Anything you wish you had done, after setting up your last tank?

[siskiou]

This Friday, my new tank (120G AGA RR) will arrive.

 

I'd love some advice about what you would have done differently if you'd known better, after setting up your last tank.

Just little things (or not so little) that would have made life easier, or the tank quieter, for example, if you'd only known about it then.

 

Do you put anything under the stand to dampen vibrations (or just under you sump inside the stand)?

Do you wish you'd left more space behind the tank to get to the plumbing easier?

How about the size of the sump?

Should I consider something to put under the rockwork, or is sitting it right on the bottom of the glass okay?

Spraybar behind the rockwork? Or is that too hard to get to, and clean when needed, later on?

Hard plumbing or flexible?

 

Basically, anything you can think of!

 

Thanks,

Susanne

[fly guy]

You already probably know how i feel about lifting your rock and spraybars. I thinkk it is very important and done correctly givew you ZERO dead spots in your tank, and a healthier biological filtration system overall. I lift my rock with those invisible rock lifts and have the spraybars aiming both under and at my rocks by positioning of the holes......i also make the spraybars so that they have a threaded connection and can be adjusted directionally......

I have came up with a better way to do my invisible rock lifts and can do them faster with less materials than before.....so i can charge lesss for them.......if you want me to make you one PM me. Or I can send you a pic of my new style and you could make one yourself. I have orders for 4 of them at the moment and could tag another one on real easy. 1" of sand competely covers the frame and the frame doesnt affect your sand critters in any way.

[siskiou]

Do you have pictures of your spraybar set-up, too?

 

I'd like a pic of the invisible rock lifts and your price, please!

My email is siskiou@vcem.com.

[drock59]

Pics of everything please!!!

 

I would make the stand a bit bigger for more room to fit "stuff". Also, I would get a bigger sump....as big as could possibly fit. Last but not least more room behind the tank. I would give myself six inches at least. This is hard to do sometimes base on where the tank is located.

[CCR]

I would have used spa tube.

I put hard foam under my stand and under my tank.

I always use a couple of inches of flexible tubing from my pump to fuge hard connection, cuts vibration. I also put car wash sponges under the pumps to cut vibration.

I would have used a reculating skimmer, will build a raised rock bed, and would have a built-in sump fan, instead of clip-on, takes up to much space. Would have planned the sump better for a dsb, no algae, to keep dark. I now have an exterier, dsb in bucket, and yes!!!!, 3 1/2 weeks later, All of my corals polyps are out, and happy. (Save for another thread)

My sump is in stand, and raised on acrylic bricks, incase of mishaps, water won't get trapped between, and can evaporate, not rot (I know, ya not supposed to have a miss hap, yea right) I would look to the worlds end for quiet hood fans!!!!!!!! Anyone!! Anyone. I would have built the hood differently, and added moonlights.

I will use multiple switched power strips, like the group buy, best change I made, But I will plan a lot better for ALL electrical connections including the future ones (Isn't that part of initial planning, LOL),, and use the electrical grease on plug ends.

 

I WILL PUT EVERYTING IN PLACE, BEFORE FINAL HOOKUP AND WATER (repeat this line, repeat this line, and repeat this line....)

I will place items, pumps, skimmer ECT, ECT, for better access and maintained.

I won't buy equipment, before measuring its placement!!!!!!!!!!

I would setup sump for probes. Don't skimp on bulkhead quality!!!!

Check, double, triple, then start again, each and every piece of equipment SEPERATLY, FOR LEAKS , NOISE, FLOW ECT.

Not have equipment tied into another piece, without have a contingency plan for failure, and testing the theory, BEFORE, it happens

[siskiou]

Wow!

I'm scared of getting started now! I know I'llbe making mistakes!

 

What type of foam is that hard foam you used, and is it working out well for you?

What is it about the spa tube that would make you use it next time (in favor of hard plumbing? Or vinyl tubing?)?

Why no algae in the refugium in favor of a DSB?

 

I'm so glad I bought two of the switched powerstrips, because I've already experienced how inconvenient it is to unplug pumps for feeding etc, instead of just throwing a labelled switch!

 

Drock59, I wish I could make the stand bigger, but have opted for an AGA stand. I already know it might be too low for some skimmers (28").

My current tank is about 6" away from the wall, which is barely enough to work behind it, but the 120 might not need that space, depending on what I'll use for water movement.

