Kinda's Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

[Kindanewtothis]

9 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

The pump is huge

I could also place it in the middle section and use this one as a refugium ???

[Kindanewtothis]

6 minutes ago, seabass said:

Good thing you got an ATO unit

I was planning to use my old 10g but it won't fit. I need to find another reservoir that fits this spot.

 

Note: pump controler will by screwed on a wall.

[Kindanewtothis]

[seabass]

A 5.5 gallon tank should fit.  They are fairly cheap too.  You'll just have to fill it up few times a week.  Make a point to top it off during feedings.  If you are ever going on a trip for a week or so, you might need to use a larger reservoir (placed in front of your stand), or have a tank sitter fill the in-stand reservoir for you.

[Kindanewtothis]

21 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

The pump is huge

I could also place it in the middle section and use the lastone as a refugium ??? Would that work (flow in the refugium? The pump not being at the end?) 

[seabass]

 

3 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I could also place it in the middle section and use the lastone as a refugium ??? Would that work (flow in the refugium? The pump not being at the end?) 

That would require each drain to enter the outside chambers.

 

Instead, it looks like the other end chamber is bigger.  I would probably use that one for the return pump.  Then if necessary, you could potentially remove the tall baffle on the opposite end chamber (to give you more room for the drain pipes, and potentially a skimmer).  Those tall baffles are to help trap bubbles.  You might not need both bubble traps (or even, any bubble traps).  Maybe you could even put the skimmer in the middle section (as long as you don't keep sand in your fuge section).

 

If you don't need a fuge, you could possibly even remove both baffles from the side with the smaller chamber (leaving the larger end chamber for the return, and the rest of the sump for everything else).  This is essential how my sump is setup (except I only have one baffle).

 

I say all of this to give you some options.  Really, it looks like it would work if you just switched the drain and return lines (switching those chambers).  The bigger return section will also buy you more time before the return runs dry (due to evaporation).

[Kindanewtothis]

15 hours ago, seabass said:

Instead, it looks like the other end chamber is bigger

It's in the biggest section of the two, the sump is not facing the same direction on both pictures (sorry)

[Kindanewtothis]

10 hours ago, seabass said:

Maybe you could even put the skimmer in the middle section (as long as you don't keep sand in your fuge section).

So I could put chaeto in the same section as the skimmer? Won't go in the skimmer? If I can put the refugium and the skimmer together that would be great. 

[Kindanewtothis]

The filter sock holders fit perfectly.

 

Will test Ro/Di water and tank water later for silicate.

 

Lens changing is also on the planning.

[seabass]

9 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

So I could put chaeto in the same section as the skimmer? Won't go in the skimmer? If I can put the refugium and the skimmer together that would be great. 

Chaeto can be a mess.  Pieces tend to break off (I assume they would get caught in the skimmer's intake).  It might have to be more of a cryptic zone refugium.

 

11 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

It's in the biggest section of the two, the sump is not facing the same direction on both pictures (sorry)

To give your pump more room, you can take out the baffle closest to the pump.  You could probably do the same on the other end too (to give you more room for your skimmer).

[Kindanewtothis]

2 minutes ago, seabass said:

It might have to be more of a cryptic zone refugium.

You lost me there.

 

 

[seabass]

https://www.algaebarn.com/blog/refugiums/cryptic-zones-in-the-refugium/

 

[seabass]

You can run a chaeto reactor if you wanted.

[Kindanewtothis]

20 hours ago, seabass said:

You can run a chaeto reactor if you wanted.

I don't know about those but will look up. You had me at "reactor" .😀

 

The guy who made the sump told me he would put the refugium in the 3rd section with sponges between the baffle. The return pump would be in the center section with the skimmer.

[seabass]

48 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

The guy who made the sump told me he would put the refugium in the 3rd section with sponges between the baffle. The return pump would be in the center section with the skimmer.

You would need to supply water to the fuge section.  This could come from another pump in the sump or directed from a T fitting off of the main pump (you could control the flow with a valve).

 

Also, you wouldn't normally put a skimmer in with the return pump (because the return pump section is where the water level fluctuates.  Skimmers perform best (and can be dialed in better) when the water level is constant.  The ATO will help some, but it would still fluctuate a little.

 

The other problem is that you couldn't keep sand in the fuge because it would block the flow.  You could do a chaeto fuge without sand if you wanted.

[Kindanewtothis]

14 minutes ago, seabass said:

You would need to supply water to the fuge section.  This could come from another pump in the sump or directed from a T fitting off of the main pump (you could control the flow with a valve).

 

Also, you wouldn't normally put a skimmer in with the return pump (because the return pump section is where the water level fluctuates.  Skimmers perform best (and can be dialed in better) when the water level is constant.  The ATO will help some, but it would still fluctuate a little.

 

The other problem is that you couldn't keep sand in the fuge because it would block the flow.  You could do a chaeto fuge without sand if you wanted.

Ok, now I really want a refugium in all this. Thinking about adding a baffle in the middle section to create a 4th one.

[seabass]

16 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Ok, now I really want a refugium in all this. Thinking about adding a baffle in the middle section to create a 4th one.

I wouldn't.  I'd either remove one baffle:

 

Or remove two baffles:

[Kindanewtothis]

20 minutes ago, seabass said:

wouldn't.  I'd either remove one baffle:

First nice photoshop skills man.

 

I did not think about putting the skimmer with the drain (and filter socks). But why remove the baffle next to the return?

[seabass]

1 minute ago, Kindanewtothis said:

why remove the baffle next to the return?

The only reason to remove either baffle would be to make more room in that particular chamber.  You wouldn't have to remove them if there is already enough room.

[Kindanewtothis]

2 minutes ago, seabass said:

The only reason to remove either baffle would be to make more room in that particular chamber.  You wouldn't have to remove them if there is already enough room.

Really, I appreciate your help a lot. 

 

 

[Kindanewtothis]

One of the bulkhead was unscrewed (one of the return. Can I just screw it back or is the seal finished or can I just lubricate it?

[seabass]

It should be OK to use again; but I'd just lubricate it with RO water.  The bulkhead, gasket, and the glass should all be clean.  And the gasket goes on the flange side (not the nut side).

[Kindanewtothis]

On 8/28/2022 at 10:17 AM, seabass said:

It should be OK to use again; but I'd just lubricate it with RO water.  The bulkhead, gasket, and the glass should all be clean.  And the gasket goes on the flange side (not the nut side).

The horizontal pipe that leeds to the vestical return pipe is a bit too long (i'd say 1/4 inch). That has for impact that the bulkhead is leaking or it is because of the seal. So I was thinking to silicone the bulkhead in place with aquarium silicone???

 

 

[seabass]

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I was thinking to silicone the bulkhead in place with aquarium silicone

I know that some people use silicone to help seal bulkheads.  I have never had the need to do so.  It makes me think that something is wrong.

 

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

The horizontal pipe that leeds to the vestical return pipe is a bit too long (i'd say 1/4 inch).

I'm not sure what you mean by this.  Any pics that show what you are referring to?

 

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

That has for impact that the bulkhead is leaking or it is because of the seal.

Again, confused as to what is going on.

 

I assume that these are threaded (not slip) fittings.  Also, is the leak coming from the glass, or from a plumbing to plumbing connection?

[Kindanewtothis]

49 minutes ago, seabass said:

not sure what you mean by this.  Any pics that show what you are referring to?