MJ's 20L Formerly-AIO, now with a sump!

[Needreefunds]

Yups, I like da box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, someone can have fun with that right der.

fun wit da box??

 

Happy you were able to make that work T.

 

I felt bad when it wasn't looking so good. Pretty quiet, innit? Other than the splashing when the MP10 dumps a load over the side that is

[Militant Jurist]

Happy you were able to make that work T.

 

I felt bad when it wasn't looking so good. Pretty quiet, innit? Other than the splashing when the MP10 dumps a load over the side that is

 

Me too! I knew I'd get it working one way or another. Turns out that I barely had to nudge the tank itself. The outer box and vinyl pipe just needed a bit more breathing room, and then it fit right down over. Yeah, the overflow is very quite, other than the MP10 tossing the water around. With the counter-flow from the return, it's a real torrent in there! ::

 

I need to play around with it a bit more, to get the best return flow, but it's a good start. The only loud part at this point is the water in the sump, but that will calm down once I hook up the filter sock to it.

[Militant Jurist]

With all of the power tool use going on around here, I decided to finally get my act together and build the phosban reactor. It's nearly done, I just need my cordless drill to charge so that I can drill the tiny holes for the outflow.

 

However, here are some pictures!

 

 

[Needreefunds]

[Militant Jurist]

 

 

I'm gonna let the silicon dry until tomorrow night, but I can't wait to see this puppy in action.

[Needreefunds]

 

I'm gonna let the silicon dry until tomorrow night, but I can't wait to see this puppy in action.

R U gonna run another pump for it, or "T" the return line?

[Militant Jurist]

R U gonna run another pump for it, or "T" the return line?

 

I'm going to use the old return pump from the chambers. It's an old school powerhead that does maybe 80GPH. From what I've read, that's the sweet spot for this type of reactor.

[Needreefunds]

I'm going to use the old return pump from the chambers. It's an old school powerhead that does maybe 80GPH. From what I've read, that's the sweet spot for this type of reactor.

Cool! DIY FTW!

 

Interested to see how it performs

[Militant Jurist]

Cool! DIY FTW!

 

Interested to see how it performs

 

And a zero cost DIY takes it all! I drank the gatorade and the rest if from parts.

 

Once I get it up and running, I'll post some more photos. The bottom of the bottle is supposed to really help disburse the flow, so that it evenly passes through the media.

[Militant Jurist]

Ok, here's some pictures.

 

First, the mutilated chalice colony:

 

The frags:

 

 

I think that the chalice frags are too small indeed.

[Needreefunds]

Meh, if they grow its all good.

 

That bottle looks like it definitely will do a good job with the flow. Is there any sponge or anything near the top to help keep media particulate in? Just wondering is all. Suppose if the holes are small enough it wouldn't be needed but...

[Militant Jurist]

Meh, if they grow its all good.

 

That's usually my philosophy, but I've heard that if the chalice frag doesn't have a mouth, it doesn't have a chance. And I can't tell.

 

That bottle looks like it definitely will do a good job with the flow. Is there any sponge or anything near the top to help keep media particulate in? Just wondering is all. Suppose if the holes are small enough it wouldn't be needed but...

 

It's all about the tiny holes, so I shouldn't need any kind of sponge or filter.

 

This picture shows just how small the holes are. They are the tiny little specks all around the mouth.

[Needreefunds]

Gotcha.

 

Snappy drill driver huh?

 

Switch burnt out on mine at work. Just out of warranty- still looked like new. About $100 for the part- needless to say I didn't get it.

 

Not sure on the chalice, but I guess that would make sense. I haven't had much luck with them either, but I continue to try.

[Militant Jurist]

Gotcha.

 

Snappy drill driver huh?

 

Switch burnt out on mine at work. Just out of warranty- still looked like new. About $100 for the part- needless to say I didn't get it.

 

Not sure on the chalice, but I guess that would make sense. I haven't had much luck with them either, but I continue to try.

 

My cordless batteries suck, so I busted out an old (and I mean old) corded drill. It's got a funny trigger, so I just held it down and worked the bit rather carefully. Drill parts are insanely expensive, so I'll continue using this one so long as it continues to work, even after a fashion.

 

I guess only time will tell. I've already started eye balling how I'd cut it, if I need to do it again. At least the trumpet was easy enough.

[Needreefunds]

Tough to hack then up just as they have finally rounded out isn't it? Yet, we all want to share the good stuff.

 

Much easier once they reach the " Man I gotta cut that sucker back before it kills mah prized this or that" stage.

 

Then ya cut it in half and half again.

[Militant Jurist]

Tough to hack then up just as they have finally rounded out isn't it? Yet, we all want to share the good stuff.

