My 55 gallon adventure

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by asp762 http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/60#post_3491245
That is very interesting! Thanks beaslbob!
I might give it a try.
Thanks and email me if you have questions or just respond here.
What I did (after 3 floods) was setup a 10g and a couple of $5 plastic containers and played with the system in my garage. Which I wish I had done first.
That way regardless of what the hardware is you can test it out and make adjustments to limit floods to once a decade or so. LOL
my .02

 

[asp762]

Here is the tentative layout of the plumbing not including the DIY overflow. It is 1" PVC pipe. The pipe with the check valve is the return. Mako, my 70 lb akita puppy, is always getting into trouble.

I haven't glued it just yet. I will get more materials either this weekend or next weekend as I am not in a major hurry and prefer to take my time with this. I might spray paint it black with Krylon Fusion.
GPH for 1" PVC is approximately 375 GPH, so I figure I need a 400 GPH pump in the sump.

 

[asp762]

Once the sump is set up, I plan on removing the Fluval 305 filtration unit.
How do I begin removing the ceramic rings to prevent a crash?
Do I slowly remove 1/3 once a week for three weeks?
I honestly think the live rock is doing the majority of the bio filtration; however, I want to make sure I don't cause an ammonia spike.

 

[asp762]

I did the standard DIY overflow. I haven't glued anything yet and I still need to drill a hole for the air check valve.

Next project consists of gluing and spray painting the pipes. Afterwards, I will begin working on the sump. As always, I'll post pics.

 

[asp762]

I spooked my fire fish while testing the overflow and return pipes.

Plumbing is glued and painted.

 

[sweatervest13]

looks good

 

[asp762]

Thanks sweatervest.
It appears I have an outbreak of red cyanobacteria.
It looks identical to the pictures in this link: http://devonmorton.com/2010/03/09/got-cyanobacteria-red-slime-algae/
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate < 5mg/L
SG 1.025
Temp 79F
I have used the search button and it seems that this is relatively common in new tanks.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by asp762 http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3491928
Thanks sweatervest.
It appears I have an outbreak of red cyanobacteria.
It looks identical to the pictures in this link: http://devonmorton.com/2010/03/09/got-cyanobacteria-red-slime-algae/
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate < 5mg/L
SG 1.025
Temp 79F
I have used the search button and it seems that this is relatively common in new tanks.
Kill your lights and stop feeding for a few days. it should clear up.
then continue with less lighting and feeding and adjust so the red slime stays away and the macros/corralime algae thrive.
my .02
oh yea. your pipes look really really cool

 

[asp762]

Thanks!
The lights have been off and no feeding for a few days. Got it.
I think my 2 250 watt MH are a bit much. I'm going to decrease their time to 2 hours when I turn the lights back on and run my t5 actinic blue lights the rest of the time.

 

[asp762]

As I am progressing on this hobby that is, in essence balancing a delicate marine ecosystem, I am beginning to understand the value of this balance.
Too much food equates to too much waste.
Too much light equates to my corals bleaching and undesirable growths in the aquarium.
Learning what "too much" is exactly is the part that I am only beginning to grasp.
I have learned that running my T5s and BOTH 250 watt MH are too much, so from now on I will only run one 250 watt MH light for a few hours while leaving the T5 blue lights on. My corals have been slowly bleaching, and it's time for me take make an uneducated guess as to how much light they actually require.
I am now much more conscious of the fact that I have been overfeeding. This is difficult for me because I just love feeding the little bastards. I am now going to reduce the amount I was feeding by half.
Updates:
The coral beauty is doing great; however, he still has a minor case of popeye, but it is getting better with each passing day. The only concern I have with my marine ecosystem is the small invasion of cyanobacteria and the bleaching of the my few corals. I have moved most of my corals down to the bottom of the tank so they aren't being blasted by the light.

 

[asp762]

UPDATE:
I placed the overflow in the tank and tested it's functionality. I did a water change with it, so that was rather fun. Here you can see the dinged up PVC behind the rock.
The corals are coming back to life after being blasted by the MH.

My Six Line Wrasse AKA Skittle, AKA Six Shooter AKA Super Six Four Aka Nikki Sixx is getting OBESE compared to all the other fish.
I actually caught him cleaning Lt. Dan (the coral beauty) and my Forrest Gump (percula clownfish). They both lay on the substrate while he goes to work.

Lt Dan is recovering well.

I drilled a hole and added a check valve to keep the air out. The system starts up again on its own in the event of a power outage essentially it is a true overflow and not a siphon. This isn't anything new; I just copied a proven design.

Added eggcrate and removed the fiber glass mesh which was having diatoms growing all over it.

Crude water change station. (Temporary) This is where my 20 gallon sump will be.

