The Reef Central Corner Club Thread

[boret]

btw, I am using the Ocean Motions Squirt, not the OM 4. It is cheaper and at 1,000 gph works for my tank.

[gawf4fun]

Yes Boret, I recall seeing your unique design either in this thread or elsewhere and was, and still am, very impressed.

Limiting the number of bulkheads is for me, a big priority. I've been woken up two times too many by the sound of dripping water over the course of the last 3+ years.

[nomorenames]

Originally posted by boret
Hello guys!!! A week gone on a business trip and there is already quite a bit to catch up!!!

Michael I like the blog and will try to help. The ToC is a must to get info organized.
I love the idea to ask the mods to change the name of the thread to better represent and help ID its content to RC users, without excluding any non corner users as it kind of does now. I like a lot of Hookup's ideas but I think that we should try to focus on the corner tanks and stay away from general new to reefing info. All the tidbits of useful information will still percolate from the blog, and much of that information will be invaluable to newbie but we need to focus on the corner tanks, otherwise we might make it a huge repository of data, not very user friendly. (It is just my opinion )

gerryo I have an older 3/4" SCWD spliting the return into my frag tank with eductors at each end. As far as flow I get plenty with the eductors, and I am probably running 400-500 gph, but the SCWD just doesn't work properly. It is an older unit, that can't be taken apart, and even though I soaked it in vinegar for over a week I still think it has some buildup that clogs the internals because it gets stuck in one output without switching. I need to tap it with a hammer to get it to switch, it does so for a couple of cycles and gets stuck again. Great idea... fairly short lifespan... maybe poor design. I won't use it again. However, the new ones might be better... there are a couple of systems out there, like the wav valve that I might try.

A lot of you use several powerheads inside the tank to produce decent and random flow.... do you dislike the Close Loop idea??

You can have a Close Loop with some PVC pipes and without drilling a single hole in the glass (I still prefer to drill but it is doable without drilling). I understand that it is easier to keep adding powerheads, you don't have to remove anything from inside the tank to place them but... they add heat to the system, the more you add the less natural look out of the tank, and you just have a lot of parts to fail and to maintain adding to the chores. At some point I would love to talk about how nice is to have the close loop and it is really not that difficult to setup. Mine cost about $100-120 including external pump, loc-line adapters, pvc and drill bit.

Michael I don't know if you are aware but there is a mod for the Tunzes that makes the 9025s as powerful as the 9045s and it is not that difficult to make. All you do is dremel some plastic off the front plastic piece. You can find the thread HERE. If it does that to the 9025 I can't imagine the flow increase you might get out of modding the 9045!!! You are supposed to increase from 660 gph to 1200+gph.
I have done it in my tunzes and I can tell that there is a very noticeable increase in flow, but I don't have the tools to measure if it is indeed 1200+.

Also, one little piece of advice (little trick many of you might know already), if you have trouble finding info on RC, you can try this simple trick: add "site:reefcentral.com" to all of your searches in google and it will match results from RC only.

did you just tee off the 4 outlets from the pump? nice job BTW

[nomorenames]

Originally posted by boret
This was my approach to Close Loop:



I am very pleased with its performance. The final iteration had a split on the output on the left wall, so it pushes water behind the rocks in the corner.

This is what it looked like when I firsts set it up:



I drilled the intake for the Close Loop on the right. If I was doing it again I would drill two intakes instead of one.

But if you don't want to drill the glass you can take the water with another pipe going in about half way down in the corner.

I am extremely pleased with the performance. I should have added a couple more outputs though, but I was concerned about adding too many elbows in the PVC limiting the flow. Hasn't been the case. I use a Little Giant 4 with an Ocean Motions 4. (1-2-3-4)

sorry i meant this

[boret]

I use a Ocean Motions Squirt, that takes 1 input and switches with a motor into 4 outputs. So only one of those PVC that you see in the picture actually is throwing water at a given time.

I looked for a better pic, but this is the best I could find. Here you can see the pump on the floor (Little Giant 4), being feed with a 1" flex PVC pipe, 3/4" PVC going up into a device (the OM Squirt) and 4 outlets that go into the tank, with 3/4" flexpvc into the pipes that you see in the other picture.

I added an old computer CPU heat sink on top of the OM Squirt to keep it cool, as it felt fairly worm to the touch, I applied heat conductive paste and attached it in place with plastic ties.

[nomorenames]

AHH! it takes a pic to make it click in my brain thank you

[Michael]

i like the look of the closed loop system, still have to add a ph in there though

[boret]

I don't have 1 but 2 Powerheads in there.... not sure if they are needed though... I just wanted to have a lot of water movement.
I had the Koralia 1 laying around, but it was doing nothing in that water volume. I have move the Koralia to the refugium to move the water around the chaeto.

