Gill

IMO if it is anaerobic it is a DSB for these purposes. But a typical DSB is at least 4"

If you have a DSB (doesn't have to be very deep just has to be anaerobic) then if it is disturbed by a wrasse, fallen powerhead, re scaping ext. you can release all kinds of nasty stuff. In a larger system this would be diluted in the water column. Filtration such as skimmers ext. could also help negate the effects. DSBs are great though, they are home to a bacteria that converts nitrate to a gas. I know of several tanks with DSBs that have zero nitrates and haven't had a water change in several years!!! The systems I know of that use this method don't typically house sps though.

You should edit your first post so that people see the new price. This is my dream tank, if only I had my dream house to put it in LOL. Someone needs a shark tank and this is it!!!

Ya the wrasse in the sand bed was my first guess. My clowns like to dig in the sand bed too; definitely not to the extent of some wrasses though. The important thing is that it sounds like things are on the mend

How much have you been feeding the clowns? I wonder if the added bio load caused an ammonia spike that set off a chain reaction?

The pendent I have weighs next to nothing, the ballast on the other hand... LOL (laugh) Mine is a 250 HQI but its a totally different brand.

I checked the link but couldn't find the wieght of the pendent, if you have a little bathroom scale maybe you could weigh one of them. Once I know the weight I'm sure I can calculate if it will work.

I checked out youd thread, it's hard to tell what size the tubbing is though? I'm guessing 1" the wall thickness of the tube matters a lot too. I agree though that it is a risk running two lights on one but it will look so clean it's probably worth giving it a try ( if it does bend I expect it will be slow enough not to pose an immediate risk, I would just have to go back and make more) Guessing your fixture had the ballasts built into it as well making it weigh more, was it a heavy fixture? My first impulse was to use two hangers for each set so we are on the same page, if I can get away with one though I will be able to make them swivel otherwise Yo Yos will definitely be the only way. Oh man that make me realize I will have to adjust the height if it is too much weight.... LOL that should be pretty simple though.

I was thinking you might have vaulted ceilings. It really shouldn't be to hard to bend the pipe around the overflow, it will be a little more work but considering how much time and effort you are putting into the rest of the build it will be well worth it. noob is correct that you will want to be able to move the lights out of the way, but I don't see why we couldn't just add extra height to the tubing an then attach the lights with yo yos the same way you would to a ceiling. Another option is that where the two pieces meet ( the set screw/weld connection behind the overflow) I could make it so that is swivels. Then you could just push the pipes with the lights out of the way if we use the 1.5" aluminum I don't think the weight of the lights will bend it, I don't really know how much they weigh though (I'm guessing not much)) also with the 1.5 we can run at leaste the cords from the first halide through the pipe giving it a clean look; well maybe not with the swivel, but I think I can still get it to work

Bump........

Yup that's exactly what I was thinking. I was also thinking instead of a weld I could just use set screws so that you could assemble/diss assemble it for transport ext. I have to ask though, why not just hang it from the ceiling? I was at Jons house last night and he has his halides suspended from the ceiling and it looks super clean IMO. It also has the added benefit of being super functional. I took a pick for you, let me fight with photo ucket some more and see if I can't get it up.

I picked up some Gobstoppers from Wegotjs tonight and they are awesome!!! I also got a couple other gems (thanks Jon) they all opened up right away, I couldn't be happier. You guys are crazy for not jumping on these deals, I think I may have to go back for some mind blowing Pallys. Oh yay if you have never seen superman mushrooms they glow!!! Always great to talk reef and check out your tank, thanks Jon.

Ok, did you get my PM?

Pending...

I got this frag from upscales weekend before last and it is just too big for my pico!!! It's only 3-4" but that puts it clear up to the surface. It is still mounted on the blue golf tee. No pic cause I'm lazy and it's free... LOL (laugh)

How do they attach with the giant overflow though? What I'm thinking of will look like your pic but it will have two more 90' bends below the over flow so that it can be attached to the stand.

True enough, I think oxx's collection cup is the same volume as most skimmers total volume!!!

I'm thinking four hangers, a pair for each set might work better/safer, but we can always try it with only two and if it is too much weight I can just make more. I tried to get that sketch up again but even after deleting and re installing the app photobucket is still giving me trouble.

I don't think thats entirely accurate. I believe this is a 29 bio cube (correct me if I'm wrong) so that means 5 of his fish in a 150. My tang could probably eat five of those fish in a go. LOL. That is an exaggeration of course but not by as much as you might think. Keep in mind also that the fish more than likely did not rot away since the CUC would easily have devoured him. Also I think that fish disappeared more than a week ago??? Could be wrong about how long he has been missing.

That is a work of art!!! I still think we need to have a skimmer comp, no prizes just bragging rights. If we do I think I will put some money down on this pony.

I realize my description is pretty confusing. LOL. I drew it but now photo bucket is giving me trouble. I will get a pic up to better illustrate what I mean.

It might be easier than the drawing too. If we just bring it strait up to the desired height from the back of the overflow before the bend it would negate the need for two of the bends and it would keep the tube away from the surface of the overflow.

I can do it, I just might have to throw a weld into the mix. I will play around with it on Monday and let you know what I come up with. How many hangers do you think you will need? By that I mean are all four halides in one unit?

I don't keep any sps so if you do what I'm about to say may not apply to you. Anyways what I was going to say is that I have crazy high phosphates and no hair algae. Now I'm not saying phosphates are good but if your concern is due to the hair algae you may just want to get a sea hare. I see a lot of nuisance algae problems get blamed on water quality and yet I have none and terrible water by most standards. The trick IMHO is to never introduce the algae in the first place and then to back that up by enlisting a large and varied group of herbivores.