Diver's Paradise: The Sequel (Vacation Pics pg. 48!)

[Felicia]

Definitely a possibility, most of my fish have always been swimmers. I've been known to have a wrasse addiction as well lol

 

 

Pretty typical, probably show up iwithn a few days refreshed and ready to go

I have a wrasse addiction now too. I didn't like them much until I got the yellow "not-a-coris" wrasse and now I have 4 wrasses. I figure he's probably lurking in the sand bed and will reappear once he settles in.

[Felicia]

First off, I just got shipping notification from Salt Critters and my rock flower nems are supposed to arrive tomorrow morning! Woohoo!

 

Secondly, my CUC order from KPA arrived today and as usual everything showed up in great shape plus some freebies. I got astrea snails (mix of regular and ninja star), nerites, small blue leg hermits, orange claw hermits, and two nano serpent stars. I've got an order from Reefcleaners coming tomorrow with the rest of the CUC. I got ceriths and a bunch of nassarius from Reef Cleaners. Now I just want to find a fighting conch locally to help keep the sand bed stirred.

 

And in exciting new....Eddie talked me into the sump! Its happening! Orders have been placed! Once this is all set up, the only equipment that will be visible on the tank will be the MP10, the WP10, and the little Eshopps nano HOB overflow box. The AC70 will be removed and then the heater and the ATO float switch will be moving down into the sump.

 

Here are the components of the sump:

1) Eshopps PF Nano Overflow Box (200 gph)

2) Aqueon glass 5 gallon tank (16.2" L x 10.5" H x 8.5" D)

3) 4" felt filter sock with holder

4) Eheim Jager 125 Watt heater

5) BRS single media reactor with MJ1200 pump (GFO and carbon mixed)

6) SCA-301 In-Sump Skimmer (rated for 65 gallons)

7) Rio Plus 1400 Return Pump (420 GPH)

8) CPR Inflow Kit

 

All the plumbing is going to be done with 3/4" vinyl tubing. I got a slip to barb fitting that I will glue into the bottom of the overflow box so that I can then attach the tubing. I also got two barb fitted ball valves for adjusting water flow on the inlet and outlet tubing for the sump.

 

I'll be installing two glass baffles into the sump to route the water through a sponge to trap detritus and remove micro bubbles before the return pump. Here's the final plan for the sump design:

http://s289.photobucket.com/user/alatarie/media/SumpDesign.png.html'>

 

Eddie was laughing at me last night because I informed him I'm going to have to take a jigsaw to my stand to make this work! There is a shelf that runs across the whole length of the middle of the stand and its not removable. The stand I have is an antique piece from the 60's and its crazy hardwood construction, so even the shelf is insanely sturdy. The shelf is too low to allow for the skimmer and the reactor canister, so I'm going to be cutting rectangular notches out of the front of the shelf for the equipment to stick through. I'll post photos of all this once I get started. Should be a fun project getting this all working right! Everyone start praying now that I don't flood my living room floor!

[natalia_la_loca]

Ooooooh, this is really interesting, I'm following along for this

 

I've been dying to get a sump for years for my seahorse tank but just figured it was impossible because of how stupid small my stand is. I wonder if I could squeeze a 5 gallon tank in there. Oh to be able to throw my canister filter out the window...

[Felicia]

Ooooooh, this is really interesting, I'm following along for this

 

I've been dying to get a sump for years for my seahorse tank but just figured it was impossible because of how stupid small my stand is. I wonder if I could squeeze a 5 gallon tank in there. Oh to be able to throw my canister filter out the window...

I have the same issue with my stands! This tank's stand is incredibly narrow, so I'm very limited on sump options. The 5 gallon won't add any appreciable water volume to system and there won't be space for a refugium, but it will finally allow me to have a skimmer and a media reactor and get the heater out of the tank. My seahorse tank stand is also super small, but with that tank I built in back chambers sort of like a biocube. I've got my heater, skimmer, media reactor pump, etc all in the back chambers of that tank which is nice. Not as good as a sump but at least things are hidden.

[natalia_la_loca]

I have the same issue with my stands! This tank's stand is incredibly narrow, so I'm very limited on sump options. The 5 gallon won't add any appreciable water volume to system and there won't be space for a refugium, but it will finally allow me to have a skimmer and a media reactor and get the heater out of the tank. My seahorse tank stand is also super small, but with that tank I built in back chambers sort of like a biocube. I've got my heater, skimmer, media reactor pump, etc all in the back chambers of that tank which is nice. Not as good as a sump but at least things are hidden.

