lbg4life01
Member
I have heard a lot of you guys talking about overflow. What is that all about? What is its purpose?
Returing water to your tank
- Thread starter lbg4life01
- Start date
birdy
Active Member
Lots of tanks have sumps or refugiums under the tank, to get the water to the tanks in the stand you either have to have an aquarium with a built in overflow and a hole drilled in the bottom corner of the tank, or a HOB overflow, basically an overflow is a box where the water flows into it and and down to a filter. THe water is then pumped back to the tank with a pump or powerhead.
lbg4life01
Member
I have been in people homes with saltwater and i don't see no extra tank at the bottom! I am lost
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
On overflow works just like the little hole in your sink and tub ( also called an overflow). As your sink fills up the water runs down that little hole to prevent the water from spilling out into the room. In a tank the same thing happens. As the tank fills up from a pump the water flows down the overflow preventing the tank water from spilling onto the floor in the room. The overflow runs down to a sump with filter and what have you. Then a pump returns the water to the tank. that way you can have your filtering hidden away and not visable around the tank.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Lbg4life01
I have been in people homes with saltwater and i don't see no extra tank at the bottom! I am lost
The idea is to hide the filtering in the stand or maybe even in the basement. In this way several tanks could be filtered and maintained in one central location. This is very common in pet stores.
lbg4life01
Member
Thanks for the email beasbob
Well my water evaportes in my tank do I have to worry about it spilling on the floor. I add water everyday to my fill line. I have nothing but saltwater in
1. A bio wheel
2. Marine salt enough for the 55 gallon
I had to take the color rocks out of them yesterday and I plan to add sand tonight. from pet store
Well my water evaportes in my tank do I have to worry about it spilling on the floor. I add water everyday to my fill line. I have nothing but saltwater in
1. A bio wheel
2. Marine salt enough for the 55 gallon
I had to take the color rocks out of them yesterday and I plan to add sand tonight. from pet store
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Lbg4life01
Thanks for the email beasbob
Well my water evaportes in my tank do I have to worry about it spilling on the floor. I add water everyday to my fill line. I have nothing but saltwater in
1. A bio wheel
2. Marine salt enough for the 55 gallon
I had to take the color rocks out of them yesterday and I plan to add sand tonight. from pet store
Good idea to remove the colored rocks.
If you just pour the sand in you will get a real mess.
If you can get all (or most) of the water out Do that first. The add the sand (about 3" worth), place a plate on the sand and pour the water back in on that plate. That way you will stir up much less sand. It will be very cloudy. And probably stay that way for up to a week.
And again now is the time to add plant life to estabish your system.
lbg4life01
Member
Okay what plant life or we talking about?
Teach me!!
Tonight I am going to the pet store to get
2 powerheads
90lbs of sand
nitrate,nitrite,ammonia test kit how is that
Teach me!!
Tonight I am going to the pet store to get
2 powerheads
90lbs of sand
nitrate,nitrite,ammonia test kit how is that
birdy
Active Member
Lbg- plant life can be very valuable, but DO NOT put them in your display tank, they will take over and you will have a plant tank.
You do not need an overflow or sump, they are very nice to have though and may be something you will want to do down the road.
I don't know if anyone has suggested some good reading material for you, but I would suggest you get the book, The Conscentious Marine Aquarist, it may clear up a lot of the confusion you have, As you have seen there are many different ways of setting up a saltwater tank and it can be very confusing until you have it all sorted out.
You do not need an overflow or sump, they are very nice to have though and may be something you will want to do down the road.
I don't know if anyone has suggested some good reading material for you, but I would suggest you get the book, The Conscentious Marine Aquarist, it may clear up a lot of the confusion you have, As you have seen there are many different ways of setting up a saltwater tank and it can be very confusing until you have it all sorted out.
cordell
Member
Originally posted by Lbg4life01
Thanks for the email beasbob
Well my water evaportes in my tank do I have to worry about it spilling on the floor. I add water everyday to my fill line.
Lbg.. just to point out, the reason the water overflows into the overflow box is because there is a waterpump that pushes water back up from the sump into the tank, so it's like leaving the faucet on in the bathroom sink and the water draining into the hole constantly.. but the same water is used over and over again. Hope this helps..
cordell
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Lbg4life01
Okay what plant life or we talking about?