 

Yup, that's exactly where I'm at with the chalice. This and the acan are probably the two I've been the most nervous about fragging, but yet I really want to share them! With the SPS and my branching LPS, it's not a bit deal to frag though.

 

Much easier once they reach the " Man I gotta cut that sucker back before it kills mah prized this or that" stage.

 

Then ya cut it in half and half again.

 

Can't wait to have that "problem."

[opy01]

I would love to have that problem also. Well I would love to have that problem with coral other than my GSP. Those things are outa control lol.

 

Good luck on the chalice. If they are photosynthetic I would think they may develope a mouth but you never know. They are photosynthetic arent they?

[Weetabix7]

Ok, here's some pictures.

 

First, the mutilated chalice colony:

 

The frags:

 

 

I think that the chalice frags are too small indeed.

 

Purtay!!

The Chalice frags do look small.

I think the one more towards the center of the pic looks better than the other one.

What's the frag in the top left of the Frag Rack shot?

[Militant Jurist]

Good luck on the chalice. If they are photosynthetic I would think they may develope a mouth but you never know. They are photosynthetic arent they?

 

Thanks! Yeah, chalices are photosynthetic. I think the concern with the mouth is that, like a trumpet, frog, etc, the mouth is the centerpiece of the coral. Who knows though, chalics are odd little things.

 

Purtay!!

The Chalice frags do look small.

I think the one more towards the center of the pic looks better than the other one.

What's the frag in the top left of the Frag Rack shot?

 

 

If the chalice frags do pull through, I intend to include both of them as one for the swap. If they don't I think I'll just lop off a square section of the chalice, where I know I can get a mouth. I'm guessing I'll know a bit more about its odds once I get home tonight.

 

Oh, that frag (and the frag next to it as well) are ones I got a while back from Lucid Prop. It's some kind of encrusting montipora. I don't know the common name for it, other than that though. Since I knew I was going to be doing some re-scaping with the addition of the overflow, I've just kept it on the rack. Now that I've done the re-scape, I'm contemplating moving the monti to the 29g, since the other SPS is doing so well! Also, because as I've learned with the chalice, encrusting corals can be difficult to frag if not given a proper rock to encrust over.

[Militant Jurist]

Updates:

 

The tiny tim of the chalice frags doesn't look like it's going to make it. The dremel really worked it over. The mother colony is looking good though. I think that the next attempt is going to be with bone cutters, rather than the dremel.

 

On the DIY reactor front, it's going to need a bit more work. The pump I intended to use isn't going to cut it. Between its original capabilities, the age of the pump, and the abuse its gone through, it just isn't pumping like it used to. My new thought is that I'm going to try to plumb it into the drain line. With a bit of room to let off power, I should be able to get a hundred or two gph through the reactor. That ought to do the trick to fluidize the media, me things.

 

Also, to help with its efficiently, I'm siliconing over the holes drilled to keep the drain line in place. That should let me add several more inches of water, which means that I should be able to but the reactor upright, rather than horizontal.

[Needreefunds]

In the drain line? No worries of collecting detritus?

 

Mebbe T the return and use a ball valve to bleed off some flow for the reactor?

 

Sorry about the chalice frag bud

 

By the way...

 

Aren't you busy this evening??

 

 

[Militant Jurist]

In the drain line? No worries of collecting detritus?

 

Mebbe T the return and use a ball valve to bleed off some flow for the reactor?

 

Sorry about the chalice frag bud

 

Yeah, that's the worry about the drain line. I'm using all flexible tubing, so my options are limited for now. After the holidays, I might go the route of building a in a T. I just want a high flow through for now, to help with some cyano. I think that after a day or so (for the holiday), I might just go back to the old powerhead, so that not too much accumulates while I'm gone. Plus, the tank is fairly clean with no fish and no real feedings, so there shouldn't be much build up to begin with.

 

Yeah, the chalice frag is a bummer. I guess I expected a learning curve for fraggin something like a chalice though.

[Militant Jurist]

By the way...

 

Aren't you busy this evening??

 

 

 

Nope, but it's all good. If we end up in WL together tonight, I'll fill ya in.

 

Oh, and how did I pass 4K and not notice?

[Militant Jurist]

Ok, so a small update. I've discovered that the heaters in both tanks are woefully inadequate for the winter with the additional water volume in each tank. So, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a larger heater locally for the 29, and add the 29's heater to the 20. Hopefully that will do the trick. Each are down to about 72, instead of their usual 78.

 

 

My trumpet experienced some trauma today. I'm wondering if I should dip the coral (or just the damaged part) in Lugols? I'd like to frag the coral, place the healthy part in the 29, and leave the damaged part in the 20. Would that be an additional stress?

 

 

Oh, and here's the section of chalice that made it through the fragging (it's not the front piece, but the one behind):

 

Oh, and this thread needs a new name!

[spanko]

Fragmania!!!!!!!!