Questions before I jump in... ;)

[Marc118]

Are you planning on drilling for overflows, HOB, or syphon?

Anywho, if you are DIY, a 0.5" ID bulkhead will flow 294GPH @ a 18" water column. Is this for the 29?

 

[MSU Fan]

yes, it's for a 29g. I have a HOB overflow. The piping will drop ~18" + ~24" to a sump below.

I have read that with a HOB overflow, the gph isn't really affected by the water column, so it's just a function of the pipe size, correct? I am thinking about using flex pvc to eliminate any elbows (and simplify the system, but I believe that there is 1" ID schedule 40 pvc (I am guessing) attached to the overflow now (which I will need to connect to the flex pvc).

For simplicity's sake, I would probably buy a Quiet One pump (at Petsmart) so that I don't have to pay shipping. Although that is not set in stone since I need to order some other parts online, so maybe get a Mag 5 or 7. I would add a tee and a flow-reducing valve to control the return flow rate.

 

[Marc118]

Right because the water column is already factored into the design of the HOB overflow. A 1" pipe in...we will say 0.5" of water will flow 198GPH, a 1.25" pipe will flow 306GPH at the same depth. You also have to factor in the number of fittings and turns that may be involved.

Im talking from experience with drilled overflows, not HOB though...could be different.

 

[MSU Fan]

is there a chart of the pipe sizes v. flow rates?

 

[Marc118]

Im sure there is somewhere on the net, but whenever I search I just get plumbing and water router charts.

 

[MSU Fan]

ok - thanks.

 

[MSU Fan]

Thought I would put some pics up today of the 29g (and the 125). We put 53lbs of cured LR in the 29, and it has fully cycled (1 week ago). We currently have 1 ocellaris clown in 10g QT. We used filter media from the fluval 404 on the 29 to instant cycle the qt. Pedro seems to be doing very well at this point (I will post pics later as the lights go off in the middle of the day).

The shells you see in the 29g are from my younger years when I collected, so unfortunately, we have little in the way of life visible in the 29 at this time. Please ignore the sponge filter, we may begin a 2nd qt to start that process for an additional fish (maybe a firefish or gramma). Circulation is provided by the fluval 404 and a penguin 1140. I will be removing the 404 in the upcoming weeks and hooking up a overflow/10g sump. I have buy the plumbing and return pump, and I have to mod the overflow because of its overall size (14 linear inches of surface skimming is a little much for a 29).

We did pick up a 24" CF fixture, which currently has a 10k bulb in it. We are going to replace the 10k with a daylight (6700k) bulb, and add 2-10k's and 1 actinic T5 bulb when I get paid (I only get paid once/month, so I have to wait at this point. I will be designing a canopy to mount all of this to as well - but again, need money .

I have one 250w heater in the tank at this point, and will have a 2nd 150w heater in the sump to keep things level in the process. Any critique is welcome!


How do I look? ooh- ignore the sponge filter!

Any body know what these brown things are?

Skimmer and Sump for 29g

We still haven't decided what we wish to do with the 125, and we still have reinforced our flooring either, so it's empty for the time being.

Tank shot with wife and dog's head!

CPR overflow

CPR 3000 Wet/Dry Filter

Eheim 2250 that will go on 125g!

 

[Marc118]

I was JUST about to post and ask for some updates! Nice, cant wait to see how things progress.

 

[ditchdoctor81]

everything looks good!

 

[MSU Fan]

Thanks everyone! I will definitely post some pics once I get Pedro in the tank - hey, any advice on taking the picture of a clown that won't sit still???

 

[MSU Fan]

So I put two frags in my tank last night: GSP & Xenia. I let them drip acclimate for about 3.5 hours. The GSP was completed closed up and stayed that way until today. The Xenia opened right up after I put her in the main tank.

Water test today:

PH 7.6
Nit, Nat, Amm, Phos = 0
Ca = 420ppm
KH = 8
Sg = 1.020

How do my parameters look (other than the Sg which I will rectify with a PWC)?

I added my protein skimmer yesterday as well. My clown fish is doing ok in the QT - I can't wait to put him in my tank! I'll take some pics later to show you!!

 

[Ziggy953]

The PH is a bit low but with a higher SG say around 1.024 your PH will go up a bit too. Don't do it too fast though. I've had to correct my SG before and what I did was shut off my auto top off and allowed the water to evap a bit. I went from 1.020 to 1.023 in about 36 hours. When I topped off I matched the 1.023 to what the tank was and turned the auto top off back on. The next week I did the same thing and got my SG to 1.024 which is what I like to keep it at.

