Haugen's Reef - 190g
- Thread starter thorsen
- Start date
mike660r
New member
I noticed something you may want to condsider in reference to your new overflow box. Make sure you cover the glass above the box or you will have a much greater potential for algea to grow in the box. It appears that once the tank is filled you won't have access into the box.
thorsen
New member
Mike660r - I don't want to cover the glass because the overflow has a clear acrylic bottom so there is no light being blocked for the corals growing beneath. I may grow some algea in the overflow but if you notice in the photo there are two unions at the base of the overflow pipes. By closing the gate valves beneath the tank I can take appart the two unions and remove the pipes and overflow box from the tank as a unit to service - or to scrub free of algea.
tonyespinoza
Premium Member
I *think* he meant that nuisance algae may grow in the box... to your point, you could always remove the overflow.
My (unsolicited!) 2 cents...
I'd be a little concerned that once the tank is full of corals and live rock it may be hard to get your hands down there to those unions. Just something to be careful of as you aquascape, i guess.
My (unsolicited!) 2 cents...
I'd be a little concerned that once the tank is full of corals and live rock it may be hard to get your hands down there to those unions. Just something to be careful of as you aquascape, i guess.
thorsen
New member
Yes, I've wondered if it would be hard to undo the unions if the tank is full. All the piping is slip fit and unglued, so if at some point I realize it will be a problem, I will simply switch it so that the unions are just under the overflow box instead of at the bottom of the tank. The only reason I have them at the bottom of the tank is that I feel it is more aesthetically pleasing. I'm hoping to design my aquascaping in such a way as to leave me access to the unions.
tonyespinoza
Premium Member
marc - i do think he said he has valves below those drains so he can undo the unions without draining the tank.
i totally understand that you're trying to avoid the typical gigantic overflow in the middle of the tank -- it's the reason why i've been doing all my tanks peninsula-style with the OF on the end.
btw - another potential issue with this configuration is that you can't easily use a durso or CJ standpipe to dampen the noise.
if everything is just slip-fit do you really need the unions? i'm pretty clueless about plumbing, so forgive me if i'm missing an obvious point...
i totally understand that you're trying to avoid the typical gigantic overflow in the middle of the tank -- it's the reason why i've been doing all my tanks peninsula-style with the OF on the end.
btw - another potential issue with this configuration is that you can't easily use a durso or CJ standpipe to dampen the noise.
if everything is just slip-fit do you really need the unions? i'm pretty clueless about plumbing, so forgive me if i'm missing an obvious point...
bbehring
New member
I think the slip fit may give you some minor (or major) problems in a power off situation. If they leak, then your sump will continue to fill to the lowest point where the slip fit is. Just something to consider? I do think getting unions off under water is a bit tough. You might have a tendancy to overtighten them, don't or you will not be able to get them lossened under water. I have my sump pump on a union under water and it is pretty tough to get lossened so I simply leave 1/2 turn off tight. This would be a problem for you with the unions down so low. I'd move them up just under the overflow or ditch the unions and utilize a couplink slip fit just below the overflow (and painted black) so you can still slide the box out easily. This will also get the slip fitting up at the highest point to work with power out/off situation and leaking through the slip fit back into the sump. Just my .02 worth.
Ragarding the cut off switch for lifting the canopy. What is it and how'd you install this to work functionally? When I watched the video, and heard your split second panic yell at the end, I thought forsure she drove the canopy up into the ceiling?
Ragarding the cut off switch for lifting the canopy. What is it and how'd you install this to work functionally? When I watched the video, and heard your split second panic yell at the end, I thought forsure she drove the canopy up into the ceiling?
thorsen
New member
I have been horribly busy at work so I haven't been able to keep this thread up. I have had the time to make some small progress on my tank and I think this weekend I can catch up on recording the progress I have made.
bbehring: I appreciate your input. A lot of the things you mention are problems I am concerned about. I would like to put a slip fit just below the water line but the reason I am using unions is that the overflow is up to the level of the eurobracing. Being up to the level of the eurobracing makes it impossible for anything to fall into the overflow, but it also means I cannot use a slip fit because there is no room to slip anything on or off. The unions allow my to exactly slide the overflow under the eurobracing.
You are right, the unions are hard to undo, and that is a conern of mine. I think though, that I can always use a wrench and get them undone in a pinch. As far as the rest of the pipes being slip fit I don't think this will be a problem. All of the fittings are very tight and if there is a leak I think it will be only a trickle. I am considering placing a drain in the bottom of my steel pan so that if the tank did leak out and over fill the sump, it would drain out of my house instead of destroying the living room.
Everyone is very concerned about leaking, and rightly so, but if the power is out in your tank long enough for a trickle leak to drain the tank I think all the inhabbitants of the tank would have already perished from temperature changes and decreasing oxygen. If you reach that point the only issue left is protecting your home, which a drain in the steel pan would do. I of course intent to do my best to keep constant power and am installing a generator in my basement in case there is an emergency outage.