 

[asp762]

Going to build the sump this weekend and hopefully have everything running by then. I have 2 questions.
Should I build another overflow out of another 1" PVC pipe in case the other one gets clogged ?
What pump should I use? I was thinking mag7 or mag 12. If 1" PVC is roughly 375 GPH, then two would obviously be double that.

 

[asp762]

I purchased a 20 gallon long and I made all the measurements, but I didn't account for having to actually push the 20L under the stand to make it fit. Long story short, I don't think I can make it fit. I REALLY want to use the 20 long as a sump. I am going to get creative here and consider some other options. If I come up with nothing, then I will use my 10 gallon as a sump. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by asp762 http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3493316
I purchased a 20 gallon long and I made all the measurements, but I didn't account for having to actually push the 20L under the stand to make it fit. Long story short, I don't think I can make it fit. I REALLY want to use the 20 long as a sump. I am going to get creative here and consider some other options. If I come up with nothing, then I will use my 10 gallon as a sump. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears.
what I did was position my plastic container so the long measurement was for and aft instead of right and left in the stand.
It did require setting the container on wood so it would be held above the floor and framing of the stand.
And more wood behind the tank for support the refugium.
One thing that was interesting was the drain would now go staight down as the container stuck out the back.
If you 20g won't fit that way you might be able to cram in a 30g $10 container from wall mart.
One guy here years ago actually build a stand for the 20g besides the tank. To form a "display" refugium.
Then drained that down to a smaller sump behind the tank/stand.
He actually got it looking nice and found that people were just as interested in the refugium as the display.
my .02
ps isn't this fun coming up with your very own system and design?

 

[asp762]

Quote:
Originally Posted by beaslbob http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3493358
what I did was position my plastic container so the long measurement was for and aft instead of right and left in the stand.
It did require setting the container on wood so it would be held above the floor and framing of the stand.
And more wood behind the tank for support the refugium.
One thing that was interesting was the drain would now go staight down as the container stuck out the back.
If you 20g won't fit that way you might be able to cram in a 30g $10 container from wall mart.
One guy here years ago actually build a stand for the 20g besides the tank. To form a "display" refugium.
Then drained that down to a smaller sump behind the tank/stand.
He actually got it looking nice and found that people were just as interested in the refugium as the display.
my .02
ps isn't this fun coming up with your very own system and design?
Sounds interesting. I will look up sumps made from plastic containers. Thanks for the idea. The issue I see is the bowing out of the container when water is running through it and the inability to secure baffles. Perhaps I will find a solution via online search.
Honestly beaslbob, DIY is becoming more addicting than the reef hobby itself. I briefly considered fabricating a 150 gallon glass aquarium and stand the other night. Eventually, reality sunk in and I realized that I don't possess the necessary skills to take on a project of that magnitude at this time.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by asp762 http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3493391
Sounds interesting. I will look up sumps made from plastic containers. Thanks for the idea. The issue I see is the bowing out of the container when water is running through it and the inability to secure baffles. Perhaps I will find a solution via online search.
Honestly beaslbob, DIY is becoming more addicting than the reef hobby itself. I briefly considered fabricating a 150 gallon glass aquarium and stand the other night. Eventually, reality sunk in and I realized that I don't possess the necessary skills to take on a project of that magnitude at this time.
On the plastic containers they will bow out. I prevented that by cramming in my container into the stand and the stand supported it. If that is not a option save the lids. Cut out panels so there is still the center part for a brace. I then just bolted it in place. Nice a sturdy after that.
Ditto in the diy.
I got comments on my original sump I posted here because the $2 price tag on it. Seems like someone paid $250 for thiers. LOL

 

[asp762]

I finally managed to fit a 31 gallon "Rugged Tote" container under the tank. It took some convincing, but now it is in place.
The only thing I am concerned with is the possibility of it leaching chemicals into my water.

 

[asp762]

Thar she is! I just hope I haven't made a mistake with the selection of this supposedly "unbreakable" rubber tote for a 31 gallon sump.
If anyone knows of this specific product causing any ill effects in their aquarium, let me know!

As you can see, the rubber tote is REALLY braced by the center and rear support.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by asp762 http:///t/392546/my-55-gallon-adventure/80#post_3493435
Thar she is! I just hope I haven't made a mistake with the selection of this supposedly "unbreakable" rubber tote for a 31 gallon sump.
If anyone knows of this specific product causing any ill effects in their aquarium, let me know!

As you can see, the rubber tote is REALLY braced by the center and rear support.


Just wondering...It looks like the side is pushed in by the center brace...won't that cause pressure on the brace and cause a problem?

 

[asp762]

I was thinking the same thing. Honestly, I don't know if I am really going through with a rubbermaid sump. I am reading about so many horror stories.