Red Sea in the Mojave...the Final Hours

[vegasgundog]

The design is straight drop. I thought I might have trouble with the right angle....I was hoping not. I will definitely shorten that pipe, makes sense. Maybe just helping get sir out of the line will work.

[vegasgundog]

I now have two bubble tips...

[vegasgundog]

I spent all day working in the Red Sea....finally when nothing was going right with several failures of the red sea valve, I was ready to cut it out and MacGyver a Celpex valve in its place. But before doing so, I contacted a lfs and asked for help. He suggested I change the drain from a straight siphon to a durso as it would let air in and let the water flow free. I did it and now I have the red sea valve wide open which seem like it might be too much. It's a churning vortex in the box before the filter sock with lots of bubbles. I tried an air valve on the durso but it madepends so much noise and cut flow way back. I took it out after trying to adjust the air valve itself as well the depth of the airline tube into the pipe. With the air valve gone, the red sea valve runs full throttle. The lfs guy made it sound like I need the valve wide open. As such I have the jeabo dcs5000 at about 90 percent. So far this is the most stable I've seen the water level. Anyone know or think I should cut both back?

[vegasgundog]

I got a new cap for the durso drain and drilled 5/16 hole instead of the airline tubing. Everything seems the most balanced it's been in a week since starting the plumbing project. So steady infact I'm wondering if the water level in the display is drawing down to keep the sump stable. I haven't been home all day so I will be paying attention to see if the ato is going at all. I can now adjust the flow with the return pump with the red sea valve wide open. Right now the jealo dcs5000 is going about 60%.

 

The purple fire fish are absolutely cowards. I try to feed on opposite ends of the aquarium but the Fiji one spot is such a pig he finishes on his end and thenot goes to the other. The fire fish see the Fiji and dive into the rocks to never be seen again until next feeding. Closed down the bc29 today finally. What a mess since the Fiji came out of quarantine there. I spent a good deal of time going over the media baskets gathering all the limpets, star fish, chitins, and snails as I could off them. Might as well as stock the new fuge in the red sea.

[vegasgundog]

This urchin is such a JERK!

[vegasgundog]

Grrrrrr.......the last couple of days the sump has suddenly been over filling and the auto topoff alarm goes off with the skimmer blowing up from to much depth. Think it has something to do with the durso drain. I pull the cap and it goes back to normal when I put it back on.

 

I have 69 gallons of display tank.......and 98% of the time no fish are anywhere to be seen.....

 

OH THE DRAMA!

[vegasgundog]

Time round update success in stopping the flushing in the stand pipes. Since the moment I sumped this thing I've been battling it, unable to dial in the skimmer and ato with the unreliable water level in the sump. I tried everything using the durso. I bought dozen end caps and tried every combination of holes size and combination of holes to no avail. Just when I think I got it the skimmer would blow up because of a sudden change in water level. I drained the back, pulled the down standpipe. I dremmeled out a 1"slip so it would fit over the red sea connection to cut off the smaller metric pipe and add the larger 1" which would make the 1" durso parts fit properly.

 

 

Well that didn't work. Again I want to the lfs for help and after telling him everything I had done, he convinced me to buy a new $200 return pump because the jeabo must be the problem. Now I have a new back up pump because that didn't do it.

 

For some reason I had an idea and I can't tell you why or how. I used a 1"slip and drilled 4 pyramids of holes starting in the middle with secessivly larger holes going down and a small hole up top with an end cap.

 

 

For the past four weeks I have not had a single flush! Finally I'm able to tune in my skimmer ando everything else.

 

[Droy008]

This tank is coming along.

I love the fact that you are finding ways to improve upon the factory design.

I have been looking at the red sea tanks for a while now, not sure if I want to do that or go full custom.

Keep it up!

[vegasgundog]

This tank is coming along.

I love the fact that you are finding ways to improve upon the factory design.

I have been looking at the red sea tanks for a while now, not sure if I want to do that or go full custom.

Keep it up!

Thanks! I've been trying. If I had to do it again who knows. Never thought about the metric to standard problems I'd encounter let a lone everything with getting the drain running right.

[vegasgundog]

Some randomness.....

 

Acan garden

 

Fiji out and about

 

And Belle being sneaky

[RIP Sebastian]

Cute pupper!

[SquishyFishy]

I did the same thing you did....BC29<Red Sea E260. Going back to read all your stuff, but I won't have a sump. Just putting live sand in today and worried about getting the sand cloud out without filter floss. I had relied on that for pristine water. Used to changing it out 2 times a week.

 

Will follow you along, but some of the stuff I've been reading from you is very alarming! I may need your help. Thx

[vegasgundog]

I did the same thing you did....BC29<Red Sea E260. Going back to read all your stuff, but I won't have a sump. Just putting live sand in today and worried about getting the sand cloud out without filter floss. I had relied on that for pristine water. Used to changing it out 2 times a week.

 

Will follow you along, but some of the stuff I've been reading from you is very alarming! I may need your help. Thx

Anything I can do to help! I just got frustrated because nothing was going the way I planned especially the standard to metric connections.

 

With the sand storms here's do and I still use it in my salt mixing. Take a 20oz soda bottle and cut the end off. Cut notches to make a"crown" . The screen attachment for a maximum jet power head will fit in the mouth of the bottle making it so you can attach the power head to it. Stuff filter floss in the bottle. Attached the power inside the tank upside down with the end of the bottle at the surface if you want. The crown will make a surface skimmer if you set the depth right. Replace the floss a couple of times until the water clears. Once it clears you can stir up the sand to release the finest again and the power head filter will clean it out again. Now that I think about it, you could probably drop it in the back of the 260 above one of the sponges. Wish I had thought of that before I sumped lol.

[vegasgundog]

I bought a shelving unit from Ikea to organize my reefing. When building Ikea furniture, it is important to have reliable help on hand for assistance.

[uwharrie]

I currenly have a Biocube 29 and I am looking at getting a Red Sea 250. I think after reading your thread I for sure want the sumped tank for sure

[RIP Sebastian]

That first kitty is such a chubster!

[SquishyFishy]

Thanks, I'll try anything to get it cleared up...I'm ready to transfer rock/water/critters!! After 8 hrs, its still not crystal. Hoping there will be very little cycling.

[SquishyFishy]

I noticed that all the sand sediment was collected on top of the foam block so I cut a filter pad to fit on top of them, we'll see if it reduces flow or is effective at filtering the junk out. Its a lot easier to take them out than to pull out those foam blocks. I noted RSM said to clean them weekly

[SquishyFishy]

Did you make a screen for your tank yet? Was hoping to get the exact dimensions for the frame...

[vegasgundog]

Did you make a screen for your tank yet? Was hoping to get the exact dimensions for the frame...

 

17 3/8" x 34 3/8" ordered the screen from BRS and the hanging brackets. Bought the spline, frame and corners at Lowes. BRS has the entire kit but it was way cheaper getting the bulk from Lowes. Remember you have to add the width of the frame corners to the length of the frame pieces so you will cut the lengths shorter than the dimensions I gave.

[vegasgundog]

[dropped]

hahaha, sounds like he will be moved to prison ( the sump)

[uwharrie]

_{what is he?}

[vlangel]

Funny, but he doesn't have the face of a bully/killer!

[RIP Sebastian]

I saw the title and I was just like *gasp*.

 

That sucks, though. I didn't think they were aggressive.