getting very angry with my lfs

[aquaknight]

Hmmm, well yea I guess if you wanted you could remove the entire sump. Yea, the cup is the part that will need to come out frequently, but you'll need to pull the pump every so often and it check it, clean the actual body of the skimmer. Gunk and stuff will form on that.

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3293107
Are you saying it just wouldn't fit in there? Because the tank I bought that I thought would work is 36x12x11 and the footprint fits perfectly. I just have the 12" go along with the width and the 8" go along with the Depth of the tank. So it would be the same situation with the 20 gallon tanks.
I'm not putting anything down that you're saying trust me... I'm just trying to make sure you're sure this isn't going to work... I need something to work here, and I'm running out of options.
No, the tank should fit fine in there. I meant that the 20tall wouldn't allow you to remove the skimmer, for the reasons above.

 

[sparty059]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3293108
Sparty......do you have the skimmer yet???
Yes, I bought it and it fits under the aquarium perfectly with plenty of room to remove the top. It also fits in the tank I WAS going to use but will be returning for a tank that has the same width as this.
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3293109
Hmmm, well yea I guess if you wanted you could remove the entire sump. Yea, the cup is the part that will need to come out frequently, but you'll need to pull the pump every so often and it check it, clean the actual body of the skimmer. Gunk and stuff will form on that.
So then you're saying that this option should work? I'm trying to triple check everything before I decide to buy and return yet another tank. I don't want them to get angry with me!

 

[meowzer]

LOL...sorry I couldn't remember....I was thinking you might want to get an external skimmer....but nevermind

 

[sparty059]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3293110
No, the tank should fit fine in there. I meant that the 20tall wouldn't allow you to remove the skimmer, for the reasons above.
Oh, I see what you're saying. But if we decide that I will just remove the tank to get the skimmer out then I won't have any problems and can continue with this solution... correct?

 

[sparty059]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3293112
LOL...sorry I couldn't remember....I was thinking you might want to get an external skimmer....but nevermind

Eh, I'm not too fond of external. I suppose the easiest solution would just have AquaKnight just build me a cabinet that will better suit me. What do you say Aqua?

... PLEASE?!? It'll keep me from

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3293115
Eh, I'm not too fond of external. I suppose the easiest solution would just have AquaKnight just build me a cabinet that will better suit me. What do you say Aqua?

... PLEASE?!? It'll keep me from

that's a good thought....I wish I lived by some of this guys sometimes just for that reason...so I can say.....HEY just come do this for me....

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3293113
Oh, I see what you're saying. But if we decide that I will just remove the tank to get the skimmer out then I won't have any problems and can continue with this solution... correct?
Yea, you could do that, but from experience, that would be a pretty major PITA. You would have to remove the drain and return plumbing, empty all of the water, etc.
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3293115
Eh, I'm not too fond of external. I suppose the easiest solution would just have AquaKnight just build me a cabinet that will better suit me. What do you say Aqua?

... PLEASE?!? It'll keep me from

LOL

. Go look at the dates I posted each update. The tank has been a labor of love, that's for sure

 

[sparty059]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3293118
Yea, you could do that, but from experience, that would be a pretty major PITA. You would have to remove the drain and return plumbing, empty all of the water, etc.
However, if I remove the cup, then I take away 3 or 4 additional inches... so I might be able to squeeze it out that way... maybe?
How often do you really have to clean the inside of the skimmer anyway? yearly? monthly? weekly? daily?

 

[sparty059]

The footprint is with the pump included right? I was just watn to make sure.

 

[aquaknight]

Well, my skimmer is a little different (Aqua C EV-240). It's a bit more maintenance then a typical skimmer, have to check the injector for debris, and because of the taller then normal neck, I have to clean that more often. Once a week I wipe down the inside of the neck, and about once a month, I completely remove the skimmer and hose it out.
An important thing to consider, is expansion. The Eshopps PSK 150, actually has a footprint of 12"x6". If you like removed the pump, and then turn the skimmer sideways above the sump, you might be able to get it out. That skimmer is fine for 125gal for now. But in my honest opinion, it would only support a lighter bioload. If in the future you wanted to upgrade your skimmer, or have more support equipment, say a phosban reactor, the shorter tank would make that easier.

 

[sparty059]

Ok, that's great news then. So tomorrow as I said, I will go to my LFS even though that's the last place I want to be since they're being a-holes! I'll return my 24 gallon and pick up a 20 tall and 20 long. What else do I need? PVC pipe? I suppose I can take my 20 tall tank to a local glass shop and have them drill a hole in to it for me? How big of a hole do I need? What type of head do I need? I have a heater, skimmer, and I will have my friend that works at a glass shop cut me the buffles. What sizes for those should I have and how many do I need?
And if you're wondering... yes... apparently this is 20 questions.

 

[sparty059]

Can I actually get a 29 gallon (30" x 12" x 18") instead of the 24 gallon tall? It's a little bit taller. Again, my cabinet allows up to 22" in some spots and 24 in others. So I could raise it 2" still... right? I'm just trying to maximize my tank size.

 

[aquaknight]

Well the 20gal tall or the 29gal, would be the refugium, so you're going to need a light on top of the tank. So there needs to be room for that. By the time you get a light on top of the 29gal, with only 22" of clearance, there won't be much room to access the fuge.
You will need 3 baffles to act as the bubble trap. I would say to make them 9" tall. I can't say exactly how wide them need to be, I would have measure it myself, each individual tank is different. Just take both tanks to your buddy's glass shop, and he'll be able to cut them to size.
For the refugium drain, a single 1" drain should be enough. To connect the plumbing to the tank, you will need a 1" glass bulkhead. The hole size required, is 1 3/4".
Yea, you'll need PVC, are you planning on using rigid PVC for the drain and return, or Flex SPA, or some people even use vinyl tubing. I prefer rigid PVC, but there is no correct choice.
I worked on little more on the drawing. It should help explain anything I'm missing...

 

[aquaknight]

Oh just realized that your tank's overflow/drain is in the center, so my sketch isn't exactly correct.
I also missed, the part about foam under the tank. No, glass tank that have a plastic brace on the bottom are not supposed to have foam under them. The tank is designed to only sit on that braces.

 

[flower]

Your design has the refugium water going through the skimmer, won't that kill the copepods and such? Shouldn’t the refugium water flow directly into the main tank?

 

[aquaknight]

Well, not really.... Most of the flow through the sump is going away from the skimmer at that point. Pods dump in from the refugium would, in theory, be swept into the baffles, and then into the return area, to be sucked up to the display.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3293213
Oh just realized that your tank's overflow/drain is in the center, so my sketch isn't exactly correct.
I also missed, the part about foam under the tank. No, glass tank that have a plastic brace on the bottom are not supposed to have foam under them. The tank is designed to only sit on that braces.

Oh now I see it..the return is after skimmer water dumps in.

 

[sparty059]

AquaKnight... that makes perfect sense! I'm very big on learning visually so this helps a lot. I will look at getting all the stuff and will have a glass shop drill the bulkhead hole. I'll keep everyone updated on the project.
However, keep in mind... you're all not off the hook yet! I still have a lot of work that needs to be done and a lot of help from all of you still!

 

[sparty059]

Hey everyone... I'm in the process of buying the tall tank off of someone for $25. They're also including the top and the lights... for $5 extra they said they will give me their filter. Should I just pay that and use it for me 60 gallon hexagon quarantine tank? Or will that not work?