Well, I have some scrap 1" PVC and the glue laying around, but I would still need elbows and some a union. Where as with Tubing I would need the tubing and a pipe clamp... I will just have to do some comparison when I go. But tubing would definitely be the easiest and least involved option. Put it on the bulkhead, tighten up the hose clamp.
08TRDOFFROAD's 45 Gallon Build
- Thread starter 08trdoffroad
- Start date
Yup..my next build will be "hard plumbed" but this takes less than ten minutes most likely. Very easy.
Well, I made it to the LHS last night. After looking at the price for braided 1" ID tubing, hard plumbing it is!!! I had to pick up two 45 degree elbows and a small section of tubing to make a home made union. Tubing would have been $10+ for the length, the plumbing parts I purchased were less than $5.
I was able to get my return line cut and glued together. I just have to anchor it and it will be complete. Bulkhead should be on the kitchen counter when I get home so I will be able to finish up my drain line tonight or tomorrow morning.
I was able to get my return line cut and glued together. I just have to anchor it and it will be complete. Bulkhead should be on the kitchen counter when I get home so I will be able to finish up my drain line tonight or tomorrow morning.
Very exciting...eager to see everything!
The braided stuff is expensive...and hard to work with. Doesnt bend well either...so you lose a lot of the advantages of using tubing.
That being said...if it is a straight shot, the stuff is hard to beat.
The braided stuff is expensive...and hard to work with. Doesnt bend well either...so you lose a lot of the advantages of using tubing.
That being said...if it is a straight shot, the stuff is hard to beat.
I had the morning off from school (well I just didn't go) so I was able to finish up the plumbing of the overflow box. I mixed up about six gallons of fresh SW and filled the sump. I filled and plumbed my BRS dual chamber reactor as well. I didn't have time before I had to leave for work to tinker with getting the flow just right so I left it the way it was with a heater and a maxi jet 1200 circulating the fresh SW in the sump until I can fire up the return and play with the flow to get things just right.
I will get everything straightened up under the stand and take pictures of everything tonight or tomorrow morning! Pics will be up by 3:00 p.m. (MST) tomorrow!
I will get everything straightened up under the stand and take pictures of everything tonight or tomorrow morning! Pics will be up by 3:00 p.m. (MST) tomorrow!
Ah...one of those days.
Sometimes now I get to skip school and my professors are GLAD its about fish! College has been kind to me in that regard.
You must be pretty pumped at this point...you are awfully close! Ha
Sometimes now I get to skip school and my professors are GLAD its about fish! College has been kind to me in that regard.
You must be pretty pumped at this point...you are awfully close! Ha
Yeah, I was so close I could taste it...literally! I primed my overflow and wasn't paying attention and got a mouthful of water! ha ha!
I am awful close with school too! I graduate at the end of this semester (August). It is just an Associates Degree, but I am pumped to have it out of the way!
I am awful close with school too! I graduate at the end of this semester (August). It is just an Associates Degree, but I am pumped to have it out of the way!
I have a long ways to go...It is okay...doing cool work here at school. Getting a doctorate after that is the plan.
I work taking care of a fish lab at a university. One day I dragged myself to work sick, and was doing a daily h2o change on my large pacu tank. To do this I use an over 1" ID plastic tubing. Some volunteer comes up to me and talks to me...and I take the hose away from my mouth to talk to them (forgetting what is on the other end) and boom. Water in the face.
Happens to the best of us.
I work taking care of a fish lab at a university. One day I dragged myself to work sick, and was doing a daily h2o change on my large pacu tank. To do this I use an over 1" ID plastic tubing. Some volunteer comes up to me and talks to me...and I take the hose away from my mouth to talk to them (forgetting what is on the other end) and boom. Water in the face.
Happens to the best of us.
Okay, a big update with pictures as promised!
I was able to get the filters and membrane changed in my RO/DI unit. I documented the process as always.
The new filters and membrane
Removed the old membranes flow restrictor and added the new one to match the new membrane.
Old
New installed
New membrane is a Dow 75 GPD
Old membrane removed....(I think my new membrane is much more efficient than the old one)
Depleated DI cardridge (Note the bright orange color)
Old Carbon blocks and sediment filters.
