Preparing for the reef world...

tigga07 · 08/22/2007, 05:42 PM

Hey,

Have been in the FW world for about six months now and have gotten bored already. Thinking about going reef with my 29 gallon and having it drilled to a 10g sump.

Has anyone drilled the backwall of a 29 all glass aquarium because I'm worried that it is tempered.

Also how should I compart the sump? I was thinking of having the drain and return compartments on each end, and a big compartment at the middle for refugium or whatever.

Thinking about buying a MAg7 as return pump

I'll be keeping my aquaclear 70 hang on the 29 and used for carbon, phosphate remover and such. Won't be putting the sponge in there becuase I know all about the 'nitrate factory'

I guess I'll stay with my 2x24W t5ho and get some softies/LPS. Got no money to spend on lighting since I have to buy a RO/DI unit and those other crazy stuff associated w/ reefkeeping :P

Will be adding 30lbs of fugi live rock and 2" caribsea agranite sandbed. Tried the bomix sand on my FW but the fish would just cloudy up the tank after taking a week to clear up from when I put the fresh sand into my new tank. The cloudiness was so much of a hassle that I switched to FW gravel.

I'm skimming the skimmer since for a 29g the only thing it'll do is remove the trace elements that coral need.

100W visitherm stealth will do the heating in the sump

I guess that's about it. I need some serious opinions/ suggestions before I start with anything. So thank you in advance

tigga07 · 08/22/2007, 11:18 PM

CAn i use a lee's specimen container to make an overflow skimmer box?

Here is a link to what i'm talking about:

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart....203+1187851627

theatrus · 08/22/2007, 11:27 PM

Mag 7 is probably way overkill for a return. Take a look at Melevs site for some ideas on layouts: www.melevsreef.com

And yes, an acrylic specimen container would work pretty well as a DIY HOB overflow container. You'll need two (one inside, one outside). You can use PVC pipe (or mainly elbows

) as the siphon pipe.

tigga07 · 08/22/2007, 11:31 PM

I'm going to drill the tank and the container to fit a bulkhead

Rustylugnuts · 08/22/2007, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Has anyone drilled the backwall of a 29 all glass aquarium because I'm worried that it is tempered.

While I haven't drilled my tank (yet) I have seen a lot of threads here where people either use diamond dremel bits or diamond hole saws off of ebay (i believe its 45mm for 1" bulkheads and 60 mm for 1.5" bulkheads) to get the job done.
dremel
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=912378
I could swear i saw a great thread in the DIY section detailing use of the hole saw

Quote:

Thinking about buying a MAg7 as return pump

If you get a pump this large microbubbles could be an issue. I believe the general rule is roughly 3-5x total system volume turnover/hr. So IMO @ this system volume you could even get away with a mag3 or a mj1200 as a return.

tigga07 · 08/22/2007, 11:37 PM

I have a question about baffling the sump. Is it better to baffle after the drain intake or before the return chamber? I can only add one baffle set of 3 glasses since my sump is a small 10g

i guess i'll think about downgrading the Mag

clown2be · 08/22/2007, 11:38 PM

Take a second mortgage out on the house , ?You have the bug and RC to help and all you need is that mortgage. hehe

tigga07 · 08/22/2007, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by clown2be
Take a second mortgage out on the house , ?You have the bug and RC to help and all you need is that mortgage. hehe

lol

I aint going to go all out though

clown2be · 08/22/2007, 11:51 PM

yeah, we all told ourselfs that , and our wifes. call me in 1 year when you want some SPS corals for your customer built tank of the month. LOL (my first tank was a fresh water to)

clown2be · 08/22/2007, 11:59 PM

1st salt water 12 gal nano

today 225g inwall (hopes) TOTM

LOL

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 12:10 AM

lol i guess i might as well end up upgrading in the future to a 280g or up

clown2be · 08/23/2007, 12:13 AM

Buy the 280 now and save yourself money, I'll even have my wife talk to yours. Save money now. lol.

Boca Kris · 08/23/2007, 06:02 AM

I seem to remember someone mentioning getting a pair of polarized sunglasses to look to see if the tank glass was tempered or not. I think you can see some type of pattern in the glass at certain angles with the lenses if its tempered, just like car glass. Just a thought! Good luck on SW!! It's a blast! Expensive! But a blast! You came to the right place!

sheepdog43 · 08/23/2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tigga07
[B]CAn i use a lee's specimen container to make an overflow skimmer box?

