75 gallon tank - New to Saltwater (1 Viewer)

[JayJeep]

I got a refractometer. I am not sure if I can change my order but I emailed them to ask. If not I'll just use those powerheads and add another one or two. As for the test kit, it was only $20 so I'll just keep it.

 

[JayJeep]

Can't cancel my order. oh well.

I just went to go make more RO/DI water to fill my QT tank and no water comes out. Very frustrating. It has a "EZ Flow Restrictor" that adjusts the flow through the membrane and no matter which way I adjust it no water comes out. I sent an email to the company and I'm waiting for a response. So far I've only made about 15-20 gallons of water with this system.

 

[ironman]

Can't cancel my order. oh well.

I just went to go make more RO/DI water to fill my QT tank and no water comes out. Very frustrating. It has a "EZ Flow Restrictor" that adjusts the flow through the membrane and no matter which way I adjust it no water comes out. I sent an email to the company and I'm waiting for a response. So far I've only made about 15-20 gallons of water with this system.

I wouldn't sweat it, if anything , I would order more sand, two more 750GPH power-heads, and another 150W heater.

Where are you not getting water? Out of your waste water line, or your filtered water line?

 

[JayJeep]

The filtered line. I took the membrane out, tested without and it was fine. Put it back in and it seems to be working. Someone on a different forum suggested that the water was too cold.. who knows. I have a Hydor 150watt that I had laying around...I am not sure why I have it but I will use that with the 150 Jager.

I was going to get some live sand to go with it. Probably a 15 lb bag so that would total 95 lbs. Online calculator says 72 lbs for a 2 inch bed but that doesn't sound like enough.

I'll probably order a couple more powerheads later, trying to spread out the cost a bit while I start up.

 

[ironman]

The filtered line. I took the membrane out, tested without and it was fine. Put it back in and it seems to be working. Someone on a different forum suggested that the water was too cold.. who knows. I have a Hydor 150watt that I had laying around...I am not sure why I have it but I will use that with the 150 Jager.

I was going to get some live sand to go with it. Probably a 15 lb bag so that would total 95 lbs. Online calculator says 72 lbs for a 2 inch bed but that doesn't sound like enough.

I'll probably order a couple more powerheads later, trying to spread out the cost a bit while I start up.

Cold water will make no difference in flow rate, was your membrane dry when you installed it? I don't know if that would make a difference or not. Also, your household water pressure may not be high enough.

For what it's worth, I have a 3" bed in my tank, I used 150# of "live sand" (the stuff is a joke BTW, the only reason I bothered with it was because it is basically prewashed) and 20# dry sand. But it was a mix of fine and course, if you buy the courser stuff it will fill in quicker, but you won't be able to keep some sand dwelling creatures.

As for the power-heads, use the return lines to agitate the surface of the water in your tank, and the other two to proved flow around your rocks. If you do nice open rock-work when you aquas-cape you may be able to get away with the lower flow for a while, but the sooner you get more, the healthier your tank will be.

 

[JayJeep]

The seaflor special grade is supposed to be 1-2mm, is that considered fine grade?

I was thinking of adding the Aragamax select from Caribsea which is 0.5-1.5mm....

 

[ironman]

The seaflor special grade is supposed to be 1-2mm, is that considered fine grade?

I was thinking of adding the Aragamax select from Caribsea which is 0.5-1.5mm....

No, that's a coarser grade, I have 20# of that mixed with 60# oolite (really fine stuff) with the rest being the aragamax select. I like the way the mix looks, and to me it seems fine for sand dwellers. But I'm no expert with any of this stuff, so you may want to get a second opinion.

 

[JayJeep]

I got my pukani rock yesterday from BRS but I will not be able to do anything with it until Monday, going hunting this weekend. I have to cut some acrylic for the sump and silicone that in. Sand and other stuff should come on Monday. I'm going with seaflor special grade mixed with aragamax select and some live sand. Unless someone chimes in with different advice.

I have a question about the drains, I have one hole for the drain and one for the return. The one for the drain has a larger bulkhead that is threaded on the outside but not the inside like the return bulkhead.

I am going to put some sort of union there so that it can be disconnected easily. Do I just glue a piece of PVC in the drain bulkhead and plumb to that?

The return line goes up through the overflow area but I cannot seem to get the pipe out so its either stuck or glued so I think I will leave it. That being said I will probably do the durso method. I've used it before with success.

 

[ironman]

I have a question about the drains, I have one hole for the drain and one for the return. The one for the drain has a larger bulkhead that is threaded on the outside but not the inside like the return bulkhead.

That would be a 1" slip.

I am going to put some sort of union there so that it can be disconnected easily. Do I just glue a piece of PVC in the drain bulkhead and plumb to that?

Yes.

The return line goes up through the overflow area but I cannot seem to get the pipe out so its either stuck or glued so I think I will leave it. That being said I will probably do the durso method. I've used it before with success.