 

Oh, I could live with a tank that had back chambers, that would be 1000x better than the jury rigged noob cube that is my seahorse tank

 

Where will you put the media reactor, will there be space in the stand for that too?

[bonsaidarrell]

I have the same issue with my stands! This tank's stand is incredibly narrow, so I'm very limited on sump options.

 

Just throwing this out there, building custom sized sump from glass is pretty easy, and good practice if you ever want to build a tank!

[Felicia]

Oh, I could live with a tank that had back chambers, that would be 1000x better than the jury rigged noob cube that is my seahorse tank

 

Where will you put the media reactor, will there be space in the stand for that too?

The back chambers are very crammed and not nearly as useful as a sump, but they definitely help! If you ever upgrade your seahorse tank, you should consider that route

 

The pump for the media reactor will be in the sump, but then the actual media reactor won't fit in the sump so I'm going to have to set it down into my ATO reservoir in the stand. I'll lose a bit of water volume from the ATO reservoir, but that's ok. Unfortunately that's the only place in the stand that its going to fit at this point.

 

Just throwing this out there, building custom sized sump from glass is pretty easy, and good practice if you ever want to build a tank!

I considered that, but the 5 gallon fits the footprint in my stand EXACTLY! I couldn't get any snugger if I built a custom one, so the 5 gallon will work perfectly and save me some work

[FlowerMama]

Soon a new song can be sung, "Sump, THERE IT IS!!" and dance around. That will be fun. You sound pretty DIY to me if you're workin' with a jigsaw.

[Felicia]

Soon a new song can be sung, "Sump, THERE IT IS!!" and dance around. That will be fun. You sound pretty DIY to me if you're workin' with a jigsaw.

You're too funny! I may just have to sing that and dance around if I manage to get it all up and running without flooding my livingroom. I love DIY! I have no idea what I'm ever doing, but I figure it out. That's half the fun Plus, I love powertools!

[FlowerMama]

You're too funny! I may just have to sing that and dance around if I manage to get it all up and running without flooding my livingroom. I love DIY! I have no idea what I'm ever doing, but I figure it out. That's half the fun Plus, I love powertools!

 

I have to admit I love the Dremel. I also bought my husband that dremel jigsaw lookin' thing. I don't even know what to do with it. Unfortunately, he never got to use it but one time. Guess I better learn how to use it one day.

[gena]

Such a tiny sump .

 

You have the same BRS media reactor that I have, right?

[Felicia]

Such a tiny sump .

 

You have the same BRS media reactor that I have, right?

Its an itty bitty little sump and it is going to be crammed to the seams with equipment. Its only going to add like 2 gallons of water to the whole system and there's no fuge, so its not as awesome as it could be, but its going to get all the equipment out of view and allow me to finally run a skimmer and media reactor. Considering my filtration is just an AC70, this will really beef up the filtration on the tank.

 

I have the dual one of the seahorse tank with the separate canisters for GFO and carbon. I just ordered a single one for this tank since I'm much more crammed for space in the stand.

 

I have to admit I love the Dremel. I also bought my husband that dremel jigsaw lookin' thing. I don't even know what to do with it. Unfortunately, he never got to use it but one time. Guess I better learn how to use it one day.

I wish I had a dremel. I'm sure that jigsaw will come in handy at some point on one of these projects. Luckily we have a Tool Lending Library in Berkeley that is part of the city public library. You just walk in with your library card and can check out all kinds of tools and gardening supplies. I've checked out saws, soldering irons, files, caulk guns, etc from them. So convenient! I'll be checking out a caulk gun for siliconing the baffles into the sump, a jigsaw for cutting notches out of my shelf in the stand, and a hack saw and miter box for cutting screen frame to make a new lid to fit snuggly around the overflow box.

[gena]

This reminds me I need to pick up another screen kit for my new tank . They are kinda fun to make LOL.

[Felicia]

This reminds me I need to pick up another screen kit for my new tank . They are kinda fun to make LOL.

I like making them too! I have to make a new one that fits really snuggly around the new overflow box so that my wrasses can't jump out. I already heard one of them hit the lid today since I got home. He was flashing, jumped, and slammed right into the acrylic lid I have on the tank temporarily. He was completely unphased.

