OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
jnarowe
New member
I did not get the white boxes as I have limited height. I did consider a 300G sump but couldn't get it into my van. The white boxes would have been good because they hold more per square foot than round sumps, but I couldn't find any locally. Then I went to a PSAS event and the host store told me where they got theirs in Seattle...a little too late but that's the way it goes. 
As it is, I had to notch my catwalk to get the 100g tubs in, and they are much shorter than the white boxes.
As it is, I had to notch my catwalk to get the 100g tubs in, and they are much shorter than the white boxes.
jnarowe
New member
Something I think I forgot to mention is that I now have 4 Vortech Pumps, 2 on each end, running in the tank. After some lengthy adjustment, I have them running smoothly and fairly quiet. I understand from Tim at Vortech it may take a few days to wear in the bearings and that they may become even more quiet.
The flow is unbelievable and my corals have reacted very positively. What is interesting to me is that they do not create a constant rush of water, but seem to somehow ebb & flow. It must be some kind of whirlpool effect but it is easy to see on polyps. I am really happy I designed my system to use the Vortechs in place of closed loops!
I can't wait for the controller!!!
The flow is unbelievable and my corals have reacted very positively. What is interesting to me is that they do not create a constant rush of water, but seem to somehow ebb & flow. It must be some kind of whirlpool effect but it is easy to see on polyps. I am really happy I designed my system to use the Vortechs in place of closed loops!
I can't wait for the controller!!!
jnarowe
New member
Hop: :lol: yeah well I have so much to do and my yard is a total mess. I have an open ditch where I am installing a new drain pipe, 1/2 acre of lawn is waist high, and my skimmer is down again as it waits for me to figure out how to get it into a sump that is too small....I measured the sump for it but forgot that my BHs would protrude into the sump area. I may have to set the skimmer on top of a plastic soda case. I should have it going tomorrow morning one way or another, and I hope to reveal my DIY anti-needle wheel skimmer mod.
Brad: Yeah, my blowers ripple the surface well but the Vortechs actually churn it. I have them installed at about 1/2 way up the glass, so that is about 17 inches from the water surface. When I turn the wet frame so that the covered part is facing down, I really get some surface action. I think they are designed so that part is facing up so that the pumps won't cavitate in smaller tanks.
Brad: Yeah, my blowers ripple the surface well but the Vortechs actually churn it. I have them installed at about 1/2 way up the glass, so that is about 17 inches from the water surface. When I turn the wet frame so that the covered part is facing down, I really get some surface action. I think they are designed so that part is facing up so that the pumps won't cavitate in smaller tanks.
jnarowe
New member
Another JAT
Another JAT
Found another JAT and showed it to a marine biologist buddy of mine. He had never seen anything like it either and believes it may be an undescribed member of the Juliidae Family.
I found it nestled in a rock in the refugium and we took it out to inspect it. After we were done, I placed it on top of a rock in the fuge. This morning I tried to spot it during the night cycle and it had disappeared. I flipped over the rock and there it was attached to the underside. I still have not seen anything protrude out of the opening but we did see it have a marked reaction and clamp when I first picked up the rock it was on.
My buddy will bring over a camera with a decent macro and see if we can't get a good picture of it.
Another JAT
Found another JAT and showed it to a marine biologist buddy of mine. He had never seen anything like it either and believes it may be an undescribed member of the Juliidae Family.
I found it nestled in a rock in the refugium and we took it out to inspect it. After we were done, I placed it on top of a rock in the fuge. This morning I tried to spot it during the night cycle and it had disappeared. I flipped over the rock and there it was attached to the underside. I still have not seen anything protrude out of the opening but we did see it have a marked reaction and clamp when I first picked up the rock it was on.
My buddy will bring over a camera with a decent macro and see if we can't get a good picture of it.
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Re: Another JAT
Re: Another JAT
Um...I missed this, what is a JAT?
Brian
Re: Another JAT
Um...I missed this, what is a JAT?
Brian
jnarowe
New member
:lol: Nope but good try...There's always those questions when we find something new:
1. Is it dangerous?
2. And how many more are there???
So my experiment with my skimmer mod is not initially successful. Of course, I am doing the unthinkable: I am fixing something that ain't broke! The issue for me is that the air stone skimmer is running quite well, but I liked the idea spazz and others are working to super-charge skimmers. The problem I have with their designs is that they are not really "DIY" and I can't build them. I have to give Scott and Bill major kudos for their work on Sequence recircs and without their example to follow, I probably wouldn't be messing around with alternative skimmer designs.
With my "anti-needle" wheel mod I am able to achieve extremely tiny bubbles but when I crank up the air volume, I don't get a head of foam. The flow of the air through the pump reverses and I get very turbulent water mixed with very fine bubbles.
So now I will try to add air from another point in the recirc loop and see what happens.
1. Is it dangerous?
2. And how many more are there???
So my experiment with my skimmer mod is not initially successful. Of course, I am doing the unthinkable: I am fixing something that ain't broke!
The issue for me is that the air stone skimmer is running quite well, but I liked the idea spazz and others are working to super-charge skimmers. The problem I have with their designs is that they are not really "DIY" and I can't build them. I have to give Scott and Bill major kudos for their work on Sequence recircs and without their example to follow, I probably wouldn't be messing around with alternative skimmer designs. With my "anti-needle" wheel mod I am able to achieve extremely tiny bubbles but when I crank up the air volume, I don't get a head of foam. The flow of the air through the pump reverses and I get very turbulent water mixed with very fine bubbles.
So now I will try to add air from another point in the recirc loop and see what happens.
jnarowe
New member
So I tried another method of injecting the air to my skimmer mod and it didn't work too well. I guess the next step would be to build a venturi. For the mean time I switched back to my air stones and that is working quite well.
Since I am in no way going to win a Nobel Prize for an "almost worked" device, I am posting pics below so people can see it and comment. If it had worked I would have posted a separate thread and the gloating would have been unbearable...
I did get extremely fine bubbles which was my primary goal, but I could not get the saturation needed to create a good foam head. I believe that is because over a certain air volume, I got high turbulence rather than the fine bubbles. I am fairly certain that a venturi would do the trick but I had hoped that I wouldn't need it.
BTW, this "anti-needle wheel" is completely DIY in the sense that all I used was a regular router rather than a CNC machine. It's not Bill or Scott perfect by any means, but it does not affect the way the pump works. I will build a venturi and try it again soon.
Since I am in no way going to win a Nobel Prize for an "almost worked" device, I am posting pics below so people can see it and comment. If it had worked I would have posted a separate thread and the gloating would have been unbearable...
I did get extremely fine bubbles which was my primary goal, but I could not get the saturation needed to create a good foam head. I believe that is because over a certain air volume, I got high turbulence rather than the fine bubbles. I am fairly certain that a venturi would do the trick but I had hoped that I wouldn't need it.
BTW, this "anti-needle wheel" is completely DIY in the sense that all I used was a regular router rather than a CNC machine. It's not Bill or Scott perfect by any means, but it does not affect the way the pump works. I will build a venturi and try it again soon.
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Yep, leave room for corals to grow
I never thought I would think the vortechs would look small, but in your tank they do!
That is some sick looking skimmate!
Brian
- Status
Similar threads