It's likely stuck, if you want to remove it, take the bulkhead out of the tank, grab onto the pipe with a pliers, and twist. I never glued either of the pipes inside my overflow, there really is no reason to since they don't need a water tight seal.

 

[PengXiong]

If you have the chance to go with the Herbie. You will be much happier. Don't be afraid to give it a good tug.

 

[JayJeep]

Got my stuff yesterday, and got one baffle siliconed in the sump. Plan to do the rest tonight. I made the skimmer section at 10 inches deep. Once that is done I will start on the plumbing. I think I have some 3/4" or 1" PVC laying around to use. Is that a good size for drain and return?

If I do the herbie method then would I have to run a separate return behind the tank?

I wanted to avoid running stuff behind the tank, besides the cords for the lighting and power heads.

 

[ironman]

Got my stuff yesterday, and got one baffle siliconed in the sump. Plan to do the rest tonight. I made the skimmer section at 10 inches deep. Once that is done I will start on the plumbing. I think I have some 3/4" or 1" PVC laying around to use. Is that a good size for drain and return?

If I do the herbie method then would I have to run a separate return behind the tank?

I wanted to avoid running stuff behind the tank, besides the cords for the lighting and power heads.

That would be the easiest way, yes. It's actually not as bad as you would think, I used 3/4" for my return, and my tank sits about 1.5" out from the wall.

 

[JayJeep]

Here is an image of what I am thinking for the plumbing for my sump/refugium. The chamber in the middle is the return. I think I will try the herbie system here. Do I have the valve in the right spot? My understanding is that you reduce the flow on the main drain enough to get the water level above the standpipe, so no air gets in.

The top valve will be a gate valve and the valve to the refugium will probably by a ball valve. All plumbing will be will be with 1" PVC. Unions at the bulkheads and pump.

 

[JayJeep]

I got some of the plumbing roughed in.

I am had an issue with the bulkheads being too close to the stand framing so I could not go straight down to the unions that I got. I need to figure out where to put the unions and where to put the gate valve. I think I would put the gate valve after the first elbow on the 1" pipe.

How high should the main drain pipe be? The emergency pipe is reused from the previous return pipe and is about 1/2" below the overflow height.

Any Suggestions or comments are welcome.

 

[ironman]

Try using two 45 degree elbows instead of two 90 degree on your drain, also, I put the main drain gate valve below where I T'ed off my fuge, then I set my fuge flow, and left it. That way, no matter what, I won't have to fiddle with the flow into the 'fuge, and dialing in my Herbie was less of a hassle. It may work just as well the way you have it set up though.

EDIT:

I have my main drain going straight down into the sump, same with my emergency. I made sure my main drain outlet sits below the waterline in my skimmer compartment, and the emergency drain above, that way, if the emergency gets used, it makes a lot of noise, and possibly micro bubbles in my display, so I will know my main is clogged by something. that pipe labeled "D4" runs over to my 'fuge (with a gate valve along the way somewhere) Also, I saw a really cool idea recently, is a bubble tower.

You basically fill that up with LR rubble, and run your drain into it to keep bubbles from making it to your return. I with I would have done that, along with drilled a hole in my refugium baffle for a drain (and run it into a bubble tower) because I still do get some bubbles, but it's a learning process, now I know for next time.

 

[deneed4spd]

I tried the whole T off the drain into the skimmer and fuge. never got it to work that well. Instead I T off the return to the DT and fuge. Let the Drain just come down straight so it never gets clogged.

 

[JayJeep]

Deneed: Where did you put your gate valve when you T'd off the drain?


-When I fill up the tank for the first time can I mix the salt in there or should I still mix it in a seperate container for a day?

 

[ironman]

-When I fill up the tank for the first time can I mix the salt in there or should I still mix it in a seperate container for a day?

If you have sand in the tank, mix it in a separate container, if not, then mixing it in the tank should be fine.

 

[deneed4spd]

I had gate valve right after the bulkhead. But then u need a ball valve to create pressure to redirect flow into the fuge. It sometimes messes with the herbie

 

[ironman]

BTW, you want your 1" drain to be well below the water line in your overflow, and your 3/4" emergency as close to the highest water line in the overflow.

I had gate valve right after the bulkhead. But then u need a ball valve to create pressure to redirect flow into the fuge. It sometimes messes with the herbie

The ball valve might be the reason you had issues with your set up. Also, having the fuge drain T below your main drain gate valve may have made a difference. I have a 1/2" gate valve going to my fuge above my main drain gate valve. I set it to the flow rate I wanted in my fuge, and left it alone, dialing in the system was easy since I only had to adjust the flow coming from my main drain.

The piping on the left is my main drain system before I installed it, that run of small 1/2" pipe is my fuge line.

Deneed, did the flow rate of your return pump reduce when you T'd it off for the 'fuge? I would have to get a larger pump if I used this method, but it's probably because of other factors in my case.