Here we go! Chuck's new build

[flooddc]

If you're using furniture grade, it's even thinner walled and you get even more flow. 8)

Is that what those thin pipes called ! I used it on some of my plumbing. Can't seem to cut them with the regular pipe cutter. They just cracked. Had to use power saw or hand saw to cut them.

[madweazl]

 

Very interesting! 3000gph through a tiny pipe. I supposed you're drain is very short. Have you tested to see what happen should you loss siphon or clogged?

    Ahh! Drain and emergency pipe. Must be in the same overflow box. Make lots of sense. Lol i was testing in a separate box.

Anyway, it would look weird for me to have 2 return sticking out of one overflow box.

Thank you gentlement! But I am still uncomfortable with this though! Even with emergency pipe bigger than the siphon drain. When siphon failed/clogged, I personally feel that the emergency pipe would not able to handle the flow since it will not be in full siphon.

The 1" pipe will go full siphon, that is it's job and is also why it is larger in diameter than the other (it can handle more flow than the 3/4").

 

Is that what those thin pipes called ! I used it on some of my plumbing. Can't seem to cut them with the regular pipe cutter. They just cracked. Had to use power saw or hand saw to cut them.

Furniture grade is still schedule 40. Edit: the thin walled stuff you ran into was probably SDR26 or 21 (sometimes refered to as class 200 as well) depending on the diamter, not the Schedule 30 like originally posted (usually larger diamter stuff around 3").

 

Edit 2: 3/4" SDR-21 has an ID of .930" and a theoretical flow of 1611gph using the calculator posted earlier! 1" could go all the way up to 2634gph (both calculated at 30" of head drop).

Edited March 17, 2015 by madweazl

[AlanM]

Mad is right. What is to stop the emergency from going full siphon? Unless you turn it into a durso on purpose by introducing an elbow and air tube, which you shouldn't do.

[flooddc]

Mad is right. What is to stop the emergency from going full siphon? Unless you turn it into a durso on purpose by introducing an elbow and air tube, which you shouldn't do.

Still confused! Not that it matter. But I think it would be good to know and maybe help someone down the road.

Let said:

-normal 1" gravity drain would flow around 900gph 

-normal 3/4" gravity drain would flow around 600gph

 

Now when you create a full siphon drain in a 3/4" (my understanding is to slowly open the gate valve until free of air) @ 36" height:

- full siphon 3/4" (must be created?) flow around 1200gph.

now let said, you set you return pump to match 1200gph.

when you have a total blockage (worse scenario) you pump still pump out 1200gph while the 1" drain can only handle 900gph. 

 

am I correct? or full siphon can happen without utilizing the valve? if it does, then why do we need a valve on the full siphon pipe?

[madweazl]

The valve is used to restrict the flow of the drain to match/tune that of your return pump and has nothing to do with creating the siphon. Both will siphon unless you introduce air.

Edited March 18, 2015 by madweazl

[wangspeed]

The reason you don't want to mix the siphon and emergency between the two boxes is that they aren't connected bodies of water. The water level in the two of them will be different and you could run into a situation where the siphon clogs, but the emergency in the other one can't keep up (if it's the same size) or it trickles all the time or whatever.

 

The herbie design depends on the siphon and emergency being both in the same volume of water, meaning the same overflow box.

It's the same body of water, even if it is 2 separate overflows. The factory overflows are the same height. You can use one in each. One for main and one for emergency. This is no different than the folks that turn these same 4 holes into a Bean Animal setup.

 

 

--

Warren

[flooddc]

Okay! over thinking.    

 

My friend recently build a 50G with a single 1" drain. He has a sicce 3.0 as return (max 714gph) @ 4' head height, it pushed around 500gph. 

Problem is is DT overflowed if he have it @ turned all the way down. He now have to add a valve to turned it even lower (probably in the 250gph) in order to prevent from overflow. I just don't get it. why this 1" drain not capable of more than 300 gph?

[flooddc]

The reason you don't want to mix the siphon and emergency between the two boxes is that they aren't connected bodies of water.  The water level in the two of them will be different and you could run into a situation where the siphon clogs, but the emergency in the other one can't keep up (if it's the same size) or it trickles all the time or whatever.  

 

The herbie design depends on the siphon and emergency being both in the same volume of water, meaning the same overflow box.

 

 

It's the same body of water, even if it is 2 separate overflows. The factory overflows are the same height. You can use one in each. One for main and one for emergency. This is no different than the folks that turn these same 4 holes into a Bean Animal setup.

 

 

--

Warren

Oh! good to know. Thanks

[madweazl]

Okay! over thinking.    

 

My friend recently build a 50G with a single 1" drain. He has a sicce 3.0 as return (max 714gph) @ 4' head height, it pushed around 500gph. 

