Skimmer Hose Venting Outside
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Aquarist007
New member
Kent superbuffer dKh
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Aquarist007
New member
has your tank been drilled?
Aquarist007
New member
great--similar to my setup with an intake overflow.
Figure the cost of pvc pipe, two in line values------30 dollars
Refugium----30 dollars
Sump----not sure----you can even use a plastic tub
The big cost for me was the pump----7 feet of head pressure so I went with a mag3600--giving me a net flow rate of about 2200 gph
Figure the cost of pvc pipe, two in line values------30 dollars
Refugium----30 dollars
Sump----not sure----you can even use a plastic tub
The big cost for me was the pump----7 feet of head pressure so I went with a mag3600--giving me a net flow rate of about 2200 gph
Aquarist007
New member
the best way to convince a signifcant other is to point out that all testing, dosing and even feeding can be done from the basement--no mess and no noise upstairs
Capn. I appreciate the pic's and help. Have a couple of questions though. So how do you have this plumbed to the tank. IS the return going from your sump to the return, and the intake is going from your tank to refugium? How are you getting the water from refugium to the sump?
Are you suggesting that I place the refugium in the basement and pump the water from that to my Tidepool II acting as my sump and returning it to the tank using the pump I have now?
So all I would need is a tank for the refugium and the pump for the refugium to take water upstairs to the sump?
Do you think I would have flow issues running it that way?
Interesting refugium you have there, what did you use looks like a plastic tub.
Are you suggesting that I place the refugium in the basement and pump the water from that to my Tidepool II acting as my sump and returning it to the tank using the pump I have now?
So all I would need is a tank for the refugium and the pump for the refugium to take water upstairs to the sump?
Do you think I would have flow issues running it that way?
Interesting refugium you have there, what did you use looks like a plastic tub.
Aquarist007
New member
the water from the tank comes down from the middle pipe at that point there is a tee and two control valves---the one to the right goes into the sump via the filter sock.
The line to the left goes to the refugium
The two valves are there to control the flow to the refugium and the sump---the flow is about 1/8 to the refugium
The water returns via the bulkhead in the left corner of the sump and is forced up with the 3600mag pump--it is hard to tell because the pump is very small in the pic.
The refugium is sitting higher then the sump so water returns to the left corner of the sump via the large plastic hose(gravity feed)
In this way the water and life from the refugium is returned directly from the bulkhead in the left corner and doesn't go back through the protein skimmer.
I am suggesting you make a sump also out of a plastic tote for now and the refugium---they were 15 dollars at Home Depot.
they are 30 gal so much bigger then the tidepool.
If you are going to the basement bigger is better--you are adding more water to the water column so less issues with filtration.
Alot of guys put live rock in the sump--which I did--- somethimes it can free up swimming space in the main tank.
If you are going to relocate to the basement you might as well relocate everything for convenience and practicality.
You will have pump issues--measure the height the pump has to pump and go to the home page on reef central---there is a calculator there you can use that tells you what your pump will put out and a what head pressure. Alot of the pumps are not made to handle very much head pressure.
If I didn't answer all questions --fire away some more. A buddy of mine helped me set this entire system up in one hour.
Aquarist007
New member
.......the bigger the sump you can use the better. I wish I had gone with a long 90 gal---that's my next project---I would like a 90 long with a deep sand bed, mineral mud and mangos.
That would be all the filtration needed---mud sump, refugium, live rock and deep sand bed--very close to the natural reef situation.
That would be all the filtration needed---mud sump, refugium, live rock and deep sand bed--very close to the natural reef situation.
Aquarist007
New member
I actually drilled one four inch hole ----I had the benifit of an enclosed stand---so I did it inside the cupboard and through the floor.
I used 1 inch pvc----same as the bulkheads in the bottom of the overflow so there wouldn't be any more restictions in the flow.
I cut out one section on the return pipe and put a twelve inch piece of tubing in there.The sound of the mag pump was using the pvc pipe to travel---the plastic absorbs the sound--so it is quiet upstairs.
IMO as long as you don't take part of a floor joist out--putting a whole between floor joist is not goint to make that big a difference.
I used 1 inch pvc----same as the bulkheads in the bottom of the overflow so there wouldn't be any more restictions in the flow.
I cut out one section on the return pipe and put a twelve inch piece of tubing in there.The sound of the mag pump was using the pvc pipe to travel---the plastic absorbs the sound--so it is quiet upstairs.
IMO as long as you don't take part of a floor joist out--putting a whole between floor joist is not goint to make that big a difference.
Aquarist007
New member
please do and take pics of the steps---this is something I didn't do and wish I had off.
nickjj
Premium Member
I found that running a hose from my air inlet on my skimmer to the window definately helps in keeping the ph of my tank higher.
A room full of people or the air conditioning on all day will tend to drop your ph a little with the CO2 that accumulates in your house. Cracking a window open allows fresh oxygenated air to come in.
A room full of people or the air conditioning on all day will tend to drop your ph a little with the CO2 that accumulates in your house. Cracking a window open allows fresh oxygenated air to come in.
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My apartment has low oxygen levels and I had related low Ph & Alkalinity problems. I just made DIY Co2 scrubber and connected to the air intake of my skimmer. It's simple and works great. Today is the 3rd day I already see great results. My Ph was 7.9 this morning.
Instead of running a hose, why don't you try the CO2 scrubber.
All you need is;
Bag of soda lime.
Clear Jar box
Quick connect or hose barb and air line tubing.
Attachments
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Running an air line outside has helped some hobbyists with high CO2 levels in their house. If you decide to do this, I would make sure to attach a carbon air filter at the end of the outside line. Pesticide applications & other contaminates would wipe out a tank otherwise. 
