Dante_JoseCuerv
New member
I'm more of a cognac kinda guy, but I can appreciate one's taste for a good bourbon 
North Dakota Mini-Ocean
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
I need a video camera system in my basement and tank room so I can see what's going on when I am away. I am thinking 4 camera's in all to cover all angles of the room and tank.
One other thing I have on my mind is how to make the wires look nice or hide them all together and still get the functionality I need? Do I make acrylic boxes and use wire channels? I want it to look professional and yet be removable in case of maintenance. Any thoughts?
One other thing I have on my mind is how to make the wires look nice or hide them all together and still get the functionality I need? Do I make acrylic boxes and use wire channels? I want it to look professional and yet be removable in case of maintenance. Any thoughts?
jnarowe
New member
why not use one top-end PoE PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom)? Then you only have the ethernet wire to deal with. Or you could go "wireless" and only have a power wire to deal with. I am installing several in my store as I upgrade the video security. I am using a 12 port PoE (power over ethernet) router in the ceiling, and running all the ethernet cables to it.
My advantage is the drop ceiling of course, but there are so many ways to skin this cat.
My advantage is the drop ceiling of course, but there are so many ways to skin this cat.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Well, I finally had my first MAJOR problem yesturday...
When the drywall guys came over to finish taping and put the spackle on the wall they tripped the GFCI outlet with my return pumps on it. That basically shut down the tank, overflowed the skimmers, filled the tank with tons of microbubbles, stressed out a few fish (my wife saw ick) and left some of the corals out of the water for 10+ hours. Thank God I chose to have a simulated storm day on my tank and there was no lights on at all yesturday. I was not home and my buddy had to trek over there to help my wife at 11pm last night. My wife woke up this morning and found everything to be okay except the Duncan (who is very ****ed and not expanded at all). The fish are eating and nothing was dead as of this morning...The Achillies has some ick on it, but he was eating and swimming around normally (so I am told). I don't get home until Thursday night, so it will be a good test for my wife and my buddy to help the tank through this stress test.
I know Acro's can handle being out of water for extended periods of time, but i am not sure about LPS. I guess we will see. Luckily, I did frag the Duncan a few weeks ago and have some buddies with frags I could get back if needed.
The skimmers could not get turned back on last night either because the sump water was so dirty...From the skimmers turning that sump into a massive foam box. By the time my buddy will get over there the tank will have settled down and he will fire the skimmers back up.
I did tell my wife to turn on the lights this morning for a few hours...I will post updates later today when i find out more.
When the drywall guys came over to finish taping and put the spackle on the wall they tripped the GFCI outlet with my return pumps on it. That basically shut down the tank, overflowed the skimmers, filled the tank with tons of microbubbles, stressed out a few fish (my wife saw ick) and left some of the corals out of the water for 10+ hours. Thank God I chose to have a simulated storm day on my tank and there was no lights on at all yesturday. I was not home and my buddy had to trek over there to help my wife at 11pm last night. My wife woke up this morning and found everything to be okay except the Duncan (who is very ****ed and not expanded at all). The fish are eating and nothing was dead as of this morning...The Achillies has some ick on it, but he was eating and swimming around normally (so I am told). I don't get home until Thursday night, so it will be a good test for my wife and my buddy to help the tank through this stress test.
I know Acro's can handle being out of water for extended periods of time, but i am not sure about LPS. I guess we will see. Luckily, I did frag the Duncan a few weeks ago and have some buddies with frags I could get back if needed.
The skimmers could not get turned back on last night either because the sump water was so dirty...From the skimmers turning that sump into a massive foam box. By the time my buddy will get over there the tank will have settled down and he will fire the skimmers back up.
I did tell my wife to turn on the lights this morning for a few hours...I will post updates later today when i find out more.
Sounds like a bit of a design flaw in your tank if shutting down your return pumps caused that amount of problems? How could teh coral be out of water? Surely your water level would drop down to the overflow? I have my returns barely under the water surface so I don't get alot of back-siphoning.
An in-sump skimmer would continue as normal. A skimmer powered by external pump would continue as normal and in my case where the overflows flow into the skimmer the water level drops in the skimmer to about two thirds full so the skimmer pumps still work.
So a but mystified about your setup.....
An in-sump skimmer would continue as normal. A skimmer powered by external pump would continue as normal and in my case where the overflows flow into the skimmer the water level drops in the skimmer to about two thirds full so the skimmer pumps still work.
So a but mystified about your setup.....
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
I have the returns down about 2" below the overflows. My sumos can handle the water, but the water level rose up on the skimmers which caused the problems. I will have to put the return pipes higher or put a check-valve so I don't get backflow.
