Has anyone seen anything like this?

Kelpie · 03/28/2007, 09:31 PM

I'm thinking of building a pvc support skeleton for my LR that will
function as a water circulation manifold so that I can reduce the number of holes in the bottom of my tank to one out and one in. I'm thinking if the water is coming into the tank from the rockwork and directed toward the glass and other streams of water from the manifold, it will create a chaotic turbulence. This thing would probably look like a PVC X-mas tree in the middle of the tank before it is concealed by covering it with live rock (I'm planning a four sides viewable cube). Does this make any sense?

I'm sure someone has tried this before but I can't find a thread about it.

AquaReeferMan · 03/28/2007, 09:48 PM

Yeah I seen the same thread. I think it was a guy in Germany. Its a great idea IMO.

drummereef · 03/28/2007, 10:24 PM

Sounds like a very cool idea. Keep us updated on the progress.

spleen93 · 03/29/2007, 01:26 AM

Conceptually, it's easy but hard to put into practice, especially in a small tank. It's hard to keep the PVC platform hidden in a smaller tank. If you have enough holes in the platform to give you the circulation you want, it tends to disperse the flow to the extent that it loses most of the current. Also the manifold tends to add a fair amount of head in and of itself so you tend to lose flow that way too (unless you're using a very high flow pump like a Dart or a pressure-rated pump). How big a cube were you looking at doing this in?

There's still benefit to doing the rack though - it allows for a more open structure beneath your live rock so circulation tends to be better, there's less detritus trapping, and it cuts down on the amount of live rock that you need to add so it cuts down on your costs.

Spleen

hahnmeister · 03/29/2007, 01:29 AM

Gooch did it in his tank. I dont think its worth it though. I like the idea of using the pipe (perhaps coated with aragacrete to disguise it) as a platform/support to keep the rock off the bottom, but running pumps through it is a waste of flow IMO.

spleen93 · 03/29/2007, 04:39 AM

On a completely separate note, hahn, you changed your avatar again? Man, you change avatars about as often as I change my socks. That says something about at least one of us.

Spleen

Tang Salad · 03/29/2007, 05:11 AM

Maybe consider making the structure out of very thin (.5") PVC. Then drill holes through the rock (not as hard as it sounds) and thread the rocks onto the frame.

This would make it easier to hide the PVC.

03/28/2007, 09:31 PM	#1
Kelpie Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 158	Has anyone seen anything like this? I'm thinking of building a pvc support skeleton for my LR that will function as a water circulation manifold so that I can reduce the number of holes in the bottom of my tank to one out and one in. I'm thinking if the water is coming into the tank from the rockwork and directed toward the glass and other streams of water from the manifold, it will create a chaotic turbulence. This thing would probably look like a PVC X-mas tree in the middle of the tank before it is concealed by covering it with live rock (I'm planning a four sides viewable cube). Does this make any sense? I'm sure someone has tried this before but I can't find a thread about it.

03/28/2007, 09:48 PM	#2
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Yeah I seen the same thread. I think it was a guy in Germany. Its a great idea IMO. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

03/28/2007, 10:24 PM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Sounds like a very cool idea. Keep us updated on the progress. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

03/29/2007, 01:26 AM	#4
spleen93 crabby hermit Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere at the end of the rainbow Posts: 1,363	Conceptually, it's easy but hard to put into practice, especially in a small tank. It's hard to keep the PVC platform hidden in a smaller tank. If you have enough holes in the platform to give you the circulation you want, it tends to disperse the flow to the extent that it loses most of the current. Also the manifold tends to add a fair amount of head in and of itself so you tend to lose flow that way too (unless you're using a very high flow pump like a Dart or a pressure-rated pump). How big a cube were you looking at doing this in? There's still benefit to doing the rack though - it allows for a more open structure beneath your live rock so circulation tends to be better, there's less detritus trapping, and it cuts down on the amount of live rock that you need to add so it cuts down on your costs. Spleen __________________ Spleen "Put that in your Mag Drive and smoke it." - jnarowe "Beware of the banter" - mpoletti "Now I know that some things are just out of our control and we should enjoy the good parts as much as we can." - pookstreet

03/29/2007, 04:39 AM	#6
spleen93 crabby hermit Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere at the end of the rainbow Posts: 1,363	On a completely separate note, hahn, you changed your avatar again? Man, you change avatars about as often as I change my socks. That says something about at least one of us. Spleen __________________ Spleen "Put that in your Mag Drive and smoke it." - jnarowe "Beware of the banter" - mpoletti "Now I know that some things are just out of our control and we should enjoy the good parts as much as we can." - pookstreet

03/29/2007, 01:29 AM	#5
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Gooch did it in his tank. I dont think its worth it though. I like the idea of using the pipe (perhaps coated with aragacrete to disguise it) as a platform/support to keep the rock off the bottom, but running pumps through it is a waste of flow IMO.

03/29/2007, 05:11 AM	#7
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	Maybe consider making the structure out of very thin (.5") PVC. Then drill holes through the rock (not as hard as it sounds) and thread the rocks onto the frame. This would make it easier to hide the PVC. __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS