600g DIY plywood build
- Thread starter DIFish
- Start date
Well I ran into a few problems that will be a little difficult to fix. I started filling up the sumps and everything was going well, I turned on the pumps to start water cycling through my tank and noticed a small leak around 1 of the bulkheads. No big deal, just grabbed a pair of large pliers and went about tightening it. It only took a minute or two, but I was so concentrated on getting this small leak fixed, that I totally missed the real problem that was unfolding. There was water all over the floor. The first thing I could think of was that my tank was leaking, I quickly checked it out but couldn't find any leaks. I checked my piping and noticed just a small drip coming from one of the pvc joints, but not nearly fast enough to account for all the water on the floor. My sumps were not busted and I couldn't find the leak. I was at a loss until I noticed a bead of water on the lip of the bottom sump framing on my 55 tank. Turns out my 55 gallon sump had a bad seal and was leaking around the base. I can't reach in to reapply silicon, and I can't remove the sump without cutting it out. So needless to say, lesson learned, check all tanks for leaks even if they held water last time you filled them. And avoid headaches like this. I am also taking this time to install ball valves on the pipes to better distribute the flow of water between the two sumps because it was very uneven before with one sump getting 75% of the flow. Unfortunately it will take awhile to strip and reapply silicon as well as give it adequate time to dry.
That sucks, but at least you found it. When i plumbed my sump, i used gate/ball valves on every drain/return line. Also, if you can, try to use unions as well. Good luck!
Everything back in and good to go. Checked for leaks and ran the pumps for awhile just to make sure everything held. I ordered everything that I want to go in the sump. 2 cubic feet of k1, 2 liters of purigen, 5l of pond matrix, and 10 pounds of poly-fill. When it all comes in I will begin cycling the tank. Will be putting in some type of plant, maybe pothos as well as a form of natural nitrate removal.
Looking good! But just a question... Where would you put your mechanical filtration?? In the egg crate?
Yep, I play to fill the egg crate with poyfill/filterfloss for mechanical filtration. Should be enough to get the big stuff out of the water, and I have heard that it helps keep water extremely clear.
Really??? Hmmm i thought if you're gonna use the polyfill/ folter floss, the water level must be below it in order to it to work full potential..?
A filter sock strapped to each of those two pipes is the way to go. Buy 4 or 6 of them and rotate through them. Some of them come with straps on top that you can just hook up over the pipe somewhere. WAY better than any floss or pad.
Amazing build can't wait to see it finished and running. I'm in the same position with my build installing glass on the sides still and then on to building my plumming for it. Mines only 330 but still pretty cool. Using a moving bed filterm in mine k1 kaldnes so I don't have to do anything for it just purge it once in a while to clean it and that's it minus water changes of course