Teach me!!
most "plants" are actually macro algaes that look like plants. A good example is the shaving brushes our hosts offer. I have very limited experience with those. My best growing is a solid leaved kelp like caulpera. There are also true rooted marine plants such as turtle grass and mangroves. The mangroves actually grow out of the water so that would not be a good choice for an in tank setup. Some like high light and calcium such as the halimeda (money plant) and are used in reef setups. You will have mail for more info.
Tonight I am going to the pet store to get
2 powerheads
90lbs of sand
nitrate,nitrite,ammonia test kit how is that
Be sure to get a ph kit also.
lbg4life01
Member
Do I need to be running my filters also?
And My powerheads with nothing in my tank or when do I run these items?
And My powerheads with nothing in my tank or when do I run these items?
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Lbg4life01
Do I need to be running my filters also?
And My powerheads with nothing in my tank or when do I run these items?
During the initial setup some do not run filters. And to allow you newly added sand it might be a good idea to just let things settle out.
I run a powerhead in my macro algae culture tank. All it does is circulate the water.
birdy
Active Member
I have to admit I don't really appreciate Bob posting his email as soon as people start disagreeing with him, I am not trying to flame him, but it is hard to help people and inform them when we don't know all the information they are being given.
I start running my filters as soon as the storm settles from the sand, As soon as you introduce an ammonia source then you want your filters to start being seeded with the benefical bacteria.
I start running my filters as soon as the storm settles from the sand, As soon as you introduce an ammonia source then you want your filters to start being seeded with the benefical bacteria.
lbg4life01
Member
What is wrong with bob tank? to me a rookie it looks pretty gpod right?
dreeves
Active Member
Seems you are pretty new to marine aquarua...
If I may offer some advice...
Slow way down. Everything with this hobby is deliberate, well thought out and executed. The faster one goes, the closer to disaster they come. Knowledge is the key to successful marine keeping. Hind sight is a sure fire way to fail.
One thing you should consider doing, and will allow you plenty of time to read...order your hard goods, filters, powerheads, test kits, etc...online...most instances you will pay a fraction of the cost then purchasing locally. And while you are waiting the 3-5 days for your goods to come in...read and read and read somemore.
The issues many will express concerning Beaslbobs methods are not so much geared towards his methods, but the manner in which he pushes or tries to push them off on beginners. Marine fish keeping is a very trying at times type of hobby...one screw up and your tank could be dead with all inhabitants dead as well. Marine aquaria is far less forgiving the freshwater. Ideally, a newcomer to the hobby should focus more on proven methods of aquaria keeping...once established and knowledge level has increased...then the newcomer should start venturing into unorthodox ways such as beaslbob does.
Do a search for NM Reef, you will see what a nice tank looks like compared to the picture above...
If I may offer some advice...
Slow way down. Everything with this hobby is deliberate, well thought out and executed. The faster one goes, the closer to disaster they come. Knowledge is the key to successful marine keeping. Hind sight is a sure fire way to fail.
One thing you should consider doing, and will allow you plenty of time to read...order your hard goods, filters, powerheads, test kits, etc...online...most instances you will pay a fraction of the cost then purchasing locally. And while you are waiting the 3-5 days for your goods to come in...read and read and read somemore.
The issues many will express concerning Beaslbobs methods are not so much geared towards his methods, but the manner in which he pushes or tries to push them off on beginners. Marine fish keeping is a very trying at times type of hobby...one screw up and your tank could be dead with all inhabitants dead as well. Marine aquaria is far less forgiving the freshwater. Ideally, a newcomer to the hobby should focus more on proven methods of aquaria keeping...once established and knowledge level has increased...then the newcomer should start venturing into unorthodox ways such as beaslbob does.
Do a search for NM Reef, you will see what a nice tank looks like compared to the picture above...
lbg4life01
Member
I really think that i have been very patient and wise besides money is not a option. If I want something I buy it when I want it. I am a newbie. That exactly why I didnt buy playsand because I wasnt going to take no chances over money. i felt alot better when I went to the lfs tonight I new exactly what I wanted and didnt buy what they redcommed because the products I researched they didnt have.