I'm glad this happened now rather than when I'm gone on a trip.
I'm glad this happened now rather than when I'm gone on a trip.
jnarowe
New member
Laurence is right...something wrong with your design. ZERO water leaves my tank when the return is shut down. Even in a power outage, everything is fine. Did you design the overflow and returns, or was that contracted?
BTW, filling the tank with micro bubbles is no big deal. I do it all the time and some reef keepers do it on a schedule.
BTW, filling the tank with micro bubbles is no big deal. I do it all the time and some reef keepers do it on a schedule.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Yeah, I wasn't really worried about the bubbles.
The problem is the back-siphoning of water through the returns. I will address that issue when i get home. I think I will add a check-valve so water can only back up to that point and not into the sumps. I guess I could drill an air hole on the returns that would not allow it to siphon. The water then could only go as low as my overflow teeth which would be fine.
And you know who designed the overflows...
Everything that guy did for me has been a complete nightmare.
Just got off the phone with my wife and she said everyone looks good and the Duncan is opening and the Achillies doesn't have as many "white spots" either...So I think everything will be okay. Just a scare hopefully.
The problem is the back-siphoning of water through the returns. I will address that issue when i get home. I think I will add a check-valve so water can only back up to that point and not into the sumps. I guess I could drill an air hole on the returns that would not allow it to siphon. The water then could only go as low as my overflow teeth which would be fine.
And you know who designed the overflows...
Everything that guy did for me has been a complete nightmare. Just got off the phone with my wife and she said everyone looks good and the Duncan is opening and the Achillies doesn't have as many "white spots" either...So I think everything will be okay. Just a scare hopefully.
jnarowe
New member
That's what I thought. Duncans are very resilient so I would guess if water params stay good, it will be fine.
Syphon break is a must. With my manifold, one line goes up to my RDSB (used to be refugium) and remians open and above the water line. That is my syphon break. Without it, my tank will drain, and I have seen this happen.
Syphon break is a must. With my manifold, one line goes up to my RDSB (used to be refugium) and remians open and above the water line. That is my syphon break. Without it, my tank will drain, and I have seen this happen.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Where do I put the hole? On the pipe above my tank water line before it goes down into the water? Or do i drill a hole in the pipe below the water line and insert a hose that stays above the water line? Or does it matter?
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Oh I see what you mean...I have a manifold with an extra JG fitting not being used. I can use it to plumb a RO line above my tank into my fuge or somewhere.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
I just ordered 4-6305's from premium aquatics. Should be here by weekend.
I drilled a small hole (the size of the standard airline) in my pvc on the highest point before it goes into the water. Then I siliconed a piece of standard air line into the hole and extended the air line up a couple of feet. I thought the water would rise up in the tubing more than it did. It only came up a couple of inches. I would imagine the more flow the more back pressure and the higher the water will rise in the tube. I haven't had any problems with plugging but it's very accessible for cleaning. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Some of the best learning experiences in this hobby come from our biggest disasters IMO.
jnarowe
New member
for your size system and flow, I would use a larger line...that may not be needed, but I was a little too scared to use such a small one, mostly because of the salt buildup issue. With a small airline, I would think regular blowing out of the line would be needed for it to be effective in an emergency, and I just don't have the brain bucks to remeber that.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
exactly! I don't mind troubles...it will just make my system stronger in the end.
How you explain it is exactly how i thought I would do it too!
How you explain it is exactly how i thought I would do it too!
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Got a much sweeter deal...sick good.
EnglishRebel
Retired Rebel Reefer
Here's what I did with my returns. The JG fitting is screwed into the top of the elbow and the black pipe just discharges into the tank. As soon as the pump turns off the siphon is immediately broken.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Yes...Exactly what I am talking about. I would drill and tap a hole on the plumbing just before the pipe goes back into the water. Then I would run the RO line near the overflow, but not touching water.
Bax
Premium Member
I have an a. valida that has grown above the teeth of my overflow. Last time I cooked a return pump it was an odd weekend where I was away and not stopping by the office. Baked that beauty in about 10+ hours of full light. It bleached, but has made a full recovery to its stunning glory and is once again, tasty! I did have a few frags on a shallow rack not fair as well, but I guess that's to be expected. I think you'll be OK.
I like Jonathan's idea of having the highest outlest from your return pump (that is over the tank water level) at least partially out of the water, that would resolve everthing. Check valves can be unreliable.
I like Jonathan's idea of having the highest outlest from your return pump (that is over the tank water level) at least partially out of the water, that would resolve everthing. Check valves can be unreliable.