Decisions, decisions... (but the planning stage is so much fun, too! )

 

I have a large, used sump, that I'm trying to configure!

But first I have to see if it even fits into the stand!

Ryan, how did you have it plumbed??

[andy]

• I would have gone closed-loop instead of power heads
  
• I would have gone with a bigger sump
  
• I would have made a larger return section in my sump
  
• I would have left more room behind the tank
  
• I would have put a T fitting off my return pump, then a true union on each outgoing
  
• I would have put another VHO Actinic in the hood
  
• I would have put larger fans in the hood
  
• I would have put better ventilation out the very top of the hood
  
• I would have done my electrical panel right before bringing the tank up
  
• I would have gone with two overflows
  
• I would have gone with a glass tank
  
• I would have used identical MH ballasts
  
• I would have gone with a bigger tank
  
• I would have gone with a bigger stand
  

[R-3]

Wow Andy I think you are ready for a upgrade!! LOL. Later Ryan

[fly guy]

Do you have pictures of your spraybar set-up, too?

 

I'd like a pic of the invisible rock lifts and your price, please!

My email is siskiou@vcem.com.

 

ill second the flex pipe thing...its the ONLY way to fly. I use hard pipe only for connecting fittings to fittings and where PERFECTLY straight runs are required.

 

Heres the pics you wanted.

 

I put pics of a rock lift i am making as we speak.........i havent finished shaping the rods yet so only 3 of them are in place......a 48 x 18 tank takes 32 rods, but once you start stacking rock you can remove many of them that arent necessary by simply lifting them up. These lifts are strong enough for my fat @SS to stand on OUT of the water, so holding your reef up is a non issue. They are a dream to stack on.

The teeth i make in the top of the rods stick like glue to rock. 1" of substrate completely covers the rack that holds the rods.

 

the one pic of the barebottom tank is the first invisible rock lift i have made for a BB tank....it is a pretty good pic of my adjustable spraybars as well. I attached a couple of FTS to see(or not see), the lifts in action

I sell the rock lifts for $75 typically but anybody from here or TRT who wants one is $60. There is $30 in acrylic alone and that price is based on a 48x 18 footprint. Add $5 or subtract $5 for every 10 gallons above/below that roughly.

 

Lifting your rock this way inhibits the flow very little and i have complete flow under and through my reef. It not only works better than pvc lifts it looks infinitely better. Just my opinion of course.

 

One more thing. I just do these as Im playing Mr Mom right now and have some free time on my hands. I did design it and think it is the best way i have ever seen, but i dont profess it to be rocket science. : ) Anybody like the concept and want to know how i do it so you can make one yourself....ask away. : )

 

[CCR]

It's called "insulfoam" it's got a blue plastic cover on it.spa tubing, less resistance, than 45 elbows and light doesn't penitrate, to cause algie grouth in it.

 

the DSB, in my opinion, wasn't working well in the fuge, one reason, was the lighting for the algie. I may split the fuge for a small area, small light, for algie, and use black baffle,or a box, sorta, in the new fuge for a dsb, I am going to build my own stand 2 feet longer. Don't tell the wife!!!!!!!!! to hold EVERYTHING under it

[CCR]

now. I gotta figure out spray bars for glass tanks

[CCR]

and what happened. I have to scrowl acroos the screen to read all this??????

[drock59]

also with the Spa Flex, you can throw it in the oven at 150 or as low as you oven will go to make it MUCH more maliable. Otherwise it is pretty stiff.

[fly guy]

I will add this as well in concern to spaflex, to spare some poeple who have never used the stuff much a little bit of pain.

 

Do NOT take any joint for granted or it can easily leak and/or create air bubbles. On a closed loop it can create bubbles in every one of your lines if it is seated funny anywhere on the suction end or on specific lines making a venturi effect on the push end.

Due to the nature of it it is real easy to sit crooked into fittings. Use lots of glue and HOT primer. If you can find the clear stuff not only does it look better than purple streaks everywhere, but it melts the plastic more as it is hotter stuff.

then when twisting it in place, try to get one full twist bottomed out and look at the joint from two angles and make sure it is flush in the fitting and not crooked, do this quickly and you can correct it before it sets.

 

Just thought id throw that out there........