Fresh DI cartridge with the unit with new carbon block and sediment filters behind it.
I finished up the sump this morning and it is finally running.
Here is a shot of it in action
The BRS reactor plumbed into the return line
My check valve w/unions on each end for easy removal and cleaning
The overflow box w/homemade union. I inserted a section of small vinyl into the drain about 12" and it significantly reduces the slurping gurgling sound of the drain.
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 768x1024 and weights 148KB.
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 768x1024 and weights 192KB.
The Loc line return into the tank
And of course a FTS
Now onto discussing my issues! I am very frustrated. I have the pump dialed all the way back and I can not keep micro bubbles out of the display....I don't know if I screwed up and put my bubble baffles too close together or what, but it is worse than it was without the stupid sump! As you can see I tried to put the sponge that came with my skimmer over the end of the drain to help, but I don't think it made one bit of difference. I also went to move my skimmer to the sump and the plumbing coming off the skimmer is not long enough. If I can get the sump figured out and the micro bubble problem solved I can easily extend the plumbing on the skimmer so it will run in the sump.
I am to the point that I am ready to just break the stupid tank down and sell everything. If I can't figure out a fix to get the display to clear up in the next week, then the tank and all parts will be for sale after next weekend!!!!
I need some suggestions and help figuring this out...I really don't want to have to break down the tank and sell it.
I was able to get the filters and membrane changed in my RO/DI unit. I documented the process as always.
The new filters and membrane
Removed the old membranes flow restrictor and added the new one to match the new membrane.
Old
New installed
New membrane is a Dow 75 GPD
Old membrane removed....(I think my new membrane is much more efficient than the old one)
Depleated DI cardridge (Note the bright orange color)
Old Carbon blocks and sediment filters.
Fresh DI cartridge with the unit with new carbon block and sediment filters behind it.
I finished up the sump this morning and it is finally running.
Here is a shot of it in action
The BRS reactor plumbed into the return line
My check valve w/unions on each end for easy removal and cleaning
The overflow box w/homemade union. I inserted a section of small vinyl into the drain about 12" and it significantly reduces the slurping gurgling sound of the drain.
The Loc line return into the tank
And of course a FTS
Now onto discussing my issues! I am very frustrated. I have the pump dialed all the way back and I can not keep micro bubbles out of the display....I don't know if I screwed up and put my bubble baffles too close together or what, but it is worse than it was without the stupid sump! As you can see I tried to put the sponge that came with my skimmer over the end of the drain to help, but I don't think it made one bit of difference. I also went to move my skimmer to the sump and the plumbing coming off the skimmer is not long enough. If I can get the sump figured out and the micro bubble problem solved I can easily extend the plumbing on the skimmer so it will run in the sump.
I am to the point that I am ready to just break the stupid tank down and sell everything. If I can't figure out a fix to get the display to clear up in the next week, then the tank and all parts will be for sale after next weekend!!!!
I need some suggestions and help figuring this out...I really don't want to have to break down the tank and sell it.
Well...start looking in the sump.
Make sure all your baffles are well sealed.
Try and get the intake of the return pump to face as far away from everything else as possible. I have a 55g baffle less sump...and my return is less than a foot away from an AquaC EV400. Wont lie, I have bubble issues sometimes...but I have the intake for the return pump backed into a corner and most of the time I am a-ok.
Try and find out what is causing the bubbles and where they are getting through. That is step one.
I would hate to see you get hasty once you are this far into this build.
Rockwork looks a little dense, but it is pretty cool. Ever consider drilling it?
Make sure all your baffles are well sealed.
Try and get the intake of the return pump to face as far away from everything else as possible. I have a 55g baffle less sump...and my return is less than a foot away from an AquaC EV400. Wont lie, I have bubble issues sometimes...but I have the intake for the return pump backed into a corner and most of the time I am a-ok.
Try and find out what is causing the bubbles and where they are getting through. That is step one.
I would hate to see you get hasty once you are this far into this build.
Rockwork looks a little dense, but it is pretty cool. Ever consider drilling it?
