a 1250. I only want around 220-250 gph going though my sump. When I did the RC head loss calculator though with 1" hose, I get 173 gph with 4.5 feet head. I've heard the Eheims are underrated though. Are you getting 250 with your 1250? What is your plumbing like from the 1250 to the tank?

 

[Gooli]

Gabriel...i have an intake with a strainer and pvc-u tube for return - i'm lovin' this closed loop - awesome concept! I'll have pics later today

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7131643#post7131643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
i dont get it?... how are you going to make a Close Loop without holes?

 

[Gooli]

trmiv...1250 is great - i emailed eheim direct and they said i'll get around 250gph at 5 feet head. 1250 plumbing to the display tank is 1/2" hose.

 

[trmiv]

Wow, sweet. 1250 it is then. Thanks.

 

[Gooli]

ok guys...here's some photos of the closed loop in action - as you can see the return is on the right and the intake is hidden beihind the frogspawn on the left of the overflow. Anyone got a BLACK 90 slip elbow? I like how you can barely notice the closed loop but i want to take it a step further and have a black colored return.

 

[NaughtyCashew]

Hey Golan, would you mind showing us how you plumbed the return on top of your tank? I am interested in running a small closed loop on mine as well.

Also, why the durso?

 

[yuhsuen]

That's not a durso. It's the intake with a removal cap so the system can be reprimed in case of siphon loss.

 

[Gooli]

yeah...it's a cap to prime the closed loop.
guys....i'm getting little tornados on the intake AND on the return where air from the surface is sucked down. ahhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaa - i can make the intake deeper i guess - not sure what i can do on the return...any ideas?

 

[BMitch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7133262#post7133262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gooliver
i can make the intake deeper i guess - not sure what i can do on the return...any ideas?

Won't six inches or so of Loc-line work? That way the return is further under the water line.

 

[yuhsuen]

Golan
Just use pieces of pvc to extend both intake and output couple of inches lower, I tihnk that'll be enough to prevent the little tornados. If you're worried, use longer sections of pvc. Another trcik you might want to consider for the output is to use a 45 degree elbow, that way you get less restriction compared to a 90 degree and also direct the flow downwards, which will circulate water better than just having the output across the top of the water.

Black pvc you'll have to buy online, I've never found any in HD. Not sure about schedule 80 though, the grey stuff some hardware stores might have. Check OSH or ACE hardware. Just call and ask if they have schedule 80 grey pvc.

 

[Gooli]

thanks steve - will do. i suspect that i maybe did not put enough pvc cement on some joints or not enough teflon tape on the threads where the barb fitting is - i'm getting way too many microbubbles - even now when i make the intake 2 inches deeper.

one other possibility - since the last 90 degree elbow on the return is not glued - the exposed joint mayve sucking in bubbles - what can i do to seal that up without gluing?

 

[Gooli]

re-doing the pvc for the closed loop today due to frequent bursts of bubbles...i put duct tape on the connections - can't hurt.

 

[yuhsuen]

Golan
Any new plumbing will take time to "slime" over. Give it a couple of weeks and see if the bubbles don't go away. I'd just pvc cement all your hard plumbing to ensure no air leaks. Use some metal hose clamps for the flex tube/barb conncetion. Teflon tape won't seal and may actually cause a leak as it compresses down.

 

[Gooli]

i'll wait a couple of weeks and see what happens