Another good source for boxes is look at auto/self feeders for dogs and cats at Walmart. I have seen a few that use a plastic container almost perfect for making them for only a few bucks. Problem is, by the time you get bulkheads, tubing, etc... You have a small fortune in them regardless unless you make it all from plexi, and those often need a lift pump.

I would look at Hurricanefilter overflow skimmer. Works great, good price. These are almost half the cost of more common overflows. They need no pump and seem to not lose syphon.

As for your return pump, you do not need much volume, but you may need a Mag7 due to the height you are reaching for. Just depends.

sheepdog43 · 08/23/2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by clown2be
Buy the 280 now and save yourself money, I'll even have my wife talk to yours. Save money now. lol.

Yep, almost nothing for the 29 will work in the 280.

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 12:36 PM

okay i know i'm not going to buy a 280 nor anything above 75g since I know i wont be able to afford it.

And for those who think i'm doing a Utube overflow, I'm not. I need a skimmer box so that I can drill a hole in my tank and box and put a bulkhead.

I know the whole story of Utube overflow which are very scary to have(except for lifereef ones) so that is why i want to drill my tank.

Boca Kris · 08/23/2007, 01:51 PM

Isn't YouTube getting sued?

sheepdog43 · 08/23/2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tigga07
okay i know i'm not going to buy a 280 nor anything above 75g since I know i wont be able to afford it.

And for those who think i'm doing a Utube overflow, I'm not. I need a skimmer box so that I can drill a hole in my tank and box and put a bulkhead.

I know the whole story of Utube overflow which are very scary to have(except for lifereef ones) so that is why i want to drill my tank.

Get a couple pieces of glass, and some silicone and have at it. Pretty easy to do.

Biggest problem with overflows are people not making sure to have room if power goes out and such. You need to account for trouble.

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sheepdog43
Get a couple pieces of glass, and some silicone and have at it. Pretty easy to do.

Biggest problem with overflows are people not making sure to have room if power goes out and such. You need to account for trouble.

can't i use the container. I dont want to cut glass(not even a shop) or silicone it together. I just want to buy a small container, cut teeth, drill the hole and silicone it to the tank.

And about the power shutting off and my sump overflowing, i got that covered

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 04:12 PM

Question about the 10g sump,

Is it better to have the drain intake and refugium chamber on opposite ends and the return chamber at the middle. I hear its a popular layout/design

ManotheSea · 08/23/2007, 04:36 PM

I NEVER HEARD OF A SKIMMER REMOVING TRACE ELEMENTS. Can anyone else confirm or refute this?

I have seen 5 and 10 gal nanos with skimmers. As far as I know, its the disolved organics that have an attraction to the air bubbles in the chamber. The only trace elements removed would only be the amount that is in the bubble walls. That seems like it would be a negligeable amount.

kirkland · 08/23/2007, 05:11 PM

We have a 92g all glass aquarium. On the bottom is a large sticker that says it's tempered for stability and not to drill. The sides are ok to drill. I imagine that with a 29g, you'd be ok to drill it. You can always contact AGA and ask...

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kirkland
We have a 92g all glass aquarium. On the bottom is a large sticker that says it's tempered for stability and not to drill. The sides are ok to drill. I imagine that with a 29g, you'd be ok to drill it. You can always contact AGA and ask...

yeah thats a good idea...ill call thanks

tigga07 · 08/23/2007, 05:39 PM

Here is a picture of my 29g tank. I know this a reef forum but mind the fact the tank is FW :P I know the stand and canopy look so 'amateur' but then again it was the best 100$ i spent

tigga · 08/23/2007, 10:54 PM

nice n cool nickname

08/22/2007, 05:42 PM	#1
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	Preparing for the reef world... Hey, Have been in the FW world for about six months now and have gotten bored already. Thinking about going reef with my 29 gallon and having it drilled to a 10g sump. Has anyone drilled the backwall of a 29 all glass aquarium because I'm worried that it is tempered. Also how should I compart the sump? I was thinking of having the drain and return compartments on each end, and a big compartment at the middle for refugium or whatever. Thinking about buying a MAg7 as return pump I'll be keeping my aquaclear 70 hang on the 29 and used for carbon, phosphate remover and such. Won't be putting the sponge in there becuase I know all about the 'nitrate factory' I guess I'll stay with my 2x24W t5ho and get some softies/LPS. Got no money to spend on lighting since I have to buy a RO/DI unit and those other crazy stuff associated w/ reefkeeping :P Will be adding 30lbs of fugi live rock and 2" caribsea agranite sandbed. Tried the bomix sand on my FW but the fish would just cloudy up the tank after taking a week to clear up from when I put the fresh sand into my new tank. The cloudiness was so much of a hassle that I switched to FW gravel. I'm skimming the skimmer since for a 29g the only thing it'll do is remove the trace elements that coral need. 100W visitherm stealth will do the heating in the sump I guess that's about it. I need some serious opinions/ suggestions before I start with anything. So thank you in advance