What I use now is a home made Swirl Stain moving 2 Tunze 6025 (one of them modded) and that seems to be the perfect amount of flow.
I have much more than usually recommended, with the return through the Sea Swirl (about 600-800 gph), the 4 outputs of the Close Loop (at around 1100-1300 gph) and the 2 Tunzes (600 + 1200 gph) moving 90 degrees in each corner. But I will probably remove the Tunzes and add a Vortech in just one side, that should be enough. I just haven't done so because everything seems happy, so why mess with it. I dislike seeing the PH in the display and I think the Vortech will be more inconspicuous. The big draw back is the price though, at $400 it would be the most expensive part of the system. It is difficult to find used ones. Plus I wouldn't mind adding the battery backup to it, making it close to $600.

What if I don't like the performance of the Vortech vs the 2 Tunzes? I have no way of knowing and I have no way of testing it in my system.
You just don't find people with Vortech's sitting around, that you can borrow for a test.

[nomorenames]

I posted this in another forum but it got lost some where so I figured I'd ask here. What are you guys using for auto topoff, mine is just plumbed from my RODI to my sump with a float valve I think this is leading to my problems with the tank not to mention I use so many pre-filters and DI resin. I do have a 55gal drum that I would like to fill with fresh RODI water and pump topoff from that to the tank but it is located in my carport about 50ft. away and I dont know what pump to use and how to seal it so bugs and other things dont get in it any suggestions?

[boret]

I have a similar setup to what you are describing nomorenames.
I use a 40 gl drum that can be closed on top. I have 2 pumps in there, a Viaaqua VA1300 rated at about 400 gph and an mj600. The mj600 feeds my Kalk stirrer with a valve to limit output and a reducer to go from 5/8" tubing to 1/4", this pump is connected to a JBJ ATO, and a float switch activates it when water evaporates.

The Via Aqua is used to fill a new salt water 10 gal container for water changes. I manually turn this pump on when I need it.

Originally the RODI 40 gal drum got filled directly from the RODI unit, and a float valve closed the RODI water line into the drum when it reached the top, and the back pressure valve in the RODI stopped the unit. But I disliked this system as the RODI what turning on and off constantly as soon as water was removed from the RODI container into the kalk stirrer to top off water. This put a lot of strain in RODI (on and off all the time) lowering the life of the membrane, and didn't cycle the RODI water that developed a transparent film (bacteria??) I used to have a modded mj in the RODI drum to diminish this film. Also, when you just turn on the RODI unit you get some sediment and the TDS is not 0, it takes a minute or two to get to 0.

So I used to manually close the tap water intake into the RODI and manually open it to fill the 40 gal drum up. The float valve will then close it when it reached the top (mainly because I used to forget about it and I almost flooded the basement twice) and I would manually close the tap water.

I wasn't thrilled about this system but produce better quality water.

Currently I have a float switch at the bottom of the 40 gal RODI water container. When it is down to about 5 gallons the float switch turns on a solenoid that turns on the tap water into the RODI unit.

I control this through the AquaController III with a statement that keeps the solenoid open for about 6 hours after the float switch activates it (which pretty much fills out the 40 gal RODI container).

This way I have 0 TDS RODI water, the RODI container gets replenished with "new" water every 6-7 days, and the membrane in the RODI will last longer. I have had the same membrane for about 10 months and haven't changed the other filters for about 9 months and still get 0 TDS.

[boret]

Some images (so your brain clicks ):

I used this to turn on and off the pump that feeds the 10 gallon new salt water container from the 40 gal RODI drum.



Bought at HomeDepot for $4.

This is the float valve to turn off the RODI (the large one on the right -- the left one is just a float switch) (this is not from my setup):



It creates back pressure, it is the ASO (AutoShutOff) in the RODI that really turns it off:



I use the I/O Module (Breakout Box) with the AC3 connected to the Float switch in the RODI water 40 gal drum to turn on/off the solenoid:



Solenoid:

[Michael]

that float switch looks awsome, and very similar to a float switch i have in my toilet systern,lol

the one on the right not left haha

[boret]

Alright!!! We are now officially "The Reef Central Corner Club Thread"

Thanks Michael

[boret]

Originally posted by Michael
that float switch looks awsome, and very similar to a float switch i have in my toilet systern,lol

the one on the right not left haha

LOL ha ha ha, well... that's what it is, he he he

[nomorenames]

BORET what did you use for a bulkhead kinda thing out of the barrel also do think a mj1200 would push the water 50ft 3-4ft is vertical using 1/4 icemaker line

[Michael]

Originally posted by boret
Alright!!! We are now officially "The Reef Central Corner Club Thread"

Thanks Michael

well it just had to be done

[nomorenames]

Originally posted by Michael
well it just had to be done

I just noticed that too congrats.

