SC Aquariums Owners Thread

[bereleah]

Originally Posted by pfan151

Do a search for the herbie overflow system. You will be very happy you went with that system.

Did just that, and i understand now.

Thanks

[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by bereleah

Sorry this is the right pic.

Trash the durso type on the right. Make it a straight open top pipe as thaqt will be your emergency. You can even add 2 45 fittings to the top to raise your water line should you wish.

The shorter one remove the supplied top and put a strainer on it if you dont have an overflow top cover. If you do haev the top cover run it wide open without strainer. Issue with strainer is that it needs to be cleaned at times and as such you will need to pull the pipes from your overflow to get to it.

Also DO NOT glue the pipes inside your overflow box. You will want to be able to pull them out at times to clean the overflow or get to the strainer...

[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by crazycolt42

Thanks! That's good to know. I saw those for rent on custom aquariums site and wondered if that would be the way to go. I'll start looking around locally to see if I can buy/rent some. Might be worth it to buy them because there is a good chance I'll have to move it off again before filling it. Part of the deal to have a reef tank was to get new floors installed first, so I am going to have to move it again before I fill it. I'm thinking I can go ahead and do the plumbing while I am waiting to get the floors done. I better make sure it is leak proof because we are going with a wood laminate.

I would not set up the tank before you have it in final location. Doing so could cause stress on the bulkheads as the stand might flex ever so slightly as you make the move. Leak testing is super easy and if you prep your stand and are prepared for it as you plumb then there should be no issues witht he flooring. Even if you get water on them (and you will if you are putting a tank on top.....) just clean it up quickly...

[RogueGrown]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

The shorter one remove the supplied top and put a strainer on it if you dont have an overflow top cover. If you do haev the top cover run it wide open without strainer. Issue with strainer is that it needs to be cleaned at times and as such you will need to pull the pipes from your overflow to get to it.

I was also looking into the same thing I just haven't gotten that far yet. You answered all my questions so far with it, but now I'm wondering about the overflow cover? What is this? I was going to do a strainer but realize it would be a pain to clean. Also about the 45 fitting, what not just put a straight coupling to raise the level? Is there an advantage to the 45? Sorry if these are stupid questions...

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[soulpatch]

sc actually sells an overflow cover. I have one on mine now and no longer use a strainer.

As for raising the level you need the 2 45s so that the emergency can snake up behind the returns. With the t at the top of the return you need to get behind that pipe to raise the water level more and the 45s do exactly that.

[RogueGrown]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

sc actually sells an overflow cover. I have one on mine now and no longer use a strainer.

As for raising the level you need the 2 45s so that the emergency can snake up behind the returns. With the t at the top of the return you need to get behind that pipe to raise the water level more and the 45s do exactly that.

(palm to face) I was thinking a 45 on the main and emergency not both on one pipe. So If I was to raise the level of the water with the emergency should I raise the main pipe too? I have seen diagrams of the herbie system thats shows there basically a sweet spot for the height of the main to emergency.

I will look into the cover thank you, Id rather not have to deal with removing the return just to clean a strainer. I honestly don't see the point of a strainer in the first place as the water is going into a filter sock in most cases. I assume catch everything there for removal instead of collecting somewhere you have to fight to get to.

[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by RogueGrown

(palm to face) I was thinking a 45 on the main and emergency not both on one pipe. So If I was to raise the level of the water with the emergency should I raise the main pipe too? I have seen diagrams of the herbie system thats shows there basically a sweet spot for the height of the main to emergency.

My main drain is maybe 2 inches tall. I have the capacity in my sump to not have anything on the main drain. But you need to ensure you have the room in your sump for that added volume. The main drain only needs to be 6 inches or so shorter then the top of the overflow to ensure it is dead silent.

I will look into the cover thank you, Id rather not have to deal with removing the return just to clean a strainer. I honestly don't see the point of a strainer in the first place as the water is going into a filter sock in most cases. I assume catch everything there for removal instead of collecting somewhere you have to fight to get to.

The strainer helps to keep snails and fish out of the plumbing should they get into the overflow. I can tell you I had a ton of snails through mine when I was nto running the strainer or overflow lid and my 4 inch long melenarus wrasse took a few trips down it. He must have liked the sump as he would go right back down. So I run the cover now without the strainer. Sure small snails can get into the overflow box but I am not as concerned with them as they cant block my plumbing.

[RogueGrown]

I may just use the strainer then I'd rather if a fish wanted to hop into the overflow it stay in there over skipping across a lid just before carpet surfing. I'll figure it out when time comes. Thanks again for your help soulpatch!

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[soulpatch]

Fish skipping over the lid is least of your worries. If you are going to run without a canopy I STRONGLY suggest you get a mesh cover for the tank. I know it drtracts from the openness of the tank to a degree but keeping your fish in the tank is more important.

[RogueGrown]

I will definitely be looking into a lid or screen of some sort when I get the tank up and going. Do you have any suggestions to a low profile lid?

As of right now I have a 20 long that is open with a single sixline as the only fish. He will probably find a new home when the 50 goes up as hes a typical sixline A-hole and doesnt like newbies, for now though I enjoy his company and hes a good addition to my small start of a reef.