08/22/2007, 11:27 PM	#3
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	Mag 7 is probably way overkill for a return. Take a look at Melevs site for some ideas on layouts: www.melevsreef.com And yes, an acrylic specimen container would work pretty well as a DIY HOB overflow container. You'll need two (one inside, one outside). You can use PVC pipe (or mainly elbows ) as the siphon pipe. __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

08/23/2007, 05:39 PM	#24
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	Here is a picture of my 29g tank. I know this a reef forum but mind the fact the tank is FW :P I know the stand and canopy look so 'amateur' but then again it was the best 100$ i spent Last edited by tigga07; 08/23/2007 at 06:28 PM.

08/22/2007, 11:18 PM	#2
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	CAn i use a lee's specimen container to make an overflow skimmer box? Here is a link to what i'm talking about: http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart....203+1187851627

08/22/2007, 11:31 PM	#4
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	I'm going to drill the tank and the container to fit a bulkhead

08/22/2007, 11:37 PM	#6
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	I have a question about baffling the sump. Is it better to baffle after the drain intake or before the return chamber? I can only add one baffle set of 3 glasses since my sump is a small 10g i guess i'll think about downgrading the Mag

08/22/2007, 11:38 PM	#7
clown2be Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Corona, Calif Posts: 2,856	Take a second mortgage out on the house , ?You have the bug and RC to help and all you need is that mortgage. hehe

08/22/2007, 11:51 PM	#9
clown2be Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Corona, Calif Posts: 2,856	yeah, we all told ourselfs that , and our wifes. call me in 1 year when you want some SPS corals for your customer built tank of the month. LOL (my first tank was a fresh water to)

08/22/2007, 11:59 PM	#10
clown2be Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Corona, Calif Posts: 2,856	1st salt water 12 gal nano today 225g inwall (hopes) TOTM LOL

08/23/2007, 12:10 AM	#11
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	lol i guess i might as well end up upgrading in the future to a 280g or up

08/23/2007, 12:13 AM	#12
clown2be Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Corona, Calif Posts: 2,856	Buy the 280 now and save yourself money, I'll even have my wife talk to yours. Save money now. lol.

08/23/2007, 06:02 AM	#13
Boca Kris Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Boca Raton, Florida Posts: 401	I seem to remember someone mentioning getting a pair of polarized sunglasses to look to see if the tank glass was tempered or not. I think you can see some type of pattern in the glass at certain angles with the lenses if its tempered, just like car glass. Just a thought! Good luck on SW!! It's a blast! Expensive! But a blast! You came to the right place!

08/23/2007, 12:36 PM	#16
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	okay i know i'm not going to buy a 280 nor anything above 75g since I know i wont be able to afford it. And for those who think i'm doing a Utube overflow, I'm not. I need a skimmer box so that I can drill a hole in my tank and box and put a bulkhead. I know the whole story of Utube overflow which are very scary to have(except for lifereef ones) so that is why i want to drill my tank.

08/23/2007, 01:51 PM	#17
Boca Kris Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Boca Raton, Florida Posts: 401	Isn't YouTube getting sued?

08/23/2007, 04:12 PM	#20
tigga07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	Question about the 10g sump, Is it better to have the drain intake and refugium chamber on opposite ends and the return chamber at the middle. I hear its a popular layout/design

08/23/2007, 04:36 PM	#21
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	I NEVER HEARD OF A SKIMMER REMOVING TRACE ELEMENTS. Can anyone else confirm or refute this? I have seen 5 and 10 gal nanos with skimmers. As far as I know, its the disolved organics that have an attraction to the air bubbles in the chamber. The only trace elements removed would only be the amount that is in the bubble walls. That seems like it would be a negligeable amount.

08/23/2007, 05:11 PM	#22
kirkland Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 79	We have a 92g all glass aquarium. On the bottom is a large sticker that says it's tempered for stability and not to drill. The sides are ok to drill. I imagine that with a 29g, you'd be ok to drill it. You can always contact AGA and ask...

08/23/2007, 10:54 PM	#25
tigga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 196	nice n cool nickname