The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[Bomber]

Where do you buy starboard from?

http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/

 

[Bryan89]

Where do you buy starboard from?

My local plastic supply center was cheaper than cuttingboard.com, and was willing to cut to my exact specifications free of charge.

 

[topmav1]

So its a regular cutting board material like the ones you use in the kitchen to cut vegetable on???

 

[Bomber]

So its a regular cutting board material like the ones you use in the kitchen to cut vegetable on???

As long as the plastic doesn't have anti-fungal or anti-bacterial additives, it's safe.

MarinaBoard has some UV protection. It's, obviously, important if the plastic is going to be used on boats, but not particularly important for reef tanks.

 

[Bryan89]

So its a regular cutting board material like the ones you use in the kitchen to cut vegetable on???

Yes, the material is more commonly known by the name HDPE (high density polyethylene).

Bryan

 

[APFish]

OK, I am going BB soon. I have been following this post for I guess years now and have finally reached the point of disposal. My question is this. I want to gain as much skimming as possible. I am wanting to start the BB on a 55 and so I plan on running a skimmer box across the back of the tank. To do this I plan on placing two 4" pieces of glass in an "L" shape and then placing these at the top back of the tank. Then to drain the skimmer I want to drill two holes to the skimmer into my EV120 Aqua C skimmer. Can I run the overflows into the skimmer w/o a pump or do they need to be in a pump first. If I could gravity feed the skimmmer then have it spill into a "settling tank"; and then pumped back into the tank. I was hoping to palce the pump coming into a spray bar at the bottom of the tank to keep the bottom of the tank pushing forward and up. I would also increase the flow of the tank with some type of power heads in the beginning. Is this feasable? Does anyone want to suggest an easier way? I am open to critisism so that I know what works. I have discussed it with several local reefers who tell me that I need several pumps just to get the skimmer process moving.

Rob

 

[Doubledown]

I have a 75 gallon that I am setting up as BB. I ordered the cutting board today.

My question is flow creation. Currently I am using a Mag 9.5 as a return through a SeaSwirl (700 gph) and a Seio 820 (820 gph) in the tank.

I was thinking of adding a Seio 1500 down on the bottom, blowing lengthwise behind/through the rocks.

Will this be enough flow to keep the detritus in suspension?

If I add this, then tank circulation would be around 3000 gph (40x turnover) and varied by the Seaswirl to create turbulance.

Enough for SPS only?

Should I look to go a different route? Maybe add another 820 near the top?

Thanks
Chris

 

[rscotti]

What thickness SB do you think I should use in a 58 gal. glass, leaving a 1/2" away from the silcone?

 

[SeanT]

I went with 1/2" myself.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Can some of you BB guys take a look?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=668098

thanks!

 

[topmav1]

What do you mean by running your skimmer wet???

 

[Weatherman]

What do you mean by running your skimmer wet???

Example: A skimmer capable of removing Ã"šÃ‚½ gallon to a full gallon of tea, or darker, colored skimmate per day from a 120 gallon tank.


Sometimes I use my skimmer for water changes. Crank the skimmer up real high, take a maxijet powerhead to blow detritus off the rocks and bottom of the tank, and within an hour my water is clear and I have three gallons of particulate laden water my skimmer has removed from the tank.

Easier than siphoning for those hard-to-reach locations.

 

[NoSchwag]

Okay, how long before I can put a shrimp or 2? I have nothing coming off of my rocks and no fish.

Will they be able to survive? Sorry if this question seems ignorant.

also..

What type of shrimp has the long wisker things. I think they look cool comming out from underneath a rock.

 

[NoSchwag]

I don't know if this is the place to ask but..

After filling my tank with ro/di, getting the SG to 1.025, my water seems cloudy. I put the rock in, still seems cloudy.

Is it possible that it's my temp rubbermaid sump leeching things into my water??

 

[masson]

what kind of rubbermaid? Ive been using one for 8 months and its not couldy...

I bet it just "left overs" from the sand of the rock.

 

[NoSchwag]

but it was there before I put my rock in.. My rocks are cooked and very clean. I can point my penductors at them and all that comes out is bubbles.

 

[NoSchwag]

I will post a pic of my sump when I get home.

 

[topmav1]

WEATHERMAN:

So you put your skimmer in your tank?? Or just the pump that runs into it? Problem is, my sump was modified with a hole in it for the pump to go into the skimmer which sits outside the sump...sounds like a great idea though...wish i could try it.

 

[verde_ad]

I think running your skimmer "wet" means that you restrict the outflow of your skimmer, so that it pulls "wetter" skimate out of the water. This means you will take out organics sooner. It is how you are suggested to run your skimmer in a BB system.

 

[Weatherman]

WEATHERMAN:

So you put your skimmer in your tank?? Or just the pump that runs into it? Problem is, my sump was modified with a hole in it for the pump to go into the skimmer which sits outside the sump...sounds like a great idea though...wish i could try it.

Just crank that little red knob so bubbles and water are flowing over the top of the skimmer neck and out through the drain tube.

Once the water's clear, I dial it back.