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My system evaporates 8.9 gallons per day (24 hrs). Just tested it over the past 24 hrs. I marked the exact level of the water in the main Sump 24 hrs ago and I shut off the auto-top-off system. I just went down and took RODI water and poured it into the Sump a gallon at a time until the water was at the exact level it was 24 hrs ago. I added 8.9 Gallons. That means my system evaporates completely every 60 days.

Ok then. Good way to spend a black-Ice day.I look forward to meeting you all! Few of my favorite books: By for now..... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Due to my Flow experiments I do not place piles of small rocks in my display tank. It works best for me to only put in individual rocks that don't touch each other and that have a perfectly flat bottom, (you just saw the bottom off with a hand-wood saw). This way the rock sits directly on the glass bottom of the tank with no sand under it.This works good for me because: 1. No detritus gets stuck under them, 2. Flow rate in the tank is MUCH better everywhere, 3. All the bottom of the tank where sand is can be vacuumed free of detritus. 4. If for some reason a piece of coral grows into the glass or another coral you can very simply slide any of the rocks any direction. I also cut the front of rocks off and epoxy them to the rear of the tanks glass for added bacteria and looks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If skimmer over-flows 1. The air is cut off 2. When the over-flow device gets full with skimmate and the little float rises the power to skimmer pumps us cut off. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After the Sump the water goes back to the tank through four 3/4" rotating Sea-Swirls. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was asked "Why such a big Sump?" Well, Some times I leave my tank un-attended for 1 or more months at a time. I left my last tank for over 3 months. My last tank, the one I'm up-grading from, was 120 gallons with a 540 gallon sump. I had it running for 17 years. It had a 300 gallon rubbermaid tank as the sump which had 6 - 40 gallon tanks looped into it. I experimented for years with the 6 - 40 gallon tanks, ie: One had soft corals, one LPS corals, a couple with SPS corals. All 660 gallons was the same water quality. The variables over the 17 years was: 1. Water flow rates through the tanks, (turnover). 2. Water movement in the tank, 3. Lighting I was amazed how differently the corals reacted in the SAME water but different flow and water movement amounts. Slowing items 1 and 2 caused: 1. Cyanobacteria 2. Heavy growth of different kinds of hair algae 3. Eventually death of all corals. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yea, I'm thinking of changing my Forum name to "The Mole".

I was also able to cut in a small window to let a little more fresh-air and light into the Sump Cave. I realized I need some more room for my RODI water so i just got out the ol shovel and dug out a spot at the end of the room. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I enter from this door. I cut out the concrete foundation and put this door in. Only way in is from outside. This 1/3 door goes into the rest of my crawl space. I put this little window in my sump room so I could see into my crawl space. My water is pumped out of my sump in a 1-1/2" pipe then is Teed into 4 separate 3/4" lines to return to the tank. Then the water returns through four 1" pipes and to the 1st 50 gallon container with only my skimmer in it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry Now i cant figure how to post a pic on taptalk? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After I dug out the dirt I: 1. Put 6 concrete blocks on the ground with PT 4"X 6" 20 foot posts sideways on the blocks and then built a floor and framed walls and cut out a door opening through the concrete foundation wall to get in from out side and built a window to outside and a window to the crawl space and a little 1/3 door into the crawl space. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi all! I'm a old fat guy that just finished hand digging 35 cubic yards of dirt (3 dump-truck loads) from under my house in the crawl-space to have room for a Sump/Mechanical room for my tank. I know with that much digging In tight places I could of dug out of almost any Prison. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha! My dad always told me "Two heads are better than One even if one is a Cabbage Head". I guess I was the Cabbage Head. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok ......I'm slightly pathetic at posting picture still. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yea, Thats pretty close. I'll have to come check out your tank.

I will post some pics as soon as I am allowed as per the moderator. I read I have to have 3 posts approved 1st. Thank you for your interest.

I'm happy to make a thread if that is the customary thing to do. Is that common for new Tank-setter-uppers to make a thread of the set-up process?

Ok, I think I figured out how to post pics. Skimmer pulling 34 Liter/Air/Min. Best I have got out of a skimmer.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170117/4cf2b7bcb29c638b5e3f47a50dc592fb.jpg[/img Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks you al for the Welcome. I'll try n make the meeting. Not much to see in my tank it is just now cycling. Fired up the Skimmer tonight and it started out @ 34 Liters-per-min of air. I'm happy about that. Never used this skimmer before. [/url]" />[/url]" /> Not sure if those 2 pictures posted?