reply
 

Since I haven't ordered the lock lines yet I could simply get the split lines. So My 6 nozels will become 12 @ 300 ghp through 3/4". I think that will be better.

300 gph through 1/2" is what a maxi jet 1200 does, so 3/4" will have less pressure. Thanks for the heads up Kevin.

overflow ideas
 

Can anyone offer a link or diagram of an external overflow design. I'm trying to wrap my head around how to build an external overflow that would alow me to raise or lower the water level in the tank. I don't want an ugly box inside of the tank, I'd much rather have something outside that isn't an eye sore.

My initial thoughts were to build a box with another bulk head on the bottom. That way I could build a sliding stand pipe to raise and lower the water level. Input anyone?

Danny you want to raise the water level in the over flow or the tank.. why would you want to raise the water level in the tank. I dont think that a external over flow will allow you to raise the water level in the tank ..

reply
 

i want to raise the level in the tank because if i don't, there will be like 2.5" from the top of the water to the tank top. i only have a 20" high tank so i need it as high as i can.

reply
 

Well, I went up to Gold's to see if they had the lock lines I needed. After seeing how big the 3/4" lines were, I decided to try just the 6 lines with flares instead of buying "Y" adaptors etc. This is how they worked out.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...p/IMGP2988.jpg

My first test yielded a couple of small leaks in various joints of the closed loop, which are repairable.

The flow coming out of the flare nozels was moderate to feel, not as thrusty as I thought they would be at 600 ghp each. So I'll stick with them.

Looks good.
Keep up with the pics.
Kevin

reply
 

Today I picked up the Lumenarc reflector, and installed it. What an awesone reflector, i've got coast to coast coverage across the entire tank. :wink: A special thanks to Ryan and Steve for making that happen!

So now that I had lights I got the ich to do he swap right away, and I did. Didn't finish until 3 am. I'll take some pics tomorrow, I'm going straigt to bed. :redface:

Awesome!!!

I can't wait to see how she looks :)

Subscribed!

reply
 

Ok, as promised, here are a few shots of the complete setup.

Please keep in mind that this tank will eventually become an inwall tank. So nothing really had to be that pretty, it just had to be functional. Enjoy!

The back side of the tank while running. The wife thinks it looks like some kind of bio-mechanical machine, and I said it is!:lol:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...p/IMGP3110.jpg

The sump. Nothing fancy, just a chamber for the skimmer, a couple of baffles, and a chamber for live rock. There's plenty of room to add macro algae if I want to build a refugium down the road.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...p/IMGP3111.jpg

The lighting structure. This posed the biggest problem for me, just look at the venting I had to work around. The lumenarc is actually hanging from a rail structure so that I can move it out of the way when I need to get my hands wet. Like I said, it's not fancy but it does work well. The T5's are simply screwed to 2 x 4's to raise them up above the closed loop manifold.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...p/IMGP3112.jpg

I messured like 12 times before placing the tank here just to make sure that I got it right. Over the next while I'll build the walls around it. There will be a door to the right of the tank to access the back of it, as well as the house utilities. I chose this area because I'd have to build a wall around the furnace and HWT anyway, so as to prevent the rug rats from messing around wih everything. They are 2 and 1 year old, so building a wall is way easier than chasing them every where.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...p/IMGP3113.jpg