Problem is is DT overflowed if he have it @ turned all the way down. He now have to add a valve to turned it even lower (probably in the 250gph) in order to prevent from overflow. I just don't get it. why this 1" drain not capable of more than 300 gph?

Air in the drain makes a huge difference in flow. He could create a "gurglebuster" and probably pick up quite a bit of flow and mitigate some noise in the process.

Edited March 18, 2015 by madweazl

[wangspeed]

Very interesting! 3000gph through a tiny pipe. I supposed you're drain is very short. Have you tested to see what happen should you loss siphon or clogged?

 

The max that my DC12000 will do is 3000 gph. Minus about 5 ft of head loss and 3/4" return back pressure. Cut that approximately in half. Probably more. Still a lot of flow though.

 

If my siphon is clogged, my other pipe just becomes the new siphon.

 

 

--

Warren

[flooddc]

Moving on!

Adding window tint to the back of the tanks. I am sure it's probably not necessary since algae will covered the back wall in no time

 

Draining all water out and start making some rodi water.

Brainstorm on the live stock transfer. Hopefully will transfer before spring break.

[DCReefer1964]

What tint did you use ?

[flooddc]

What tint did you use ?

Automobile window tint. I was going to use the limo black tint, but they don't have any in stock.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/gila-window-tint-5-vlt-nrs42/6161812-P?searchTerm=window+tint

[madweazl]

I used tint on my last tank. It was super simple to use and looked really good but would peel up every once in a while. Keep the back glass clean and the tank will look much better overall; it really helps to make the tank look considerably larger than it is and makes everything stand out so much better. Keeping the rock off the back glass adds even more depth.

[flooddc]

I used tint on my last tank. It was super simple to use and looked really good but would peel up every once in a while. Keep the back glass clean and the tank will look much better overall; it really helps to make the tank look considerably larger than it is and makes everything stand out so much better. Keeping the rock off the back glass adds even more depth.

I used window tint on my 45 cube and has yet peel. Same stuff on my truck rear window. It been on there for 12+ years

When properly applied, window tint should never peeled off.

[madweazl]

Next time I tint a tank you're coming to apply it

[flooddc]

sure!

[flooddc]

Have been implementing my tank transfer plan.I figured this would be my best option for the transfer since I don't have to acclimate the live stock during the transfer.

So far I got about 75 Gallons of old water and 20+ lbs LR from the old the sump.

My plan was to do 2 (25 gallons each) water changes each day on the old tanks. One in the morning and one in the night and take the water back to fill my new tank. While doing so, I also plan on make about 100-150 Gallons of new water at the new tank. By the time the new tank is completely filled (estimated around 450-475 gallons), the water parameters in my new tanks and old tanks should be about the same.

Once ready, I planned to removed all the corals colonies and frags and placed into holding tank.

Then, removed all live rocks and aquascape them in new tanks. Fish will go afterward and go right into the tank. After that I can take my time in placing the corals into the tank.

Hope this will goes smoothly. Wish me luck! 

[BowieReefer84]

Sounds like a plan.  Good luck!

[flooddc]

Sounds like a plan.  Good luck!

Thanks! Hopefully the tank water doesn't become "too clean" and starved my corals :)

[Cliff Puckstable]

Lmk if you need help.

[flooddc]

Lmk if you need help.

Sure bro! Will need your help soon. Thanks

[flooddc]

Yesterday, I decided to test out my used 75GPD (AWI reefkeeper). After ran it for 10 min, I tested the RODI water with my portable TDS and read 60ppm.

I figured it need new membrane and DI filter. So I shut it down. Next morning I realized that I might not ran it long enough and started it up again and let it run for about 1 hour. Tested and reading went down to 3 ppm. So membrane is fine and DI filter will need to replace very near future.

 

Anyway, decided to make some RODI water for the new tank and drain the waste my effluent/sanitize sump. About 2 hours later I went down and decided to check on the sump. Sump pump humming but not pumping. Ahh! but also glad I found out early and ran the waste water to the back yard. 

 

As for RODI water, after 9 hours, I realized I only have 13-15 gallons. Set up my newly purchased booster pump (Cheap brand) and the output really took off. Will see how this booster fair out. 

[flooddc]

Booster pump working well. Brought my water production to 75gpd.

So far I got about 100 gallons of rodi and about 180 gallons of saltwater from the old tanks.

 

Less than 200 gallons to go!!!!!

[flooddc]

My first aquarium related flood basement :(

Last night I calculated that I have about 25 gallons of RODI to go and should be done by 8am. so I went to bed. Woke up around 6 and decided to go down and look. Walk down the basement and onto puddle of water. The darn rodi hose slipped off and dump around 10 gallons on the floor. Fortunate for me my basement is unfinished and clean up was easier. Now just need to dry off the wood framing under the stair.