[z3speed4me]

Yea the cover is awesome, I removed my strainer a few weeks ago and it has helped with maintaining a consistent flow as well. My strainer would slowly gunk up, and I would have to play with the gate valve every now and then to make up for the restriction.

Originally Posted by soulpatch

As for raising the level you need the 2 45s so that the emergency can snake up behind the returns. With the t at the top of the return you need to get behind that pipe to raise the water level more and the 45s do exactly that.

Why didn't I think of this?! Thank you!

I'd love to raise the display level just a tinyyyyy bit, like another half inch, and this will do just that.

[z3speed4me]

Originally Posted by RogueGrown

I will definitely be looking into a lid or screen of some sort when I get the tank up and going. Do you have any suggestions to a low profile lid?

Cheapest and simplest option is the DIY kit from BulkReefSupply.

The nicer option that I am currently contemplating pulling the trigger on is a real nice custom top by ArtfullyAcrylic.

[soulpatch]

I have the BRS one on my tank now and have zero issues with it. Though I also have a euro brace and canopy and as such the black edging is hidden for me. Artfully Acrylic can do one with a clear edging that will better blend with a fully open top aquarium. If I were open top I would likely go that way.

[edolan]

Hey guys. This is a pic from T8T's build. I am trying to mimic what he did in his overflow and move the return pipe over to the hole drilled on one side. Has anyone else done this and have a picture of it. This picture doesn't really show the pvc fittings he used.




I am close. I have 1" pipe running up from the bulkhead to a tee fitting and a bushing inside one side of the tee but If I push the bushing all the way in when I glue it I will be about 3/8" short from the hole to screw in the loc-line.

Anyone do something similar or have any suggestions?

[d0ughb0y]

I am setting up a 50 cube tank and planning the ATO.
How much water evaporates per week on a 50 cube tank?

is 3 gallon ATO water sufficient for 1 week?

[d0ughb0y]

Originally Posted by edolan

Hey guys. This is a pic from T8T's build. I am trying to mimic what he did in his overflow and move the return pipe over to the hole drilled on one side. Has anyone else done this and have a picture of it. This picture doesn't really show the pvc fittings he used.




I am close. I have 1" pipe running up from the bulkhead to a tee fitting and a bushing inside one side of the tee but If I push the bushing all the way in when I glue it I will be about 3/8" short from the hole to screw in the loc-line.

Anyone do something similar or have any suggestions?

I am currently setting up a 50 cube, and have a similar return setup. I plan to just leave it unglued I don't really see any leak and the way they are connected (loc line screwed on either end essentially holds the plumbing assembly to the overflow box), I don' think it will go anywhere.

[edolan]

Does it fit tighter on the 50 cube? I am setting up an 80 gal. Not sure if overflow boxes are different sizes. But you are probably right on it being locked in place from both sides. I will probably just glue the bushing in place the best I can and give it a test. The bushing will be in the tee about 5/8"

[d0ughb0y]

Originally Posted by edolan

Does it fit tighter on the 50 cube? I am setting up an 80 gal. Not sure if overflow boxes are different sizes. But you are probably right on it being locked in place from both sides. I will probably just glue the bushing in place the best I can and give it a test. The bushing will be in the tee about 5/8"

This is how mine looks. I tapped the bushing with a hammer until it bottomed out. The loc line threads don't look like it match the sch 40 bushing thread though.



BTW, my tee is not center, so I had to extend the other side with a short length of pipe and a coupling.

[edolan]

Thx for the pic. Yeah looks like you can get your bushing in all the way. Mine will stick out about 3/8".

I wonder if a schedule 80 bushing would thread better with loc-line

[Devaji108]

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

I am setting up a 50 cube tank and planning the ATO.
How much water evaporates per week on a 50 cube tank?

is 3 gallon ATO water sufficient for 1 week?

a 3 gal. haha
that all depend on where you live my friend. I live in Wyo, it pretty high and dry.
I have a 29H gal ATO res next to my 90 gal. was out of the country for 3 weeks. filled it before i left + a 20 gal rubber maid net to it so the tank setter could fill the ATO res. pretty much went through it all. I guess I evap 1.5+ gal a day.

I went with a 29 tank for the ATO res. as I was hoping it would last around a month... nope.

[d0ughb0y]

Originally Posted by Devaji108

a 3 gal. haha
that all depend on where you live my friend. I live in Wyo, it pretty high and dry.
I have a 29H gal ATO res next to my 90 gal. was out of the country for 3 weeks. filled it before i left + a 20 gal rubber maid net to it so the tank setter could fill the ATO res. pretty much went through it all. I guess I evap 1.5+ gal a day.

I went with a 29 tank for the ATO res. as I was hoping it would last around a month... nope.

ok, I suppose you are right.

on my 60, 5 gals lasts me 1.5 sometimes up to 2 weeks.
I'll go with 3 gals for now.
I am modifying the stock glass sump to create an ato fresh water reservior.

[soulpatch]

Man on my 150 gallon I got through 8 gallons of RODI every 2-3 days easy.

[RogueGrown]

What ATO would you guys recommend for the 50? I'd like to get something now that I can run on my 20 long and swap over to the 50 when time comes to transfer.

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[homer1475]

I used the tunze nano on my nano, planned on upgrading when I got the bigger tank, but the nano works just fine.

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[RogueGrown]

How would the nano ATOs fair with the larger system when I get it running?

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