Sinistard's 68.8 Acrylic Tank Journal [Photo Intense]
- Thread starter Sinistard
- Start date
rdmpe
New member
I think your bubble issue will be even worse with saltwater. Freshwater doesn't hold the bubbles nearly as long afaik.
This drain setup doesn't generate any bubbles or noise
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=344892 but you have to have a second drain hole available as an emergency drain in case you have a clog.
This drain setup doesn't generate any bubbles or noise
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=344892 but you have to have a second drain hole available as an emergency drain in case you have a clog.
melev
Well-known member
The sump is too small and the flow is too great, unfortunately.
With a 68.8g tank, you need no more than 5 times that volume going through the sump. 344gph is plenty.
Get a longer sump in there, because you'll create more horizontal travel time to allow the bubbles to rise and pop. And decrease the flow through the sump.
I'm sure none of this is what you want to hear, but it is the truth.
With a 68.8g tank, you need no more than 5 times that volume going through the sump. 344gph is plenty.
Get a longer sump in there, because you'll create more horizontal travel time to allow the bubbles to rise and pop. And decrease the flow through the sump.
I'm sure none of this is what you want to hear, but it is the truth.
melev
Well-known member
It doesn't hurt anything, but microbubbles will be the issue.
You can throttle it back (after the pump in the return plumbing), but you'll still be paying for the electricity to run it at 100%. It may even make the pump run hotter.
Once you fill the system with saltwater, you'll be better informed and you can decide then. If you switch pumps, you can still use this one for mixing saltwater or water changes.
You can throttle it back (after the pump in the return plumbing), but you'll still be paying for the electricity to run it at 100%. It may even make the pump run hotter.
Once you fill the system with saltwater, you'll be better informed and you can decide then. If you switch pumps, you can still use this one for mixing saltwater or water changes.
Sinistard
New member
Thanks again for the info melev, I'm going to have to send you a paycheck with all the info you have given me.
Also thanks rdmpe, I have been looking over the thread you posted a link to and am considering trying out that style of overflow. I don't have 2 bulkheads in my overflow but I could add one easy enough. I am a little worried about trying that method since I have an external overflow and don't have a ton of height to play with. I already have the gate values to match the overflow to the return pump.
I tested it out by removing my stand pipe and adjusting my flow and it definitely reduced noise and took care of most of the bubbles. It was a little hard to equalize the level probably due to my setup having a split in the drain line and 2 gate valves. The only thing I worry about is gas transfer with no air moving through the pipes.
I guess there is no harm in trying it out, if it does not work for me I can just block of the extra bulkhead.
Also thanks rdmpe, I have been looking over the thread you posted a link to and am considering trying out that style of overflow. I don't have 2 bulkheads in my overflow but I could add one easy enough. I am a little worried about trying that method since I have an external overflow and don't have a ton of height to play with. I already have the gate values to match the overflow to the return pump.
I tested it out by removing my stand pipe and adjusting my flow and it definitely reduced noise and took care of most of the bubbles. It was a little hard to equalize the level probably due to my setup having a split in the drain line and 2 gate valves. The only thing I worry about is gas transfer with no air moving through the pipes.
I guess there is no harm in trying it out, if it does not work for me I can just block of the extra bulkhead.
Sinistard
New member
Well after reading several pages of the thread rdmpe posted I have decided to give it a try. I plan to add 2 1" bulkheads in my external overflow to use as emergency overflows. I am going to get these screens from www.marinedepot.com.
My only worries are going to be if my external overflow is not tall enough to make this work, and having my drain split may make it hard to equalize the water level in the overflow.
I did not want to turn down my return pump since I am using it as a source of flow and I will need all I can get since I plan to keep SPS. This tank is in my living room so the less noise the better.
If this works I will be able to take out a couple of the baffles in my tank to make more room for a larger skimmer.
Thanks again rdmpe for the link.
My only worries are going to be if my external overflow is not tall enough to make this work, and having my drain split may make it hard to equalize the water level in the overflow.
I did not want to turn down my return pump since I am using it as a source of flow and I will need all I can get since I plan to keep SPS. This tank is in my living room so the less noise the better.
If this works I will be able to take out a couple of the baffles in my tank to make more room for a larger skimmer.
Thanks again rdmpe for the link.
Sinistard
New member
Well I finally got a picture with water in the tank, although I don't know if I have enough light 
You can see there are a lot of micro bubbles in the shot, I hope they will clear out a bit after it runs for a while. This is just a test run with tap water to make sure everything is going to work
I changed my overflow design to work like the one rdmpe suggested.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=344892
So far It seem like it will work great although I have a bit of tweaking to do on the height of the 2 drains in my overflow box. Once I get it tweaked I will post some pictures.
I also learned you need to be careful when drilling acrylic with a hole saw. When the saw part hit the acrylic I had it going to fast of a bit out of level and it caught and spun the drill smashing my little finger into the side of the tank. That's a mistake I will only make once. I'm lucky it was not worse. I imagine in a few days my finger nail will look like hell.
