Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[needmorecowbell]

Lol I think everyone hates it... Maybe even plumbers.

I just used vinyl with a small amount of PVC for valves/ attaching things.

 

[Dary421]

I never did mind doing any of the plumbing,...it gives you some options as to having " control" over how everything is setup and works for you,.... thinking it out a little can really pay dividends later ,.. Also doing the plumbing means your getting pretty close to getting everything up and running. . .... Go get'em Buffy!!!!

 

[needmorecowbell]

Yep it is really exciting at least! I put a few unions on it so I can take it apart easily. I haven't needed to use Teflon tape yet, but I probably should've..

 

[carey]

I gotta say I was absolutely PETRIFIED to do my plumbing the first time around. Now, after plumbing my third tank I gotta say I really really enjoy it.

I am so weird, I know, lol, but it's a fun day setting everything up and using the pvc cement and plumbers tape, makes me really feel like I'm getting some stuff done.

if you need any help Buffy we are here for ya! What skimmer do you have to fit in the sump, which return pump do you have and what's your sock setup? Double input into the sock, 7" sock, corner mount or across the back?

 

[scottayy]

You should use the plumbers tape everywhere except compression fittings (which I don't think are even made in pvc). It really helps seal the threads.

 

[Buffy]

Got my cuc in, they are in the tank and the tank is soooo filthy, don't know if they can clean it up before some of my corals get smothered.

So USPS has gotten on my *&$( list again. My cuc box looks like someone dropkicked it across the state of Wisconsin, ok ok, maybe it was trying to make it self down to Florida. Grrr. I need to find some time to take those pictures to USPS and complain.

I'm a little disappointed in the packaging too, I mean they are "only" snails" but still they are alive and they cost money, one bag lost it's water, a few bags of water with critters. Box had a few sheets of paper on the bottom and a few on the top kinda tucked around. Plenty of movement space, not a single peanut or bubble wrap. I'm not sure I want to order again.

My tank is sooo filthy oh I said that already. So my sump needs to get done. 20G I don't think is going to cut it but I don't want to go any bigger. I have the plexiglass cut ready to be sealed but not an inch in there where I can place them and still have a fuge.

I have the Danner Mag 7 for a return pump. (Can pods go through the sponge on the pump?)

I have the Reef Octopus NW-150 and the sock is a HOB 4" single.

Everything is in the 20G Long with jeez no room for fuge or to "mess around", unless I'm looking at this all wrong.

Anyone got a clue to what I'm doing LOL.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I was wondering about the sponge with my mag too. It seems like the pods are getting stuck for me.

I have had problems with shipping with cuc too, but they arrive fine, I'm sure if will be the same for you. If you have any problems, give John an email, he is a big help. They might look dead in the tank for a few days but they aren't! Mine survived in the winter and is keeping my tank very clean

 

[Buffy]

I was wondering about the sponge with my mag too. It seems like the pods are getting stuck for me.

I have had problems with shipping with cuc too, but they arrive fine, I'm sure if will be the same for you. If you have any problems, give John an email, he is a big help. They might look dead in the tank for a few days but they aren't! Mine survived in the winter and is keeping my tank very clean

I'm gonna let him know (send him a pic) of what we get. He pays for that service, there is no reason they should treat the packages the way they do. He's not paying for broken boxes.

CUC are fine but that one dent was close and one bag was empty of water, thank goodness he put a wet paper towel in there. They were all stuck to that. But pretty much all are moving around, some not yet. Not worried though.

I'm gonna post pic of my "sump" to be later tonite, maybe someone can help me out with it. Thank for following ya'll.

 

[Dary421]

I'm gonna let him know (send him a pic) of what we get. He pays for that service, there is no reason they should treat the packages the way they do. He's not paying for broken boxes.

CUC are fine but that one dent was close and one bag was empty of water, thank goodness he put a wet paper towel in there. They were all stuck to that. But pretty much all are moving around, some not yet. Not worried though.

.......

You go girl !!!!

 

[Buffy]

I'm gonna let him know (send him a pic) of what we get. He pays for that service, there is no reason they should treat the packages the way they do. He's not paying for broken boxes.