You also asked about my cut off switch. My wife did drive the canopy into the ceiling
but thankfully it was easily repaired. I have the switch, which my farther-in-law reports is a cut of switch, but honestly I am not sure how it works yet. I will post a picture this weekend.
tonyespinoza: I can't use a durso, but the Herbie stand pipe system fits nicely in the overflow, and if what I have read is accurate, it is much quiter than a durso anyhow.
bbehring: I appreciate your input. A lot of the things you mention are problems I am concerned about. I would like to put a slip fit just below the water line but the reason I am using unions is that the overflow is up to the level of the eurobracing. Being up to the level of the eurobracing makes it impossible for anything to fall into the overflow, but it also means I cannot use a slip fit because there is no room to slip anything on or off. The unions allow my to exactly slide the overflow under the eurobracing.
You are right, the unions are hard to undo, and that is a conern of mine. I think though, that I can always use a wrench and get them undone in a pinch. As far as the rest of the pipes being slip fit I don't think this will be a problem. All of the fittings are very tight and if there is a leak I think it will be only a trickle. I am considering placing a drain in the bottom of my steel pan so that if the tank did leak out and over fill the sump, it would drain out of my house instead of destroying the living room.
Everyone is very concerned about leaking, and rightly so, but if the power is out in your tank long enough for a trickle leak to drain the tank I think all the inhabbitants of the tank would have already perished from temperature changes and decreasing oxygen. If you reach that point the only issue left is protecting your home, which a drain in the steel pan would do. I of course intent to do my best to keep constant power and am installing a generator in my basement in case there is an emergency outage.
You also asked about my cut off switch. My wife did drive the canopy into the ceiling
but thankfully it was easily repaired. I have the switch, which my farther-in-law reports is a cut of switch, but honestly I am not sure how it works yet. I will post a picture this weekend. tonyespinoza: I can't use a durso, but the Herbie stand pipe system fits nicely in the overflow, and if what I have read is accurate, it is much quiter than a durso anyhow.
thorsen
New member
The sump is a long and sad story. My first sump was ordered through Aquariums for You who after taking my money sent me an email saying they were going out of business, I would get no product and no refund. I tried to find another builder but ended up going with Glasscages to save money because the price difference was so large.
In short Glasscages build the plans backward. The refugium was supposed to be 24" tall and the sump was supposed to be 20" tall and they flipped it so the top of my skimmer won't fit out of the sump. It was perfectly clear in the plans and they even sent a copy of the plans with the sump, which were marked correctly even though the sump was built wrong. And then they were simply hard to deal with.
First of all I asked the sump be delivered to one of their drop of points, which was a three hour drive from our home and back. They placed someone else’s sump under my name in the truck. So after that failed to get my sump that day I asked that they ship it to our home if it was under a certain price, but otherwise to wait for the next delivery to the same drop off point. I called the next day and they said they had shipped it to a random city even farther away than the drop off point because it cost too much money to have it delivered to my house. I have no idea why they did that without asking me? I called the shipping company who now had my sump and arranged for it to be delivered the rest of the way to my house, only to discover on its arrival that it was built wrong. Glasscages more or less told me it was my sump and my problem. I tried to be as polite and cautious with my words as possible because I have heard so many negative things about Glasscages but they were nothing short of rude and essentially told me it was my sump and my problem. I do have to give them so credit though because in the end, they refunded me some money and sent me a sheet of acrylic to try and repair it with. I may try to fix it but I'm not sure yet. Anyhow, I at least have a sump and refugium, and even if it’s the built wrong I like it.
I intended to update my progress but I have been up with face trauma all weekend and am shot.
In short Glasscages build the plans backward. The refugium was supposed to be 24" tall and the sump was supposed to be 20" tall and they flipped it so the top of my skimmer won't fit out of the sump. It was perfectly clear in the plans and they even sent a copy of the plans with the sump, which were marked correctly even though the sump was built wrong. And then they were simply hard to deal with.
First of all I asked the sump be delivered to one of their drop of points, which was a three hour drive from our home and back. They placed someone else’s sump under my name in the truck. So after that failed to get my sump that day I asked that they ship it to our home if it was under a certain price, but otherwise to wait for the next delivery to the same drop off point. I called the next day and they said they had shipped it to a random city even farther away than the drop off point because it cost too much money to have it delivered to my house. I have no idea why they did that without asking me? I called the shipping company who now had my sump and arranged for it to be delivered the rest of the way to my house, only to discover on its arrival that it was built wrong. Glasscages more or less told me it was my sump and my problem. I tried to be as polite and cautious with my words as possible because I have heard so many negative things about Glasscages but they were nothing short of rude and essentially told me it was my sump and my problem. I do have to give them so credit though because in the end, they refunded me some money and sent me a sheet of acrylic to try and repair it with. I may try to fix it but I'm not sure yet. Anyhow, I at least have a sump and refugium, and even if it’s the built wrong I like it.
I intended to update my progress but I have been up with face trauma all weekend and am shot.
thorsen
New member
http://www.miamihost.net/ims/u/thaugen/Tank/IMG_2806.JPG
I'm going to try and post some updated images of my tank. It has come a long way since I last posted anything.
I'm going to try and post some updated images of my tank. It has come a long way since I last posted anything.
