RyanG
Reef enthusiast
Rocks all have great character.
Bob's Ghetto Build!
- Thread starter Melonbob
- Start date
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
Not bad looking rock. Are you leaving the eggcrate in the tank?
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
yeah, its getting covered with sand though, I read of some people doing it so your rock sits on it instead of your glass and I liked the idea
yote
In Memoriam
All that rock needs is some coralline on it.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
yeah, there is virtually none, but his build sounds like it was only a few months old. The powerheads look brand new
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Might be OK under the rock ONLY, but your creating a dead zone along the entire bottom of your tank. Even within a deep sand bed, water circulates. It won't circulate inside the little squares of egg crate.
I personally wouldn't do it. 20 years now and I never had live rock crash thru the bottom of my tank.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
I am starting to lose my cool......plumbing sucks when you can't find anything. I had to use standard ball valves instead of true union, I had to use ferncos instead of unions.I have no head room, and my sump is too f@$%in tall! Finally get it all together, and one bulkhead is leaking! Ok, rant over. I am going to take the bulkhead apart later, and lube it a bit with KY, then torque it back down. Good thing is, tank is full, sump is full, and neither leak!
dustin_P74
Reef enthusiast
well atleast you dont have any tank leaks
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
I wasn't big on those bulkheads to begin with, they are threaded and I would rather have had a slip fit. Try to find a bulkhead up here though. Oh well, I'll get it tight tomorrow and never touch it again.....lol
yote
In Memoriam
It always makes for a great day when the plumbing has a drip.
Glad to hear its all coming together though.
Glad to hear its all coming together though.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
First Flood! I learned today that a return line and a mag pump make a pretty good siphon when not done correctly!
yote
In Memoriam
Just drill a 1/8" hole right above the water line on the return.That will be enough to break a siphon and keep you from having a flood.
How much water did you loose before you caught it?
How much water did you loose before you caught it?
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
Only a few gallons....lol, I was right there, but It happened twice before I figured out what was going on! the first time I panicked and turned the return back on. Once everything was normal, I shut it off, and it happened again. I had already planned on drilling a hole, wasn't sure if thats what everyone else did, but it made sense to me
yote
In Memoriam
You can always put a check valve in.But they can stick open,or not completely shut the siphon off.My returns got the hole,and it never back siphons.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
Well, built some stockman's nice and quiet and keep up to my mag 9.5 easily. Topped up tank then simulated a power failure, lots of room in the sump. Everything is running and looking good!
Sump running, filled to max
Power failure mode
The Octo in action!
Sump running, filled to max
Power failure mode
The Octo in action!
yote
In Memoriam
Looks good Bob.
dustin_P74
Reef enthusiast
looks good man
I was wondering, do you have a drain on each side of the sump? As in one on the fuge and one in with the skimmer? No bubble trap? I wonder if i should do the same? It would make it easier to run my 2nd drain pip and wouldnt be all that hard to move my return pump to my second bay. If you would take a look at my build thread and c what you think.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
Yeah, a drain on each side. Seems to work well, but this is my first big tank. I only put a bubble trap on the skimmer side