CUC are fine but that one dent was close and one bag was empty of water, thank goodness he put a wet paper towel in there. They were all stuck to that. But pretty much all are moving around, some not yet. Not worried though.

.......

You go girl !!!!

LOL, it just ticked me off, how rude of them, calling post office tomorrow too, no wait, I'll go in.

 

[Buffy]

pics

Here's the pics of my mess. Gotta get 'er done cause I am being overrun with brown algae, stringy stuff that is all over.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Very nice! Ive heard great things about the reef octopus, I'm sure it will help a ton!

 

[Buffy]

Very nice! Ive heard great things about the reef octopus, I'm sure it will help a ton!

Thanks, I just don't think everything will fit and serve it's purpose also.

I'm still procrastinating cause I don't see how I can do a refugium with the stuff in there now. No baffles are done because of that too.

 

[mr_X]

How much room do you need to cram the skimmer and the filter sock together? Measure that (it doesn't matter if it looks cramped, just as long as the pump on the skimmer is able to access water and not obstructed, and you are able to access the filter sock), then figure how much room you need to fit that mag drive in the return area, measure that, then figure what you have left. This is your refugium area, if you have enough space.

 

[Ibrahim]

How much room do you need to cram the skimmer and the filter sock together? Measure that (it doesn't matter if it looks cramped, just as long as the pump on the skimmer is able to access water and not obstructed, and you are able to access the filter sock), then figure how much room you need to fit that mag drive in the return area, measure that, then figure what you have left. This is your refugium area, if you have enough space.

Don't forget your bubble trap too if you have one!

 

[mr_X]

right, right.....and a couple inches for the bubble trap before the return.

 

[Dary421]

Buffy.., the way I see it thru your photos ,..I agree with mr.x ... Section one which will hold the protein skimmer and filter socks does not need a lot of room,..just so you can remove the socks for cleaning and can safely reinstall them without banging around the skimmer than you should be fine..... Silicone in first pane of glass .....save the middle section ( refugium ) for later,....the far section #3 ,..also doesn't require a lot of room either,...as long as you can access your mag pump for cleaning etc you'll be fine,..so now you can start siliconing in two or three panes of glass for your bubble trap next to your return pump,.. what ever is left over in the middle is your refugium...it should take only three or four panes of glass to complete ...

 

[Buffy]

Thanks everyone. The skimmer takes alot of room, I can barely fit the filter sock in there with it. I thought I'd put 2 sets of bubble trap. One on each side of refugium to make up the walls. The piece closest to the skimmer be raised off the bottom with the next piece touching the bottom and just the opposite on the return pump end.

I'm not crazy about the directions that came with the skimmer, I'm gonna look it up on U-tube because I'm not able to picture the way it works nor the rubber hoses and the end pipe.

How are the pods going to make it though the sponge on the end of the mag drive and go to the display tank? Or am I supposed to take off the sponge?

Some people have built a little shelf to put their pump or whatever on. Do I need to do that too?

See I had it set up thinking the water would come in through the filter sock on the right, flow through the refugium, then to the skimmer section and out the return.

Thanks for helping me out with the daunting task.

Oh one more question....Does anyone elses snails decide they would bunch up at the top of the tank out of the water and 2 of them were on the rim (they snuck up through the egg crate) and looked like they were gonna start down the outside (suicide snails)? Everyday, I have to "push" them off the top of the glass back into the water before they make it out of the tank.

 

[needmorecowbell]

My nerites do that. Some of mine are hardcore though. I saw one on the other side of the room... It was dead needless to say.

 

[rdnelson99]

In my opinion, for what it is worth, I would put the return pump in the middle with the refugium on the end. Put a bubble trap between the skimmer section and return pump but only one baffle between the fuge and return section. Then, plumb a Tee with a ball valve off of your return pump to feed the refugium. This way you can control the amount of flow through the fuge and slow it down. With the fuge in the middle, all the flow goes through it. Since the flow from the fuge is low with nothing to create bubbles, a bubble trap is not needed there saving money and valuable space.