Nice I have a DCT4000 pump waiting to be installed. I just working out my design for new piping, which I am going to try and include a manifold for my BRS reactors.
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Inherited 90
- Thread starter redfishbluefish
- Start date
Joe, I couldn't agree more about the use of unions....you can never have too many unions. However, I have a rather unique situation.......Two reasons. 1. My backup pump is a MAG 9.5 that would not have enough flow to run the return and manifold (this could probably be argued.).....and I have three MAG 9.5's, and still wanted to keep them in the loop for backup. The one MAG is prepped and ready as a replacement, simply needing to be union-screwed into place....minutes!
2. The future manifold tee for the biopellet reactor; I want that as low as possible to have a more direct run to the base of the reactor. If I include a union, I'd have to do fancy plumbing to get the pipe below the reactor.
New Pump Arrangement for New Saltwater
Since I've switched out my MAG return pump for a DC Waveline, I now have three MAG 9.5's sitting around. I'm still planning on using the MAG's as backups for the Waveline, but I really don't need all three......I better not!
I'm currently using a MAG 7 for pumping in new saltwater. The issue is that the hose coming off the top has a tendency to kink. So I decided to hard plumb the MAG 9.5 up to the neck of the Brute to minimize hose kink. Here is the original MAG 7 with hose:
And here is the new MAG 9.5 hard plumbed...with the same hose attached at the top:
And the two pumps side by side:
The MAG 7 actually has 1/2" fittings on the pump while the MAG 9.5 has 3/4". However, I could only find 1/2" CPVC hose connector fittiings, so I still have a considerable restriction at that connection:
Still, I'm hoping it also pumps a little faster!
Since I've switched out my MAG return pump for a DC Waveline, I now have three MAG 9.5's sitting around. I'm still planning on using the MAG's as backups for the Waveline, but I really don't need all three......I better not!
I'm currently using a MAG 7 for pumping in new saltwater. The issue is that the hose coming off the top has a tendency to kink. So I decided to hard plumb the MAG 9.5 up to the neck of the Brute to minimize hose kink. Here is the original MAG 7 with hose:
And here is the new MAG 9.5 hard plumbed...with the same hose attached at the top:
And the two pumps side by side:
The MAG 7 actually has 1/2" fittings on the pump while the MAG 9.5 has 3/4". However, I could only find 1/2" CPVC hose connector fittiings, so I still have a considerable restriction at that connection:
Still, I'm hoping it also pumps a little faster!
Worst Sump In the World!!!
My sump is an embarrassment. It is totally loaded with hair algae and calupra that I added a while back, and now can't get rid of, not to mention the aptasia and bubble algae. It also has a deep sand bed, and I think that is the root of my problem, with it producing nitrates and phosphates. Here are a couple shots of the swamp.
Here's what I found behind my return bubble trap:
So I made up 50 gallons of new saltwater and totally emptied the swamp and scrapped down the sides with a straight edge razor. I also shovelled out the sand and vacuumed out the remains and then refilled it with fresh saltwater. Here it is now without sand and only the corals I had in there.
I think it looks a little better!
My sump is an embarrassment. It is totally loaded with hair algae and calupra that I added a while back, and now can't get rid of, not to mention the aptasia and bubble algae. It also has a deep sand bed, and I think that is the root of my problem, with it producing nitrates and phosphates. Here are a couple shots of the swamp.
Here's what I found behind my return bubble trap:
So I made up 50 gallons of new saltwater and totally emptied the swamp and scrapped down the sides with a straight edge razor. I also shovelled out the sand and vacuumed out the remains and then refilled it with fresh saltwater. Here it is now without sand and only the corals I had in there.
I think it looks a little better!
Well I pulled a @Paul B today. I was up at our waterfront and saw that the waters were very choppy, with a fair amount of green and red algae on the beach (must be a storm at sea). I picked up one of the smaller pieces of red and brought it back to the house. Here it is in the refugium. Has anyone else done this....especially with algae from cooler waters. Not sure how this cold water algae will do in warm water.
I thought about doing this but someone told me (and it sounded like it right at that time) that the "shore" line is like the skimmer for the ocean. Also with all the crap that gets dumped into our waters they wouldn't trust anything within a mile or two from shore.
I've been looking at a Diamond Goby for some time, and finally picked one up this past Sunday. In my visits to a number of LFS's I've seen as they eat sand and spew it out their gill slits, but never saw one that had a cave. One day after putting my guy in the tank, he's mining a good size cave under a large Frogspawn and putting a large pile of sand to the side of the Frogspawn. He moved so much sand the Frogspawn tilted over into the glass. I haven't tested, but I'm sure all this movement of sand spiked my nitrates and phosphates.
