Cowboy's 20L build

[pismo_reefer]

wowzers.....

[patrick1234]

Hey just a little help but your losing alot of space not halving your baffles longer. also Id make the up ones taller and the last one a little bit shorter so water dose not splash down so much making lots of bubbles

[bonsai reefer]

With as narrow of a tank as it is if you only had a few pieces of the lock on it and the ends it will still get to the front of the tank. The Stand looks awesome.

[Weetabix7]

The way you have the locline for the returns set up isn't necessarily bad, but there are a couple of things you need to take into consideration.

With the locline that long, you will lose a decent bit of flow. I know because I've done it before.

What kind of pump do you have for the return again? If it's strong enough, that won't be an issue.

 

Also, you do need to have some kind of flow behind your rocks as well as in front, otherwise you will end up with dead spots behind your rockwork that will collect detritus, and that can cause problems for your tank in the long run.

I would suggest have one of the returns directed behind the rockwork and one in front.

[CowboyRWN]

I am done for the most part. I am glad I started over, I am proud of this stand. I think I will be getting wet this weekend!!!

 

 

[CowboyRWN]

I roughed out my plumbing. The return is to the left of my sump and the drain is to the right. Everything look ok before I glue it up and paint it? I am going to us a small piece of flexible tubing to connect my pump. My skimmer will be in the drain portion.

 

[Gerber77]

Extremely solid and nice build, keep up the good work.

[bonsai reefer]

plumbing looks good .If it were me I would put a squid at the t of the two returns and put a small piece of flex comming from the return pump to the hard line .If the pump should have a problem and start vibrating it could crack a glue fitting hence the end of your reefing adventures(remember We both have brown women as wives)

[CowboyRWN]

plumbing looks good .If it were me I would put a squid at the t of the two returns and put a small piece of flex comming from the return pump to the hard line .If the pump should have a problem and start vibrating it could crack a glue fitting hence the end of your reefing adventures(remember We both have brown women as wives)

 

 

I will have a piece of flex between the return pump and hard line. I am having trouble finding the fittings to achieve this. I thought about the squid.

 

BTW, you mean Brown women not brown women.

[bonsai reefer]

I will have a piece of flex between the return pump and hard line. I am having trouble finding the fittings to achieve this. I thought about the squid.

 

BTW, you mean Brown women not brown women.

Yea you know exactly what I mean.

[korth659]

what are you using as your return pump?

[CowboyRWN]

what are you using as your return pump?

 

I have an Eheim 1250 which is rated for 317 GPH.

[CowboyRWN]

Well the good news is I have the plumbing done and have water tested the system with no leaks. The bad news is my overflow is not allowing enough water to drain and my pump starves for water. I think I will drill some holes neatly into the ABS overflow. I broke down and bought the Eheim vinyl tubing. It made it easier to tie my pump into the rigid plumbing. The fittings they provide do not work with tubing from HD.

 

My main concern is it is a lot harder overcoming the siphon issue than I thought. As it stands now when I shut off the pump, the siphon back through the returns almost overflows my sump, and I mean almost. I tried drilling siphon holes into the threaded piece of my locline. I am not sure what I was thinking because this drops the water level all the way to those holes. I know I could have done a check valve, but I need a 100% guarentee that this will never flood, and I heard they have been known to slime up and fail. I think I would like to add more water to the system, so I will be working on this for a few days. I am wondering if I fix the siphon holes and make a arch with my locline returns if this will keep more water in the display if the power goes out. Any advice on this issue would be great.

 

I am taking Weetie's advice on shortening one of the returns. I got a 90 degree fitting for this.

 

I will post pictures tonight.

[Weetabix7]

If the water level in your sump is raising to the top, how is your pump not getting enough water?

This seems contradictory.

 

Are you using a 3/4" bulkhead for your overflow?

1"?

 

Also, I'm confused about what your siphon issue is.

[CowboyRWN]

If the water level in your sump is raising to the top, how is your pump not getting enough water?

This seems contradictory.

 

Are you using a 3/4" bulkhead for your overflow?

1"?

 

Also, I'm confused about what your siphon issue is.

 

 

They are two different issues. When the pump was on my overflow was not allowing enough water into my sump. I will be able to solve this. I am using a 1" overflow bulkhead.

 

The main problem is when I shut off the power the siphon back through the return darn near overflows my sump.

[CowboyRWN]

Problems solved. Here are some pics. Time to order live rock!!! I painted my plumbing black with Krylon Fusion. I like the way it looks. You can also see where I took Weetie's advise on one of the returns. I think I may add a Koralia 1 down the road, but it seems to be getting plenty of flow for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CowboyRWN]

So do you think 25 lbs. of rock and 20 lbs. of sand would be good?

[Mr. Grinch]

Most definately homeslice

[bzphotog]

youll have to lower you water level because once you add rock to the tank it takes up volume. you water is already on the edge. you can just cut the slits in the over flow lower so the water drains lower down.

 

looks good tho

bzphotog

[adolfo425]

Another sweet 20 long setup.

 

 

Will be tagging along.

[MGDMIRAGE]

Wow dude, the stand alone is amazing and your first stand i thought was awesome... Second one i'd kill to have hehe. Your drain and returns looks so clean and functional, not overcomplicated. Can't wait for updates on this system!

 

Mirage

[darcurr]

The fittings they provide do not work with tubing from HD.

Sorry I'm late in responding but you can use regular fittings on the eheim pump. You just have to remove the nipple fitting from the top. I have the same pump and if I remember correctly a 3/4" is what fits it. However, as long as you don't have any thing clamping the hose (couldn't tell from the pics) the flex will work too.

 

on a totally different note, that is a very nice stand.

 

I was wondering how loud is the overflow?

[bonsai reefer]

looks good ,I think 20 lbs sand and 25 lbs of rock will work .Just don't get carried away with to much rock you will not have any where to put coral.

[CowboyRWN]

Sorry I'm late in responding but you can use regular fittings on the eheim pump. You just have to remove the nipple fitting from the top. I have the same pump and if I remember correctly a 3/4" is what fits it. However, as long as you don't have any thing clamping the hose (couldn't tell from the pics) the flex will work too.

 

on a totally different note, that is a very nice stand.

 

I was wondering how loud is the overflow?

 

 

The 1250 has a 3/8" return, the 1260 has a 3/4". There is nowhere to get ridid plumbing for 3/8" and the standard vinyl you buy has a wall thickness too thick to work with the 3/8" to 1/2" flex adapter that comes with it. I would recommend the 1260, but I got the 1250 for a steal and got it to work.

 

The overflow has a little trickle noise, but I would not call it loud by any stretch.

[CowboyRWN]

I ordered 25 lbs. of LR from Sea Life Inc. It should be here next week. I can not wait. I got 30G of SW and 5G of RO/DI from my LFS. I am so ready. I got some new 15G plastic drums from my wife's work to haul water with until I get around to buying a RO/DI unit. They worked pretty well, but ....water is like heavy and stuff.

It was ok I felt like a tough guy lifting them into the back of my truck.

 

Another sweet 20 long setup.

 

 

Will be tagging along.

 

 

Wow, thanks.