JapanReef - 450 gallon In-Wall system

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Damn, wish I could find someone to teach me photography.

So I got all the epoxy and other stuff from MD earlier on in the week. I was going to do a big epoxy session yesterday but when I started moving the corals around I didn't like what I saw. Some of the corals are browning at an alarming rate. I didn't notice it because it's right inside them. Strangely it's in places where the branches would shade themselves. Anyhow, because I have no direct flow on them I'm suspecting that might be the cause as suggested by other members a few pages back. So I have placed 8 out 11 acros on the right side island and yesterday I spent 6 hours plumbing......

I decided to ditch the 4-Way. I have two outlets on the right side so I hooked up a Dart to a 2" drain on the back and put a Tee coming out of it. So now I have 3000gph pushing directly over that island. But this is prolly just temporary while I wait for the Vortechs.

I hate plumbing. Typing with plastered up thumbs and fingers is my testament to that fact. :D

Crappy photos to follow. :p
 
Okay, so the pics suck so bad I won't even bother. Each of those bulkheads is pushing out less than half that of a Vortech and the flow is already enough to blast the LTA 6 feet away. Is it okay to have flow direct like this and not pulsing like a Tunze or 4-Way etc?
 
It depends upon how the corals respond to the flow. If they stay closed up, you may need to move them or redirect the flow.
 
After my last post I found teh Dart powering the loop leaking. I tightened the nuts as much as possible but it was still dripping. I have another Dart so going to swap it out today if I can get motivated. :p
 
how old is the Dart that leaks? They have a break-in period and sometimes if you over-tighten that will cause it to leak too.
 
The Dart was bought last year around October and was unused until now. It leaked and I tightened it and it was fine then I had to retape nipples etc so disconnected for that. When I reconnected it - leaked again! :(

So I just swapped it out for the other Dart. Man, what a difference. :( The leaky Dart was super silent. Seriously, couldn't hear it at all. This other (unused) Dart is noisy. More than the big Sequence 1000 and PanWorld put together. :(
 
I've had to turn it off now. It starting 'whirring' and is periodically 'screeching'. I guess some bearing problem which I'd have no idea how to fix. So I have two usuable pumps. Thanks Sequence.
 
yeah the seals dried out sitting for that long. I had the same expereince with my new Hammerhead. brand new out of the box and it weeped from the seal.

Since you tightened it down I think you should open it and coat the seal with some 100% silicone grease and put it back together but not too tight. After running for a while the seal will swell up and stop leaking. PITA but that's how it works. Also make sure that the little thumb screw plug is tight. Those get knocked easily and will leak quite a bit even if only slightly loosened.

I can barely hear my hammerhead. The ballasts are significantly louder than the pump.
 
I have a HammerHead too - just sitting around waiting to be used. :p

Wish I'd check for replies as it might have saved me some grief. I ended up pulling both pumps apart and first I swapped out the O-rings from the noisy one to the leaky one. No joy there. So then I swapped the heads around completely (the bit holding the input). Luckily this has seemed to work. I reconnected it and I have a quiet leak-less pump pushing about 3200gph over my acropora colonies. I can now watch TV with a feeling of satisfaction that I achieved something. :D

Tomorrow is epoxy day!
 
Well that should work fine and now you will better handle the other pumps. It's just a bit of a learning curve. :)
 
I put the 5 Lyretails and the Powder Blue in the main tank tonight after lights off. The Anthias promptly disappeared but the PBT is pacing the tank. He isn't swimming really fast which would indicate stress but is pacing a bit. Guess he's just a bit disorientated...but I'm not worried.
 
No pics - sorry. :D

All the fish are doing great in their new home. The Yellow Tang is not too impressed with his cousin moving in but they'll work it out soon enough.

So I'm getting ready for this thread to split (8 posts away I think). I've stolen Marc's idea for an appendix and also Iwan's idea for summing up the tank in his first post on the new thread. So when this thread splits - I should be ready. :)
 
Hehe, yea, spent a few hours last night writing it up. :D

Aww, if I had a decent camera this thread would be more interesting at this point. Really gutted about that.
 
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