Piping Help!

indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
I have a 135 with custom built over flows and I have had an issue with one being always higher the the other. I was told by the guy that this was caused by the diff bulkheads in the tank. I replaced them when I set up the tank and it still does it.. I was thinking of just cutting the return line at the valve and make the pipe 2 pieces. Or I was thinking of cutting it on the left side(the lower side of water lever) and put a valve inline so I can slow down that said so the right catches up. That way I could separately control the overflows so that they will be the same height. Good idea or no? I have searched all over and could not find a solution to my prob. Just want to get some suggestions before I start to go hack up my plumbing.. Here are some pics so you can see what I am talking about.. Also I have been having some micro bubble probs lately. I thought it was the skimmer which it partly was but I am still getting them last pics will show what I mean.. What can I do to fix it? You also dont really notice the bubbles from the front.
Tank Specs:
135 gal 72"x18"x24"
29 gal sump
Little giant pump 1325 GPH






Now for the bubbles



 
errattiq

errattiq

Member
A little off topic, but that looks like your tank is going through its first diatom bloom, how long has it been set up?
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Just wondering...what is the problem with having the water level higher in one overflow? Mine do this on one of my tanks...the right one always has a higher level, but there is no effect that I notice. The bubbles...I once had a problem with bubbles (I have a little giant as well). Took everything apart and realized that I had a big chunk of Cheato in my pump....there is a filter screen in there that blocked it from reaching the pump, as soon as I took that out, no more bubbles. The only other thing I could think that would cause them would be the location of your return pump. Is your protein skimmer draining close to that, or is water being agitated around it? These would be my first guesses.
Oh, and by the way AWESOME Stars and Stripes...one of my fav fish available. Mine is growing a foot a day lol.
 
indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/2687636
Just wondering...what is the problem with having the water level higher in one overflow? Mine do this on one of my tanks...the right one always has a higher level, but there is no effect that I notice. The bubbles...I once had a problem with bubbles (I have a little giant as well). Took everything apart and realized that I had a big chunk of Cheato in my pump....there is a filter screen in there that blocked it from reaching the pump, as soon as I took that out, no more bubbles. The only other thing I could think that would cause them would be the location of your return pump. Is your protein skimmer draining close to that, or is water being agitated around it? These would be my first guesses.
Oh, and by the way AWESOME Stars and Stripes...one of my fav fish available. Mine is growing a foot a day lol.
Do you have info on taking the pump apart? ALso I think the higher levels are caused by the returns not being seperate or the t I use not being in the middle.. Who knows I am waiting on some one to chime in and give me a little help.. As to your questions about the PS and where it is.. I took it out since it was causing WAY to many bubbles.. The return was dumping close to my tank return since that is really the only place to put it.. Where is that filter screen you talk of? I want to check mine.
 
indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
Originally Posted by errattiq
http:///forum/post/2687484
A little off topic, but that looks like your tank is going through its first diatom bloom, how long has it been set up?
Well all of this came from my 80g that was up and running for a year.. I moved all of the rock and water from the 80 and made new salt for the rest of the water as well changed the sand.. I have had the "brown alge" prob since my 80g.. Any way to get rid of it? I heard there is something called algefix that would do it.. They sell it at LFS and petsmart..
 
indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
Let me give you a little back ground on this tank b4 I ask my question. On July 1st I set up the 135 with 120#'s on Argonite white sand and water. I asked around in all forums and got the answer that to combine tanks would be ok. SO on July 5th I drained water from the running 135 and added all of the water and live rock (set up for about a year) to the 135 from my 80g. Since July 5th it has not been changed besides the removal of the PS. The brown alge is something I have been dealing with since I had the 80g and now Im trying to get rid of it.
So I have searched and searched but didnt find an answer to my question, so instead of making a new thread I thought I would just add to this one. I cant seem to find a good info on what the reading should be for a FOWLR set up. I use an API saltwater test kit the reg one not the reef one. anyways I tested the water on 7/10/08 with the following results:
nitrate: 5.0
nitrite: 0.25
amonia: 0.25
high ph: 8.4
And I just did them today:
Nitrate: 10
Nitrite: 2.0
Amonia: 0.25
High PH: 8.2
From what I can tell and find anything under 10ppm on nitrate is ok. (true/false)?
Also I notice a raise in the nitrites, why? 0.25ppm to 2ppm?
Amonia is staying the same thats good I guess but is the reading good?
Also the PH is right around the same and again from what I have read thats good as well. (true/False)?
I would also like to add I do not have a skimmer in there as of now since it is giving me micro bubble issues would that be the cause of levels raised?
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by indigobluetc
http:///forum/post/2688071
Do you have info on taking the pump apart? ALso I think the higher levels are caused by the returns not being seperate or the t I use not being in the middle.. Who knows I am waiting on some one to chime in and give me a little help.. As to your questions about the PS and where it is.. I took it out since it was causing WAY to many bubbles.. The return was dumping close to my tank return since that is really the only place to put it.. Where is that filter screen you talk of? I want to check mine.
The screen is a couple-few inches inside the pump where your pipe goes in. I did not take the pump apart, just my plumbing. I was able to see some of the cheato sticking out of the pump and then got a pair of tweezers to pull it out.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by indigobluetc
http:///forum/post/2688145
Let me give you a little back ground on this tank b4 I ask my question. On July 1st I set up the 135 with 120#'s on Argonite white sand and water. I asked around in all forums and got the answer that to combine tanks would be ok. SO on July 5th I drained water from the running 135 and added all of the water and live rock (set up for about a year) to the 135 from my 80g. Since July 5th it has not been changed besides the removal of the PS. The brown alge is something I have been dealing with since I had the 80g and now Im trying to get rid of it.
So I have searched and searched but didnt find an answer to my question, so instead of making a new thread I thought I would just add to this one. I cant seem to find a good info on what the reading should be for a FOWLR set up. I use an API saltwater test kit the reg one not the reef one. anyways I tested the water on 7/10/08 with the following results:
nitrate: 5.0
nitrite: 0.25
amonia: 0.25
high ph: 8.4
And I just did them today:
Nitrate: 10
Nitrite: 2.0
Amonia: 0.25
High PH: 8.2
From what I can tell and find anything under 10ppm on nitrate is ok. (true/false)?
Also I notice a raise in the nitrites, why? 0.25ppm to 2ppm?
Amonia is staying the same thats good I guess but is the reading good?
Also the PH is right around the same and again from what I have read thats good as well. (true/False)?
I would also like to add I do not have a skimmer in there as of now since it is giving me micro bubble issues would that be the cause of levels raised?

EEKK!! You have fish in that tank? Any ammonia and nitrite is highly toxic to the fish. Both amonia and nitrite should always be absolute 0 (to have fish in the tank. they will have raised levels when cycling). Nitrates can be higher. I have one tank that hovers around 20-40 and this is fine for a fowler. You only have to be really cautious about nitrates when you are doing corals....some inverts are also sensitive to nitrates. Did you cycle your tank?...if so how did you cycle it?
 
indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
Well the 80g where I got most of my stuff was about a year old so it was done with the cycling. I was told that if I combined the water from the old tank with new salt I would be ok.. True or False? Did I just send my fish death?
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by indigobluetc
http:///forum/post/2688165
Well the 80g where I got most of my stuff was about a year old so it was done with the cycling. I was told that if I combined the water from the old tank with new salt I would be ok.. True or False? Did I just send my fish death?
Not necessarily but your readings should look something like this
Amonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-fairly forgivable just keep up on water changes, and I personally try to stay under 40.
Ph-8.2
Your nitrites are definately high, and even the amonia even at .25 is going to bother them. The problem is the bacteria does not live in the water column it grows on surfaces...so if you just added the water from the other tank then essentially nothing has been cycled. I would be worried, and would transfer them into something smaller that you can do water changes on...trying to keep the levels down on that big of a tank would be costly and time consuming. By the way this is JMHO, and what I would do...your fish may be able to ride this out, but I highly doubt it.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Yes water changes will help. Don't freak out and do 100% water changes or anything, but you may do some substantial 25% or so changes until you start to see the levels drop, and don't do this all at once. You might do 25% one day, then test again the following day and do another 25%. You might also try to get ahold of a product called prime to use in an emergency. this will detoxify nitrites and amonia, but is merely a band aid...the levels will keep going up. If you are going to keep them in there, just keep a very close eye on the fish....don't do anything too dramatic unless they look really bad.
OH and try to match the levels in your existing tank when making the new water. Make sure the PH, salinity, and temp are the same...don't want to add more stress to your fish.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Yeah that's it. Like I say though only use this in an emergency. I cannot vouch for it's effectiveness. I have never used it for this purpose, but I keep a bottle on hand...just in case...do the water changes first, because again cost is going to be a factor...you will have to use alot of prime to treat that big of a tank continually.
 
indigobluetc

indigobluetc

Member
Well cost is not that bad.. Its 8 buck a bottle at petsmart and will treat 2500 gal.. Not gonna use it as a band aid tho.. Gonna try a water change.
 
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usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by indigobluetc
http:///forum/post/2688435
Well cost is not that bad.. Its 8 buck a bottle at petsmart and will treat 2500 gal.. Not gonna use it as a band aid tho.. Gonna try a water change.
Good that your LFS carries it...none of mine do. You end up using quite a bit more to detoxify. Directions say up to 5 times normal dosage. So for your tank instead of around three capfuls you would be using 15.
 
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