[WAVES]

Spaflex is up for debate in some circles. it actually has an agent in it that keeps in flexable, over about a 10 year period it too becomes hard like normal PVC. How does this happen? Well the agent slowly disipates into the water over the years, the spaflex hardens as this happens. This agent is also a fungacide (sp?). The debate comes as to the impact this may or may not have on a reef. Obviously there are hundreds if not thousands of people using this on reeftanks, but this agent hasnt really been studied by many people.

 

I for one am not worried about it, enough people have used it without issues to me that is enough info, if we got down to the nitty gritty of everything in our tank, there would be lots of items like this. For instance, superglue,, you think it doesnt release something into the water? sure it does, it just doesnt seem to bother anything!

[CCR]

I will add this as well in concern to spaflex, to spare some poeple who have never used the stuff much a little bit of pain.

 

Do NOT take any joint for granted or it can easily leak and/or create air bubbles. On a closed loop it can create bubbles in every one of your lines if it is seated funny anywhere on the suction end or on specific lines making a venturi effect on the push end.

Due to the nature of it it is real easy to sit crooked into fittings. Use lots of glue and HOT primer. If you can find the clear stuff not only does it look better than purple streaks everywhere, but it melts the plastic more as it is hotter stuff.

then when twisting it in place, try to get one full twist bottomed out and look at the joint from two angles and make sure it is flush in the fitting and not crooked, do this quickly and you can correct it before it sets.

 

Just thought id throw that out there........

 

I was hoping you had an idea for spray bars in glass tank. Above is good advise, and I would like to add to it by saying, IT IS NOT TO BE USED AS REGULAR TUBING, IE, CLAMPING, IT WILL LEAK!!!! must be glues, so no substituting.

[fly guy]

I was hoping you had an idea for spray bars in glass tank. .

 

DRILL IT!!!!!

[siskiou]

I'm currently researching spray bars, and have seen some nice over the back ones, in black!

 

There is "black pvc" available on a few websites (and clear). Is the black the same as the ABS you can buy at HD and such? Or is it something "better"?

 

I'd love to do an over the back CL with spray bar, but not in white!

Maybe the dark grey schedule 80, but I'd rather do black if abs is considered safe.

I'd be fairly inconspicuous to run a black pipe down right next to an overflow, but white would just stand out like a sore thumb (and drilling is out of the question for me, too risky at the price!).

[CCR]

I'm currently researching spray bars, and have seen some nice over the back ones, in black!

 

There is "black pvc" available on a few websites (and clear). Is the black the same as the ABS you can buy at HD and such? Or is it something "better"?

 

I'd love to do an over the back CL with spray bar, but not in white!

Maybe the dark grey schedule 80, but I'd rather do black if abs is considered safe.

I'd be fairly inconspicuous to run a black pipe down right next to an overflow, but white would just stand out like a sore thumb (and drilling is out of the question for me, too risky at the price!).

 

I was told a week ago, by a worker at HD that the Black, that is used for waiste water has aspestos in it, and they can't even sell it in Texas anymore, because people where buying it, as it is cheeper, for there main plumming. JUST an FYI

[fly guy]

I dont know abouot the asbestos thing but i do know one swab on the black with your lovely clear primer and glue detroys the entire can of both......doesnt destroy the function it just isnt clear anymore.........

 

I used a 2 foot piece of black on my last tank..... hmmmm.....asbestos

 

NO WONDER everything DIED...... (laugh)

 

j/k

[CCR]

DRILL IT!!!!!

 

NEVER!!!!!!!(nutty) BUT I have seen where a closed loop was setup, but pump was in tank, so heat(flame) then again, with the rock raised, there should be flow around and under. I plan, at least at this time to use 2 seaswirls, with splitters. and may be tunzi later also. Come on fly, you always have ideas(laugh)

[fly guy]

. Come on fly' date=' you always have ideas(laugh)[/quote']

 

DRILL IT!!!!

[CCR]

DRILL IT!!!!

 

STOP THAT!!!!!!(threaten) YOU ACLYLIC FREAK(laugh) (laugh)

[siskiou]

So, how about that "black pvc" for aquariums, sold on some websites?

 

Here for example:

http://www.savko.com/index.asp?pgid=4&ptid=18&pid=146∂=92010

[CCR]

being it is made for the industry, as they put it. I feel it would be ok. I agree black would be tons better than white.!!!!!!!!!!