[one4gatr]

Originally posted by Michael
well it just had to be done

HERE HERE! Though just a newbie with a TINY 44g it's good to have some mates here who encounter the same issues.... good work guys!!!!

[IridescentLily]

I know you don't want silly posts or posts from those who don't have a corner tank. So I hope this isn't silly, but the tanks I see on this thread(s) are GORGEOUS.
I was never aware of the special challenges of a corner tank and reading this thread has been a joy. I've learned quite a bit!



Anyway, good info in this thread. take care. :-)

[gerryo]

Thanx Michael. Well done.

[Hookup]

Originally posted by IridescentLily
I know you don't want silly posts or posts from those who don't have a corner tank. So I hope this isn't silly, but the tanks I see on this thread(s) are GORGEOUS.
I was never aware of the special challenges of a corner tank and reading this thread has been a joy. I've learned quite a bit!



Anyway, good info in this thread. take care. :-)

WOW.. that is very nice... thank you so much for saying so.

[boret]

Hi IridescentLily welcome to our "corner" of RC and thank you for your comments, there are not silly and very much appreciated around here!

Welcome aboard one4gatr. You better get that camera ready... we love pictures!!!

Originally posted by nomorenames
BORET what did you use for a bulkhead kinda thing out of the barrel also do think a mj1200 would push the water 50ft 3-4ft is vertical using 1/4 icemaker line

The intake of water goes through the Float Valve, all you need is 1/2" hole. You can see mine here:



Which is the same as this but horizontal instead of vertical:



I don't use a bulkhead for the tube from the pump that moves water from the RODI drum into the Kalk Reactor for top off, I just cut out a "U" on the top of the drum, and an inverted "U" on the cover and fits nicely.

50 ft is a long way for almost any of the pumps we use. You are better off running most of that length on the 1/4" tube that goes from the tap water into the RODI unit. I get 50 PSI. If you are anywhere close to that you can go 50 ft without a problem.

You can buy a pressure gauge to measure the PSI from your tap water and place it inline. Something like this one goes for about $12 at www.airwaterice.com (I got most of my RODI items from them)



Remember also that higher pressure and warmer water make your RODI unit more effective. But i digress.

As a rule of thumb you want to use as big a diameter as possible for most of your plumbing and limit it at the end.

For example, if you are running a close loop and your outputs are 3/4" you are better off running 1" pipe all the way till you reach the output, then reduce it to 3/4", that way you reduce the pressure and retain better gph.

I imagine that your RODI drum sits in a basement and you are trying to get the water up into the second floor. For that application I would use a peristaltic pump.



That also solves the back flow issue. With a regular pump, when you stop it, if you Kalk reactor is higher than the pump it will empty its contents back into your RODI drum, unless you use a check valve (will only allow flow in one direction).

I run 5/8" vinyl tubing from the pump almost all the way to the kalk reactor, and limit it at the end. But I also tun about 6 ft of tube. I have a valve to limit the amount of water that goes into the kalk reactor, and a check valve to stop back flow of kalk saturated water into the RODI container.

Another option is to go for a 10-20 gallon RODI container, something like a plastic tote, that you can hide in a furniture besides your tank and have the RODI output run into that container. You can get one like this for $4:



You would be a few feet away from your tank and you can even use a Tom Aquatics Aqua-lift pump:


You can get it for about $10.
The peristaltic pump will set you back about $70-$80

[Michael]

i had one of those top off pumps originally before the tunze, providing you greece the thing and use a check valve as mentioned its fine to use, the actual pump was great, but my float switch stuck and flooded the tank with freshwater, if i used one of them again id use a timer say to switch on 3-4 times a day for a max 2 mins each time, or work out how long the thing needs to run before replacing the evaporated water

[Michael]

Originally posted by IridescentLily
I know you don't want silly posts or posts from those who don't have a corner tank. So I hope this isn't silly, but the tanks I see on this thread(s) are GORGEOUS.
I was never aware of the special challenges of a corner tank and reading this thread has been a joy. I've learned quite a bit!



Anyway, good info in this thread. take care. :-)

were still trying to deal with the challenges ourselves

thanks for coming on and saying hello

[reefscape15]

Congrats everyone on getting a much better, and well deserved name for our thread! It's about time that we got something that stands out a little more and sounds somewhat more official. Can't wait to see what this winter will bring to the thread. I know for me, my tank has been taking a major break from any upgrades as we start bringing summer to an end. Getting the yard/cars/house ready for the cold winter to come has been chewing up my tank time, but I'm sure I'll have a lot more once it gets cold and snowy.