You can see there are a lot of micro bubbles in the shot, I hope they will clear out a bit after it runs for a while. This is just a test run with tap water to make sure everything is going to work
I changed my overflow design to work like the one rdmpe suggested.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=344892
So far It seem like it will work great although I have a bit of tweaking to do on the height of the 2 drains in my overflow box. Once I get it tweaked I will post some pictures.
I also learned you need to be careful when drilling acrylic with a hole saw. When the saw part hit the acrylic I had it going to fast of a bit out of level and it caught and spun the drill smashing my little finger into the side of the tank. That's a mistake I will only make once. I'm lucky it was not worse. I imagine in a few days my finger nail will look like hell.
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
geeze don't hurt yourself 
gald it's all up and running. let us know how it goes
Lunchbucket
gald it's all up and running. let us know how it goes
Lunchbucket
Sinistard
New member
My finger hurts like crazy today and look real pretty.
After running over night a lot of the bubbles seem to have cleared out.
There is a lot of evaporation so I am going to do an auto top off. I got a kents float valve and am going to tap directly into my RO system in the kitchen. I will run a line through the basement to my tank. Eventualy I am going to get a seperate RO for the tank but for now this should work.
After running over night a lot of the bubbles seem to have cleared out.
There is a lot of evaporation so I am going to do an auto top off. I got a kents float valve and am going to tap directly into my RO system in the kitchen. I will run a line through the basement to my tank. Eventualy I am going to get a seperate RO for the tank but for now this should work.
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
be CAREFUL. if your float sticks on you will keep dumping RO water in and coudl flood everywhere. i would NOT do it this way
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
melev
Well-known member
A smaller container near the tank. Home Depot is currently selling tall narrow wrapping paper containers for $5 each. I'm going to buy three of them and just picked up the bulkheads today so they can be plumbed together. It will provide me with 30g of top off water for my tank, which should last a week or so. I'd do it today, but the roads are icy and I'm not too excited to put my life at risk.
glassbox-design
New member
Looks good
tag'n to follow the progress
Eric
tag'n to follow the progress
Eric
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
sinistard - do somethign like melev said. i use a rubbermaid tub on my tank. it fills w/ about 5gallons of water. will only last about 1day or so. but that way i can't flood my tank w/ a crap load of water
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Sinistard - glad we could help before you had a serious accident. get something that will fit behind the tank if possible or beside it. or plumb it through a wall or the floor
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
rdmpe
New member
Wow your finger looks painful. Hope it isn't hurting you too bad. I absolutely love that tuned drain system. It is working really well on my tank. The tank drain and sump end of the drain are completely silent and no bubbles. I had to play with the relative heights of the two drains also.
Here's how mine is setup fwiw... I put the emergency drain just about a half inch lower than the overflow walls. I tested it several times where I completely closed off the main drain with the gate valve, and the emergency drain handles the flow. But it is a little scary becuase that emergency drain seems sort of high up in the overflow, so the tank LOOKS like it is going to flood since the overflow chamber is nearly under water. Anyway, it does work fine even if it looks scary.
I generally keep the system tuned so that the water is very close to the top of the emergency tube, since when the water is higher up it reduces the noise of the water entering the overflow chamber.
So then for the height of the main drain, I wanted mine somewhat high so that it would reduce the water going to the sump when the return pumpt shuts down. My sump volume is somewhat limited. If I had a lot of extra sump volume available, I probably would have made the main drain a little lower. But it is working fine as is. I haven't had any vortex problems or anything, but part of that is because I have a DIY screen over it.
Here's how mine is setup fwiw... I put the emergency drain just about a half inch lower than the overflow walls. I tested it several times where I completely closed off the main drain with the gate valve, and the emergency drain handles the flow. But it is a little scary becuase that emergency drain seems sort of high up in the overflow, so the tank LOOKS like it is going to flood since the overflow chamber is nearly under water. Anyway, it does work fine even if it looks scary.
I generally keep the system tuned so that the water is very close to the top of the emergency tube, since when the water is higher up it reduces the noise of the water entering the overflow chamber.
So then for the height of the main drain, I wanted mine somewhat high so that it would reduce the water going to the sump when the return pumpt shuts down. My sump volume is somewhat limited. If I had a lot of extra sump volume available, I probably would have made the main drain a little lower. But it is working fine as is. I haven't had any vortex problems or anything, but part of that is because I have a DIY screen over it.
I have read over this entire thread and i must say what a beautiful job on setting up your system and your plumbing is amazing. On the top off check out autotopoff.com i have used there top off system for about 8 months with no problems and it can be directly fed from r/o line just make sure to get 2 solenoids just in case one fails. The only complaint i have is when the solenoids open they are loud but you get used to it. Once again beautiful set up.