The large pile of sand was in the right spot to now get picked up by an MP40....so that pile had to go.
With inspiration from a couple other reefers, I decided to make an artifical cave out of 1 inch pipe and a couple small pieces of rock. This was all glued together with JB Weld Kwik Epoxy.
The concern I now had was having to move old sand to bury this cave in the corner of the tank. So what I did was siphon the sand right to the bottom glass sucking out some nasty looking water. In the process of picking it up in the siphon tube, I moved the sand over to the side. When I finally got down to glass, I put the cave in place and then reversed the sand movement to cover the cave. Here it is in place.....I think I'll eventually put the Frogspawn back, but now hoping the Goby moves in. Otherwise, I'm sure he'll start digging another hole some place else....and then I don't know what I'd do.
The large pile of sand was in the right spot to now get picked up by an MP40....so that pile had to go.
With inspiration from a couple other reefers, I decided to make an artifical cave out of 1 inch pipe and a couple small pieces of rock. This was all glued together with JB Weld Kwik Epoxy.
The concern I now had was having to move old sand to bury this cave in the corner of the tank. So what I did was siphon the sand right to the bottom glass sucking out some nasty looking water. In the process of picking it up in the siphon tube, I moved the sand over to the side. When I finally got down to glass, I put the cave in place and then reversed the sand movement to cover the cave. Here it is in place.....I think I'll eventually put the Frogspawn back, but now hoping the Goby moves in. Otherwise, I'm sure he'll start digging another hole some place else....and then I don't know what I'd do.
Paul the cave looks sweet in the tank.
Thanks @kschweer and @njtiger24 aquariums .
I was afraid this would happen. The little bugger hasn't found the cave...or doesn't like it. Instead he has again undermined the Frogspawn....down about 1 1/2 inches....boy these guys are industrious! Not sure what I can do to make him move in. Maybe I should put the Frogspawn right in front of the cave.
I was afraid this would happen. The little bugger hasn't found the cave...or doesn't like it. Instead he has again undermined the Frogspawn....down about 1 1/2 inches....boy these guys are industrious! Not sure what I can do to make him move in. Maybe I should put the Frogspawn right in front of the cave.
WooHoo! I walked into the fish room and the little guy darted into the cave.
I stood there for about 15 minutes wanting a picture, but he didn't come back out. When I get a pic I'll post.
I also filled in his excavation of the Frogspawn from this morning.....lets see if he now leaves that alone.
I stood there for about 15 minutes wanting a picture, but he didn't come back out. When I get a pic I'll post.
I also filled in his excavation of the Frogspawn from this morning.....lets see if he now leaves that alone.
He came out!
Sorry for the poor quality...under moonlights, slow shutter speed and hand held. He took about 8 to 10 mouth fulls of sand and then darted back into his home. I'm happy!
Sorry for the poor quality...under moonlights, slow shutter speed and hand held. He took about 8 to 10 mouth fulls of sand and then darted back into his home. I'm happy!
This guy is killing me. I wake up this morning to find that he has now excavated the sand from around the the cave opening, actually exposing the pipe. He moved a bunch of the sand into a pile that is being picked up by the MP40.
Looks like the float switch on my ATO crapped out. Heading over to Herbie's for the Merry Fragging Christmas meeting, so the fix will have to wait. Luckily I have the backup float switch that saved me from a flood. It's always something!
Bit the Jebao Bullet
After seeing Herb's (@HerbieK ) tank today with, what someone counted....12 powerheads....I really questioned the mere two MP40's I have in my 90. In talking to @Sunny, he talked me into a Jebao WP25. Well, I doubled that, and just ordered two for under 100 clams! That's less than what I paid for two wet side replacements for my MP's. This is the first Jebao purchase for me, so curious to see how they'll hold up. Hopefully better than the Koralia Evolution powerheads I purchased (four of them), that lasted less than a year.
After seeing Herb's (@HerbieK ) tank today with, what someone counted....12 powerheads....I really questioned the mere two MP40's I have in my 90. In talking to @Sunny, he talked me into a Jebao WP25. Well, I doubled that, and just ordered two for under 100 clams! That's less than what I paid for two wet side replacements for my MP's. This is the first Jebao purchase for me, so curious to see how they'll hold up. Hopefully better than the Koralia Evolution powerheads I purchased (four of them), that lasted less than a year.
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I know what you mean. Looking at Herb's flow I think I need to up mine. I been running a Jebao RW8 and a RW4 on my tank since day one and there been no issues.
Paul
WP25 are old models. I meant these.
https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-PP-15-...?ie=UTF8&qid=1481421416&sr=8-1&keywords=rw-15
WP25 are old models. I meant these.
https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-PP-15-...?ie=UTF8&qid=1481421416&sr=8-1&keywords=rw-15