JapanReef - 450 gallon In-Wall system

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8025404#post8025404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
BTW, you can use the hole saw on a piece of wood first, then use the disk you cut out to center your hole saw over the old hole.

And just to clarify this further for Laurence, that means drilling out the 3" hole (for a 2" Sch 40 bulkhead) in a piece of MDF or plywood. This board would then be securely attached to the sump with 3-M double stick tape so it can't move, then you use the board as a guide for the hole saw bit. It can't wander in that application, and drilling takes about 30 to 45 seconds if you don't apply a lot of pressure. Once done, remove the board carefully, peel off any residual tape, and sand or file down the edges both inside and out. Now it is ready for the new bulkhead.

 

[NexDog]

Funny you should mention your closed loops because I have microbubbles coming from my big closed loop on the Sequence 1000. It's all 2" halfway but then bushing to 1.5" into the pump and 1.5" out.

By the way, I did reseal all the joints...twice....

Man, if I rip out the sump it means most of the plumbing will have to be cut and reconnected with couplings.

I hate plumbing.

 

[jnarowe]

Plumbing bites but can be fun...if you like driving to the store!

BTW Mark, I sometimes just use the disk on the drill and put it in the hole to get me started...but your way is better.

 

[NexDog]

Thanks Marc. So it's just a standard wood cutting hole saw?

If I did this it won't be for a few months. What a nightmare.

 

[dgasmd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8025538#post8025538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NexDog
Funny you should mention your closed loops because I have microbubbles coming from my big closed loop on the Sequence 1000. It's all 2" halfway but then bushing to 1.5" into the pump and 1.5" out.

That should be fine and not cavitate the pump. One thing I always overdo is the amount of teflon tape I use on any male threaded fitting, especially the ones on the pumps itself. Make them very very thick even if it gives you a hard time to screw them in. That is often another source of microbubbles.

By the way, I like Mark's idea for the home. Pretty ingenious. And for the record, this may not solve your micro bubbles if you ahve them from another source as well, but it is certainly a problem with your current pump as it is choking the intake. This may be a great opportunity to add a ton of unions in places you now wished you had them. I put so many in my system I could virtually take it apart in a matter of a couple of hours without having to cut a single pipe. The best part is you get to reuse the plumbing should you change anything later on. Which by the way, will happen again:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jnarowe]

That ain't right! :lol:

 

[scarletknight06]

Is there a reason you direct the return plumbing down to the floor and then back up? Doesnt make much sense to me.

Someone had mentioned using 45 degree elbows. I am not a fluid mechanics engineer, but I've read some pretty good plumbing threads, and one strongly warned against using 45's. If you think about it, if you use 45 degree elbows on the pipes, the water is actually climbing the whole time, increasing the head pressure. Whereas by using 90's its only climbing when the pipe is vertical, hence less head pressure. Seems to make sense to me.

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8025607#post8025607 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NexDog
Thanks Marc. So it's just a standard wood cutting hole saw?

If I did this it won't be for a few months. What a nightmare.

Yes, a standard hole saw that fits in your drill. I use BluMol.

You can see pictures of the different hole saws I use on the Tools page, found via my Hidden Treasure page.

 

[jnarowe]

So far I have used 7 different hole saws on my system...

 

[NexDog]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8026019#post8026019 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scarletknight06
Is there a reason you direct the return plumbing down to the floor and then back up? Doesnt make much sense to me.

Made sense at the time. Felt nice and neat.

 

[sdorsky]

where to buy Zeo products

where to buy Zeo products

I know this was mentioned earlier in the thread, but where are people buying zeovit and prodibio in the states?

 

[melev]

robsreef.com is one source.

 

[NexDog]

AquariumSpecialty.com carries both Zeo and Prodibio.

 

[sdorsky]

Thanks Nexdog,
I remember that name now. I'll check them out!

 

[NexDog]

I'm going to be using some Zeo and Prodibio stuff in a few months. I think that it will also help with nitrate control as nutrients get reduced.

 

[rowland75]

Hi NexDog

Love your tank and post/log.

Is the angel in your details a Koran?

If so could you tell me your experiences of this fish.

I would be very grateful.

Pete.

 

[NexDog]

Pete, it is indeed a Koran but I don't have one. I was going to get one last year but decided against it. They are a very risky fish coral wise and also the adult colour is a bit bland. We get lots of them in Japan as they are native to this part of the world. I saw a large one in a shop in Miyazaki that Hiroyuki (H.Tanaka on RC) caught in a tidepool on the Nichinan coast where I visited with my family a few weeks ago. We are going to go again in early October as hopping around down there in 37C is a bit sweaty. Early October it should be a cooler 25C and the fish come closer to shore then anyway.

 

[NexDog]

So I'm headed tp Spain early Tuesday morning and will be gone a full week until the follow Tuesday evening so I'm preparing for that. I'm gradually adding an extra 25 gallons of RODI to the sump which will lower the salinity to 1.024. My auto-topoff reservoir holds enough for 3 days so hopefully my wife won't have to top-off that container. It's pretty simple though so she knows to check it daily and fill it up if it starts to empty. I have a 50g reservoir next to it and they are connected with a powerhead and tube so all she has to do is plug the powerhead in and fill up the smaller auto top-off reservoir next to it.

I had a accident last weekend and dropped the Tunze Osmolator controller in the top-off reservoir and killed it. MD were sold out so a few emails to Scott at AquariumSpecialty and he got a unit overnighted to him and then sent Priority to me and I received it yesterday. Took about two and a half days - awesome. As I'm away for a week it was pretty urgent but it's all hooked up now.

So what's going on in the reef.......

The little Regal Angel hasn't been seen since the day after I put it in. I was expecting it to hide for a few weeks so was suprised to see it then even. I'm not too worried as it has alot of spacious places to hide out.

The BlueLine is doing great. I love this fish! But it does seem to think one of my milliporas is cotton candy and that coral is almost a write off. I have two other Millis in the tank and it hasn't touched them.

The purple acro I lost completely to STN a few weeks back was removed. I have two other similar tabling purple acros and now I see white patches on both. Also see some bleaching at the base of two other corals.

Alk is fine now so and I have stabilised the temp by keeping the big Sequence off during the day and running it at night (when I remember). I also have the IceCap fan blowing over the surface and I keep the access doors open during the day with my office AC on full blast. Tank drops to 26.9C (80.4) at night and rises to 27.3C (81.1) during the day so this is not a problem. I could probably shoot lower if anyone recommends it....

Going to test Nitrate/Alk/Ca in a minute to see where I'm at before I leave. Detritrator is running well.

Last month have had terrible brown sand as soon as the halides come on which I think is nitrate related. Now it's improved by 70% and the browning is lighter and in just a few places so happy about that. Also the diatom was worse on front pane and needed cleaning almost daily and now twice a week is fine. So the large water change, sump cleaning, new macro and denitrator is all helping.

Another thing I've done is reduce feeding. I'm still feeding twice a day but cut back on the amount of dry food. When the denitrator is cranked up I hope to feed more again.

Took some pics earlier this week and will try and post today/tomorrow.

 

[jnarowe]

I thought my bristletooth was dead. I didn't see it for 2+ weeks after I put it in the tank, but it finally came out and is very friendly now.

 

[NexDog]

Yea, I'm far from the point of giving up hope. Two weeks ago I added a cuke I found when we went hunting in the tidepools. It disappeared under the rock structure and I haven't seen it since. Don't know much about cukes (it was all black) but I thought it would have buried in the sand....