EnderG60 Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 i have to use a check valve. the placement of those rear returns would drain the tank almost 1/2 if i didnt have one. and im at southern polytech Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Drill a small hole in the side just under the operating level of your Locline to break the siphon. Two holes are better, just in case a snail is parked on one. Your tank will drain to the level of the weirs in the display, to the top of the standpipe in the back. Then just adjust your sump level so that it can catch that amount without overflowing. Good luck with school! Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I missed the two mid level returns.... Can you change your rear piping so that the tube comes up from the bottom to a T at the top of the back water level and then back down to those returns? Then drill a few small holes in the high horizontal piece for siphon control.. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 na the returns are built into the tank, and if i did it that way i would have to get some smaller check valves to put on those holes so they wouldnt blow water all over the place. its just simpler to use a check vavle like i have it. Im sure i just got a bad one. I have one on my other tank that has worked just fine for about 5 years now no problems. Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Bummer.... Maybe next time something like this will get you away from the check valve dependance. With a few small holes in the top horizontal. Nothing personal, I just don't trust them - check valves, that is. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 alright im just confused now...how can you expect to have any holes in a positive pressure system without having them spray water all over the place? Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Bernoulli's Equation.... converting velocity for relative pressure is one way. But, in this case, there is a small amount of water that would never see the display (it would short-circuit in the back). You could also drill a small hole in the loc-line as before and while the pump is on - it is an added jet (I use mine to disrupt the surface) and when the pump shuts off due to power outage (or feeding, if you go pumps off for that) then the hole is exposed to the air and breaks the siphon. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 oh oh oh i see. I thought you ment on the top of the tube. got ya. anyway problem is solved i went and got a check valve like the one on my 58g, no more ace hardware PVC crap. now i just gata figure out why the hell bubbles are getting out of my skimmer:angry: Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 As soon as you get an answer for that one, PLEASE let me know.... Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Do you have plans for that skimmer that you made? It looks like a great design, I'd like to try my hands at building one... Link to comment
Vnnie Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 I just wanted to say this tank is very impressive. You've done a heck of a job! Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Id rather not give out plans for the skimmer just yet. Im having some trouble with it. because of the small scale im getting some kind of back draft of bubbles that are getting over the baffle and out of the skimmer. So im gonna have to screw around with that a bit more. Anyway I got a new check valve, and everything is working nicly again. Still trying to decide on a new pump though. When the fans go off the pump heats the crap out of the tank. Stays nice and cool when the fans are on though. check this out. Room temp is 75 and water temp is only 72.5 and the halide and PC's have been on for 6 hours:D Got some rock in there now so the cycle begins!!! Here is a nice nuclear pic My first critter and the new stuff i have been working on. Screen to keep the soon to be macro out of the drain. And the bracket for the top off, float switch. still have to wire up the relay though, so that the skimmer, and getting some temp controled fans are the last things i need to do and for the hell of it a pic of my retarded fat ass of a cat Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 ok small update. I got a quiet one 3000 pump, and it made just as much noise as the mag 7 and the temp differance was only one degree so i put the mag 7 back on and this thing is going back. I might try a dophin dp-650 later though. I also just got in some thermal adjustable fans so im going to install them later and see how they do. If they are quiet enough ill just leave em on all night and that will solve the pump heat problem. if not i can mount a low flow fan over the sump. My hood also got a small crack in the back from the heat, since i forgot to put a center screw inX) so im gonna fix that up as well. Ill have more pics up later on, when i get it all done. Now i have to go to work and then study for a test:*( Link to comment
lucubrator Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 That's a nice looking tank, but I'm a little worried about relying on that coralife thermometer. I tested it in lab and found it to be accurate +- .1 degrees when I got it. Right now, though, it shows 3.5 degrees above the lab grade thermometer. Sometimes it'll show 81+ degrees when the tank isn't more than 76. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 14, 2005 Author Share Posted February 14, 2005 this one is pretty accurat. Its better then the sticker POS i have and it matches up pretty good with the lasar thermometer. besides im only really using it to see the temp differance in the tank and the room temp Link to comment
lucubrator Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I meant to say that they're great when you buy them, but after 4 months use it's time for a better one... or just use the laser. Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I found that it is highly dependent on the battery condition. New batteries = good temp readings Old bateries = bad temp readings I have to change the batteries about every 4 months. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 14, 2005 Author Share Posted February 14, 2005 did you just leave yours on for 4 months straight? cuz i just use it to check the temp every once in a while. I like to use the cheapo stick on ones to get an idea of where it is and then use this to see where it actually is. Im gonna try to rig up a wall plug for it some time so i can just leave it on though. Link to comment
lucubrator Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Yeah, I just had it on all the time. Now I have it in the stand next to the lab grade glass one so I can laugh at how bad it is. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 14, 2005 Author Share Posted February 14, 2005 yeah screw those glass ones. I dont wanna have to go fish out a thermometer and try and read that tiny lil line thing. if they ever made a stick on one that actually went on the inside of the glass they might actually worth worth a crap Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Welp got the thermaflow fans in. they work pretty damn well. nice and quiet, and provie just enough air flow to keep things stable. and will adjust if things get hot....me likey I also noticed this turns out there was a small hole in the heat shrink causing the pulse start to arc. so make sure your electrical conections are sheilded!! Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 VICTORY IS MINE!!! left a single thermaflow fan on last night and my temp this morning is one degree over room temp:D now i need to figure out a way to use a 110v signal to switch a 12v source Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Go to a thrift store and buy an old 12v adapter from some cheapo electronic thingy, that'll take 110v to 12v for only a buck or two. Thats what I did. Link to comment
EnderG60 Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 I have a mini computer power supply to power all my fans. And I would like to rig up a relay to turn all but one of the fans off when the lights go off without having to buy another 12v power supply. although a 12v adapter might be about the same cost as a realy...hmmm if this fan runs on 12v and takes 2.8 watts to run how many amps is that? Link to comment
cseeton Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Are you using a timer to controll your lights? If so, just buy an outlet extender and plug the lights and fan after the timer. Otherwise, go to radio shack and buy a relay that has 120VAC on the coil and 12VDC on the pole (switch). Run one leg of your lights through the coil and the fan through the switch. Power = V*I current = 2.8/12 = .23 Amps Yes, I leave my temperature probe on all the time... If you actually use the power button, then I don't know how long it will last. Link to comment
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