[gena]

I like making them too! I have to make a new one that fits really snuggly around the new overflow box so that my wrasses can't jump out. I already heard one of them hit the lid today since I got home. He was flashing, jumped, and slammed right into the acrylic lid I have on the tank temporarily. He was completely unphased.

That'll be fun. Sounds like you really need to make sure there are no gaps! I'm not sure how to do mine since I have the HOB filter and then two mangroves sticking out. I'll have to get creative or else have a big gap at the back.

[Felicia]

That'll be fun. Sounds like you really need to make sure there are no gaps! I'm not sure how to do mine since I have the HOB filter and then two mangroves sticking out. I'll have to get creative or else have a big gap at the back.

The HOB filters are hard to work around. I had a heck of a time building my current one to fit around the AC70. I'll have to do the same for the HOB overflow, but its much smaller than the AC70. For the mangroves, you could build the whole thing and then just cut out a bit of the netting right where the mangroves go so they can just pop out through it.

[gena]

The HOB filters are hard to work around. I had a heck of a time building my current one to fit around the AC70. I'll have to do the same for the HOB overflow, but its much smaller than the AC70. For the mangroves, you could build the whole thing and then just cut out a bit of the netting right where the mangroves go so they can just pop out through it.

That would be easiest, but won't work because I'll need to remove the lid for feeding, maintenance, and I'd rip leaves off pulling them through the holes. Unless I make the holes really big. I think I'll just leave it about 3" short at the back like it is now. So far no one has jumped .

[Felicia]

That would be easiest, but won't work because I'll need to remove the lid for feeding, maintenance, and I'd rip leaves off pulling them through the holes. Unless I make the holes really big. I think I'll just leave it about 3" short at the back like it is now. So far no one has jumped .

Yeah that makes sense. Probably a better plan. I couldn't do that with the wrasses, but that's fine for most fish. My current lid has some gaps because I couldn't get it around the equipment perfectly and I've never had an issue. That's why I have my acrylic lid on right now instead of the screen lid, because the wrasses would jump right out of those gaps.

[gena]

Yeah that makes sense. Probably a better plan. I couldn't do that with the wrasses, but that's fine for most fish. My current lid has some gaps because I couldn't get it around the equipment perfectly and I've never had an issue. That's why I have my acrylic lid on right now instead of the screen lid, because the wrasses would jump right out of those gaps.

I stopped at my LFS today. He had two wrasses, similar to yours. They are so pretty . I'm not adding anymore fish but they are very tempting . But no...no more fish.

[Felicia]

I stopped at my LFS today. He had two wrasses, similar to yours. They are so pretty . I'm not adding anymore fish but they are very tempting . But no...no more fish.

They're awesome fish! Adding new fish is always scary, so I'm with you. You've got nice healthy fish and wouldn't want to mess that up. I've got to take that gamble right now to get my tank restocked. Once its stocked then no more new fish!

[gena]

They're awesome fish! Adding new fish is always scary, so I'm with you. You've got nice healthy fish and wouldn't want to mess that up. I've got to take that gamble right now to get my tank restocked. Once its stocked then no more new fish!

Actually I was more tempted by this little yellow tang they had . He looked so healthy and it's been in their copper system for a while now. But nope...no new fish .

[FlowerMama]

Actually I was more tempted by this little yellow tang they had . He looked so healthy and it's been in their copper system for a while now. But nope...no new fish .

 

It'll be your mantra for now. "no new fish, no new fish, no new fish". new "old fish"? new "old fish"? nope. new "used" fish? ha. It stinks when you're filled up and you have no way to add one in w/o jeopardizing.

[gena]

 

It'll be your mantra for now. "no new fish, no new fish, no new fish". new "old fish"? new "old fish"? nope. new "used" fish? ha. It stinks when you're filled up and you have no way to add one in w/o jeopardizing.

 

Actually, I think I have the space, I just don't want to risk disease. I like the fish I have and don't want to lose them to ich or brook or something else.

[Felicia]

Actually I was more tempted by this little yellow tang they had . He looked so healthy and it's been in their copper system for a while now. But nope...no new fish .

Oddly, tangs just don't thrill me much. Also they're notorious for ich issues. Probably a good plan to avoid him

[Zia]

 

Whoa! Looks fantabulous Are we get Jiggy over there yet Thats a fun powertool!