another idea
 

i got another idea looking through your photos. if you want to plumb through the wall, cut a hole in the gyproc to the size of one of those air return vents.
Then drill the holes (you are gonna have to use some DEEP hole saws) through the 2x4's or 2x6's inside the the wall. just make sure there are no electrical lines running along the bottom of the studs.
when you dismantle, just put the return air vent on the wall and it will just look like another vent.

Imagine being able to stand inside your stand and have a 6 foot skimmer foaminig like a banshee. It really broadens your systems potential of being an even bigger money pit. :mrgreen: (reactors, denitrators, props, fuges, ozoners, hosptial tank, quarantine,zeovit,r/o unit...................)

Started a basement sump thread in the pictures forum
http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28266



Niloc16, Still say be happy with what you have and relax for awhile. One of the things that got me when started was once I had my mind made up I would see a picture or talk to someone and started doubting my plans. Live with what you have for a bit, see waht you like or don't like, there's alway room for changing and upgrading later

awesome ideas guys, and really you dont have to try and convince me. i would like to do it, but i guess its like chin mentioned earliers its a matter of whether i want take on the workload. i was under the stand earlier and examining the plumbing as far as where i would cut and if i am able to cut to attach new plumbing to it to send it downstairs. it does seem possible as far as attaching to the current plumbing but i'm definitely going to have to think harder on this one. i agree with you joereefer as to wanting to stand up in my 'stand' it would be awesome having everything downstairs, a place i could 'escape' to. to be honest the one factor making me hesitant is the fact of hacking my house further and in a permanent way too. i mean its pretty unlikely of us moving but still, the house is so new. i guess i'm just thinking out loud to you guys. if you having any pictures of your setups with basement sumps please post

mark thats true. ideas continously change, more then i imagined. i'm going to do up some plans and drawings and get info from you guys and then make a decision.

A basement sump is cleaner, makes water changes easier, everything is just waaaay easier. I converted after 2 years.

Running a CL pump in the basement will nto affect its performance that much. The pump still sees no static head pressure, only the pressure induced by the pipes. Use at least 1.5 inch pipes and you will be pretty good. Use 2 inch pipes and you will be rockin. The pump IS NOT pumping water up only recirculating.

I will expand much more when I get from holidays if you like, for now I have to go.:biggrin:

Chalk this up as one more reason to go with a Tunze system for current rather then a closed loop. I've never heard complaints about the sound of Tunze streams, and you'd be less likely to consider moving your sump to the basement if not for the noise of the CL. It's easy to find very quiet return pumps since the flow is typically much less.

I'm not trying to bash the idea, but I know how often people's hobbies change and it would be a shame to make holes in the floor of a new house and decide to pursue another hobby a year from now.

good point dave. i have been thinking of cancelling the CL system and going tunzes. i wish the vortechs were easier controlled for direction because i would definitely go that route instead of tunzes. getting rid of the barracuda would be a very very good thing as far as noise goes, but it gives really good flow and using the loclines for it makes it even easier for directing flow. the dart is still noisy as a return pump but not so bad that is annoying.

Yep you got her right, ya just had me worried when you said 30amps. Melting wires bad!

few things have changed. i got rid of my CL. i bought 2 wavy seas and 2 tunze 6100 to mount to them. still waiting on the tunzes to arrive. purchased a couple fish, no pictures though because i'm still waiting on lighting to arrive. i bought a med blonde naso, juvenile tomini and a juvenile atlantic blue tang. currently in the tank i have 4 chromis, 2 oscellaris clowns (from my 10gallong) and a bengaii cardinal. all tangs were doing really good in store, had them there for week and a half except for the atlantic blue but when i got home the naso was laying sideways in bag. so i acclimated and put them in the tank and the naso pretty much just gets blown around by the current until he finds a rock to prop himself up on. i hope he does better. the other two tangs are very happy, acting like best friends. nervous about the naso though. anyone had this happen with tangs acclimating. i've seen it many times in stores on new arrivals and then the next day they are fine.