freakintiger Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Hey all! (I haven't posted in a while because I lost my password and I cant get the site to email me the directions to make a new one. I emailed the webmaster and never got a response. I got on by pressing the logout button. Can anyone help?) I have had good success with my 1.5 gal pico hex(up for 2 months). My LFS cleared my water again and now I am confident enough to start another tank. I have a hermit crab, one peppermint shrimp, two striped mexican turbo snails, and loads of asterina starfish and smaller critters. I also have two mushrooms. Two snails were eaten alive as were two hermit crabs, it is a bowl of death... A friend gave me an acrylic 1.75 gal mini bow shortly after I set up the hex, and I have been itching to set this up. I have decided to build a mini 3 stage sump to back it up. I am using three upright cereal containers I got at the local Kmart for the chambers. I am figuring a total of 4.75 gallons of water in the system. I am planning on building a mini skimmer like the one in DIY Library by "undertheradar"(sp?)built. The third chamber will be a refugium with chaeto algae. The system will have a max of 1.5' to 1.75'of head pressure to overcome. I am wondering what size pump( I have a Penguin 550, 145gph powerhead I was thinking of using, but I think that is too big)to use. About plumbing, what diameter pipe to use? I am going to have the pipe for the return(is this the "overflow"?)going up through the bottom of the tank using gravity like the one I was shown at the LFS. It will empty into the first chamber, which will house the skimmer and the heater. The second chamber will have a quantity of bio-balls, then dump into the third chamber which will be the refugium. All the chamber containers will be bulkheaded and connected via PVC pipe. What sive pipe to maintain flow? I have done loas of searches/research but can't find a lot of info for tiny tanks... Thanks all! I always assume I don't know already when you answer, I won't be offended:I need to learn! Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php Link to comment
freakintiger Posted September 6, 2005 Author Share Posted September 6, 2005 dweakl01: Thanks for your reply, but that calculator needs a specific pump choice to calculate. I don't know how large or small a pump I need... Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Try different pumps you're interested in. The manufacturer's typically list head pressure, etc on their websites anyway. Also keep wattage in mind. Some pumps have notoriously higher wattage than others. Link to comment
freakintiger Posted September 7, 2005 Author Share Posted September 7, 2005 Well today I bought a Rio 90gph submersible pump and elected to go with 1/2" pipe. Now I have to order some bulkheads... Link to comment
freakintiger Posted September 7, 2005 Author Share Posted September 7, 2005 Just looking to see if my avatar pic is up... Link to comment
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