 

[MSU Fan]

thanks - I appreciate the feed back - the lights have already gone off, so I will snap some pics tomorrow (I don't have moon lights yet...)

 

[MSU Fan]

Question - the Xenia I purchased was attached to a frag, and that frag was rubberbanded to a shell. I have to move some LR around to make room for my skimmer pump (which is giant!), so I haven't removed the frag from the shell yet. The Xenia seems to be attached to both the frag and the shell though.

So How do I remove the Xenia from the shell without damaging it? TIA

EDIT -

oooh, also, if I were to glue the frag in, what kind of glue do you use???


EDIT AGAIN --

Here's some pics for you!

this is Pedro!

Here's a full tank shot

Here's our Xenia

And the GSP

How often can you get a good pic of these Jelly's???

I have a magnifying glass that helps with this pic. I have also seen some tiny snails and tiny pods on the glass too!

 

[MSU Fan]

Just thought I would let you know that everything seems to be going well. The skimmer is slowly but surely pulling some skimate out (although not to the degree I anticipate when I remove the fluval 404). I would like to leave the 404 on there until my 125 is up (since it will already have cultured bacteria in it).

I am in the midst of a diatom bloom, so I don't have any pics. I added some snails to the mix (1 cerith, 3 Nasarrius, 2 turbos, 1 trochus), but mostly they seem nocturnal. They also don't seem to be going after the diatoms, so I need to address that myself. All the corals seem to be doing well. I hope to have some pics on later tonight. I will also post my water parameters. Is Seachem Reef Plus a good doser for my tank, or should it be avoided?

Ooh, no one answered me on the Xenia frag issue - can I just cut its stalk to remove it from the shell, or do I need to let it grow off of it??? TIA

I bought some super glue this weekend, so I will be glueing my frags in and would appreciate the help. Thanks!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Nix the dosing, for the most part it's not needed. Keep up on frequent water changes and you won't need to dose a thing.

Super glue gel works great for attaching frags. If you cut the xenia, make sure you do it out of water and in as straight a cut as possible. Sorry if I missed this, but why do you want to remove it from the shell? If you want to move it to another rock you can just but a rock next to it and let it grow onto that.

Tank looks great. Why do you have a sponge filter in there?

 

[MSU Fan]

Nix the dosing, for the most part it's not needed. Keep up on frequent water changes and you won't need to dose a thing.

Ok, thanks - I will take it back.

If you cut the xenia, make sure you do it out of water and in as straight a cut as possible. Sorry if I missed this, but why do you want to remove it from the shell? If you want to move it to another rock you can just but a rock next to it and let it grow onto that.

Well, we want to glue the frag in that the Xenia is attached to. But the Xenia has a "foot" on both the rubble and the shell. I want to detach it from the shell, and then glue the rock in. I would then put the "foot" that was on the shell onto a rock and let it re-attach.

Tank looks great. Why do you have a sponge filter in there?

For my next QT! - That way it is colonized with the "good" bacteria to instant cycle.

Thanks, by the way, for the help!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Gotcha, so it's already on rock, you just want the shell gone, right? Try peeling it first, with either a razor blade of a credit card, again, make sure it's out of the water. When they get stressed the release a goo that can foul your water. It may pry off easily and then you can just glue it down and let it reattach. If it doesn't, make as clean a cut as possible with a blade. Don't worry about hurting the coral, it will bounce back in a few days.

 

[MSU Fan]

EDIT AGAIN!
Removed double post.

EDIT!!!

Here's some pics of my goodies!!!

My Xenia!

Here's a good shot of my GSP!

When I bought the frag of button polyps, this mushroom was attached to the bottom!!!

My new feather duster!

My Elegance!!! I got this guy for a steal since it wasn't the most "attractive" Elegance he had ever gotten - the opening on this guy is probably 5" long!

My button polyps!

Pedro!!!

One of my 2 Turbo Snails - I also have 3 Nassarius, 1 Cerith, 1 Astrea, and I think that I found a Peppermint Snail on my LR today...

I need to glue some of these frags in tomorrow since my turbo's are pretty clumsy (the one thought the button polyps frag was a nice chair for a while!). Actual, the button polyp frag is on the sand because one of them knocked it out of the LR. I just got some gel glue tonight, but the lights are out already, so I will be glueing tomorrow!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Did you see my reply MSU? Seems your latest reply was a copy of your previous one. Hehe.